It is a Mobile Intel 4 Series Express Chipset Family.

The search concluded that I had the most uptodate software for that driver.

Before you go any further, just to play devil's advocate, can it be the driver if Quick Time still plays in perfect quality? I cannot see if WMP plays in good quality as it is blank (!) so not sure if it is only streaming or all video from any source.

It not the driver that is causing your problem, Oli, it is the inability to change hardware acceleration (which IS a driver issue). That is why I suggested an updated driver. BTW, even if Windows tells you that the current driver is the most recent, 99 times out of 100, it's a lie.

Anyway, I'd like you to try this: http://support.microsoft.com/gp/video_f ... or_crashes
Run the automated troubleshooter on the right side of the page.

Darren, the automated scan found no problems at all and gave me a long list of codecs with green ticks next to them too. So frustrating!

Sopcast also not streaming in good quality - unless I was unlucky and clicked on 5 poor quality feeds.

This means I think it ONLY applies to streaming, but quality is fine when showing saved video files via Quick Time (and presumably WMP if I could see it).

Some further info...

When my computer goes into screen saver mode it shows my photos and videos in perfect quality. Therefore I can confirm the problem is only with streaming, not with all video files.

I may have also nailed the WMP problem- it seems thinsg I filmed on my old camera play fine and only ones on my new camera are the problem. So it probably IS a codec issue that can be resolved - I dont know how but shall find a way!

So, any other clues as to how I can improve the quality of my streaming please? Darren, any more advice re drivers?

Thanks

I just found older video files that don't work either, so actually I cannot find a logic for why some play and some dont. But it is the first time I have found ANY that work since I noticed this problem so still a development.

Streaming my main worry though.

anyone?!!

Sorry mate, think you're going to have to take it into somewhere and get them to take a look at it for you. I'm sure it's something pretty simple but I always find it difficult to troubleshoot something without having the thing in front of me

Likewise, it's hard to suggest what to do unless you can see exactly what's going on...take it in somewhere, but avoid PC world unless your wallet is feeling too heavy.

Thanks. It is under warranty with Sony who are 'looking into it' and do a 48 hour turn around service.

Your help appreciated.

Sony say either a) it is something corrupting the driver (which they sent me to re-install and made no difference) or b) it is a streaming issue caused by my connection.

So I either have to start going down the route of blaming Orange broadband or restore my whole computer and have a whole nightmare with that?

Which do people recommend is most likely to save me?!!

Thanks

Can you connect it to someone elses broadband/wireless network (who is with a different ISP) so that you can see whether that is the issue or rule it out? Would be pointless doing a full reinstall if you then discover that it doesn't fix your problem and it was the connection after all

If the problem is happening with Youtube too, then it definitely isn't your internet/broadband....Thats a given.

What I mean to say is, with YT, you can choose what quality you want the clip to load in, and wait for the clip to fully load before playing it as opposed to a live stream......and once you play a YT clip that is fully loaded, it should have absolutely nothing to do with your internet speed or your ISP....

Yes I just made sure that was the case and it defo does it in youtube even when youw ait until fully loaded.

I tried re-installing the drivers again and makes no difference.

I don't see how restoring computer OR blaming Orange can work...?

It could be anything, possibly spyware if you don't check that... anything to do with your graphics card or drivers. Assuming that it did work once before then restoring your computer with a fresh install of the operating system will usually work as it'll reset all the drivers and everything back to how it was when you first got the computer.

Personally I tend to do this every year anyway just to clear out everything that's no longer needed as even though I tend to maintain my PC there's always some stuff left behind in the registry that clogs things up.

Thanks. And if I do this do I need to reinstall every programme etc on my computer after? will take hours if not days!

Have heard a similar tale just recently where the problem turned out to be flash player - if you can remove and reinstall it might just work...no guarantees at all mate but might save a lot of aggro.

Thanks for the advice Jonesy, I have uninstalled flash and reinstalled it but no difference. Videos did not play after i had uninstalled, so thought I was onto something.

Is it possibel to install a diff version of flash and not 10.1? Perhapds that would help but cannot find a way to do it.

Try this...

http://www.oldapps.com/flash_player.php ... 8?download

Bizarrely when I download that link Jonesy, I do get flash installation etc etc which I go through, but at the end of it all youtube clips dont work and say I need to download flash player, which then links me back to downloading flasy 10.1 and being back to square 1!

AAAGGGHH!

I think we may be onto something though as still shots of video clips are perfect quality and it is only relevent to streaming, so could well be flash related.