Sweet Home Alabama Posted June 24, 2016 Share Posted June 24, 2016 I bought these Thinkwell Biology CDs from Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Thinkwell-Biology-George-Wolfe-Next-Generation/dp/096783578X/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8 Technically, they work. But, the video does not flow. Instead there are static pictures. The audio is fine. The logos for macromedia and quicktime are on the back of the box. I'm just wondering if the problem has to do with these. I went to Thinkwell's webpage and found a way to upgrade, but that didn't work. I'm not actually purchasing their curriculum for $150. When I tried this upgrade, the CDs stopped working, and I had to uninstall and reinstall them. How do I make my CD video "flow"? Become animated? We could use them as is, but seeing movement REALLY makes a difference! Help! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ondreeuh Posted June 24, 2016 Share Posted June 24, 2016 We always use VLC to view videos because VLC can read from most sources. I would try installing that and then starting the CDs. http://www.videolan.org/vlc/index.html 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkT Posted June 25, 2016 Share Posted June 25, 2016 (edited) I have had good luck with VLC on other video files but sometimes synching sound and video are still an issue. http://forum.videohelp.com/threads/282959-Having-trouble-with-bin-cue-files I assume you tried this: http://www.thinkwell.com/main/download Did your used CD-ROM come with player software? (this is what should be there) http://faculty.tcc.edu/JArnold/documents/student_user_guide_002_000.pdf You may want to resurrect an old XP machine* just to play these old CD-ROMs. *doesn't everyone have one stuffed away in a closet :) Edited June 25, 2016 by MarkT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sweet Home Alabama Posted June 25, 2016 Author Share Posted June 25, 2016 Thank you so much for the help, Andrea and Mark! Even though we can use the CDs as is, I really hope we can get the video working! :) My son tried to make it work yesterday, and dh will try later. Mark, we tried to download an update from the Thinkwell page. When we did, my CDs didn't work at all because they wanted me to register with a code. I tried to do this. I have an authorization code that came with my CDs. Yet, when we tried it, we got a message that it was invalid. The only thing we could do at that point was to uninstall the CDs and reinstall them. Then they worked again still without the video motion. I also tried two old computers, yet the computers themselves must be so messed up because neither of them worked enough for me to try the CDs. I have a QuickTime icon on my computer screen, so it looks like it's there. Seems like we need to update that? Given that the QuickTime and Multimedia names are on the Thinkwell box, that has to be a clue. Ultimately, I think the CDs are so old that they are not functioning on new equipment and even trying to run on the compatible 95, 98, 2000 versions, nothing changed. We're running out of ideas. Oh, I don't know if this would help, but since I can't register the CDs and use them that way, the other option is to click "Use offline". That's what we're doing. Do you see any red flags with that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkT Posted June 25, 2016 Share Posted June 25, 2016 Thank you so much for the help, Andrea and Mark! Even though we can use the CDs as is, I really hope we can get the video working! :) My son tried to make it work yesterday, and dh will try later. Mark, we tried to download an update from the Thinkwell page. When we did, my CDs didn't work at all because they wanted me to register with a code. I tried to do this. I have an authorization code that came with my CDs. Yet, when we tried it, we got a message that it was invalid. Thinkwell makes no $ from resell items. I also tried two old computers, yet the computers themselves must be so messed up because neither of them worked enough for me to try the CDs. Do you have the Windows install disks from that time period for the old computer? Back in 2001, Thinkwell couldn't assume every computer had a full time internet connection. I would make a "fresh" XP or 2000 computer. Then install the Thinkwell player from the CD-ROM (if this needs to be registered then you are SOL). I have a QuickTime icon on my computer screen, so it looks like it's there. Seems like we need to update that? Given that the QuickTime and Multimedia names are on the Thinkwell box, that has to be a clue. This is a proprietary player (most likely built with Macromedia and Quicktime). The idea is that copying the CDs was easy to do but getting them registered was more difficult. Oh, I don't know if this would help, but since I can't register the CDs and use them that way, the other option is to click "Use offline". That's what we're doing. Do you see any red flags with that? Use in offline mode Did you try VLC? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sweet Home Alabama Posted June 27, 2016 Author Share Posted June 27, 2016 (edited) Thought I would post an update in case this ever helps anyone else. My Thinkwell CDs work now!!! Honestly, I'm not sure what happened. My dh downloaded VLC, but there was still no video motion when we tried to watch the Thinkwell CDs. He showed me that the videos could be watched (with complete motion :) ) through QuickTime or through VLC. Viewing this way, however, only showed the lecturer. When we did this, we could not see the entire presentation where the teacher shows notes. (The Thinkwell version has a 3-box area for viewing. One is for the actual lecturing. The other two show notes.) Oh, and we restarted the computer after downloading VLC..... that should have made a difference, right? Since I was facing using the videos through VLC, which I was SO thankful to have, I needed to be sure they were in the same order as the Thinkwell TOC from the CDs. That was becoming a chore. Most of them were in the right order, but some were not. I had been working on this job for several hours when I truly just happened to notice that the CD videos had full motion! Why it took a day or more to take effect, I have no idea. The important thing is that they are working! Andrea and Mark thanks for your help! ETA: Well, it's still a mystery. I sat down to plan biology and decided to check the videos. The video is static again. At least I know that they truly can work. Hopefully I'll be able to discover the trick. Would love some opinions to why they might work sometimes and not others. Edited June 27, 2016 by Sweet Home Alabama Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EndOfOrdinary Posted June 27, 2016 Share Posted June 27, 2016 Thinkwell courses are on sale at Homeschool Buyers CoOp until Thursday. They are currently 45 percent off which would make this one under 90 dollars. It is not necessarily the greatest thing in the world - since it is a bummer to shell out more cash after trying so much with the videos - but it is a lot cheaper than the $150. Sorry things are wonky. :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sweet Home Alabama Posted June 27, 2016 Author Share Posted June 27, 2016 That's good to know.... I chose to go this route for two reasons.... we have limited internet service that isn't always dependable. I didn't want to HAVE to depend on internet for the online classes. Also, I want to take 2 years to do biology. I'm pairing biology with a full year of algebra-based physics in 11th grade and (if all goes according to plan) with an advanced chemistry in 12th grade. If I bought from Thinkwell, it would be way more expensive. I only paid $75 for these CDs. In some matter of speaking, you get what you pay for. :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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