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"Problem with video in .avi format"

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Fri 01/08/08 at 18:19
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I used OJOSoft's Total Video Converter to convert a video in .vob (Video Object) format to .avi format. I can play it and hear it on my own computer (XP Pro and Windows Media Player), but none of my mates can play it. It gives the sound, but no pictures - this is on XP and on Vista Computers, all of which automatically try to open it with Windows Media Player. The XP computers (except mine) download the video from the remote server and then start to play it on completion of download, but the Vista machines start playing the (pictureless) video as soon as the instruction to download is given and before any download takes place - it is as if they were playing it by streaming. Can any video guys tell me what the problem is and what a possible solution might be please?
Fri 01/08/08 at 19:52
Regular
"Devil in disguise"
Posts: 3,151
AVI is a wrapper format only, its not a method of encoding. So the codec in use might be Xvid, DivX, MP4 or one of many others around. Being able to play one AVI file is no guarantee you can play another as it still might be using a different set of codecs. Its entirely possible that your software will let you select the codec used somewhere.

There are a few programs out there that'll tell you the codecs video/audio files expect. I've never used any of them though. I use VLC media player for playing stuff generally as it'll play pretty much anything you throw at it. If you felt like installing that you can play the video file and then select View -> Stream and Media Info - > Advanced Information and that tells you the codecs in use by each stream.

Thats assuming of course your problem is codec related at all, seems likely but could be something else too.
Fri 01/08/08 at 19:19
Regular
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Posts: 25
Thank you for that quick response Garin. I guessed along the lines you suggested. I have converted the .vob file into both .mov and .wmv formats, but in both cases the result has an aspect ratio of 2 units high by 1 unit wide, when it plays, resulting in everything being vertically elongated. There is provision in the OJOSoft package for defining the required aspect ratio, but even when set at Super Wide, the output is still the same. How can I discover the codecs that are on my computer but not on my mates' computers? Incidentally, their computers all play .avi files from other sources perfectly correctly.
Fri 01/08/08 at 18:44
Regular
"Devil in disguise"
Posts: 3,151
I've no clue about the software you're using but the most likely cause of a problem like that is the codec being missing. ie you have the appropriate video codec, the other people dont.
Do you have to use AVI? could try WMV or maybe MOV.
Fri 01/08/08 at 18:19
Regular
"Become a veteran"
Posts: 25
I used OJOSoft's Total Video Converter to convert a video in .vob (Video Object) format to .avi format. I can play it and hear it on my own computer (XP Pro and Windows Media Player), but none of my mates can play it. It gives the sound, but no pictures - this is on XP and on Vista Computers, all of which automatically try to open it with Windows Media Player. The XP computers (except mine) download the video from the remote server and then start to play it on completion of download, but the Vista machines start playing the (pictureless) video as soon as the instruction to download is given and before any download takes place - it is as if they were playing it by streaming. Can any video guys tell me what the problem is and what a possible solution might be please?

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