How Can I find out what type of file it is??

[Paul O]

Hi all,

I have recently downloaded some AVI files, but cannot play them.

WMP is not very helpful and doesn't tell me what sort of Codec is actually required.

They are .avi files, and as far as I know I have Divx 3,4,5 and Xvid on the machine.

How can I tell what it was encoded in so that I can download the appropriate de-compressor??

Many thanks in advance, this is pretty frustrating!!

Cheers,

Paul.

[jggimi]

I don't think DivX 4 and 5 can coexist on the same platform without jumping through hoops. It shouldn't matter, as DivX 5 can decode DivX 4 for playback.

To analyze .avi files, you might try using Gspot. I'd provide a link, but cannot get into Doom9's download section at the moment. You'll find it there.

[rolonzos2]

I think there's a download here on doom9's site called Gspot in the AVI Editing tools section.

http://www.doom9.org/software2.htm#editing

It works really well. Sometimes .avi files are SMR coded. This is an out of date codec, that sometimes still pops up here and there.

[Paul O]

Thanks for the replys guys. I have tried GSPOT, but sadley it still doesn't know what the Codec is, it says its invalid.

I have several of these AVIs which I have downloaded some time ago. I am certain I didn't download them and couldn't watch em, so I must be missing something!

Any other ideas?!

By the way - whats the difference between a "Divx" Codec and a "Divx ;-)" codec. I have both installed aparantly! Is one not a real one? Should I remove it?

Cheers!

Paul.

[Ookami]

Originally posted by Paul O
Any other ideas?!

By the way - whats the difference between a "Divx" Codec and a "Divx ;-)" codec. I have both installed aparantly! Is one not a real one? Should I remove it?

Cheers!

Paul.

AVIs:

Check the fourCC code, then go to www.fourcc.org to see what codec it is...

Codecs:

http://www.doom9.org/codec-faq.htm#divx311

[hakko504]

Originally posted by Paul O
By the way - whats the difference between a "Divx" Codec and a "Divx ;-)" codec. I have both installed aparantly! Is one not a real one? Should I remove it? DivX ;-) is the official name of the hacked version of the M$MPEG4 AVI codec. Everybody now calls it DivX3.11 .
DivX on the other hand is the new, completely written from scratch, MPEG4 codec created by the DivX team, led by the same guy who hacked the M$ codec in the first place. They have released a number of versions numbered from v4.0alpha and is by now up to v5.03.

[iparout]

Originally posted by Ookami
AVIs:

Check the fourCC code, then go to www.fourcc.org to see what codec it is...

Codecs:

http://www.doom9.org/codec-faq.htm#divx311

I have the same problem ( I get a "The Format is Not supported" error in Windows Media Player). How do I check its fourCC code ?

Thanks.

[The Edge]

You could use Nic's fourcc changer (comes with Koepi's (http://roeder.goe.net/~koepi/xvid.shtml) Xvid) and open the avi. That will tell you the fourcc.
There are many ways but that's what I normally do it.
Then, if you have to, check the fourcc here (www.fourcc.org) as suggested above.

Edge

[iparout]

I used the fourCC code changer, however when I open the avi with the program, it doesn't autodetect any fourCC code whatsoever...

Weird ?

[The Edge]

If it is a valid avi I guess it should have a fourcc of some kind :confused:
Maybe the file is currupt?
Is it really a avi or just renamed avi???
Maybe someone else has a different angle.

Edge

[cypher_soundz]

have you tried ffdshow?(doom9's downlaod section) it plays most files , even Navi (i.e smr) which maybe the files are? just another thing to try , other than that i would think that the files are currupt? did you burn these to cd and then try and play them?

[markrb]

Try this. I have used it with great success in the past.
http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=36886&highlight=avicodec

Mark

[iparout]

AviCodec gives me an error : "Opening Error Cannot Playback The file"

And no, I haven't tried to burn it on CD and then read it cause it's a 5 MB file and it ain't worth it...

Oh well, maybe I should stop downloading porn after all... :D lol

Thanks for the help anyways guys.

[Paul O]

Hi all,

Thanks for the information also. Sadly I am still struggling (but am about to try the last couple of suggestions).

However - I have re-downloaded a couple of the .avi files and they work perfectly! As cypher_soundz mentions, I DID burn them to CD and now they won't play.

I am guessing that if the last few suggestions fail, then they have become corrupted. I'm quite scared now! How do they become corrupted in between moving from the Hard disk to the CD?? Is there any way to try and un-corrupt them at all??

Cheers guys!

Paul.

[cypher_soundz]

you could try avifix (i think it is in the download section here) that will rebuild the index of the avi file and hopefully let you watch the section of the movie before anything bad has happened.