how to find what codec required to play AVI file?

[rchadd]

i have a AVI file which i am unable to play the audio is ok but windows media player gets error downloading the codec for it.

how can i find out what codec is required to play the video?

nothing is listed in the properties of the avi.

[DaveMMR]

You can try this page.  Didn't delve too deep into it, but it may help: http://avicodec.duby.info/

Also, it may be possible you downloaded a bum file.

[mnm1200]

First off, try getting BSPlayer or VLC.

Secondly, if you don't get audio, then you need an audio codec (maybe AAC or OGG or whatever). If you have no video and no four CC code, maybe it's a file with a wrong extension?? or something screwy happened when the file was created. Try getting the DivX and Xvid codecs and the latest windows media codecs and see if that helps

[DaveMMR]

I originally posted Divx but erased it because I thought it was stricted MPEG.  Am I correct or incorrect in this assumption?

By the way: I use HuffyUV for capturing video.  That's also a possible codec you're missing (it's free - just google it since it's all over the place).

[mnm1200]

DivX is a video codec for use within the avi wrapper and has nothing to do with MPEG. (It was developed from MPEG-4 but remember MPEG doesn't describe video codecs but standards under the MPEG. MPEG-3 (MP3) isn't video and MPEG-7 and MPEG-21 aren't either)

I pointed out XviD and DivX because these are the two leading video codecs out today...

AFAIK HuffyUV is a rather old codec (2 1/2 years since last updated)...

Tremendous advances have occurred since then regarding video compression, most notably the OGM wrapper, the DivX codec (from MPEG, and the release of XviD 1.0. The newest NeroDigital codecs are even better...

[rchadd]

thanks i needed XVID Mpeg-4 codec

now to figure if possible to write as a DVD movie...

[mnm1200]

For that you need something like TMPGEnc to convert to a MPEG stream for VCD/SVCD/KVCD or to MPEG-2 for DVD output

[Goz]

Try hitting the GSpot

Not only does it have a name that would make Bevis and Butthead breakout in laughter; but it is also a great little app that will tell you everything about your video file.


-Goz