My avi video files are no longer showing video, just sound. What do I do?

Question

Since about 1999, I have used a webcam to make videos and they have been saved as avi files. they have worked up until recently. Win media just plays the sound now and no video. I tried vlc,realplayer, divx(which tells me it may need directshow codec, which downloaded and installed and nothing, I have DL'd xvid which I have no clue what that does, I have played with display settings on dxdiag, on my 7600Gt Nvidia, all kinds of things basically and nothing. I re-formatted recently is the only difference but there aren't any different programs on my computer that weren't on it a few weeks ago when those vids did work. What on EARTH is oging on? Win Media faq blows and when I do play the file it says codecs acquired so its showing no error just not showing video. The computer recognizes it as a video file according to its properties and not a wave. Please someone help, I need as many options as possible and break it down in lay-mans terms too if you get real techincal with the computer.

Answer 1

i have had the same issues..downloaded every codec i could with no help..then i got k-lite codec pack
http://www.filehippo.com/download_klite_codec_pack/
now it works like a charm...also you can use media player classic as you default media player and is uses less resources than wmp as well

try it and let me know if it works for you too

Answer 2

xvid is a codec, which is a tool that decodes the video so you can play it. different videos are compressed in different ways and so you need different codecs for them. VLC doesn't require codec, but Windows Media Player does. If it doesn't play in VLC, i don't think it will play, but here are some other options.

MPUI is freeware and also doesn't require codecs and I've found it plays everything, quicktime and realmedia included, ( http://mpui.sourceforge.net/ )

to find which codec it is that the videos are created with, use a freeware called G-Spot ( http://www.headbands.com/gspot/ ). then download the codec you need from: http://www.free-codecs.com/Video_Codecs.htm

more options: be sure that all your video drivers are updated and make sure that you have directx, which is a "graphics engine" that helps to play the video ( http://www.microsoft.com/windows/directx/default.mspx ).

I think the last thing to do is to try the files in another computer because if none of these work then I'm sorry but the files may be corrupt.

Answer 3

hmm .. try ffdshow if u havent ...
http://www.afterdawn.com/software/video_software/codecs_and_filters/ffdshow.cfm/rev__610__20061201

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