AVI playback problems

[grits]

I don't know enough about video playback to figure out the problem, but I have avi files from two different sources, one works, and one doesn't. I using GBPVR v1.2.9, with MediaMVP.

avi files recorded from an HP Photosmart camera play back fine.

avi files recorded with a Logitech notebook cam do no work. The screen goes blank for a second, and it seems like it is going to work, with the usual delay to allow for software decoding, but nothing displays and it just goes back to the list of video files.

Do you have any suggestions as to why this may happen? Is there a GBPVR setting that may fix it? What log file should I look at?

Grits
Oakville, ON, Canada

[sub]

AVI files can contain lots of different audio/video stream types. It probably means you dont have an appropriate video decoder for the type of video in this AVI file.

Do these AVI files play in WMP? If they do, does any decoder tray icon appear when you're playing the files? (ie, ffmpeg)

[grits]

both play back in WMP on the notebook where the Logitech web cam is installed. On other machines, where the web cam software is not installed, the webcam avi file does not play in WMP, I only hear the audio. The other HP Photosmart digital camera video plays fine everywhere. Does this mean the web cam software installed some video decoder on the notebook where the web cam is being used? So I would have to install that same video decoder on the GBPVR machine?

[sub]

Does this mean the web cam software installed some video decoder on the notebook where the web cam is being used? So I would have to install that same video decoder on the GBPVR machine?

Yes exactly. Its probably using some uncommon video compression codec in the files it produces, and needs a special decoder to be installed before you can play these files. The web cam software will be installing that decoder.

[mvallevand]

If you are trying to play the file using the MediaMVP, it doesn't matter what software you install on you PC though, since AVI files are transcoded on-the-fly using ffmpeg. The only solution here would be to look for another version of ffmpeg and that can be hit or miss.

Martin

[sub]

True, the decoder will only get it working on the PC. You'll be out of luck on the MVP unless you can find another version of ffmpeg that handles it (as Martin says).

[pBS]

you probably do need to install the codec,web cams often use their own codec built into the hardware..and also try mencoder for the transcode, it can use directshow decoders..
so after you get codec working in mplayer, try transcoding it with mencoder,if that works, add mencoder as your auto-mvp transcoder in config..

tho i can't remember if you can specify different executable like in video library..
i don't see the exe= in config...

if not, this is a major wish...cuz if someone finds a rockin transcoder, they wouldn't be able to use it with mvp, where it's most desperate needed...

i have been finding ways to cut the hd stuff in half with no overhead, just have to find one that can read/write with partial access...
[directshow graphs don't do in-progress easily]
that's the one last hurdle to the HD world for the mvp..
[downscaled HD don't look half bad on mvp]
but need to be able to try different transcoders to find better solutions..
plus mencoder can stream and read dvd's directly...

[sub]

tho i can't remember if you can specify different executable like in video library..
i don't see the exe= in config...

if not, this is a major wish...cuz if someone finds a rockin transcoder, they wouldn't be able to use it with mvp, where it's most desperate needed...

You can specify the executable and command line to use.

[pBS]

excellent....hadn't played with my mvp in a while because almost all my shows are now in HD...but my new pch is coming along fine
thanx for the info

[zehd]

You might want to try ZProcess, or at least, use the version of FFmpeg or optionally MEncoder that are more current and can handle a few more video codecs...

http://gbpvr.com/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Utility/ZProcess

http://gbpvr.com/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Utili...ocess#toc5