Problem with .AVI files

optodata

Senior Contributor Location: California, USA Joined: Sep 16, 2011 16:04 Messages: 8630 Offline

Solved by

Aug 12, 2013 22:17

Hi gang

I just returned from a 12-day driving trip with a Cowon AC1 HD camcorder mounted on the dash, and I'm planning to make a time-lapse video of the 5600 mile journey. During the trip, I downloaded all the .avi files from the device each day and saved them on an external hard drive, and I had no trouble viewing them using the VLC player, although the native media player app on my Surface Pro couldn't play them.

Unfortunately, when I got home I found that PD11 also cannot open the files - either with or without the K-Lite v9.95 MEGA codec pack installed. If I try to import a clip, the preview window remains blank when I select the file, and I get the following message when I try to open it: An error occurred while opening this media file in the media library. It may be because the file is broken, an unsupported format, protected video content, or for another reason. Try contacting your video provider for a different video format.

I have successfully converted a test clip to a useable .AVI format using Format Factory, but I shudder to think of converting 4,550 individual clips totaling over 154GB. I have attached a very short sample clip, and I would greatly appreciate any feedback or suggestions for getting these clips into PowerDirector directly.

Thanks!

My specs: Core i5-3570K 3.40GHz CPU, 16GB RAM, EVGA/nVIDIA GTX 550Ti card w/326.19 driver (7/18/2013), ASUS P8 Z77-M MainBoard, 64GB SSD C: drive, 6TB on 3 HDDs; PD v11.0.0.3026; Win7 SP1 Home Premium

Filename	130802_152424_I1.avi	Download
Description	2-second clip of problematic .avi format
Filesize	1396 Kbytes
Downloaded:	450 time(s)

ynotfish

Senior Contributor Location: N.S.W. Australia Joined: May 08, 2009 02:06 Messages: 9977 Offline

Aug 12, 2013 23:19

Hi optodata -

Whoa! That's a doozy!

I got the same thing. Preview in PD is black & the thumbnail (media library) is green. Audio is OK.

I tried to import it into an A***e NLE and it couldn't even "see" your video when I navigated right to its file location.

Worse - when I tried to open it in MediaInfo, it told me I "must at least open one file" - so it didn't even recognise it. GSpot at least told me that it's AVIv1.0 & that might give a clue as to why it's not recognised by PD & PE. PP has the same issue.

These might point to something -
http://www.myvideoproblems.com/Tutorials/dv-aviFiles.htm
http://forums.adobe.com/thread/666083

It plays fine in VLC & MPC-HC, but that doesn't help much, does it?

Cheers - Tony
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optodata

Senior Contributor Location: California, USA Joined: Sep 16, 2011 16:04 Messages: 8630 Offline

Aug 13, 2013 00:24

Thanks for the links, Tony. One of the common themes in the discussions there was that short of changing NLEs, sometimes you'll just have to convert files. Maybe I needed to see that to accept that I might have to do that now.

I loaded up all the files in Format Factory, and after testing a couple of the converted files, let it start on the massive conversion task. At this point, it looks like it'll take about 27 hours and I'll need to make sure that my PC doesn't sleep until the job is done. I'm using separate source and destination HDDs and I just set the program's priority to High, so now I'll just have to wait.

If anyone comes up with another idea, I'll be eager to try it ;

-Ron

YouTube/optodata

DS365 | Win11 Pro | Ryzen 9 3950X | RTX 4070 Ti | 32GB RAM | 10TB SSDs | 5K+4K HDR monitors

Canon Vixia GX10 (4K 60p) | HF G30 (HD 60p) | Yi Action+ 4K | 360Fly 4K 360°

ynotfish

Senior Contributor Location: N.S.W. Australia Joined: May 08, 2009 02:06 Messages: 9977 Offline

Aug 13, 2013 00:51

Ron -

I can't see another way around it for now.

For the future, is there perhaps a setting on your camera that can change the output format?

Go and have a nice walk while FF is doing the job.

Cheers - Tony
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optodata

Senior Contributor Location: California, USA Joined: Sep 16, 2011 16:04 Messages: 8630 Offline

Aug 13, 2013 01:04

The format is set by the firmware of the dash camcorder, and there's no way to adjust it as an end-user. Possibly the mfr will release an update that will improve the video's compatibility, but otherwise it looks like I'll be stuck converting anytime I want to use some driving clips.

Fortunately, I'm not planning on recording/editing 100+ driving hours any time again!

I'll post a link to the finished video once I have a chance to work with the raw clips. Thanks again for your help

-Ron

YouTube/optodata

DS365 | Win11 Pro | Ryzen 9 3950X | RTX 4070 Ti | 32GB RAM | 10TB SSDs | 5K+4K HDR monitors

Canon Vixia GX10 (4K 60p) | HF G30 (HD 60p) | Yi Action+ 4K | 360Fly 4K 360°

vn800rider

Senior Contributor Location: Darwen, UK Joined: May 15, 2008 04:32 Messages: 1949 Offline

Aug 13, 2013 02:12

Interestingly, on my laptop the media library thumbnail is green, but the clip plays fine in the preview. When dragged to the time line it displays green on the timeline and sometimes green and sometimes black in the preview but audio is OK.

PD tends to crash trying to handle the timeline clip.

As far as I can see it is a 1280x720 h264 AVC1 in an avi container, @3.42 Mbs, 20.43fps interlaced (but I also have another analysis that says progressive)

Sorry can't find a way to get PD to handle it.

Cheers
Adrian


Filename	Capture.PNG	Download
Description
Filesize	349 Kbytes
Downloaded:	98 time(s)

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optodata

Senior Contributor Location: California, USA Joined: Sep 16, 2011 16:04 Messages: 8630 Offline

Aug 13, 2013 02:28