Slow Seeking on *.avi file

[askywalker]

I have run the file through Virtual Dub to "fix" the file, with no noticable results.

Any other suggestions?

[snowmoon]

Seeking in .avi files has to do with the CODEC and placement of "key frames"

Generally speaking you can get better compression at the detriment of better seeking since you are including fewer bulky "key frames". Since most things are played straight through many people accept this trade off.

[0 kewl]

Re-derive keyframe flags? Virtual Dub: File->Open video file...->check Popup extended open options box and load the file, in the Import Options: AVI import filter window check the Re-derive keyframe flags box, press OK. When done save as AVI under new name with Direct Stream Copy selected under both Video and Audio.

[askywalker]

That is what I did, but it did not help in the seeking.

I get better (quicker) seeks in Divx Player 2.0 Alpha than in WMP, but it seems that I can seek only to a few (like 4 places) in a 600MB file.

It took VD over an hour to perform the "rederive keyframe flags" action.

Any other suggestions?

[0 kewl]

Well, then i don't know what else you could do, i wish i could help....
Like snowmoon said - it is a result of compression (people sacrifice the ability to seek in the file for a better compression since they assume the file will be played straight through). If you want to keep it as AVI then i'd suggest getting a new copy (i assume you didn't make it yourself, maybe got it off the net) of different size (preferably larger) unless you will be playing it straight through without stopping. It shouldn't be a problem encoding it to Mpeg1/2 though (i've encoded a few of those and had no problem so far).