Comments

Spot|DSE wrote on 7/1/2009, 3:42 PM
What codec are they recorded with? Which version of Vegas?
If they're MJPEG files, you'll need a decoder unless you have Pro 9.
Use Gspot to determine which codec was used to record the files.
AVI is merely a container, like a plain brown grocery bag, that can carry several codecs.
jabloomf1230 wrote on 7/1/2009, 3:50 PM
Spot,

Have you ever thought of writing a Vegas plugin that would do the same thing as GSpot does in identifying the video and audio streams (which is getting long in the tooth anyway) and work from within Vegas?

Vegas does this, only if it can "understand" the audio and video in an imported clip. But if it can't, it hopeless gives up and adds only the tracks that it can interpret. Worse, some times, it actually creates an audio and video track, but then doesn't play them properly.

Although GSpot, Filmerit, etc. work okay to identify errant tracks and missing codecs, I get the feeling that a number of less experienced Vegas users don't have the time or initiative to download one of these freeware programs and then try to figure out what the results mean. besides, GSpot does a lot of other useful things, besides it's main use, as described above this post.

J
MPM wrote on 7/2/2009, 8:31 AM
@jabloom1230
"Have you ever thought of writing a Vegas plugin that would do the same thing as GSpot does in identifying the video and audio streams (which is getting long in the tooth anyway) and work from within Vegas?"

Please forgive my jumping in here...

Vegas may have changed in the last couple versions since I've delved into this, but back then the file types it would or wouldn't recognize were set in the registry -- I would think that would make IDing prob. vid in Vegas less than useful, since while it might help with avi, it wouldn't do a thing for filename extensions that won't even open.

There are several apps for IDing file characteristics, MediaInfo is one that's widely used, but GSpot has the ability to tell you what *your* system uses for decoding. Filmerit is useful, but sometimes wrong & it won't tell you that -- only inferring what your Windows install uses. One tool that often helps is GraphStudio, with it's play media option -- it will assemble a graph for you, showing what files are used for what. Another is DXMan, showing you file names/locations of installed filters -- often the only way to diagnose/fix a compatibility problem is to rename or move a registered file.

When Vegas doesn't work with a file, assuming it's not a name extension prob, it can be caused by 1 or more of the files (usually DS filters) in the chain that's needed -- by that I mean you need to open a file, de-mux it, decode it, & then often go through several other steps, each requiring a compatible file/filter. Each one of those files needs to be compatible with each other, with the media file, & with the Vegas version you're using -- 64 bit really gets interesting. Vista & 7 potentially add DRM problems, & if Media Center's been activated, services that may have to be disabled for some video decoding to work. Finally, HD has brought the need for GPU vid acceleration, & video card drivers can break playback in Windows or just specific apps.

At any rate, yeah, the ability to tell why something wasn't working would be indeed wonderful -- I just don't see how one app could cover more than a fraction of potential problems. FWIW, when you do have difficult problems, AviSynth can often be a big help -- the downside: you're limited to the 32 bit version of Vegas, plus you have to use VFAPI or some other frameserving app (like the one in ffdshow.