Anybody else notice that you can't play CNN videos anymore with Firefox's Mplayer plugin? Where their verification code previously warned you that only Windows Mediaplayer 9 or better could be used, this is now a -requirement- and it appears impossible to view videos on CNN if you are -not- using Windows... any fixes around?

Guess M$ got to them.

I'm looking for the right contact # or e-mail to ask them about this. On most occassions, when I have contacted someone about a similar problem, they have fixed it.
I really doubt that CNN would intentionally restrict their user base---contact them by whatever method you find--I will also.

That's weird, it seems to be working fine for me. I get the warning, then I click "continue to video" and it loads just fine. I am using FreeBSD though, so maybe they are making an exception for BSD users

Hm. Works fine for me. Firefox 1.5.03 and Mplayer 1.00pre7

Maybe your Firefox version is outdated?

I think I was using Linspire the last time I checked a video on CNN and I did the same thing (click "continue to video"). Everything seemed to work OK.

Hi guys thanks for the replies. I've already contacted their technical support address to express displeasure. Strange that some of you guys have access - for me it -WAS- (about two weeks ago) still possible to just do the continue to video thing, as you describe. It was the third button in the row of buttons that came up in the popup video window, and I just clicked it and could happily watch videos online with Mplayerplugin in Firefox.

I'm on an FC3, 2.6.14.3 kernel - which shouldn't matter, right? I find it very strange that other people on BSD can still view... maybe their browser ID code is just screwed up?

I'm not one of the "Microsoft wants to take over the world!!!" crazies, but this sure looks like anti-opensource snobbery.

I'd really appreciate it if anybody who gives a hoot might mail them too, to ask for the "old" verification screen (the one where you could opt to just continue to the video, even if you're not using IE / MediaPlayer) be put back. One guy might not make much of a difference, a few hundred, maybe.

Kind regards,

No problems here on Ubuntu 6.06 (firefox). I can just continue to video and watch it.

Well I'll be hornswoggled.

Its working again. Looks like it always had.

Thanks for the replies anyway!

CNN probably saw this thread and decided to change their ways.


Glad to learn you got things working.

Or maybe the NSA tipped them off to the problems.