avi problems forever!

Grazie wrote on 8/29/2004, 9:49 PM

Vegas SHOULD come with a big placard! "This Software will bend over backwards to try and accommodate what you want to do!"

Now part of this - I gather - is its amazing ability to try and "cover" all eventualities. My understanding of this is to give you the option to "Ignore 3rd Party CODECS". This, I understand "forces" Vegas to use the house flavour of AVI. Here's the thing: " NOT ALL AVIs ARE CREATED EQUAL" - Yea I know, it is blasphemous, but I know of at least 2 flavours of this format that used to banjax me - AVI1 and AVI2.

So your, " . .. why if windows and any other media programs will play avi files then why not vegas v.4?!" then maybe just maybe theses "other" pieces of s/w aint in the business of Video/Film editing. Vegas is! It has to get all its ducks in a row to do . . .well . .. what it has to do. And what it does is phenomenal!

Now SHOULD you ever NEED to use other form of files that do have other CODECS, well, Vegas is there to offer you that option - am I getting this right Guys and Gals?

So, I don't understand " . .. why is it that i have to buy some other codec? isn't this why i bought the sony product?" but maybe others will explain.

As far as I understand it, Vegas deals with AVI2. If you need to convert AVI1 to AVI2 then Canopus - I think - used to offer a "free" conversion s/w download. I have used it in the past and it did work.

As to your "rant" - no problem! You should be in this room now and again . . it aint a pretty site! . .Or is that "sight"? . .Anyways, yer know what I means?!?!?

Best regards,

Grazie

farss wrote on 8/29/2004, 9:52 PM

A lot of the issues seem to relate to how the headers are written. Of course apart from that 'AVI' files can contain many things.
It's a bit much to fire a broadside at Vegas because of this. There's nothing in the world to stop me writing my own CODEC that nothing on the planet could decode.

Hm, anyone want to exchange 'scret' videos?

stormstereo wrote on 8/30/2004, 2:53 AM

Ok, I'll chip in. AVI type 1 & 2 can both be used in Vegas, no problems. Not all other software can play Type 2, it just shows up as weird patterns.

Think of AVI as a container (QT behaves the same). In this container you can put video with different compression (yes, there's an uncompressed alternative also but let's leave that for now). Think of DivX, Xvid and other "hobby" codecs, they all end with .avi. Some of them can be played in Vegas but that depens on how the codecs were written. A few of them does not allow for Vegas to "borrow" instructions on how to decode/play the file.

You should have no problems at all playing AVI's that were captured with Vegas Capture. Heck, you can throw avi, mpg, wmv, qt, still pics of various format, mp3, wav, aiff and a bunch of others on the timeline. Not many editors can do that. You can tweak or move events and effects while playing the timeline which is something I couldn't do on a much more expensive system with hardware additions.

If you want to stay high quality. Always capture to AVI with Vegas Capture(or Scenalyzer with correct settings). Always use DV AVI on the timeline. Always render to "professional" formats. Never use heavily compressed formats like DivX AVI, Xvid AVI, jpeg or Mpeg on the timeline. The playback is jerkier and when re-rendered you loose a lot of quality.

Best/Tommy

Grazie wrote on 8/30/2004, 5:56 AM

Storm - who said the AVIs were captured in Vegas? The Poster said , " . . why if windows and any other media programs will play avi files" . . I can't tell these AVIs were captured in Vgeas . . if I missed this please tell me?

As to AVI1 & AVI2 files, I seem to remember having probs with one of these formats, and I had to use the Canopus convertor. As to the "other" formats you speak of, the poster isn't. But again please tell me if I'm missing out here too?

I will say something - we need more info . . .

Grazie

daryl wrote on 8/30/2004, 6:16 AM

g'day Grazie, one small comment on your last post, re the AVI1 and AVI2s. At one time, quite a while back, I had a problem with AVI2 being used in a Windows-based multimedia application that I wrote. This was quite a while back and I'm not even sure what OS it was, maybe even, eech, 95.

Anyway, I've had no problems at all using AVI1 and AVI2 with VV.

Just wanted to mention it, your post brougt it all back to me.

c ya guys!

SonyEPM wrote on 8/30/2004, 7:22 AM

What codec does your problem footage use?

rmack350 wrote on 8/30/2004, 8:17 AM

Is this the one you identified as 'Motion JPEG including Huffman Tables'?

You've got "ignore 3rd party codecs" turned off?
Do you need Huffyuv codec installed? (That's a wild guess)

Can you post a small sample somewhere for others to try?

Rob Mack

bStro wrote on 8/30/2004, 10:53 AM

If you want someone to help you, you might consider telling us what codec is used in the video and if you have the proper preferences set in Vegas (ie, is "Ignore Third Party Codecs" checked).

I have used many different kind of AVIs in Vegas. I have yet to have to buy any codecs in order to do so. If I didn't already have it, I simply found and download it for free (legally).

Rob

stormstereo wrote on 8/31/2004, 2:41 AM

Grazie - Ok, no one said they were captured in Vegas. It was just a recommendation from my side. Sorry if I'm being unclear. Same with the codecs I talk about. I'm just guessing the posters AVI's do use one of the "hobby" codecs as I call them.

As for type 1 & 2, when you render to AVI, go into custom and look in the video tab. The check box for AVI type 2 is on by default. Uncheck it and you can still use the rendered file on the timeline. In Option/Preferences theres a check box for "Strictly conform to AVI2 specification" which is off by deafult. I think having it on introduces some compability problems. I really don't know when this is useful.

Using type 2 can make the AVI unreadable to AlamDV2 and other applications (or was it type 1?) because they don't support it (yet). I believe type 2 lets you use a bigger file size than type 1.

Wow, my brain is hot now. Who said this video editing thing was going to be easy? :)

Best/Tommy

Grazie wrote on 8/31/2004, 3:31 AM

Tommy, understood.

Oh yes, this video stuff does really "smart" sometimes. I've just come up against the "No-show-text-in-WMP-but-you-can-name-this-in-Vegas" silliness.

Best regards

Grazie

farss wrote on 8/31/2004, 3:39 AM

As happens all too often, we pitch in to try to help and then a pregnant pause....

Bob.

stormstereo wrote on 8/31/2004, 11:05 AM

Grazie - Yes, I read about your no-show-text. What's that all about!? Waiting for a good answer from Sony...

Best/Tommy

cgarrett wrote on 8/31/2004, 2:27 PM

first of all, sorry for the rant... just a frustrating moment.
and i did feel guilty for not claiming that maybe part of the blame could be on the part of the manufacturer of the product that created the avi file in the first place... casio.

the file in question is from a digital camera (casio ex-z4). i can only find one piece of information regarding the avi file produced by this device and it is that it is a m-jpeg codec. again, gspot indicates no problem with this codecs installed to play this file. have not attempted to contact the maunfacturer yet.

the morgan multimedia codec was working for me with this file (but turned out to be a trial version). so maybe i am stuck with blaming this on casio and having to purchase the morgan product.

again, any advice i could get to avoid this cost would be most appreciated.

and... the vegas product is truly awesome! and thanks for the posts.

cacher wrote on 8/31/2004, 2:40 PM

Hi CG, go here and download the "Motion Jpeg Codec" (last one on the page), install it and you'll be good to go.

Greetings.

Grazie wrote on 8/31/2004, 2:48 PM

. .and another happy customer rides gently off into the Sunset . . .. with his trusty copy of Vegas under his arm . .. . ahhhh.... fade to black .. . bring up '50s B movie cowboy C+W star singing against guitar and harm. backing . .. clippity-clop . . clippity-clop .. .

cgarrett wrote on 9/1/2004, 7:47 PM

not so fast!

i did install the main concept 3.2.4 device but it does not work. the files properties are:
00:00:31.688, 14.611 fps, 320x240x24, MJPG_MainConcept Video V3.2.4
i've tried various settings for 'ignoring third party codecs' and 'is microsoft codec'.

all i get is black video track.

any other ideas most appreciated.

any other ideas would be most appreciated.

Grazie wrote on 9/1/2004, 10:40 PM

Ugghh . .. . . not good!

G

cgarrett wrote on 9/3/2004, 11:18 AM

within vegas, when i access the properties of the file and a codec is mentioned then is this information part of the header of the file or is it the codec that vegas has decided to use?

thanks in advance.

cacher wrote on 9/3/2004, 11:24 AM

Sorry to hear that CG. I had a similar problem but with a Canon Powershot S30 AVI file. After installing the mainconcept mjpeg codec I could finally see the avi inside vegas. I'm afraid I've no further advice for you.
Good luck.