Video problem

Computer Help and Discussions Software
1

I have helped or tried to help other users of Piriform software but this time it me who needs help.

I downloaded three videos (*.avi files) and they refuse to play properly. Audio is OK but the video refuses to play. Windows Media Player and Media Player classic both don't bother to show the video and just play the audio only. Real Player and Quicktime both try to find a (new) codec for the video on the internet but can't find the appropriate codec.

My laptop runs Windows XP and with all the latest software versions and updates for XP and all the media players I have installed.

When I open the video with GSpot (2.70) it reports that the codec needed is Xvid 1.1.2 Final. But GSpot also reports that the appropriate videocodec is already installed but yet (as mentioned above) the video refuses to play properly/to show up.

When I tell Windows XP to show thumbnails of all the content of the folder in which those videos are placed then Windows has absolutely no problem doing so. So, it seems that Windiows is able to decipher the content of those videos.

I have a second question. Can the readers of this post recommend one or more good internet forums/websites e.g, in the US or in the UK (for Windows XP) which has a good track record, where people with this kind of questions/problem are helped or where there was a solution for this kind of problems (hopefully) already was provided.

2

Microsoft does not provide codec support for mpeg4/divx you'll need to install something like FFDShow - http://www.free-codecs.com/download/ffdshow.htm

Richard S.

3

Thanks. Your answer DID provide a solution for my video problem. What remains is a answer to my second question.

4

AfterDawn forums could be what you are looking for

http://forums.afterdawn.com/

5

+1 for AfterDawn, and take note of their "Guides" section, as it covers just about anything you could think of:

http://www.afterdawn.com/guides/

Also have a look at Doom9, which also has a guides section besides the forum:

http://www.doom9.org/

and ...

VideoHelp: More very detailed guides and a forum:

http://www.videohelp.com/guides/category/how-to-convert-to-avi-divx-xvid-wmv-mkv-ogm-mp4-h264-4;13#4;13

6

If Xvid is already installed and can't decode Xvid/DivX video you may just need to reinstall Xvid, I've had to do that a number of times myself. I use Koepi's compile available here:

http://www.koepi.info/xvid.html

VideoHelp: More very detailed guides and a forum:

http://www.videohelp...-h264-4;13#4;13

I also use VideoHelp.com, everytime I'm wondering about something video related they seem to have something to explain it.

7

I would only get videos that I am sure my media player supports so unless those were very big videos, you would have just used a video converter to convert them to a format you know your media players support.

I have lots of videos on .flv format because FLVs are smaller in size and since I use Shark Codecs, my WMP 12 can play them. I could just browse to my Mozilla's cache, sort the biggest files, copy those biggest files on my desktop, rename them and add a .flv extension and presto, I got my Youtube videos without using a Youtube downloader.

I don't like installing too many media players because I think, for my system at least, why need many media players if one can just play all my videos???

I have put my trust on Windows Media Player 12 + Shark Codec pack and Windows Media Center for watching live TV.

I also have a licensed version of Aiseesoft MP4 Converter Suite which I got for free on Giveaway.com. That program is very good, supports conversions of tons of formats including those made for iPod, iPhone, XBox, PS3 and even phones. It also supports trimming, color enhancement, cropping and even merging I think.

8

On the occasion that I have an .avi file that produces audio or video issues I now automatically:

1) Re process the .avi with DivX Pro Ver 8.X (Not free)

2) convert the .avi to a .mkv with HandBreak (Free) Download HandBreak Open source SW also available for Mac & Linux

3) You could also download the following Codec pack that may help K-Lite

Hope some of the above is of some value.

9

Thanks for all the help/suggestions. It will take some time to ""digest""/to go through/to try all the suggestions provided. This particular video problem was nagging me for over half a year.

I don't like Apple's Quicktime because the combination of Quicktime, FLV video files, Adobe Flash 10 versions pushes CPU usage of the process Windows Explorer (as shown by Taskmanager) in Windows XP up to 100%. I have the Quicktime installation program on my harddisk and I only (re-)install it (for a very short time) when (I think) I need it. Like coming across a *.mov video file again.

See also this thread:

http://forum.pirifor...showtopic=28752

10

Have you ever tried MPlayer?

http://mpui.sourceforge.net/

A minimalist interface, and plays just about everything you can throw at it.

Plays hundreds of different video and audio formats, including MPEG-1, -2 and -4 (DivX), H.264, MP3, Ogg Vorbis and AAC. For most media files, no additional codecs are needed. (This is because MPlayer is not one of the uncounted DirectShow players ? the codecs are directly integrated into MPlayer.exe.)

It's all I've used for a long time for playing AVI, MPeg, FLV, Quicktime, DVD Compliant vob & ifo("Video_TS" folders), Windows Media Video, MP4, etc etc.

You can even drag partly downloaded files into it's window to check on the quality (frame rate, video and audio format and bitrates). Saves downloading an entire file and then finding out afterwards that it's rubbish quality.

Just a thought.

11

I also use MPUI with MPlayer as suggested by DennisD to me some time ago and have been using it ever since, it's also fully portable, doesn't require any codec packs be installed, etc., and you can even put it on data discs (CD/DVD) to play your audio and video files directly from the discs which is what I do, and it's allot smaller than VLC Portable.

I also like XP Codec Pack for an installed codec pack.