From: brett.bieber@gmail.com
Sent: Monday, January 23, 2006 10:36:35 PM UTC
To: VIDEO.FREE.NA.US.EN.SYK.MNL.TS.T01.SPT.00.EM
Subject: MSN Video:I am having technical pro:launching MSN Video

Service:
MSN Video

What type of problem do you have?
I am having technical problems with….
launching MSN Video

Full Name:
Brett Bieber

What e-mail address would you like a response sent to?
brett.bieber@gmail.com

To ensure a quick resolution, provide as many details as possible, including the date and time the problem occurred, a description of what you were trying to do, the detailed steps you took that led up to the problem, and details on any error messages that you received.
Can’t play wmv content even though I have the codecs installed. See this page: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/player/flip4mac.mspx

and quote “view Windows Media content on the Internet using a Web browser.”

Frequency of the issue:
Always present

Type of Internet connection:
T1 or faster, or company LAN

And Wally wrote me back.

Hello Brett,

Thank you for writing to MSN Entertainment Technical Support.

This is Wally and I understand that you are unable to play WMV files in your computer. Please accept my apologies for the inconvenience this has caused you.

For you to be provided with the best support for your concern, please allow me to direct you to Windows Media Player Support. They handle issues concerning the Windows Media Player software. You may refer to the information posted below for their available online help on your issues and concern.

For additional references, please allow me to direct you to Windows Media Player Support sites below:

Knowledge Center: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/knowledgecenter/

Windows Media Player 9: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/9series/player/faq.aspx

Windows Media Player 10: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/mp10/faq.aspx

On the other hand, if you are using Windows Media Player (WMP) 10, we highly recommend you contact WMP 10 support services. Rest assured that they are in the best position to assist you in resolving your Windows Media Player related concerns. To go to their support, please go to this site:

https://support.microsoft.com/common/survey.aspx?scid=sw;en;1214&showpage=1&WS=mscom&url=http%3a%2f%2fwww.microsoft.com%2f

As one of our valued customers, your satisfaction is one of our primary concerns. Please feel free to write back if you have other questions or if we can be of assistance to you in any way.

Thank you for using MSN Entertainment.

Sincerely,

Wally
MSN Entertainment Technical Support

To be fair, I didn’t supply all the details they asked for…. but Wally didn’t check into everything I referenced in my email. FLIP4MAC allows WMV content to be played on my MAC, and is endorsed/distributed by Microsoft now, yet I can’t view MSN’s video content. I go to MSNBC and try to launch a video and it says “To use this product, you need to install free software” (all Windows of course).
wtf