Playing Midi with Netscape - Troubleshooting FAQ
Q: What happened to the Netscape Audioplayer? I installed program X and now a different player appears when I play midi from within Netscape!A: Some programs seem to dislike the default Netscape Audioplayer (see Figure 1). So they will try (and usually succeed) to replace it with their own players. Since all software companies are convinced of the superiority of their own players most of them don't even bother to ask the unsuspecting Netscape user for confirmation.
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| Figure 1 - The Netscape Audioplayer |
Q: How can other programs change the Netscape Audioplayer?
A: Sound in Netscape is by default handled by the LiveAudio plug-in. A Netscape plug-in is a ".dll" file in the Netscape plug-ins folder, in case of LiveAudio called "npaudio.dll". A program therefore can simply install a new midiplayer by adding its own plug-in to the plug-ins folder. You can find info about plug-ins installed on your system by choosing from the Netscape menu: Help >> About Plug-ins. When two plug-ins handle the same filetype, Netscape will pick the one that comes first in the "About Plug-ins" list.
Q: Which programs will replace the Netscape Audioplayer?
A: I have personally experienced problems with Quicktime and Windows Media Player Updates 6.4 and 7, but there are probably more. Both are very common players so I assume that many people are having similar difficulties, hence this FAQ. Whereas Quicktime only replaced my Netscape Audioplayer, the Windows Media Player Update even managed to screw up the entire midi playback function in Netscape. Makes me wonder if this is another attempt by Micro$oft to eliminate the competition...
To make things worse even Netscape itself has now replaced its Audioplayer with the Beatnik player from version 4.76 onwards! Unfortunately the Beatnik player sounds much crappier than most soundcards.
Q: How can I restore my Netscape Audioplayer after Quicktime installation?
A: Solution 1 (complete plug-in removal) - Go to your Netscape plug-ins folder. Typically this will be
Solution 2 (changing mime settings) - This is a more elegant solution for those who use the plugin for what it was meant for in the first place, namely viewing quicktime movies in your browser. Open Control Panel >> QuickTime >> Browser Plug-in >> MIME Settings... >> Audio and uncheck the box before "MIDI file"
Q: How can I restore my Netscape Audioplayer (and midi playback function) after installing a Windows Media Player Update?
A: Run Netscape. Choose from the menu: Edit >> Preferences... >> Navigator >> Applications. Find all filetypes with extensions midi, mid and/or rmi that are handled by MPLAYER2 or WMPLAYER and remove them. DO NOT remove the ones handled by Plugin. When Netscape warns you that you won't be able to open a filetype by double-clicking anymore, just go on and confirm. Now exit Netscape and run the Windows Media Player. Choose from the menu: View >> Options... >> Formats. Make sure that Media Player can still play MIDI files. If necessary check the box again and press OK. Congratulations, you're done. You may also want to repeat these same steps for filetypes with the wav extension.
Q: How can I restore the old Netscape Audioplayer after updating Netscape to a version that includes the Beatnik player?
A: Go to your Netscape plug-ins folder "C:\PROGRAM FILES\NETSCAPE\COMMUNICATOR\PROGRAM\PLUGINS\". Find the files "NPBeatnk.dll" and "Beatnik.class" and delete them. Instead of deleting them you could also rename their extensions to something like ".dl_" or ".clas_". Note that npaudio.dll must be present in the plug-ins folder, otherwise Netscape will not play midi at all. Finally close and restart Netscape.
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