codex and avi files

jman0

Scenario:
Copied over loads of AVI files at work, bringing them home via memory stick

Problem:
They don't play, not one. Some begin to show the image.. and i hear sound but the image freezes, sound continues. Some of them show no picture at all.

Attempted:
Opened the avi files in Windows Media Player, Media Player Classic, PowerDVD and Adobe Premier Pro; same result in all programs
Ran installers for DivX (probably old) and another one called Xdvid or something. Anway, no difference.

Do all these programs just use the same codex?
Or, did all this avi files become corrupted somehow on the memstick?

Aidan Sinnott

1

thom

Try using windows media encoder to recode the avi files. If that cant read the files their most likely corrupted. I think there are programs out there that can repair corrupt avi/divx etc.

Mutant_Fruit

download and install VLC. It doesn't run off directshow, so if it can't play them, you can be pretty safe assuming they are definately corrupt. All the players you mentioned play videos through directshow.

jor el

You're most likely missing the codecs from your home PC. Have a look for Gordian Knot Codec Pack. Actually, the link is here
That should most likely take care of it.

Inspector Gadget

Rather than the "spray and pray" technique that seems to be the theme of this thread so far, why not find out *exactly* what the file(s) need? GSpot is a very handy toy for this.

Linky: http://gspot.headbands.com/

(Website is shocking ugly, tool is great)

Open the file to see what codecs the file requires. Click "Render" to see if you have 'em. Simple

Then, once you know you have the *right* codecs, try play the file(s). Something like VirtualDub (add .org for linky) can be used to scan AVIs for errors, if you still have problems.

As regards thinking they got corrupted during the transfer to/from the USB stick, well, it's possible, but it's equally (if not more) likely that they were corrupt (possibly incomplete) anyway?

Gadget

jman0

Well Inspector, they all play just fine in Windows Media Player on the job. So they are not corrupted at source.
I just didn't know were all these different players using the same codex or not.

DemonOfTheFall

Like someone else said, try VLC. If that doesnt play them I don't know what will.

BTW, The singular is "codec" and plural is "codecs", just incase youve been trying to search for "codex" and been not finding anything

Jabbathegut

Been using the K-Lite codec pack on http://www.free-codecs.com/ for a while now with no problems.