Converting .AVI files

[ub3rman123]

I've got a short video from a friend, that I want to convert to a format that Windows Media Player can run. Unfortunately, it's in .avi format, which it seems to be incapable of running. I've tried the first 3 or so programs that show up after I search Google on the matter, and none of those work, as well as trying to install the DiVX player. That didn't work either. Does anyone know of any method to be able to view .avi files, converting or updating or installing a new program?

[Thor.]

Have you tried other media players like Videolan or media player classic. They both work well and have tuns of codecs support :thumbsup: .

 

http://mpc-hc.sourceforge.net/download-media-player-classic-hc.html

 

http://www.videolan.org/

 

I think both are open source, not sure about media player classic though.

[Illiad86]

http://www.any-video-converter.com/products/for_video_free/

 

handy little tool :)

[Thor.]

Nice find, I also was looking around for something like that, the ps3 hates anything other then mp4 or divx.

 

http://www.any-video...for_video_free/

 

nice for youtube as well :thumbsup:

 

Yikes its fast, took it for a test run and wow. Not to mention in HD, i haven't uploaded anything like that yet.

 

I like how its Quad supported, uses them all around 30%, but leaves the rest to do other tasks :thumbsup: .

 

That's the way Anti virus's should work.

[Skotte]

yeah the "Any Video Converter" is a good proggy, I use for making vids compatible for my portable video devices

[Paxan_1]

Hi ub3rman123,

 

the video is .avi?, so it should be divx or xvid i think. Normally Windows Movie Player can run this or it will ask you for a internet connection to download the codec.

 

As you said you have tried the DivX Player i would check for the codecs which are used for this file.

This little tool can help you with this: http://gspot.softonic.com/

 

Converting is a good idea, but if there is trouble with the video it can be that the movie is only black.

 

Paxan

[LHammonds]

What people should understand is that terms such as AVI and MPG are containers for video. The video inside can be compressed using a variety of methods which can require different codec's for your player in order for it to play the movie. Windows Media Player can play AVI or MPG movies but has a VERY limited amount of codecs installed...and usually nothing very useful.

 

Installing other players does not actually mean they will play a particular file type, it is the codec that allows playback. Some people recommend various players because they come bunduled with a larger variety of codecs and thus, more likely to play whatever video you are trying to see.

 

There are many video conversion programs out there...many of which produce utter garbage as an end-result. But this also depends on "what" you are converting to. For example, converting an FLV to an MPG may look like garbage because FLV and MPG technology is different in how they playback the frames. So you might need to try various conversion programs to see which one does the better job for the type you are converting to.

 

Microsoft Movie Maker (comes with Windows and might be able to import the video so you can save it to WMV)

FormatFactory (free)

Handbrake (free)

AVS Video Converter (I bought this to convert my HD camcorder videos...does everything I need)

 

Codec Packs

ffdshow

Xvid

K-Lite Mega Codec Pack

 

Sherlock Codec Detective - A bit old but sometimes helpful

[Thor.]

LHammonds the one thing about WMA is the quality, it sucks. Not to mention gets very large. I would stick to what ever its format is and get a better player. Media player in general sucks big ones so i suggest use the video players i mentioned, you wont need to convert that way.

 

That's what i do 90% of the time, it saves me the hassle of installing codec packs.

 

In my situation the ps3 only excepts 2 formats so i have no choice to convert.

[LHammonds]

LHammonds the one thing about WMA is the quality, it sucks. Not to mention gets very large.

Oh really?

 

Vvardenfell Glass Trailer #2

- Format WMV

- Size: 20.8 MB

- Length: 1:24

- Dimensions: 720 x 480

- Captured using FRAPS, Compiled using Microsoft Movie Maker

 

Blender Video Tutorial - Adding Textures

- Format: WMV

- Size: 15.1 MB

- Length: 3:45

- Dimensions: 1024 x 768

- Captured using Camtasia Snagit, Compiled with Camtasia Editor

 

- Format: AVI (alternate file format)

- Size: 20.9 MB

- Length: 3:45

- Dimensions: 1024 x 768

- Captured using Camtasia Snagit, Compiled with Camtasia Editor

 

Download those videos and see if the quality sucks. Notice in the Blender tutorial that you can read the text on all the buttons. There's no zoom-in trickery going on. All full screen all of the time.

 

All of those videos can be viewed using plain 'ol Microsoft Media Player.

 

Media player in general sucks big ones so i suggest use the video players i mentioned, you wont need to convert that way.

Sucks? Are you equating "sucks" to the amount of codecs included in the base package or have you seen media player blow up, freeze/hang, cause problems, etc.?

 

When I create videos for general release to the public, I make darn sure it will work in Microsoft Media Player because most people are using a Windows computer and all of them have MS Media Player already installed. It really depends on the person creating the content and the person wanting to see the content as to what has to be done.

 

it saves me the hassle of installing codec packs.

Regardless if you know it or not, your media player of choice is using codecs to show you the video. They may be rolled into the media player and not made available to any other media players installed on the system but they are there.

 

It doesn't really matter one way or another, the OP asked for multiple options and that is exactly what was given.

 

- Optional media players

- Optional codec packs

- Optional conversion utilities

 

LHammonds

[Thor.]

Your right there.

 

I was meaning converting it to HD, it may be good in a standard 480P resolution but converting HD to HD there is a difference.

 

Have you seen some of those HD youtube video's, some of them are pretty good.

 

fraps can make HD video, depends on your screen resolution.

 

here's an example, fraps might not make it that icandyish though. :biggrin:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3TXpXclylWg

I actually bought fraps for that purpose.

Edited July 25, 2010 by Thor.