Author Topic: Codecs in XP? (Read 660 times)

Doberman · « **on:** April 04, 2002, 01:22:39 PM »

This is something I oughtta know, but can't seem to find.

How do I see what Codecs I have installed in Windows XP?

What codec is required to play the uncompressed AVI which AHFilm produces? None of my XP systems will play it.

D

Doberman · « **Reply #1 on:** April 10, 2002, 04:25:24 PM »

bump?

AKDejaVu · « **Reply #2 on:** April 10, 2002, 05:23:40 PM »

You have the option to save the film in several codecs. I've not had good luck saving it uncompressed. That combined with the fact that a 3 min uncompressed AVI is about 3 gig in size.

Anyways... when the option for wich codec to use comes up... try selecting any of the others. You may also want to see if you can round up the DivX 5 codec and install it. That is one of the better ones out there.

AKDejaVu

Doberman · « **Reply #3 on:** April 11, 2002, 05:31:29 PM »

Not quite the question I asked there Deja.

I want to know where in XP I can get a list of what codecs I have installed. I know in 98 there was an easy way to get a list that would let you right click and get some properties & info on them. Can't seem to find that anywhere in XP.

I can save an uncompressed AVI. I just can't seem to play it. XP with the latest MediaPlayer doesn't recognize it. I've gotta get one of my Win 98 machines hooked back up and see if it'll run in an earlier version of Media Player.

I've got Divx 5. Not bad, but I'd much prefer to do my editing & stuff with an uncompressed avi file.

D

AKDejaVu · « **Reply #4 on:** April 12, 2002, 12:18:46 AM »

Ah.. then maybe a better place to ask it would be in the harware/software forum.

AKDejaVu

AKDejaVu · « **Reply #5 on:** April 12, 2002, 12:20:42 AM »

BTW.. one thing I've noticed in XP.. all my uncompressed AVIs come out to be a very similar lenght. Its almost like it doesn't want to make a file bigger than 3.4 gig.

I wonder if that affects the integrity of the film and other programs' abilitity to play it back.

AKDejaVu

Doberman · « **Reply #6 on:** April 12, 2002, 01:20:49 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by AKDejaVu
BTW.. one thing I've noticed in XP.. all my uncompressed AVIs come out to be a very similar lenght. Its almost like it doesn't want to make a file bigger than 3.4 gig.

I wonder if that affects the integrity of the film and other programs' abilitity to play it back.

AKDejaVu

Hmmm, that might be better asked in the hardware/software forum since it deals with hardware/software.

But since it also deals with the film viewer (as does my question. Seems that with so many video editoring wizrds here, one of 'em might know how to get a listing of Codecs from within XP itself.) I'll address it here.

You're probably hitting the FAT 32 file size limit. I was under the impression that the FAT 32 drive format couldn't handle file sizes larger than 4 GB, but whenever I'm saving uncompressed AVI it always cuts me off somewhere around 3.5 GB. Probably something to do with how a gig is measured.

When I upgraded to XP, I wasn't asked if I wanted to convert my drive to NTFS (which has a larger - or possibly no - file size limit) as some people were. Donno if it's a Pro vs. Home thing or what? There's a "Convert" tool but my one attempt to use it crapped out, and I'm a bit leary of continuing to play around with it. I don't currently have a system or hard drive that I can sacrafice to the testing gods. I"ll have some critical stuff off of one of my systems in about a week and will be attempting to convert it to NTFS then. I"ll report back on my results.

D

AKDejaVu · « **Reply #7 on:** April 12, 2002, 04:57:23 PM »

I use NTFS. Have you recorded a film larger than 3.5 Gig?

AKDejaVu

AKIron · « **Reply #8 on:** April 12, 2002, 06:44:25 PM »

In Windows XP you can view the actual codecs (not the descriptive name) here: control panel->sound and audio devices->hardware->video codecs