question about .AVI file

by **dodecahedron** on Thu Oct 23, 2003 8:16 am

first, what is .avi format? is it some kind of movie/video format?

second, i have a file i got from a friend, if i double click it it opens in winamp but i only hear a soundtrack, no video. if i open the video window it's blank.
if i open the file in WMP8 i hear the soundtrack and see the digital visualizations.

am i missing something?
do i need some plugin? some codec (what is a codec anyway?)

by **Ian** on Thu Oct 23, 2003 9:56 am

It's probably a DiVX movie.

by **CDRecorder** on Thu Oct 23, 2003 10:19 am

I had the same thing (sound but no video) happen once when I was missing a codec. Try downloading th DivX codec; it will probably work fine.

by **VEFF** on Thu Oct 23, 2003 11:53 am

There is a program that let's you check the four CC code (I am doing this by memory) by opening up the avi in an editor file.

This can tell you exactly which video codec is being used by the avi in question It may also do mpg; I am not sure since have only used this technique a few times, and it was along time ago.
Once you know which video codec is being used, you can search for it online and download it to play the file(s) in question.

by **dodecahedron** on Thu Oct 23, 2003 2:24 pm

thanks.
sorry for being an ignoramus.
i've no knowledge if these things. hence my Q: what is a codec anyway?

is there some main site like www.divx.org or something that i should go to to get these codecs (+ educate myself?)

VEFF: do you remember what prog that is? link?

by **CignaXI** on Thu Oct 23, 2003 6:09 pm

Download this codecs pack, it installs the most common codecs:
Nimo's Codec Pack:
http://www.softpedia.com/public/cat/11/2/2/11-2-2-12.shtml
or
K-lite Codec Pack:
http://doa2.host.sk/codecpack.htm

by **CignaXI** on Thu Oct 23, 2003 6:19 pm

VEFF wrote:There is a program that let's you check the four CC code (I am doing this by memory) by opening up the avi in an editor file.

This can tell you exactly which video codec is being used by the avi in question It may also do mpg; I am not sure since have only used this technique a few times, and it was along time ago.
Once you know which video codec is being used, you can search for it online and download it to play the file(s) in question.

G Spot:
http://www.softpedia.com/public/cat/11/2/7/11-2-7-12.shtml

by **CDRecorder** on Thu Oct 23, 2003 8:24 pm

You can get the DivX codec at http://www.divx.com.

by **dodecahedron** on Thu Oct 23, 2003 11:58 pm

thanks for the links guys.
but since i'm always hesitant to install stuff i don't know/understand (to some degree at least), can you tell me of some site where i can read up on what's a codec, why i need it? differences between various codecs?
also, as i gather there are lots of different codecs available on the net, and some are bad (harmful even?) what are reputable sites for downloading them? (OK i guess that last quesion is not necessary, i'll assume the links you gave me are to OK sites).
can i uninstall codecs?

by **CDRecorder** on Fri Oct 24, 2003 12:41 am

A codec is a "compressor/decompressor" for audio or video. It basically tells the media player how do decompress or encode your files. Different codecs are needed because different compression schemes are used. Unfortunately, I don't know of any web site that explains this in more detail.

You can uninstall some codecs; I think the DivX codec can be uninstalled. I don't know if you can uninstall every codec, though.

question about .AVI file

question about .AVI file

Who is online