Viewing AVI files

[dipdog]

I have a pretty simple question about viewing avi files. I've started collecting avi files on a 400gb HDD. I've been considering different ways of viewing them on a television. Currently, I've been viewing them over a 54 Mbps wireless network on a 1GHz Dell Latitude C600 with 256MB RAM and the standard 8 MB ATi Rage Mobility 128 AGP 2X graphics processor using an S-Video cord connected to the laptop and the TV. I've been disappointed because the graphics on some movies skip a lot. I thought that the wireless network might not be transferring data quick enough, so I tried playing these movies directly from the laptop HDD, instead of over the wireless network, but the graphics are still not very smooth. Is this because the graphics card only has 8MB RAM? Would it be improved with a better video card?

Also, I've seen those new DivX HDD media players. I know this is a stupid question, but do they have incorporated video memory, or are they just hard drives with software for playing DivX? Would something like that do a better job of displaying video smoothly? And would you have to convert AVI movies to play on something like that?

Appreciate any help you can offer!

- Scott

[Blue_MiSfit]

It depends what you're playing, and how you're playing it. Different media players will use different renderers, and if you have a slow decoder, then performance will be choppy. Especially true for MPEG-4.

I can play H.264 at full frame 720x480@24fps just fine with CoreAVC and the overlay mixer through media player classic on my 1ghz p3.

BTW, you might wanna edit your post a little bit. Read the rules and you will see what I mean (6)

however, assuming that your 'avi' files are decodable by the standalone player, then yes they will play smoothly.

~Misfit

[foxyshadis]

Nah, there's no rule 6 problem; collecting your videos onto an external drive is a good idea no matter where they come from. :p I guess it depends on how much you want to read into that line.

[setarip_old]

Hi!so I tried playing these movies directly from the laptop HDD, instead of over the wireless network, but the graphics are still not very smoothDid they playback properly on the system you used to originally create them (Presumably, a higher powered desktop)? If not, perhaps the methodology you've used to create them is flawed...