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Removing Pop-Up URL's in Media Player

version 1.2

Identifying the Problem
Using Media Tools 7
Media Tools 9
Window Media Player 8 & 9
Neutering WMP's Registry ability to URL
the Hex Edit Way
Quick Fix for Windows XP users


Nothing Worse than downloading a media clip to only find yourself in IE pop up URL hell. So you swear off downloading *.asf and *.wmv files, only to find that you now are getting this obscenity in *.avi and *.mpg clips. Well, the spam-ad masters have noticed a small trick in windows media player. WMP will play any clip it can load a codec for, no matter what extension is on the clip. I have yet to find any avi, mpg, or mov clip that loaded a url that was not a renamed wmv or asf clip. And if you wish to keep it but remove the url, this is how:
  Confirm the file is indeed a wmv by Opening it in WindowsMediaPlayer, then click on FILE / PROPERTIES / ADVANCED. Look to the bottom "Codecs in use:". of this window.
See that despite the "movie.MPG" in the title the codec being used is WMV8. Now you know the fixes you're about to be shown will work.


Media Player 6.x and 7

    1. If you didn't download and already install the Complete Windows Media Resource Kit 7 beta 3 from Microsoft, find someone who did and get it from them. This has been tested on 98, Me, and Xp.

    2. Rename the clip from the incorrect extension to the correct one - in the above from Rene Bus_10.mpg to Rene Bus_10.wmv.

    3. From the start menu, select Windows Media Advanced Script Indexer from the Windows Media / Windows Media 7 Resource folder.

    4. Now find and open the renamed file:

    5. Find the URL script in the lower right hand corner -

    6.Simply highlight the script, and click delete on your keyboard.

    7. Then simply select save:

    8. Close the indexer and enjoy your pop up free clip.


Media Tools 9
With thanks to and help from Pony in Tampa.
M$ first pulled the plug on your ability to remove embedded scripts under the guise of "improved content control" - read Digtial Rights Management. The new Windows Media Encoder 9 Series download includes four new utilities that replace previous Resource Kit components:
    1. Windows Media Encoding Script  -  Enables batch encoding or automation of routine tasks.
    2. Windows Media Profile Editor   -  Enables you to create custom profiles for encoding sessions.
    3. Windows Media File Editor  -  Trim the start and end points of a file; add metadata, markers and script commands (this is the feature you're looking for); and, for multi-channel files, control the fold-down for stereo playback.
    4. Windows Media Stream Editor  -  Enables you to split or combine streams in existing Windows Media files in order to create new files.

Just open Media Editor, insert the file:

Select Script Commands,
and simply remove the url command. to completely remove the clip's ability to send you to pop-up hell.


Media Player 8 & 9 - XP
again, thanks go to Pony In Tampa, without whom I would have not noticed this. He reports:
After installing the Win Media 9 beta, I tried playing the some "mpg" files from a spam site.  It refused saying:
Or 
 The difference in the above is based on which version of the new Media player you have. Once renaming them to WMV (the correct extension for the encoding codec) they played fine except they have scripts in them.
It seems there are some good things in Media Player 9. There is also a setting under tools to refuse to execute scripts.
Simply open Tools:

Select Options.... then the Security tab

Then unclick the "Run script commands when present" and hit Apply.
Another day away from pop up script hell.


Neutering WMP's ability to URL

NOT for the faint at heart! If you haven't edited your reistry, don't try this.
The following was done on Windows 2000, but the process should be the same for Nt and Xp:

(by Download Junkie DownloadJunkie@

When you're playing a media file in MP and it opens a website in your browser that you didn't want to visit......
To disable processing of HTML scripts in Media Player
===========================================
     1. Open your registry and find or create the key below.

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\MediaPlayer\Preferences
     2. Create a new DWORD value, or modify the existing value, called "PlayerScriptCommandsEnabled" and set it to 0.

User Key:
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\MediaPlayer\Preferences]
Value Name: PlayerScriptCommandsEnabled
Data Type: REG_DWORD (DWORD Value)
Value Data: (0 = disable script, 1 = enable script)

Hey presto....no more websites popping up !
Works on Windows 2K so should be ok for NT and XP. Not sure about Win9x but give it a try.
regards,
DJ


the Hex Edit Way

There's an easy way to fix it if you have a hex (binary) editor like HEdit for example.
    1. Open the video file and near the top of the file you'll see the text U.R.L.h.t.t.p././.w.w.w.    etc. etc.
    2. Simply change the U to E or anything to stop it spelling "URL" and you're done.
Sometimes there are two within close proximity so make sure you get both of them.

Hope that helps.
DJ

TL's note: This can also be done using Wordpad in windows - the URL will still stand out.


Quick Fix for Windows XP users
From Dirk Nerpin
On the very top of your browser there should be a Mediaa button. If not, use tools / customize to add it
     1. Click the "media" button once and that should bring up the media side panel on your browser.
    2. On the very bottom there is drop down menu that has "media options" on it select the "settings button"
    3. Go to the first option which should say "play web media in bar" UNCHECK it if it's checked
Now media should play normal on the media player without the pop ups.



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