.AVI file has white screen but does have sound...

Question

Level 1

15 points

.AVI file has white screen but does have sound...

I have an .AVI file someone sent me which by using QT Pro shows just a white screen but does have audio.

I have Perian installed and it didn't help with the white screen. I have opened it fine in VLC player, and a couple of other media players but my issue is that I want to import the AVI file into iMovie so I can make it into a DVD. However, if I import it into iMovie, it will be the same white screen with audio.

I have searched the web far and wide to find a solution and most are saying it could be only viewable in QT on a PC of all things.

Is there any components out there which will help me with this problem? Any other suggestions?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Regards,
RB

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.5), 3GB, 2.33Ghz

Posted on Jul 22, 2008 10:16 AM

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Answer 1

Klaus1

Level 9

52,879 points

Jul 22, 2008 10:33 AM in response to Black Muscle

AVI is merely a 'container' (and an outdated one at that) that can include any number of different video codecs.

Can you ascertain which codec has been used?

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Answer 2

Black Muscle Author

Level 1

15 points

Jul 22, 2008 10:45 AM in response to Klaus1

I hope this answers your question:

H.264 (Perian), 720 x 476, Millions
MPEG Layer 3, Stereo, 48.000 kHz

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Answer 3

Klaus1

Level 9

52,879 points

Jul 22, 2008 10:50 AM in response to Black Muscle

Handbrake:

http://www.versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/macosx/21117

should be able to convert the file to something iMovie can use.

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Answer 4

Black Muscle Author

Level 1

15 points

Jul 22, 2008 11:53 AM in response to Klaus1

I just downloaded and installed Handbrake. It prompts me to find the source file and I select the AVI file.

Upon selecting it, it doesn't take. It says "No Valid Source Found".

Any suggestions?

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Answer 5

Jon Walker

Level 6

19,489 points

Jul 22, 2008 12:19 PM in response to Black Muscle

I just downloaded and installed Handbrake. It prompts me to find the source file and I select the AVI file... Upon selecting it, it doesn't take. It says "No Valid Source Found".
Handbrake is DVD/DVD Media converter -- not a general purpose file converter. It is looking for a VIDEO_TS folder as the source for conversion. I would have used MPEG Streamclip here if you already have the proper components installed. (See Squared 5 web site for component requirements for AVI conversions.)

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Answer 6

Klaus1

Level 9

52,879 points

Jul 22, 2008 12:23 PM in response to Black Muscle

Reading this:

http://forums.cocoaforge.com/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=16525&start=0&st=0&sk=t&sd=a

prompts me to suggest that it simply can't be done.

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Answer 7

Black Muscle Author

Level 1

15 points

Jul 22, 2008 12:26 PM in response to Jon Walker

Thanks for your reply.

I have MPEG Streamclip v1.9.1 and was going to use it as wel. But when I selected the problematic AVI file it too appeared with a white screen w/sound in MPEG Streamclip. So I realized it wouldn't help me either.

Any other suggestions? LOL

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Answer 8

Black Muscle Author

Level 1

15 points

Jul 22, 2008 12:32 PM in response to Black Muscle

Well it looks like the way to resolve this is by reverting back to Perian Version 1.0 if the AVI using the H264 codec.

I read up on the link provided by Klaus (Thank you by the way) and thats what they did. I downgraded to Perian 1.0 and the file works like a charm.

Thanks everyone for their help.

Regards
RB

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Answer 9

Jon Walker

Level 6

19,489 points

Jul 22, 2008 12:59 PM in response to Black Muscle

But when I selected the problematic AVI file it too appeared with a white screen w/sound in MPEG Streamclip. So I realized it wouldn't help me either.
A white screen usually means the selected video codec is not compatible with the actual file. Normally, I would run a conflict test. Based on your previous posts regarding the compression formats in use and the video codec attempting to perform video playback, my first guess would be that the Perian component is trying to decode a DivX (possibly v5) file. I would probably either temporarily remove the Perian component and see if the AVI file plays or remove and then replace the DivX component (if the latest one is already installed) and see if this changes the component access order so DivX is called for video playback. If you have an older DivX component installed, there may be a conflict issue. (Remember to close QT while removing/replacing components so the list will be re-initialized before making a playback test.) If all else fails, try posting a sample file so we can see if the problem can be duplicated on other systems/configurations.

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