I get audio and a white screen. It is a .avi. I need Help PLEASE

While the white screen is open look in the Window menu and use Get MovieInfo. That should tell you the compression method being used in the avi container. You need to obtain a decompressor for that compression. Do a google search for the decompressor or repost with the name and perhaps someone here will know where to obtain a decompressor. Be aware that some avi decompressors are not available in a form that will work on in Mac OS X. The older Indeo decompressors will not work in OS X.
If you just want to watch the avi files then try this free video player that will play many of the avi files, as well as mpg-1 and mpg-2.
VLC

Start with VLC. If it plays, great. If not, do what Dick says with the get info and see what codec the video is in -some you are SOL as there are no mac compatible ones - e.g. Indeo.

Try to open in MPEG Streamclip - it's free and might open it. I can say if neither VLC or this will do it you are most likely pooched. They are the real standard bearers of playing nearly anything.

Finally there is this Perian plug in that is supposed to be a wunderkind for oddball codecs, - give it a whirl, it is free as well.

What does the manual say (the old RTFM advice) for the camera as to what it shoots the video in? Post the name and model #. I think for example Casio has some mac program to translate their strange little codec to something usable, there may be others.

Note true digital video cameras shoot DV or in a few cases of late MPEG-2 (the DVD format - and calling that digital video is a stretch). Is this one of these on a SD card type of toy cameras that are so popular lately?

"I have call Apple. They couldn't help me."
Why not? What was their reasoning?

Possibly due to that they don't support a lot of codecs and a lot of Windows made AVI's. Why would it be Apple's problem at all? They are pretty clear what QT will play and encode to.

Download this and enjoy your camcorder:

http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/video/perian.html

"Why would it be Apple's problem at all?"
Ricktoronto, I never indicated that it was! I was curious to know why Apple told the original poster they could not help. I feel it would be very beneficial to the rest of the QT users reading this thread. Especially the ones who are still under warranty and/or have AppleCare.

I am having the same problem with Casio Elixium camera.
Until recently all of my digital camera videos played fine when I upgraded to 7.1.3 it stopped playing video only the sound.

Microsoft IMA ADPCM, Mono, 44.100 kHz
WMV Image Codec, 640 x 480, Millions

Please help!!

Apple can't help because it is not a QT problem. Read back a few hundred posts and you will see a common problem -

Number 1: "my [insert unknown codec here] AVI [usually it is AVI] won't play back on QT".

Number 2: "why won't Apple make QT encode [insert codec here including MPEG-1 and 2] my format I want?" (or for MPEG-1/2 export QT from muxed audio, same idea)

Because they are promoting Quicktime and their formats. Why won't people harp about Windows Media Player or their encoder not making MPEG-4 or H264 files? Because Microsoft wants people to make WMV files or even better, adopt it as a defacto standard.

I think the starting point for these tiny little digital camera movies should be an effort by the camera makers to stick to a format that is cross-platform, and some do, e.g. MJPEG in QT which are fine on Apple and Windows.

But AVI, with specific no codec listed and ulaw audio compression seems like finding a cheap way to make videos ot a good way to make videos.

It is not an Apple software or Applecare problem. You cannot fix what is not broken, I hope that is clearer.

This Perian freebie is a start though I haven't tested it - I have it but I don't have any non-compliant videos to test.

One final thought - 99% of users want to PLAY these files. They then fixate on tweaking QT to do that when often VLC will do it without a tweak.

If playing is the desired outcome, get a different player.

I know iPhoto supposedly prints, no idea if it does that well or poorly. I use Photoshop because it is an application that is better suited to my needs. If I get a wonky AVI file I will start with VLC first.

You are welcome.

I also have the Casio Exilim and all of a sudden, can't see the video, just hear it with the white screen. How did this happen and what can I do to fix it? I tried the Perion but it says, "failed." I've got a new grandchild coming next week and need my little camera movies to play on the computer. Can anyone help me? I downloaded the newest quicktime but it says, I need codec or something and I don't know where/how to get it. Thanks, much appreciated.

Claudia,

You are buried in someone elses post that has already been answered.

Please start a new topic about your issue so it can receive more focused attention.

Thank you.