AVI videos still won't import

Martin-Thomson wrote on 7/1/2020, 6:26 PM

I have a new installation of Vegas Pro 17. I have tried multiple fixes to be able to import AVI files:

  • I have pulled compoundplug.dll from the Vegas Pro software folder (one YouTuber recommended this).
  • I have installed all Windows Media Codecs.
  • I have installed the DivX codecs.
  • I have turned GPU acceleration off (and now it's back on).

Interestingly, this is not just an issue with the preview window. When I import the file, no frames appear in the preview of the file object within either the project or track panes. (See attached screen capture.) In other words, I believe this is an import/read issue and not a playback issue.

(It's rather frustrating since I have installed so many codecs to try and get it to work.)

For the time being, I am just converting my AVI files, but it would be great if Vegas Pro would just work with this legacy format and I didn't have the hassle of converison.

THANKS!

Comments

lan-mLMC wrote on 7/1/2020, 6:43 PM

Hello, please use mediainfo to check your video's codec info. And post it here.

Or you can tyr k-lite codec pack. It can import almost all kinds of media and save your much time waste to solve thousand of unnecessary importing problem. And spend more time on video creation. Of course It can import motion jpeg's avi

Or you can try motion jpeg codec .

Or you can try Xvid codec. Maybe your avi is xvid avi.

EricLNZ wrote on 7/1/2020, 6:47 PM

AVI may be a legacy file type but nowadays it can contain a wide variety of codecs so what's in your files https://www.vegascreativesoftware.info/us/forum/faq-how-to-post-mediainfo-and-vegas-pro-file-properties--104561/

Installing third party codecs is not recommended as they can interfere or even replace Vegas's ones. Also be wary of what you see on YouTube. Provide media info as the above link and someone may be able to help you. Lastly where do your avi files come from?

Musicvid wrote on 7/1/2020, 6:47 PM

(It's rather frustrating since I have installed so many codecs to try and get it to work.)

1. Please don't install any more codecs.

2. Provide your file properties exactly as described here.

https://www.vegascreativesoftware.info/us/forum/faq-how-to-post-mediainfo-and-vegas-pro-file-properties--104561/

3. The AVI container can have hundreds of codec combinations. Many of these are not supported natively because they are unregistered or open source. Unless we know they are Divx, installing Divx is a waste of time. So let us know by providing the details above. We are experts at determining which one of all the possible codecs you need.

Above all, never install a codec "pack." They hijack the system codecs Vegas needs and are harder to get rid of than a case of bedbugs.

Here is the relevant FAQ, which I suggest you read thoroughly before going any further.

https://www.vegascreativesoftware.info/us/forum/faq-why-won-t-vegas-open-my-file-correctly-codecs-converters-etc--104572/

Good luck. I don't know how else to advise after all the shots in the dark.

 

Dexcon wrote on 7/1/2020, 6:49 PM

From the screen shot, the video is Sony Motion JPEG which is contained within an AVI wrapper. It is not so much hat AVI is the problem, it is the codec contained within the AVI wrapper that is the problem, Sony Motion JPEG in this case.

If use the Search function on the forum, the issue with Motion JPEG has been raised a few times over the years, this link going back to 2013:

https://www.vegascreativesoftware.info/us/forum/sony-motion-jpeg-avi--96151/

The common theme is to first transcode the video into another format and then import into Vegas Pro.

Re Motion JPEG, an article in Wikipedia suggests that one of the disadvantages of MJPEG is that there is no set complete specification for the codec, and there can be compatibility problems in some cases as different manufacturers created their own individual standard for the codec.

 

 

Cameras: Sony FDR-AX100E; GoPro Hero 11 Black Creator Edition

Installed: Vegas Pro 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21 & 22, HitFilm Pro 2021.3, DaVinci Resolve Studio 19.0.3, BCC 2025, Mocha Pro 2025.0, NBFX TotalFX 7, Neat NR, DVD Architect 6.0, MAGIX Travel Maps, Sound Forge Pro 16, SpectraLayers Pro 11, iZotope RX11 Advanced and many other iZ plugins, Vegasaur 4.0

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Musicvid wrote on 7/1/2020, 6:57 PM

Assuming @Dexcon is correct (and he almost always is), I may have a newer link for you once you have provided the requested file information. Also upload an original source sample to Drive or Dropbox. I started using the MJPEG hardware codec in 1998. Thanks.

Musicvid wrote on 7/1/2020, 8:04 PM

There's still a Mainconcept 3.2.4 MJPEG download listed at Softpedia.

Seriously, the easiest way for you will be to just run it through Handbrake and import the MP4 file to Vegas.

Martin-Thomson wrote on 7/1/2020, 11:46 PM

I think most every response is correct. It's an MJPG.

I installed DivX and K-Lite already, but I'm doing the Mainconcept MJPEG codec now.

THANKS TO EVERYONE FOR YOUR FAST RESPONSE! Really loving the community.

Especially thanks to Musicvid for the Handbrake callout. Never heard of it before.

For everyone's information, the video info from mediainfo is below:

 

ID                                       : 0
Format                                   : JPEG
Codec ID                                 : MJPG
Duration                                 : 1 min 6 s
Bit rate                                 : 25.7 Mb/s
Width                                    : 1 280 pixels
Height                                   : 720 pixels
Display aspect ratio                     : 16:9
Frame rate                               : 30.138 FPS
Color space                              : YUV
Chroma subsampling                       : 4:2:2
Bit depth                                : 8 bits
Compression mode                         : Lossy
Bits/(Pixel*Frame)                       : 0.924
Stream size                              : 202 MiB

 

 

Musicvid wrote on 7/1/2020, 11:51 PM

Thank you for the kind words. Please roll back your system to before you installed K-lite. It's not your friend, and you may find that files that "should" open in Vegas will no longer do so.

Martin-Thomson wrote on 7/2/2020, 12:06 AM

Please roll back your system to before you installed K-lite. It's not your friend, and you may find that files that "should" open in Vegas will no longer do so.

I installed it (or the same codecs at least) when I installed Windows Media Codec Pack, I believe. Not as a standalone installation. Do you still believe I need to roll back?

If so, do you have any better path for rollback than uninstall everything and reinstall from scratch? Thanks again.

Musicvid wrote on 7/2/2020, 11:16 AM

When people are no longer able to open file formats that used to work fine in Vegas, it routinely turns out that they (or another app installer) has installed a codec pack at the system level.

Maybe you won't have a problem, but if you do, keep your old system backup image handy JIC. A full disc wipe and clean OS install was necessary in my case. Just uninstalling K-lite or ffdshow does not restore the registry roadsigns, but these days Revo would be a good first thing to try.