Playing avi files on a PC help

[dogbone]

I downloaded some avi files and burned them to a cd with toast set to create files for pc or mac. Anyway I gave them to a friend who has a pc and I thought they'd be fine because I was under the impression that avi was a pc thing.

Anyway he could see the files on the CD but when he tried to play them with the WMP it brought up the error message "Windows Media Player cannot play the file. The Player might not support the file type or might not support the codec that was used to compress the file".

I checked on the microsoft web page and they say that WMP does support avi. Does anyone have any suggestions as to why these files are not playing. The files originally came from video.google

EDIT: I just tried them on my WMP for mac and they also wouldn't play although they will play in quicktime and vlc.

 

[AppleIntelRock]

Use the G-Spot tool for determining what codecs your avi file needs, and what ones you have installed. Free download available at: http://www.weethet.nl/english/video_which_codecs_gspot.php

 

[nplima]

Hi

you can tell your friend to try converting his files at http://www.zamzar.com
It's free and so far it's been working for me.

 

[dogbone]

I don't think online conversion is an option as these are 300 mb files and he is on dial up.

Goddammit why is this so complicated. Is there some way that I can tell what codec is being used on these files from my mac and then tell him to download a pc version of it? The G spot tool appears to be pc only. He's not too good with computers and I think it would be beyond him to work this out. I think sending a link to the codec would be about as complex as I dare suggest.

As a side issue, why does my OSX wmp not play the files if I obviously have the right codec on my computer because I can play it in qt?

Or is there a better media player for PC that would have the codecs installed already?

 

[clevin]

two set of questions need to be considered
1. did u burn it with a pc compatible format
2. did ur friend have any codec installed on his computer? if not, goto betanews.com, and download-install k-lite codec, http://fileforum.betanews.com/detail/KLite_Codec_Pack_Update/1094057842/4 no player can play media if no proper codec is installed, such as you need VLC under OSX to play those wmv or avi, quicktime can't handle them by default.,

 

[clevin]

As a side issue, why does my OSX wmp not play the files if I obviously have the right codec on my computer because I can play it in qt?

Or is there a better media player for PC that would have the codecs installed already?

1. coz your wmp under OSX is wmv only player
2. better media player with codec pre-installed? easy, VLC for windows

 

[dogbone]

Yeah I used toast 7 and burnt as a data file set to pc and mac compatible. I thought VLC was mac only. I'll suggest that and also the k lite. Thanks.

 

[clevin]

Yeah I used toast 7 and burnt as a data file set to pc and mac compatible. I thought VLC was mac only. I'll suggest that and also the k lite. Thanks.

actually on windows, codec +Media player classic is better solution (fast and low system resource requirement), but since your friend really need a easy way, VLC is easiest (altho its bigger in download size.),

 

[nplima]

Goddammit why is this so complicated.

that's soooo true....

here's another link: http://www.free-codecs.com/download/K_Lite_Codec_Pack.htm

this if for Windows only, a 20+MB set of codecs for *a lot* of video and audio files. take that to your friend and this should solve the problem.