# Most compatible video format



## Xynd (Feb 17, 2004)

Hi Guys,

I often find video file that I can't play, so I am thinking to convert it to other format.

What is the most compatible video format?

What is the best video converter to convert from one format to another?



Thank you.


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## thecoalman (Mar 6, 2006)

Most compatible would be WMV from M$ since nearly every computer has Windows Media Player installed. You can convert Video to WMV using Windows Movie Maker (probably already installed on your computer) or for more advanced features Windows Media Encoder but.........

If you can't play it now you won't be able to convert it since you need the codec to decompress it for conversion. Conversion can also result in loss of quality and if done improperly severe loss of quality. Easiest thing to do is install the codec you need to play the video, there's only a few main codecs MPEG, MPEG2, Divx....etc.

Use G-Spot to identify the codec you need: http://www.headbands.com/gspot/

Once you establish what codec you need find the specific codec, don't install it from a pack: http://www.videohelp.com/tools?s=6#6


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## Xynd (Feb 17, 2004)

I've use gspot but where do I see the codec I need?
The codec name always says n.a and the stat always empty even for files I can play.


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## thecoalman (Mar 6, 2006)

Waht's the extesiobn on the file?


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## Xynd (Feb 17, 2004)

asf, mpg, and avi.

I tried the render fuction on gspot and all the files that can't be played either say partial error or just error.

But those files can be played on my office computer. My office use WinXP
My home computer use Win 98.


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## Moby (Mar 19, 2002)

Mpeg is probably universally more compatible. Any version of Windows media player will play it, Macs will play it and standalone home DVD players are now starting to play computer video files directly and their first choice of format is mpeg.


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## Xynd (Feb 17, 2004)

Still I can't play some of my mpg files.

Could it be that same file type actually different?


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## thecoalman (Mar 6, 2006)

Xynd said:


> Could it be that same file type actually different?


Yes, mpg can be MPEG1 or MPEG2. MPEG1 will play on pactically any machine including Win98, MPEG2 requires the installation of a MPEG2 codec even on XP. AVI can contain anything, there is no AVI format. It's just a generic extension, the video can be encoded with any codec.

Not too familair with ASF but it appears it's similar to AVI and many different codecs can be used. The difference being that it can also store meta data like the Author.


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## Xynd (Feb 17, 2004)

Well then I guess the easiest way is to download and install all codecs right?

Where can I get all those codecs?


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## thecoalman (Mar 6, 2006)

You can find a MPEG2 codec in the tools section at www.videohelp.com. As far as the others it depends on whicch ones you need. There's hundreds of them and you should only install what you need or can cause conflicts.

You may have some issues now since G-Spot don't work.Not sure why it wouldn't but that could possibly be it.

While your there look up codec sniper, it will tell you what you already have installed and if there any corrupted ones.


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## Xynd (Feb 17, 2004)

I have used codec sniper from the list everything is OK.

No corrupt one.

So how can I know which codec I need to get?


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## thecoalman (Mar 6, 2006)

Xynd said:


> I tried the render fuction on gspot and all the files that can't be played either say partial error or just error.
> 
> But those files can be played on my office computer. My office use WinXP
> My home computer use Win 98.


What has me confused is this... Download G-Spot to one of those machines and see if ti works. If it does I would suggest the files that you cannot play on your home computer have been corrupted. I reeally don't know what else to suggest.


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## lycos5 (Mar 10, 2006)

You can find the latest codecs here 
http://www.free-codecs.com/download/DivX6.htm

previous versions here
http://www.oldversion.com/program.php?n=divx

mpeg-2 and others here
http://www.inmatrix.com/zplayer/formats/

ac-3 filter here
http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/ac3filter/ac3filter_0_70b.exe?use_mirror=switch


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## Xynd (Feb 17, 2004)

I don't think the files on my home computer corrupted, because I copy them to my office computer and they run fine there

I just found out that actually there's nothing wrong with gspot.
When opening there are the file of type column at the bottom. 
Only if you choose "supported media" then the name of the codec appears.
But if u choose "video media files" the result always n/a.

Most of my media files falls to the "video media files category" therefore I can't identify the codec needed.

Maybe there is a similar app like gspot with wider supported media so I can identify the codec needed?

Thank you


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## lycos5 (Mar 10, 2006)

try avicodec http://avicodec.duby.info/


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## cromaczs07 (Feb 20, 2006)

try checking this site... i've tried SUPER and i find it cool. (i hope this will help, this is the first time i can suggest somehing...ü)

http://portablefreeware.com/?c=8&sc=37


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## Xynd (Feb 17, 2004)

When opening some of the problem files this error message pop up:
MMSystem 227. A problem occured in initializing MCI. Try restarting Windows.

Could it be that my Windows is corrupt?


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## thecoalman (Mar 6, 2006)

There's a few articles on MS's site about that, suggest you look at the first one.

http://support.microsoft.com/search/default.aspx?mode=s&cat=false&query=MMSystem&srch=sup


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## lighthouse (May 6, 2002)

There's this HUGE company called Microsoft who write most of the stuff you've got on your computer, and a lot of their programmes are the standard for what they do. So why doesn't Windows media player recognise stuff put together by Windows movie maker? Doesn't it seem a bit ridiculous that you have 2 media programmes from the same company (one is the do anything computer media programme) but you can't play back WMM stuff on it..........or add any of it to your media library so you can tidy your computer up a bit? Yeah, I know the technical reasons (WMAs WMMSS etc) but why didn't they standardise it, or at least allow you to save WMM files in a compatible format


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## thecoalman (Mar 6, 2006)

lighthouse said:


> So why doesn't Windows media player recognise stuff put together by Windows movie maker? Doesn't it seem a bit ridiculous that you have 2 media programmes from the same company (one is the do anything computer media programme) but you can't play back WMM stuff on it.........


It will. Anything you create in WMM can be displayed in WMP. His issue is not a compatabilty between WMM and WMP but a system issue. I haven't looked but to the best of my recollection WMM will only encodes video to DV-AVI or WMV. If you have a windows machine both are supported.


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## the_iconster (Feb 20, 2006)

I reccomend Super for all video / audio format conversions - http://www.erightsoft.com/Superdt.html 
It converts to all types and is really simple to use (The download's at the bottom of the page).

Video playing wise, I reccomend VLC Media Player. It plays just about every format and is also really easy to use. 
http://www.videolan.org/vlc/features.html


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## lighthouse (May 6, 2002)

The problem with it is that when you save your work it automatically saves as "WMM" or "all files" in the dialogue box so you don't have a lot of choice. Even if you just record audio the same thing happens - even though a pre-save click tells you that it's "WMA".


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## thecoalman (Mar 6, 2006)

lighthouse said:


> The problem with it is that when you save your work it automatically saves as "WMM" or "all files" in the dialogue box so you don't have a lot of choice. Even if you just record audio the same thing happens - even though a pre-save click tells you that it's "WMA".


WMM is not a very good tool for video, yes it has limitations. As I said in the other thread you need the tool for the job. About the only thing WMM is good for is creating WMV's and that would be if yuor a novice. There are literally hundreds of programs avaialble that have superior abilities, even the lowest of the low have more options than WMM.

As far as saving that is the default, you can change it but have to work within whatever WMM allows you. If you want more options get a better program. If you want more options for the WMV codec go to MS's site and download Windows Media Encoder. Anything but the file format can be changed.


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## Xynd (Feb 17, 2004)

I've just finished download SUPER, but I can't installed it.

At the very beginning of install process it says error.


Which one is wrong?
The installer or my windows??

Geee How come playing a media file should be this difficult


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## cromaczs07 (Feb 20, 2006)

i think an error occured during your download. i hate to say this but you have to downloaded it again...


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## daddyhominum (Dec 2, 2005)

http://www.k-litecodecpack.com/

Contains codecs needed to play files. free, easily installed with total control


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## cromaczs07 (Feb 20, 2006)

the pack is free but downloading klite needs membership fee...


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## thecoalman (Mar 6, 2006)

Avoid Codec packs all together, they are evil, install codecs only on a needed basis and you will avoid many problems now and in the future.


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## daddyhominum (Dec 2, 2005)

cromaczs07 said:


> the pack is free but downloading klite needs membership fee...


Then go to:

http://www.codec-download.com/


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## daddyhominum (Dec 2, 2005)

thecoalman said:


> Avoid Codec packs all together, they are evil, install codecs only on a needed basis and you will avoid many problems now and in the future.


I have seen your complaint many times on the net but have never experienced any problems with multiple codecs being installed.and at earlier times I would have 30+ codecs in the system, many repeating the function of other codecs.

How does the problem reveal itself when it occurs? Perhaps I just don't recognize it.


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