This is again a question about avi files. I never thought that it is
another one of such messy thing that we created. I tried to open an
avi file in my PC using different versions of Windows Media Players,
and they did not recognized it. When I checked the internet, I found
out that there are different versions of avi which are exceptable to
different version of computers. What a mess. It is similar to saving
a spreadsheet file (xls), in which there are so many choices and
confusing. They are all with extension .xls, but cater to different
version of the software (in which changing perhaps every other day!).
My questions a
- How to convert this avi file to a file which can be excepted to 95%
of computers? If you have an mp3 file, you likely be able to play it
on most computer, dont' you?
- What file is generally accepted by many computer? I just want a
basic format that can be opened by most computers (old and new).
I recall a long time ago, an avi file (whatever it was called or
version) can be open easily and compatible for most OS. Is this true?
Is avi file equivalent to MPEG4 file?
Thanks for the info.

On 11 Mar 2007 14:08:22 -0700, wrote:

This is again a question about avi files. I never thought that it is
another one of such messy thing that we created. I tried to open an
avi file in my PC using different versions of Windows Media Players,
and they did not recognized it. When I checked the internet, I found
out that there are different versions of avi which are exceptable to
different version of computers. What a mess. It is similar to saving
a spreadsheet file (xls), in which there are so many choices and
confusing. They are all with extension .xls, but cater to different
version of the software (in which changing perhaps every other day!).
My questions a
- How to convert this avi file to a file which can be excepted to 95%
of computers? If you have an mp3 file, you likely be able to play it
on most computer, dont' you?
- What file is generally accepted by many computer? I just want a
basic format that can be opened by most computers (old and new).
I recall a long time ago, an avi file (whatever it was called or
version) can be open easily and compatible for most OS. Is this true?
Is avi file equivalent to MPEG4 file?

AVI is just a container. It can hold many different types of
content.

MPEG4 is just one of the possibilities. You need to determine the
exact contants of an AVI file to know how to deal with it.

GSpot - available from http://www.headbands.com/gspot/ will help
you to discover just what is in an AVI file.

Regards,
Harry.


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In message . com,
writes
This is again a question about avi files. I never thought that it is
another one of such messy thing that we created. I tried to open an
avi file in my PC using different versions of Windows Media Players,
and they did not recognized it. When I checked the internet, I found
out that there are different versions of avi which are exceptable to
different version of computers. What a mess. It is similar to saving
a spreadsheet file (xls), in which there are so many choices and
confusing. They are all with extension .xls, but cater to different
version of the software (in which changing perhaps every other day!).
My questions a
- How to convert this avi file to a file which can be excepted to 95%
of computers? If you have an mp3 file, you likely be able to play it
on most computer, dont' you?
- What file is generally accepted by many computer? I just want a
basic format that can be opened by most computers (old and new).
I recall a long time ago, an avi file (whatever it was called or
version) can be open easily and compatible for most OS. Is this true?
Is avi file equivalent to MPEG4 file?
Thanks for the info.


Why do you need to post the same article three times ? It won't help you
to get a response more quickly.

AVI is nothing more than a container for any type of data. Think of it
being like an envelope which can contain a letter, a cheque, a birthday
card - the envelope is an envelope, and it can contain anything.

To find out what an AVI contains use Gspot, available from he
http://www.headbands.com/gspot/download.html

AVIs identify what type of data is within the file,using something
called a "FourC" code - which identifies what codec was used to produce
the AVI.

Gspot tells you which codec (or codec type) was used to produce it, and
it tells you if you have an appropriate codec on your machine. If you
don't have the particular codec (or codec type) a Google search should
locate it (or an alternative codec) and allow you to download and
install.


--
Tony Morgan

wrote in message
ups.com...
This is again a question about avi files. I never thought that it is
another one of such messy thing that we created. I tried to open an
avi file in my PC using different versions of Windows Media Players,
and they did not recognized it. When I checked the internet, I found
out that there are different versions of avi which are exceptable to
different version of computers. What a mess. It is similar to saving
a spreadsheet file (xls), in which there are so many choices and
confusing. They are all with extension .xls, but cater to different
version of the software (in which changing perhaps every other day!).
My questions a
- How to convert this avi file to a file which can be excepted to 95%
of computers? If you have an mp3 file, you likely be able to play it
on most computer, dont' you?
- What file is generally accepted by many computer? I just want a
basic format that can be opened by most computers (old and new).
I recall a long time ago, an avi file (whatever it was called or
version) can be open easily and compatible for most OS. Is this true?
Is avi file equivalent to MPEG4 file?
Thanks for the info.


AVI is not a file format like mp3 or .xls but rather a container.
Having said that it sounds like you haven't all of the various codecs
installed on your computer. To do this go to
http://www.free-codecs.com/download/...Codec_Pack.htm and download
and install "K-Lite Mega Codec Pack 1.67" this will update everything. You
might also consider installing Windows Media Player version 11.

On Mar 11, 4:48 pm, Tony Morgan wrote:
In message . com,
writes



This is again a question about avi files. I never thought that it is
another one of such messy thing that we created. I tried to open an
avi file in my PC using different versions of Windows Media Players,
and they did not recognized it. When I checked the internet, I found
out that there are different versions of avi which are exceptable to
different version of computers. What a mess. It is similar to saving
a spreadsheet file (xls), in which there are so many choices and
confusing. They are all with extension .xls, but cater to different
version of the software (in which changing perhaps every other day!).
My questions a
- How to convert this avi file to a file which can be excepted to 95%
of computers? If you have an mp3 file, you likely be able to play it
on most computer, dont' you?
- What file is generally accepted by many computer? I just want a
basic format that can be opened by most computers (old and new).
I recall a long time ago, an avi file (whatever it was called or
version) can be open easily and compatible for most OS. Is this true?
Is avi file equivalent to MPEG4 file?
Thanks for the info.

Why do you need to post the same article three times ? It won't help you
to get a response more quickly.

AVI is nothing more than a container for any type of data. Think of it
being like an envelope which can contain a letter, a cheque, a birthday
card - the envelope is an envelope, and it can contain anything.

To find out what an AVI contains use Gspot, available from hehttp://www.headbands.com/gspot/download.html

AVIs identify what type of data is within the file,using something
called a "FourC" code - which identifies what codec was used to produce
the AVI.

Gspot tells you which codec (or codec type) was used to produce it, and
it tells you if you have an appropriate codec on your machine. If you
don't have the particular codec (or codec type) a Google search should
locate it (or an alternative codec) and allow you to download and
install.

--
Tony Morgan

Sorry... perhaps I was too impatient!. I did not know that it was
shown three times. I must have clicked "posted" again as the system
was too slow.
Thanks for the info

Is there a common, basic codec that most players ( winamp, WMP, etc)
can open and play? Why should there be lots of different codec that
you have to download? Is this like printing document, in which there
are many print drivers in the print option?

What about an . mpg file... is it also like an "envelope", similar to
avi?

Thanks for info

On Mar 11, 6:19 pm, "Stuart" wrote:
wrote in message

ups.com...



This is again a question about avi files. I never thought that it is
another one of such messy thing that we created. I tried to open an
avi file in my PC using different versions of Windows Media Players,
and they did not recognized it. When I checked the internet, I found
out that there are different versions of avi which are exceptable to
different version of computers. What a mess. It is similar to saving
a spreadsheet file (xls), in which there are so many choices and
confusing. They are all with extension .xls, but cater to different
version of the software (in which changing perhaps every other day!).
My questions a
- How to convert this avi file to a file which can be excepted to 95%
of computers? If you have an mp3 file, you likely be able to play it
on most computer, dont' you?
- What file is generally accepted by many computer? I just want a
basic format that can be opened by most computers (old and new).
I recall a long time ago, an avi file (whatever it was called or
version) can be open easily and compatible for most OS. Is this true?
Is avi file equivalent to MPEG4 file?
Thanks for the info.

AVI is not a file format like mp3 or .xls but rather a container.
Having said that it sounds like you haven't all of the various codecs
installed on your computer. To do this go tohttp://www.free-codecs.com/download/K_Lite_Mega_Codec_Pack.htmand download
and install "K-Lite Mega Codec Pack 1.67" this will update everything. You
might also consider installing Windows Media Player version 11.

Thanks for info.
Why should I install a WMP v.11? My WMP came with my Windows ME when
I bought it 6 years ago. That's the other question that I asked,
whether there is a basic video/audio file that can be excepted in any
version of computer O/S. Can an . mpg file be opened in any WMP
regarless of its version?
Then the question is how to convert this avi file to that simple,
basic video/audio file.

In message .com,
writes
Snipped....

What about an . mpg file... is it also like an "envelope", similar to
avi?

No. But there are different types of Mpegs; MPG1 and MPG2. And to
complicate matters a little more there are two "sub-types" of MPG2s,
Type I and Type 2. In practical terms, the filesize of a MPG2 Type 1 is
limited to a max of 2GB, whereas the Type 2 has no restriction on
filesize. Fortunately, you rarely come across Type 1 MPG2s these days;
he only time you'll likely encounter one is in the output of Microsoft
Movie Maker 2. There is also MP4, which again you don't seem to see a
lot of, except in the output of one or two camcorders in recent years.

Having said all that, virtually all file types have a header and a
footer, but that is the nature of most files on all operating systems
and all types of applications. The header allows an application to
determine if it is a valid type for the particular filename extension.
The footer commonly includes something called CRC (cyclic reduncancy
check) which permits programs to check to see if there is any lost data
or corruption within the data part of the file. So, for instance a .DOC
filename extension will be recognised by Windows as a Microsoft Word
document, and when Word comes to open the file, it will check the CRC to
see if the file is damaged. The same with GIF and JPG files.

As you are probably aware, Windows looks at the filename extension to
see which application (program) to use in opening that file, but you can
alter that yourself - for example if you have two or three graphics
programs and you want Windows to use one program rather than another for
that file type.

--
Tony Morgan

"Tony Morgan" wrote in message ...

AVI is nothing more than a container for any type of data. Think of it
being like an envelope which can contain a letter, a cheque, a birthday
card - the envelope is an envelope, and it can contain anything.

Further to what Tony and others have written; the idea of a "container"
happens more than you think. WAV, MOV and (to a lesser extent) WMA and WMV
all rely on system-installed codecs. It's a clever system really, not a mess
(as the OP thinks), because you don't need to install a new application
whenever someone develops a new compression scheme.

Even the use of XLS is a bad example (from the OP's PoV) because there are
compatibility issues between files saved with different versions of Office.

wrote ...
Why should I install a WMP v.11? My WMP came with
my Windows ME when I bought it 6 years ago.

Do you think that development of better forms of
compression stopped 6 years ago when you bought
your computer? Are you really that out of touch with
reality? There likely isn't ANY codec that hasn't been
improved in the last 6 years.

That's the other question that I asked, whether there is a
basic video/audio file that can be excepted in any version
of computer O/S.

Likely the most common form of video that nearly everyone
has ability to play is Macromedia/Adobe Flash. The Flash
player comes embedded in most everyone's internet browser
application (Microsoft's Internet Explorer, etc.) Of course,
people who haven't done any upgrades for 6 years may not
be able to play files that are made today.

Can an . mpg file be opened in any WMP regarless of its version?

Unlikely by people who don't upgrade their software for
6 years.

Then the question is how to convert this avi file to that
simple, basic video/audio file.

The world is more complex and advanced than you seem
to imagine.

"Tony Morgan" wrote in message
...
In message .com,
writes
Snipped....

What about an . mpg file... is it also like an "envelope", similar to
avi?

No. But there are different types of Mpegs; MPG1 and MPG2.

MPEG-2 requires a paid license, so you won't be able to play MPG files
encoded with MPEG-2 on a relatively fresh windows installation. If you pay
for a codec such as the one you can get from MainConcept, or you install a
DVD playback program such as Cyberlink PowerDVD, so MPG is a "container",
viewed from that perspective...