[X4U] Re: Playing avi files on QT

[SW]

On Tue,Jul  12, , at 5:41 PM, Wayne Clodfelter wrote:

> Ok, Steven, and then what? Are you saying that by figuring out what  
> codec you need you can get the file to play in QT?
> If you can do that, I'm ready to sign up for classes <g>.
> As far as avis being weird little proprietary codecs (or containing  
> them), I don't really buy that, or they would give VLC and mPlayer  
> fits, too. With VLC and mPlayer, avis just work! Why can't QT do  
> that, too?
> Not why can't, I suppose; why don't they?


>> AVI is not a video format, its a container format (kind of like  
>> QuickTime), so playing it depends entirely on what's inside.  
>> Asking that QT play it is kind of like demanding that a competent  
>> mechanic should be able to work on what's in your garage, just  
>> because it's in there. AVIs can contain just about anything - like  
>> weird little proprietary codecs made by people who create novelty  
>> devices, like the little pen cams. If you know where the file came  
>> from, that's usually enough info to figure out what codec you need.
>>


If the codec is one that is built into QT then the file will play. If  
not, then there is a possibility that the codec is available from  
another source that will allow QT to play it.


  If the window will open in QT you can find info about the file in  
Window/Show Movie Properties.

In VLC look in Window/Info.


  Two codecs often used in the Windows world are DivX and Xvid. I  
have installed these codecs and can play these AVIs in QT on 10.4.

XVID <http://people.ee.ethz.ch/~naegelic/index.php>

DIVX <http://www.divx.com/divx/mac/>

Hopefully this will help settle some of the mass of confusing AVIs  
out there.

Steve