MP4 format videos question-how to play on an older system

[Strawboss]

I have a few new MP4 videos that won't play on my lap-top, is it just a matter of downloading the MP4 player onto my hardrive? I've saved them to a flash drive. There were a few choices that probably meant the same thing, MP4 download, MP4 codec, MP4 player. Any ideas, I'm totally computer terms illiterate so type real slow and in simple English terms so that I may understand. Thanks.

[Tom J.]

Not sure if this will help...  but, I took several videos on my phone (concert) which recorded them in a "3gp" format.  My computer would not play them.  I had to download the "3GP-Player.exe" file and they played just fine afterwards.
Maybe you have to find the right MP4 executable file.
-Good luck-

[Strawboss]

They are videos from a local TV channel that I got off utube, they play fine on the newer PC that I originally used to download them on. I'll start with downloading a MP4 player, theres a few than came up on my search on yahoo.

[Outback_Jon]

Get the K-Lite Codec Pack.  Includes most of the codecs you'll ever use/need.  The "Basic" one should do just fine.

[Strawboss]

No, downloaded and scanned and restarted, nothing. I'll try saving the video on the laptop that won't play it.

[anycleavers]

Try dl and installing VLC media player. It's a free, open source video player that will play ALMOST all formats. Worth a shot at no cost. Link:

http://www.videolan.org/vlc/

[Strawboss]

No, I'm done installing any more stuff that probably won't work. Anybody remember where to stick the word "kick" in the youtube address to save it? And then what do I do after typing the word in, I can't remember?

[shakespeare]

No, I'm done installing any more stuff that probably won't work.

Seriously, that's good advice from anycleavers, try VLC, it plays just about everything in my Linux systems. It's a great open source media player, with a simple GUI (it's easy to use).

http://www.videolan.org/vlc/download-windows.html

Anybody remember where to stick the word "kick" in the youtube address to save it? And then what do I do after typing the word in, I can't remember?

I answered that earlier:

http://lifehacker.com/5109597/kickyoutube-lets-you-download-videos-without-extra-software-or-hassle

Load the URL for the video in your browser:
http ://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uOgHE5nEq04

Insert the word "kick" between the www. and the youtube.com section of the URL:

http://www.kickyoutube.com/watch?v=uOgHE5nEq04



Please don't take this the wrong way, but even if your computer skills are lacking, you should take a few moments to learn how to use keywords in Google.  You will find most of the answers to any questions you have in life in seconds. For example, in the case above, if you type: kick youtube download, in any order, you'll find dozens of links with the answer to your question.