No AVI files working

[John Rofrano]

[Chelsea Volz] “However, NONE of my avi files are working (no audio or sound).”

Exactly what happens? Does Vegas not allow you to drop it on the timeline? What codec does the AVI file use?

[Chelsea Volz] “I’ve downloaded many codec packs.”

Never, ever. never install a codec-pak on a video editing PC. Since you are just starting this build. I would format the Windows 7 hard drive and start over installing Windows 7 fresh and do not add any codec packs. Then use GSpot to determine what codecs your AVI files need and only install those codecs from the original manufacturer (not some codec download site).

~jr

http://www.johnrofrano.com
http://www.vasst.com

[Chelsea Volz]

Hey John. Thanks for responding so quickly. I have reformatted the Windows Partition and reinstalled Windows 7, but now I have absolutely no audio at all. I’m not sure if that is related to my codec issue but I’m also unsure of how to solve it.

Anyway, I also reinstalled GSpot.
On some of the clips, just the video doesn’t show up, while the audio does, but then on other clips, the entire thing says “Media Offline” and none of it shows up.

The codecs on the clips, once I put them into GSpot, are as follows:
XviD ISO MPEG-4
DivX 4 (OpenDivX)
H.264/MPEG-4 AVC

But it says that they are installed.

And then for clips that use this codec, “avc1” it says that the codec status is undetermined, but these are m4v files and these show up fine in Vegas, as do my clips that are wmv.

I am at a complete loss at this point. I really thought that getting this new, incredibly expensive macheine would solve all the codec issues that plauged my old laptop.

Please advise.

[Chelsea Volz]

Just a quick update. I fixed the audio problem by installing this:

RealTek Audio Codec:
https://www.realtek.com.tw/downloads/downloadsview.aspx?langid=1&pnid=14&pfid=24&level=4&conn=3&downtypeid=3&getdown=false

Please just tell me if that was a mistake.
The rest of the post still applies, though. Thanks. 🙂

[John Rofrano]

[Chelsea Volz] ” I have reformatted the Windows Partition and reinstalled Windows 7, but now I have absolutely no audio at all. I’m not sure if that is related to my codec issue but I’m also unsure of how to solve it.”

After you install an operating system on a new computer, you need to install the chipset drivers for your motherboard. Unfortunately, your motherboard doesn’t supply chipset drivers for Windows because it’s a Mac. You are now on your own to figure out how to get everything to work. It’s not a good situation to be in and is probably why you have no audio.

[Chelsea Volz] “The codecs on the clips, once I put them into GSpot, are as follows:
XviD ISO MPEG-4
DivX 4 (OpenDivX)
H.264/MPEG-4 AVC”

Vegas doesn’t support Xvid or DivX. You really need to convert these files to an edit friendly format before you start using them in Vegas. Yes, Vegas can read them but you will have problems editing and rendering. I recommend M-JPEG with PCM audio. You can use a tool like AviDemux to convert them.

[Chelsea Volz] “I am at a complete loss at this point. I really thought that getting this new, incredibly expensive macheine would solve all the codec issues that plauged my old laptop.”

No. This will only increase your problems! You bought a Mac and you are installing Windows on it. That’s not the best environment to be working in because it’s basically unsupported. Yes, Apple supplies Bootcamp but you are on your own for Windows support.

~jr

http://www.johnrofrano.com
http://www.vasst.com

[John Rofrano]

[Chelsea Volz] ” I fixed the audio problem by installing this: RealTek Audio Codec:”

Yes, you will need to go to each manufacturer and download the windows drivers for all of the hardware that comes on your Mac. Normally all of these drivers would be supplied to you with your motherboard but since you have a Mac, there is no support for Windows drivers. You will have to find them and install them yourself.

~jr

http://www.johnrofrano.com
http://www.vasst.com

[Chelsea Volz]

I apologize. I was unaware of all of this. I am not a techie by any means. I honestly don’t even know where to begin finding these “chipset drivers”. Will this fix my avi files or is this just for the audio (cause I fixed that issue..)? I don’t even know what they are, though.. Do you have any starting points? Where I could go to find them? Sorry.. but thanks in advance!

And what about the H.264 codecs? What do I need to fix those so they work?

What exactly do I need to find and download so that these clips work in Vegas? Is coverting truly my only option? Because I have an entire 1TB harddrive filled with NOTHING but clips that use these codecs(according to GSpot) and I’d really like to avoid converting all of them as they worked before I got this Mac.. Im willing to download whatever I have to but I just don’t know where to begin.

Thanks sooo much.

[John Rofrano]

[Chelsea Volz] “I apologize. I was unaware of all of this. I am not a techie by any means. I honestly don’t even know where to begin finding these “chipset drivers”. Will this fix my avi files or is this just for the audio (cause I fixed that issue..)? I don’t even know what they are, though.. Do you have any starting points? Where I could go to find them? Sorry.. but thanks in advance!”

There is no where to find the chipset drivers. They don’t exist for Windows on a Mac. You already found the RealTek audio drivers. You should also get the latest graphics card drivers from NVIDIA or ATI depending on what graphics card you have. What I would do is open the Device Manager and see what devices have yellow exclamation points next to them. Those are the devices you need to find drivers for.

[Chelsea Volz] “And what about the H.264 codecs? What do I need to fix those so they work?”

I would start by downloading and installing x264vfw. That should handle h.264 in any AVI files. You will need to download DivX and Xvid from their respective web sites.

[Chelsea Volz] “Is coverting truly my only option? “

Well… you can try editing with them and see if you run into problems. Once you have x264vfw, DivX, & XviD installed, you should have all the codecs you need. I’ve just read enough posts here about problems with editing these formats that it is better to stay away from them but you can certainly start by editing them and seeing how far you get.

~jr

http://www.johnrofrano.com
http://www.vasst.com

[Chelsea Volz]

Hmm. I just finished downloading all of the things you instructed me to, but the media still doesn’t show up (no video, the audio does show up – for all the avi clips) and now after the project finishes loading I get this, “Warning: An Error has occured. Some streams in the media file could not be opened.”

I’m not sure what to do at this point. 🙁

I also checked all of my device drivers but nothing has a yellow exclamation point at all.

[John Rofrano]

[Chelsea Volz] “Hmm. I just finished downloading all of the things you instructed me to, but the media still doesn’t show up (no video, the audio does show up – for all the avi clips)”

Are you using the 64-bit version of Vegas Pro 9.0? This would require 64-bit codecs.

[Chelsea Volz] “I also checked all of my device drivers but nothing has a yellow exclamation point at all”

Great! You should be all set as far as our computer configuration goes.

~jr

http://www.johnrofrano.com
http://www.vasst.com

[Chelsea Volz]

I am using the 64 bit. Where do I go to find the correct codecs?
I just tried to go back to the sites where I downloaded the codecs but I cant find anything distinguishing between what I originally downloaded and anything 64-bit… I’m just confused. Thanks in advance.

Also, I attempted to use that AviDemux you mentioned, with the audio and video you recommended, but as soon as I upload my clips into it and try to save it with those settings, itcrashes and shuts down.