A problem with Directshow and VirtualDub

[CrystalClear47]

Hi,

I'm not sure which category this should be in, so I'm just posting here. I am a newbie here on the site, and somewhere between beginner and intermediate with video-related work. I have a few problems with video projects I'm trying to do, but I'll just try to fix one at a time here. The first and most important problem is with VirtualDub.

I'm trying to import a WMV file into VirtualDub 1.9.11, and I have the DirectShow filter pack for VD. For some reason when I go to the menu in VD to open a video, it says in the 'Files of type' box menu, "AVIfile input driver (compat.) where DirectShow plugin should be. It's like VD is not recognizing the filter pack, and I have no idea why, because it should be.

Are the file destinations wrong? (I have them in C:\Program files\VirtualDub\plugins) Or do I need additional filters/codecs/etc.?

Help would be very much appreciated.

[jagabo]

Try plugins32 instead of plugins. I think both work though. Once properly installed you should be able to use the Files of Type pulldown and select DirectShow Input Driver. By the way, that driver doesn't work very well. Maybe you'll be lucky.

If you're running the 64 bit version of VirtualDub you'll need a 64 bit DirectShow plugin. And it should go in the plugins64 folder.

[CrystalClear47]

Thank you very much. It works now. Now for a second problem, when I import the .WMV file, it says 'Missing Codec' in VD. Which specific codec is missing? I have many, but is there a special one to work with Directshow or VD?

[jagabo]

What codecs are used in your WMV file? GSpot or MediaInfo can tell you. There's also a WMV source plugin for VirtualDub.

[CrystalClear47]

The .WMV file uses the MP43 Codec. The error message changed, saying it can't locate the decompressor for format MP43, and that it requires a VFW compatible codec. I downloaded the fix for the MP43, and I have the latest DivX. I'm not sure what the problem is for this one. Is there something else that it needs? (I am rather new to VirtualDub, so I'm still in the process of getting everything set up for video work.)

[jagabo]

There are two video subsystems in Windows, VFW and DirectShow. VirtualDub normally uses VFW, but since you are using the DirectShow source filter you need a DirectShow MP43 decoder. I recommend using ffdshow. After installing it enable the MP43 decoder with Start -> All Programs -> ffdshow -> Video Decoder Configuration -> Codecs (left pane) -> MP43 (right pane).

[CrystalClear47]

All right, I have ffdshow installed already and enabled the MP43 decoder (it uses libravcodec), but I still keep getting the same error message in VD. Do I need to export the ffdshow settings to the registry for it to work? Or is another setting in ffdshow not configured properly?

[jagabo]

Did you enable the right MP43 decoder? Just enable both:

Start -> All Programs -> ffdshow -> VFW Configuration...
Start -> All Programs -> ffdshow -> Video Decoder Configuration (DirectShow)

[CrystalClear47]

Yes, both are enabled with the libravcodec and again, it's the same error message in VD. -sigh-

[jagabo]

What's the exact error message?

Oh, wait. Your specs say you are running 64 bit Vista. Is that correct? 64 bit programs require 64 bit codecs. 32 bit programs require 32 bit codecs. So if you're running 64 bit VirtualDub you need to install 64 bit ffdshow. Etc.

[CrystalClear47]

Here's the exact error message in VirtualDub:

"Couldn't locate decompressor for format 'mp43' (Microsoft High-Speed MPEG-4 V3)

VirtualDub requires a Video for Windows (VFW) compatible codec to decompress video. DirectShow codecs, such as those used by Windows Media Player, are not suitable."

[jagabo]

Are you specifying the DirectShow source filter when you open the WMV file? Are you sure it's really a WMV file? Does MediaInfo say it's WMV? It might be some other format, misnamed.

[CrystalClear47]

Yes, yes. The problem was with ffdshow. Apparently I had the 32-bit version (I installed a while ago and probably just didn't notice it was 32-bit; whoops), so the 64-bit ver of ffdshow fixed it now.

Thank you so much. You've been a great help. All the problems with compatibility are fixed now. There are a few other issues and questions I have with deinterlacing with VD, but I'll look at some other posts and guides and experiment with some settings before I post another thread.

Thanks again!

[jagabo]

You're welcome. Good luck!

[CrystalClear47]

Oh, ack, one more problem here. When I went to play the .WMV file, there was an error in VD saying that it could not find an audio decompressor. The audio codec of the file is WMA (Pro). I have all the codecs for Windows Media Player and the WMV9 VCM9 codec pack for it, and it still has the error message in VD (source format tag: 0162). Is there something else I need for it to work?

[jagabo]

Again, did you install 64 bit WMV9 VCM? (Is there a 64 bit version?) 64 bit VirtualDub won't be able to access 32 bit VCM filters.

[CrystalClear47]

Whichever version of WMV9 VCM is available, that's the one I downloaded. I'm not sure if it is a 64-bit ver, it doesn't seem like it. If there isn't a 64-bit version of the codec, is there any other way I can get around this issue to load WMV into VirtualDub? Do I have to switch VD, and all associated codecs and filters over to 32-bit? Would that even work? (I have a 64-bit Vista operating system).

[jagabo]

Sorry, I'm involved in several conversations so I lose track of the details. Since you are using the DirectShow plugin in VirtualDub DirectShow will be decoding the audio, not ACM. Since you have an odd audio codec you may have an odd video codec too. What is the audio codec?

[CrystalClear47]

It's okay. I'm doing several things at once here too. The audio codec for the .WMV file is WMA (Pro).

[jagabo]

Can the 64 bit version of Windows Media Player play the audio? If so, you have a 64 bit WMA Pro audio decoder installed. I don't have a WMA Pro audio files to test with.

[jagabo]

I found this sample via a quick google search:

http://download.microsoft.com/download/4/1/b/41b10a4f-f4f4-4692-aa44-a458d0047e91/Robotica_720.exe

I was able to open and play that with VirtualDub64 with the DirectShow source filter. But not with the WMV source filter (neither audio nor video). I have WMP 12 installed but not WMV9 VCM.

[CrystalClear47]

Yes, Windows Media Player (I have WMP 11) can play the audio and video of the .WMV file, there's no problem there. It's just with VirtualDub. It keeps getting error 0162. That's why this weird problem is so confusing.

No, I can't play the Robotica .exe link with VD. It's the same error message.

Is there a difference between the WMV/Directshow source filters? Do I have to uninstall or configure one differently or something? When I open the file in VD, I open it under 'All types'. When I select 'Directshow Input driver' it doesn't recognize any files. Does that say anything about the problem?

[jagabo]

Yes, there is a difference between the DirectShow and WMV source filters. WMV uses VFW video codecs and ACM audio codecs. DirectShow uses DirectShow video and audio codecs. I recommend you always use the pulldown so you know which one is in use.

Are you sure you have the 64 bit DirectShow source plugin?
http://forums.virtualdub.org/index.php?act=ST&f=7&t=12664

I don't think a 64 bit WMA Pro ACM decoder exists. You may find it easier to just convert the WMA Pro audio to uncompressed WAV then use VirtualDub's Audio -> Audio From Another File option. Or switch to 32 bit VirtualDub and everything else.

[CrystalClear47]

Sorry for my complete poof from the forum (I just left my account logged in). Life's been extremely hectic here, I've had no time for my video work.

I've found an alternative to the problem I was having with my files, so there is no need to de-interlace with VirtualDub anymore. Problem closed.

Thank you very much for your assistance and help on this. I really appreciate it.