Codecs

[vidiac1212]

Hi All... again.

How do I determine what codec was used to compress a video clip?

I am trying to capture video from my Western Digital external hard drive. The clips I need are in one of those buried files deep within all the other files. ( I didn't physically save these particular files, they are just in the back up) The clip I want to open says "AVI" on the clip face. Windows media says it can't open it because,you guessed it, it doesn't know the codec used to compress the file. And it's crashed my Adobe PE7 three times. Windows Movie Maker cannot open the file either. I did extract the files first and saved the file to my pics.

Codecs are confusing and complicated to me. I'm just not that technical.

What next? I'm really in a tough spot here on this one. You have no idea how bad I need these files.

Thanks.
Monica

[Peru]

Download GSpot:
http://www.headbands.com/gspot/
(Watch out for the ads - make sure you click on the right link!)

Drag the file to GSpot and it will give you all of the file and codec info.
Then post a screen shot here and one of the experts here will advise you what to do next.

[vidiac1212]

Thank you. I'll try as you suggested and watch for ads and becareful where I click. BBsoon.

[vidiac1212]

hmmmm... now I don't know how to do a screen shot. I followed the instructions on GSpot... put the clip into the annalyzer if that's what you call it but, now I dont' know how to make a screen shot.

[vidiac1212]

The message I received from GSpot is "codec status undertermined"

[Chuck Engels]

Sorry Monica, it doesn't look very promising at all

[vidiac1212]

Crap, rats, and dang it. Thanks Chuck. Well I have other options and will just have to go that route. arrgh!

[Bob]

Just above the status, GSpot should identify the codec and the name. What does it say?

[RJ Johnston]

GSPOT is way out of date. Use MediaInfo. http://mediainfo.sourceforge.net/en

[Chuck Engels]

Thanks RJ, I need to get something other than GSpot myself

[John 'twosheds' McDonald]

Thanks RJ, I need to get something other than GSpot myself

Me too. Thanks Robert.

[RJ Johnston]

MediaInfo has a menu named "Debug" that has a menu item named "Advanced Mode." Use that to get additional information such as pixel aspect ratio.

[George Tyndall]

MediaInfo has a menu named "Debug" that has a menu item named "Advanced Mode." Use that to get additional information such as pixel aspect ratio.

RJ, when I right-click on a file I don't see what codec was used to create the video file. All I see is "AVC."

Assistance please!

[RJ Johnston]

After you right-click a file in Explorer, select MediaInfo from the popup menu. That should show you the basic information about the file. To get more detailed information, select Advanced Mode under the Debug Menu. Then under the View menu, select "Text." You should be able to find something in that mass of information about the codec.

[George Tyndall]

After you right-click a file in Explorer, select MediaInfo from the popup menu. That should show you the basic information about the file. To get more detailed information, select Advanced Mode under the Debug Menu. Then under the View menu, select "Text." You should be able to find something in that mass of information about the codec.

It does tell me that AVC is shorthand for Advanced Video Codec. I know for certain that the file was shared from PRE7 using the MPEG>H.264 1920x1080i 30 choice. Is that the the same as AVC?