A question about avi and Windows media player 9... help!

Questioninggeller · 4th September 2003, 09:35 PM

I'm new to this filesharing thing so if anyone can help me out I will be very gratefull. I downloaded a 'Get a Life' (W/ Chris Eliot) episode from imesh, it was an avi. When I try to play it on my Windows media player 9.0 it only plays the audio when I clearly search and downloaded a video. At first I though I messed up but then I downloaded a Beavis and Butthead episode that was an avi and it too played only the audio portion. Is there anyway I can remedy this problem or download a player that will play the video file as video and audio? Recommendations/advice?

FFed · 4th September 2003, 10:02 PM

If you have Real Player or Quicktime installed, they can mess up your file associations. I would suggest uninstalling windows media player, then do a windows update and reinstall it. That reinstall should fix the file associations.

Earthborn · 4th September 2003, 10:14 PM

The problem you experience is because .AVI is not actually a file format. There are a whole bunch of formats that can bear the extension .AVI, and you need different 'codecs' to play them. Microsoft gives a few, but the others you'll have to install yourself, especially if Microsoft perceives them to threatening to their monopoly.

I'll bet (but there is no way to be sure) that what you have is a DivX. You need the DivX codec to play it, and you can find it here:
http://www.divx.com/

Ove · 4th September 2003, 10:17 PM

You probably need to "update" your codec's. They are something that can really get messed up. It seems that each new version of Media player uninstalls some of the older codec's so that movies that ran on your old player suddenly won't run anymore.

What you need is to go HERE:Divx and download the CODEC pack and install it. Be carefull. The codec pack is free but they have some similart products (including a player) that they very much would like to sell you. There's a free player included in the package but it is really not better than mediaplayer so you can use it if you like.

This should solve most of your problems if not this link :NIMO has some more codecs that might help.

Ove · 4th September 2003, 10:19 PM

Ohh and : It really doesen't help changing to another player, it will give the same error messages. The problems are the codec's to your DirectX drivers.

De_Bunk · 5th September 2003, 06:07 AM

Go Google...put in "AVI codecs"...download a whole sh**load and then it all should work...

Don't ask me which ones...there's a whole bunch of them...

Also...make sure that "Real Player" asks you for permission to connect...as and when you want it to...not when it decides to...Do not allow it "server rights.."( Firewall)...also deny access to "Real Event" all round...

Make sure your WMP 9 is the default player and that "Real" & "Quick player" only associate file that are applicable to them...everything else goes to WMP 9...

Hope this helps...

Also download some DIVX codecs....

DB

( Im a bit JD'ed at the moment...so i could be talking outta my a** )

ShowMe · 5th September 2003, 06:24 AM

http://www.autobanners.net/codec/storage.html

This page should have whatever you need. Also, http://www.moviecodec.com has an avi codec program that will tell you what codec the movie was made with.

I would also be very surprised if it wasn't Divx.

Questioninggeller · 5th September 2003, 10:54 AM

Thanks for everyone's help

thrombus29 · 6th September 2003, 12:21 AM

Gspot is the best CODEC finder, IMHO.

http://www.headbands.com/gspot/

Try not to install a pack if you don't have to, some have spyware, some have crappy codecs that will cause other files to play badly.

You can also get away from that bloated mess of WMP 9 with BS player.

http://www.divx-digest.com/software/bs_play.html

bignickel · 6th September 2003, 12:28 AM

I've heard that it's very tricky to find the GSpot.

gnome · 7th September 2003, 06:47 AM

Here's a related question about codecs...

I am having trouble playing movies with a certain codec, I believe they are divx 5.03 avi's. The problem is that the video is very slow compared to the audio, and several times must pause and then jumps back in synch with the audio.

I tried reinstalling divx, but all I could find from their site was the divx 5.05 codec... is there a way to reinstall 5.03, and is that likely to fix the problem?

RCNelson · 7th September 2003, 07:15 AM

Quote:

gnome:
The problem is that the video is very slow compared to the audio, and several times must pause and then jumps back in synch with the audio.

If playing the video at half normal size works better, it may be that the processor is not fast enough to decompress the video in real time.

corplinx · 7th September 2003, 08:21 PM

The kazaa lite codec pack will solve your codec nightmares. Unfortunately, google no longer links kazaa lite. Seriously, instead of installing all the different mainstream codecs, these guys had them in once nice pack.

thrombus29 · 8th September 2003, 02:38 AM

If you get the old build of the Kazzalite Codec pack, the Mpeg2 codec they put in (Eldard? Something with an E) is a trial Codec and will give you a bouncing nine block box across your viewing screen when you to use it.

If you are going to use that pack, make sure you get it off the Kazaalite site and don't download it from Kazaa as most people have the old one and you will be watching that Daredevil cam and wondering why it looks like someone is playing Pong on your screen.

All of the sites that Sharman had removed from the Google search are listed in the copy of the DCMA letter at the bottom of the search page, I use:

Http://doa2.host.sk/

They also have the Real Alternative, which are the codecs that let you play Real files without having to install real player.

4th September 2003, 09:35 PM	#1
Questioninggeller Illuminator Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 3,030	A question about avi and Windows media player 9... help! I'm new to this filesharing thing so if anyone can help me out I will be very gratefull. I downloaded a 'Get a Life' (W/ Chris Eliot) episode from imesh, it was an avi. When I try to play it on my Windows media player 9.0 it only plays the audio when I clearly search and downloaded a video. At first I though I messed up but then I downloaded a Beavis and Butthead episode that was an avi and it too played only the audio portion. Is there anyway I can remedy this problem or download a player that will play the video file as video and audio? Recommendations/advice?

4th September 2003, 10:14 PM	#3
Earthborn Terrestrial Intelligence Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Terra Firma Posts: 5,647	The problem you experience is because .AVI is not actually a file format. There are a whole bunch of formats that can bear the extension .AVI, and you need different 'codecs' to play them. Microsoft gives a few, but the others you'll have to install yourself, especially if Microsoft perceives them to threatening to their monopoly. I'll bet (but there is no way to be sure) that what you have is a DivX. You need the DivX codec to play it, and you can find it here: http://www.divx.com/
	__________________ Perhaps nothing is entirely true; and not even that! Multatuli

4th September 2003, 10:17 PM	#4
Ove Master Poster Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Denmark Posts: 2,881	You probably need to "update" your codec's. They are something that can really get messed up. It seems that each new version of Media player uninstalls some of the older codec's so that movies that ran on your old player suddenly won't run anymore. What you need is to go HERE:Divx and download the CODEC pack and install it. Be carefull. The codec pack is free but they have some similart products (including a player) that they very much would like to sell you. There's a free player included in the package but it is really not better than mediaplayer so you can use it if you like. This should solve most of your problems if not this link :NIMO has some more codecs that might help.
	__________________ I am sitting here, completely surrounded by NO BEER..... (Onslow)

4th September 2003, 10:19 PM	#5
Ove Master Poster Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Denmark Posts: 2,881	Ohh and : It really doesen't help changing to another player, it will give the same error messages. The problems are the codec's to your DirectX drivers.
	__________________ I am sitting here, completely surrounded by NO BEER..... (Onslow)

5th September 2003, 06:07 AM	#6
De_Bunk Scourge of the Believer Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 5,508	Go Google...put in "AVI codecs"...download a whole shload and then it all should work... Don't ask me which ones...there's a whole bunch of them... Also...make sure that "Real Player" asks you for permission to connect...as and when you want it to...not when it decides to...Do not allow it "server rights.."( Firewall)...also deny access to "Real Event" all round... Make sure your WMP 9 is the default player and that "Real" & "Quick player" only associate file that are applicable to them...everything else goes to WMP 9... Hope this helps... Also download some DIVX codecs.... DB ( Im a bit JD'ed at the moment...so i could be talking outta my a )
	__________________ I've made nearly 20,000 posts on the JREF... Trouble is..over 14,000 have been deleted... And you think you're 'Hardcore'.. (DB)

4th September 2003, 10:02 PM	#2
FFed Muse Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Smithers, BC Posts: 888	If you have Real Player or Quicktime installed, they can mess up your file associations. I would suggest uninstalling windows media player, then do a windows update and reinstall it. That reinstall should fix the file associations.

5th September 2003, 06:24 AM	#7
ShowMe Graduate Poster Join Date: Jul 2001 Posts: 1,201	http://www.autobanners.net/codec/storage.html This page should have whatever you need. Also, http://www.moviecodec.com has an avi codec program that will tell you what codec the movie was made with. I would also be very surprised if it wasn't Divx.
ShowMe Graduate Poster Join Date: Jul 2001 Posts: 1,201	__________________ "One wonders how one augur may pass another in the street without laughing." -Marcus Porcius Cato, 2nd Century B.C. referring to the fortune tellers of his time "I could tell you that it is because I don't want The Language Award to appear too cliqueish. But I won't. 'Cause you're not one of the cool people." - Tricky

5th September 2003, 10:54 AM	#8
Questioninggeller Illuminator Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 3,030	Thanks for everyone's help

6th September 2003, 12:21 AM	#9
thrombus29 Flame War Master and JREF kid Join Date: Aug 2001 Posts: 1,924	Gspot is the best CODEC finder, IMHO. http://www.headbands.com/gspot/ Try not to install a pack if you don't have to, some have spyware, some have crappy codecs that will cause other files to play badly. You can also get away from that bloated mess of WMP 9 with BS player. http://www.divx-digest.com/software/bs_play.html
	__________________ Now I am not going to justify what may appear to be a failure in carrying out this prediction but rest in the fact that there will be success. -St. Paul Bethke Targzissians are obviously reptilian

6th September 2003, 12:28 AM	#10
bignickel Mad Mod Poet God Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: St. Louis, MO Posts: 2,724	I've heard that it's very tricky to find the GSpot.
	__________________ "You can find that book everywhere and the risk is that many people who read it believe that those fairy tales are real. I think I have the responsibility to clear things up to unmask the cheap lies contained in books like that." - Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone

7th September 2003, 06:47 AM	#11
gnome Philosopher Join Date: Aug 2001 Posts: 9,869	Here's a related question about codecs... I am having trouble playing movies with a certain codec, I believe they are divx 5.03 avi's. The problem is that the video is very slow compared to the audio, and several times must pause and then jumps back in synch with the audio. I tried reinstalling divx, but all I could find from their site was the divx 5.05 codec... is there a way to reinstall 5.03, and is that likely to fix the problem?
gnome Philosopher Join Date: Aug 2001 Posts: 9,869	__________________

7th September 2003, 07:15 AM	#12
RCNelson Critical Thinker Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 397	Quote: gnome: The problem is that the video is very slow compared to the audio, and several times must pause and then jumps back in synch with the audio. If playing the video at half normal size works better, it may be that the processor is not fast enough to decompress the video in real time.
RCNelson Critical Thinker Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 397	__________________ A point in every direction is the same as no point at all

7th September 2003, 08:21 PM	#13
corplinx JREF Kid Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 8,944	The kazaa lite codec pack will solve your codec nightmares. Unfortunately, google no longer links kazaa lite. Seriously, instead of installing all the different mainstream codecs, these guys had them in once nice pack.
corplinx JREF Kid Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 8,944	__________________ In the tradition of "Stop Silvia!" Stop Hal Bidlack: http://skepticalcommunity.com/forums...hp?f=1&t=28671

8th September 2003, 02:38 AM	#14
thrombus29 Flame War Master and JREF kid Join Date: Aug 2001 Posts: 1,924	If you get the old build of the Kazzalite Codec pack, the Mpeg2 codec they put in (Eldard? Something with an E) is a trial Codec and will give you a bouncing nine block box across your viewing screen when you to use it. If you are going to use that pack, make sure you get it off the Kazaalite site and don't download it from Kazaa as most people have the old one and you will be watching that Daredevil cam and wondering why it looks like someone is playing Pong on your screen. All of the sites that Sharman had removed from the Google search are listed in the copy of the DCMA letter at the bottom of the search page, I use: Http://doa2.host.sk/ They also have the Real Alternative, which are the codecs that let you play Real files without having to install real player.
	__________________ Now I am not going to justify what may appear to be a failure in carrying out this prediction but rest in the fact that there will be success. -St. Paul Bethke Targzissians are obviously reptilian