Program can't seem to read video on old AVI files

OCVQ wrote on 10/11/2013, 5:11 PM
I am using Vegas Movie Studio 9. I have some old video clips which were captured with either an earlier version of Vegas or a completely different program (can't remember; might have been Studio DC10 Plus which I used before). Anyway, when I double-click on the AVI files in Windows Explorer my media player plays the clips just fine, showing video and playing audio. When I pull these clips into Vegas to edit, the video doesn't show up. On my timeline the video track is just red. When I play it, the display window is black. The audio plays fine. I tried rendering, to see if it was just a glitch in the editing portion of the program, but they render the same way -- black screen with only audio coming through.

Any ideas? Is this a codec issue that could be resolved somehow?

Comments

musicvid10 wrote on 10/11/2013, 8:16 PM
If it's DC10+ files you will need to install a free codec. But to be sure, post the complete media properties using Mediainfo from Sourceforge. We'll help you get it working properly for Vegas. Don't install any codec "packs" yourself!
If you can upload a sample somewhere (not Youtube) it will also help.
OCVQ wrote on 10/11/2013, 10:53 PM
Do you mean, upload one of my AVI files that Vegas won't read, to a video share site other than YouTube? Like Vimeo?
TOG62 wrote on 10/12/2013, 1:56 AM
Use a file sharing site, like Dropbox, not a video sharing site.
musicvid10 wrote on 10/12/2013, 5:32 AM
I would just like to see an original file, NOT converted by some video server, thanks.
OCVQ wrote on 10/12/2013, 10:39 AM
Here is one of the AVI files I'm talking about:

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/1589377/ERIK%20AND%20INGO%20WATER%20MACIVER%200502.avi

Hopefully that link to my public Dropbox folder works for you. I chose a fairly small file so let me know if you need something larger. I have tons of them, which is why this is so frustrating.

Thank you SO much for taking the time to help me with this. The kids are all grown up now and I am the only family member that shot a lot of video over the last 20 years. I'm trying to put some of it together on DVD as a Christmas surprise for some people who are dealing with some serious medical issues. This will put a big smile on their faces!! My husband is a great IT guy and can help me with my software and hardware needs but he doesn't do the video editing, so doesn't know the Vegas program. Whatever you suggest, he should be able to help me make it happen. Also, do you still need the media properties (I have not downloaded Mediainfo yet) or did providing the AVI file handle that?
musicvid10 wrote on 10/12/2013, 11:03 AM
Download and install the Mainconcept MJPEG trial version. The decoder doesn't expire. Your problems should be solved at that point.
They are reliable and will not sell your information:
downloads.mainconcept.com/mdl/mdl.php?downloads.mainconcept.com+MotionJPEG+MJPEGCodec_RETAIL_v3.2.4.exe
OCVQ wrote on 10/12/2013, 5:42 PM
Thank you a million times!! It worked.
musicvid10 wrote on 10/12/2013, 5:58 PM
Glad it worked!
ricnev wrote on 10/13/2013, 3:33 AM
Why did it work? What was wrong that caused the OPs problem?
musicvid10 wrote on 10/13/2013, 8:39 AM

Good question.
The codec was the old Zoran MJPEG Type I hardware encoder, which Vegas or Windows do not support with a native software decoder.
The DC10+ hardware itself never quite worked on XP or later.
I've still got a bunch of those old files stored an a hard drive somewhere.