Tech Forum

It appears that Gospel Library videos don't work on Windows Phone 8.

I believe this is because the app links to the WMV version of the video, which is encoded using an old WMV codec which Windows Phone 8 doesn't support (but 7 did). If I use I.E. 10 on my phone and browse to the conference talk and select to download the WMV video, I receive the same error about not being able to play the video. If I choose the 720p MP4 however, it plays just fine.

What are the chances we can get the attention of the church developers responsible for Gospel Library and have them change the app to point at the MP4, or at least, point at the MP4 if OS version = WP 8 ?

edit for correct codec information:

alternatively, the church could go back and re-encode every existing WMV file to use a newer (supported by Windows Phone 8) WMV codec (this is WMV 9 or higher and WMA Standard/Pro audio), but somehow I think it's easier to point the app at the already existing compatible file format.

they007 wrote:What are the chances we can get the attention of the church developers responsible for Gospel Library and have them change the app to point at the MP4, or at least, point at the MP4 if OS version = WP 8 ?

Currently there is no development team for Windows 8. So any development of this nature will have to wait until they have a team or some way of addressing this.

It's not a Windows 8 issue. Windows 8 can play the WMV just fine. It's a Windows Phone 8 issue, and I'm assuming there is still a Windows phone dev team. They don't need to update the app to be Window phone 8 app to fix this issue, just update the existing phone 7 app.

and I did sent an email to GospelLibrary-wp@ldschurch.org via the in-app link with this information, though I didn't think about emailing it until after I posted here.

I am having the same issue & would ask that it be fixed. My wife & I used this feature on out Windows 7.5 phones, but now on WP8, this feature no longer works.

they007 wrote:It's not a Windows 8 issue. Windows 8 can play the WMV just fine. It's a Windows Phone 8 issue, and I'm assuming there is still a Windows phone dev team. They don't need to update the app to be Window phone 8 app to fix this issue, just update the existing phone 7 app.

What may appear to be a simple transition from Window Phone 7 to Windows Phone 8 is not as simple as you might imagine. There are two issues here.

The first is that Windows Phone 7 devices use a CE based architecture while Windows Phone 8 devices use a Windows NT architecture based on the Windows NT kernel. The Windows Phone development team cannot just transition from Windows Phone 7 to Windows Phone 8. Different operating system development knowledge and skills are required.

While both Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 use Microsoft's Metro user interface and both use an architecture based on the Windows NT kernel, not all of the components available on Windows 8 are available on Windows Phone 8. Any development effort for Windows 8 devices will require a new development team to come together. What may work on Windows 8 may not work on Windows Phone 8 without consideration for the missing Windows 8 components.

jdlessley wrote:

they007 wrote:It's not a Windows 8 issue. Windows 8 can play the WMV just fine. It's a Windows Phone 8 issue, and I'm assuming there is still a Windows phone dev team. They don't need to update the app to be Window phone 8 app to fix this issue, just update the existing phone 7 app.

What may appear to be a simple transition from Window Phone 7 to Windows Phone 8 is not as simple as you might imagine. There are two issues here.

The first is that Windows Phone 7 devices use a CE based architecture while Windows Phone 8 devices use a Windows NT architecture based on the Windows NT kernel. The Windows Phone development team cannot just transition from Windows Phone 7 to Windows Phone 8. Different operating system development knowledge and skills are required.

While both Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 use Microsoft's Metro user interface and both use an architecture based on the Windows NT kernel, not all of the components available on Windows 8 are available on Windows Phone 8. Any development effort for Windows 8 devices will require a new development team to come together. What may work on Windows 8 may not work on Windows Phone 8 without consideration for the missing Windows 8 components.

While everything you said is correct, you seem to be missing out on my point. Windows Phone 8 runs the existing Windows Phone 7 LDS Gospel Library Application. The incompatibility between the .wmv video files which are linked in the Windows phone 7 application and Windows Phone 8 can easily be changed within the Windows Phone 7 application. It does not require any knowledge, tools or APIs from Windows 8 or Windows Phone 8. We're simply talking about changing the hyperlink from something like http://lds.org/video/video.wmv to something like http://lds.org/video/video.mp4. This may even be something that could be updated on the "backend" without changing the client, depending on how it's implemented.

Agreed. It seems like JD is not giving a fair response & instead trying to play to the ignorance of users who may not realize that this fix does not even require really doing anything that is Windows Phone 8-centric.

dkmortensen wrote:It seems like JD is not giving a fair response & instead trying to play to the ignorance of users...

Since you brought up the issue of "fairness" I have to say that your post is completely unfair. Although it might be the case that JD could be wrong on a technical point or two, he is most certainly doing his best to provide an accurate and helpful response based on what he understands. By no means is he playing on anyone's ignorance.

Please stick to clarifying the technical issues and refrain from impugning anyone's motives. If, according to your knowledge and understanding, JD has made a mistake, please kindly supply a correction. It's Christmas Eve!