Troubleshooting Guide
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Chapter 9:
Music, Photos and Video
Audio files, photos and videos are the most common media formats that we work with on our computers. Generally, it’s a very straightforward process without much trouble. However, once you start playing with advanced audio hardware or codecs, you might experience some issues. This guide will help you solve them and clear any leftover confusion.
In this guide we will cover the most common audio problems in Windows 8.1 and explain how you can solve them. Usually when these problems occur, you will experience bad sound quality or your sound will be completely missing. Hardware issues and outdated drivers are the leading cause of these problems and as such, they will be the main focus of this troubleshooting guide.
Check Your Audio Cables
If you are using speakers, headphones, a combo box or professional sound monitors you should first check the cables that connect to your PC.
In this section, we’ll show you how to check your audio cables depending on their type. Before you go any further, we recommend that you check for the trivial things as well: make sure that everything is plugged into the proper port, check that all the devices are powered and turned on, and make sure that none of the audio sources are muted.
To troubleshoot speakers and headphones:
Make sure the cables are connected properly (see the illustration below):
- The microphone should be plugged into the microphone jack, which is usually marked with a pink color.
- The speakers/headphones should be plugged into the line-out jack, which is usually marked with a green color.
Make sure you haven’t accidently plugged your speakers into the line-in jack.
If your device uses a USB cable, then consult our USB troubleshooting guide for more details. Generally you should:
- Make sure that the port is working properly – try plugging the speakers into a different USB port.
- If you are using a USB hub, make sure that the hub device is receiving enough power. Try plugging the audio device directly into the PC instead.
If you are using a HDMI second monitor with built-in speakers that you wish to use, then you should check to see if audio is enabled over HDMI connection.
To troubleshoot audio over HDMI cable:
Open the Charms bar and then click or tap on Search.
Type Sound in the search box, and then click or tap on the Sound app from the list of results.
Click or tap on the Playback tab and look for your HDMI device (it will be shown as a speaker icon and will be labeled Speakers; the icon should be followed by the name of the device).
Once you locate your HDMI device, click or tap on it.
Now click or tap on Set Default, and then click or tap on OK to confirm your decision.
Restart your PC after you’ve successfully applied these changes.
Check Your Sound Card
The next step is to check if your PC has a sound card and whether it is functioning properly. This can be done easily via the Device Manager:
Open the Charms bar and then click or tap on Search.
Type Device Manager in the search box, and then click or tap on the Device Manager from the list of results.
Double click or double tap on Sound, video and game controllers to expand this category on the left side of the window.
If you cannot see a sound card in this category, try looking under Other devices. If you do not have a sound card listed in any of these categories, consult your PC’s specs. If one is listed on the spec sheet, but not installed, then contact your retailer about the mistake.
If you can see the sound card, then right click on its name (or press and hold) to open the context menu.
Now choose Properties and under the General tab look at the Device status.
If the device is running properly, then everything is fine; if not, you will see a troubleshoot button. Click or tap on it and follow the on-screen instructions.
If there is a problem with outdated or missing drivers, then consult our guide on updating drivers in Windows 8.1 for help on downloading and installing the right ones.
Use the Audio Troubleshooter
Download the audio troubleshooter from Microsoft’s support site and run the app. This automated troubleshooter requires administrative privileges and it will check your PC for common audio configuration errors. Since this is a software troubleshooter, it will only be able to detect other software-related problems.
Once the troubleshooter is finished you will received a list of a diagnosed errors. Usually, this program will fix most common problems, but some errors might require further action from the user. If this is the case, then the troubleshooter will point you into the right direction.
A codec is a piece of hardware or software that can compress and decompress digital media files using specific techniques and algorithms. The term codec itself is short for coder-decoder or, less commonly uses, compressor-decompressor. In this instance, we’re referring to the codec software that is very 
useful for compressing audio and video files.
There are hundreds of codecs that you can use, but only a handful of them come with Windows. In case you stumble upon media files that can only be played via a codec that you don’t have, you will need to find it and install it from a third-party.
How to See Currently Installed Codecs
The information regarding supported codecs in Windows 8.1 is a bit complex and hard to find. Here’s a trick you can use to discover this information on your PC:
Open the Windows Media Player.
Hover over the Help menu in the menu bar and click or tap on About Windows Media Player.
In case the Help menu is not available in the menu bar, click or tap on Organize, then click or tap on Layout and select Show menu bar.
Now the About Windows Media Player dialog will open. Here you should click or tap on Technical Support Information.
This will open a plain document inside of your web browser. This file contains a lot of debug information that is used to troubleshoot media-related problems.
Go through the list until you find information regarding codecs.
How to Find and Install Missing Codec
When you try to play a file with an unsupported codec, you will usually receive an error message along with the name of the codec that you need to install. This will often lead you directly to the codec’s main webpage where you can download the software.
In case the error message doesn’t contain the information regarding the ID of the codec, you can inspect the file for more information. Right clicking (or pressing and holding) the file will open the context menu where you can click or tap on Properties. Under Details, look at the File tab. Here you can look at the Audio codec and Video codec sections to see which codecs are required. The information that is displayed here, however, isn’t always accurate.
The file’s extension can also be a valuable hint. For example, MP3 is a file extension that is associated with the MPEG-1 codec. However, this is also rather inaccurate as file extensions are not the same thing as the codecs used to compress and decompress their content. Nonetheless, if you search for an unusual file extension you’ll probably find a lot of information about it on the Internet – including the name of the required codec.
You can also search for codecs based on their official ID signatures that are sometimes displayed in the error message. Video codecs have an ID that is known as the FourCC identifier, while audio codecs use a WaveFormat identifier.
Once you’ve found the codec’s webpage, you can download and install it. Not all codecs are free and you may be required to purchase the one you need. The installation process may vary so be sure to check the instructions or FAQ section on the codec’s site.
Finally, before installing a codec you should remember that these programs are third-party software and not affiliated with Microsoft. As such, you take full responsibility for installing them. Usually there’s no need to be worried, but Microsoft always recommends that you create a USB recovery drive in case third-party files cause system corruption.
The Windows Media Player is a great built-in media station for your movies, music and photos. In Windows 8.1, this program has been equipped with a brand new feature called device sync (device synchronization), which allows you to copy your media files from your library to a portable device. With this feature you can easily copy your files from your Windows PC to your smartphone or tablet device.
How to Use Windows Media Player’s Device Synchronization
Media items can be synchronized to your portable devices manually or automatically (when the device is connected). When you connect the portable device to your PC for the first time, the Media Player will suggest which method works best for you, but you can always change this later. If your media library is large but your device has a small storage capacity, then it is best to do the sync manually. Otherwise you can feel free to automate the process.
To get started with Windows Media Player’s device sync, do the following:
Connect your portable device to the PC. Make sure that the device is turned on.
Open the Windows Media Player. The program will detect the device automatically.
- You can click or tap on Finish to sync the files automatically.
- You can also click or tap on Finish and then click or tap the Sync tab to choose files manually.
To change your synchronization options, connect the device to the PC and do the following:
Open the Player Library and click or tap on the Sync tab.
Click or tap the Sync options button.
Now click or tap on Set up sync and follow the on-screen instructions.
Technical Notes about Automatic and Manual Synchronization
The choice between the automatic or manual sync depends greatly on your device and how large your library is. The Windows Media Player will choose automatic sync by default if you have more than 4 gigabytes (4GB) of available storage capacity on your device and your media library is smaller than that.
However, you have the liberty to choose individual files and folders instead of having the entire Player Library copied at once. This means that automatic sync can be used to sync specific files and not the entire library.
Since the process is automatic, this means that the contents of the device will automatically be updated every time when the device is connected to the PC. As such, the contents on your portable device will mirror the Player Library.
To illustrate this clearly – if you have downloaded a music album to your Player Library, the same music files will be copied to your device the next time it’s connected to the PC. This also works for file deletion. If you delete the album on your PC then those files will be deleted on the portable device the next time you sync.
On the other hand, if you do not have sufficient storage space on the device, then the Windows Media Player will choose manual sync as the default option. You’ll have to follow the on-screen instructions in order to add or remove the items that you wish to synchronize with your device.
There are several ways to import content from your external devices to your PC and they greatly depend on the type of device that you’re using. In this guide we’ll talk about all of the methods and provide solutions for the common problems. If you’re interested in the process of synchronizing media files on your PC with portable devices, then head over to our device sync in Windows 8.1 guide.
Importing Content from Smartphone, Tablet, Camera or External Drive
Importing photos and videos directly from these devices is very easy. The speed of the transfer, however, depends greatly on the type of connection. If you are connecting the devices via a USB 3.0 connector then you should make sure to use a USB 3.0 port for optimum speed and performance. See our guide on USB 3.0 devices in Windows 8.1 if you are unsure about this.
Here are the steps:
Connect the device to your PC.
Open the Photos app:
- By default, there should be a Photos tile on your Start screen.
- Alternatively, you can open the Charms Bar, click or tap on Search and type “Photos” in the search field.
Right click within the Photos app or swipe in from the bottom edge. This will show a list of the app commands.
Click or tap on the Import command.
Use the import window to select the device you want to import from.
Once the device is selected, the app will search for all photos and videos that haven’t been imported before and select all of them. However, you can manually choose the files you wish to import.
Click or tap on the Import button once you’ve selected all of the files that you wish to copy to your PC.
Additionally, you can use wireless uploading to import your files if you’re using a smart device. Windows Phone, Android and iPhone users can download the OneDrive application from their respective stores and use it to upload files directly to OneDrive.
Importing from a DVD or CD
The import process for DVDs and CDs is a bit different as there is no automatic import tool. Essentially, you will have to copy and paste the files just like in earlier versions of Windows.
Here’s how it works:
- Insert the disc into the drive.
- Open the File Explorer and navigate to the disc drive with your media files.
- You will manually have to find the files that you want to copy. Select them and copy them to a new folder on your PC.
If you want the copied files to appear inside of your Photos app, then you need to copy them into the Pictures folder on your PC or OneDrive.
The PC Cannot Locate the Connected Device
The most common problem with importing media files in Windows 8.1 is that sometimes your connected device won’t show up anywhere on your PC. This indicates that the PC doesn’t “see” or cannot communicate with the device in question. In case of mobile devices and cameras you should first make sure that they are turned on and unlocked.
Try the following solutions:
- Update your drivers. The leading cause of hardware connectivity problems are missing driver updates. Check our guide on how to download and install drivers in Windows 8.1 for help.
- Reconnect the device. It could also very likely be a problem with your ports or a USB hub. We’ve also written an extensive guide on troubleshooting USB devices that gives an overview of the solutions that you can use if you cannot connect a USB device to your PC.
- Try the File Explorer. If you cannot import directly from the Photos app then you can try using the File Explorer to copy and paste the files to your Picture library.
Recording live TV in Windows 8.1 is possible with the proper equipment. It is also possible to schedule recordings. However, you will need to buy some additional hardware and set up everything manually. The whole process is explained in this guide.
Requirements for Recording Live TV in Windows 8.1
There are three major requirements that you need to fulfill in order to be able to record live TV. Once you meet all three, the recording process itself is very simple:
You’ll need to have Windows Media Center. If you don’t already have this, then you will need to buy the Windows Media Center Pack. Head over to your Settings and click or tap on Add features to Windows 8.1 and follow the instructions to purchase this pack.
You’ll need a TV tuner. This hardware in necessary in order to connect your TV to your PC. You can shop online or visit your local electronics shop, but either way it’s up to you to decide which one you’ll buy. However, we recommend that you check the Compatibility Center for Windows 8.1 to find out if the tuner works with your system.
You’ll need a TV signal source. Obviously you need a source for the signal that you plan on recording. You’ll connect the TV tuner to your PC on one end and the signal source on the other.
Recording Live TV and Scheduling Recordings
Once everything is connected, the TV signal becomes just another input steam and as such, it can be manipulated and recorded very easily.
To record live TV do the following:
Open the Charms Bar and click or tap on Search.
In the search field type Windows Media Center and then click or tap on the Windows Media Center to select the app from the list of results.
Scroll down to the TV section and then click or tap on Live TV.
Here you’ll see a Record button. Click or tap on it to start the live recording.
To schedule a recording, follow the steps above to get to the TV section and then do the following:
Click or tap on Search under the TV section. This option will help you pick the show that you wish to record.
Click or tap on the category that you want to search by and then follow the instructions to start a search.
From the search results you can click or tap on the desired TV show or movie that you want to record.
With the show selected, you should click on Record to schedule a recording.
In order to watch the shows that you’ve previously recorded, do the following:
Once again, go to the TV section in the Windows Media Center
Click or tap on Recorded TV. Here you’ll see a list of shows that you’ve recorded.
Click or tap on the recording you want to watch.
Click or tap on Play to start the recording.
