avi codec issue?

OCVQ wrote on 2/6/2005, 3:28 PM
I'm trying to do a project for a friend and she has given me some avi files on DVD which I believe were recorded with a camera phone. I can view these clips on my PC with Windows Media Player, or I can bring them into a Studio 8 video editing project and they show up just fine -- but I can't SEE them in Screenblast. I only get the audio portion of the clip.

Is this a codec issue? Any ideas how I can use these clips in a Screenblast project?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Comments

Steve Grisetti wrote on 2/6/2005, 6:07 PM
Definitely sounds like a codec issue to me. Obviously, camera phone video files weren't designed to be used in video editors.

If you can, import the file into MovieMaker and export it as a DV-AVI. Otherwise, open it in VirtualDub (www.virtualdub.org) and do as Save As. VirtualDub will automatically convert it to a usable DV-AVI.

Just don't be surprise if the frame rate and/or resolution is less than standard video.
OCVQ wrote on 2/6/2005, 7:15 PM
Yeah, unfortunately this is a situation where a family member is terminally ill and they are trying to pull together anything they can to preserve the memories. I'll try your suggestions. Thanks a lot!
IanG wrote on 2/7/2005, 12:40 AM
If you're still having problems have a look at http://www.gromkov.com/faq/faq2004-0067.html and http://www.riverpast.com/en/support/tutorials/convert/3gpp/avi.php. I did this a few months ago, but I can't remember the name of the app I used - if I remember I'll post the details.

Ian G.
gogiants wrote on 2/7/2005, 4:59 PM
The other suggestions were great and should work.

But, I just noticed that you said you could open them up in Studio 8. If you have a functioning copy of Studio 8, why not just render them out to a DV-AVI file using Studio 8. From there you could edit them in Vegas Movie Studio (or anything else for that matter.)

You'll still have to deal with the frame rate and frame size issues mentioned by others, but at least you'll be able to edit them.
SonyTSW wrote on 2/8/2005, 10:45 PM
You probably need an MJPEG codec to read those avi files. You can check this by playing the file in Windows Media Player and looking at the properties of the video stream in File | Properties.

Search this forum and the Vegas Video forum and you'll find some information on where to get an MJPEG codec.
inkybme1 wrote on 2/9/2005, 9:31 PM
I have used an MJPEG codec from Pegasus Imaging, and it worked well. You can download a full-feature trial version to see if this solves your problem. The trial version has a watermark on the video, but once you buy the full version (approx $30) the watermark will be removed. I don't know if this will solve your problem, but saw SonyTSW's post and thought it was worth a mention. http://www.pegasusimaging.com/picvideomjpeg.htm

OCVQ wrote on 2/14/2005, 8:10 AM
Thanks for all the help. I wound up rendering them in Studio, outputting to my camcorder and then recapturing in Screenblast from the digital tape via firewire. Quality seems about the same as the original clips. As it turns out, these were not recorded by a camera phone, but by some sort of digital camera with a memory stick.
bob123 wrote on 7/1/2005, 4:34 PM
Hello inkybme1, or anyone elso who has used the MJPEG coded from Pegasus...

I also have the same problem in getting an AVI produced with a digital camera to play the video in VMS...only the sound plays. My question is: if I install the MJPEG codec from Pegasus, will my AVI then simply play both video and audio in VMS? Or do I have to first do some kind of conversion of the AVI (using the codec) before bringing it into VMS?

Thanks in advance,
Bob123