Joing 2 AVI videos.

[epoxpro]

Hi there

I am completely new to all of this so, I'm having to ask questions as I go.
I have 2 .avi videos that I would like to combine. After reading the guide on this website I downloaded VirtualDubMod and used the guide.
On opening avi1 a box came up saying the appropriate decompressor was not installed and it would use "Direct Stream Copy" so I continued and it did it's job very quickly.

Now when I go to play the combined video I get an error saying it requires a codec? If I use GSpot and open either of the 2 avi's they open and state the codecs are installed, but when I open the combined video it states they are not installed.
Why has there been a change? And where can I get the approprate codec?
Thanks
Cheers

[daamon]

Hi epoxpro,

First, you should know that "AVI" isn't just one type of video, like MPEG1 is. An AVI file just contains Audio and Video Interleaved with each other - the video and audio can be either uncompressed, or compressed using a range of different codecs.

As an example, DV AVI invariably has uncompressed audio and video compressed using a DV codec. Divx AVI can have audio as MP3 (among others, including AC3) and compresses the video using the Divx codec. And so on...

Why am I telling you this? Well, now you can see that joining AVIs can be like trying to work with apples and pears - an AVI can be different (as your files seem to be), and you can't just join them (successfully) if they're different.

Now, before going into how to join them, now's a good time to ask "why" you want to join them. If you're aiming to get them as one file so that you can get them on to DVD (as is often the case) then you don't need to join them. Encode them to MPEG2 seperately, and then they can be combined during the authoring stage (as long as the authoring tool allows this, and most do I believe).

If you want to join them so that you've got just one AVI on your PC, I'll allow someone else to comment on this as I mostly work with DV AVI and don't have the need to do what you want to do.

I hope that helps some. Good luck...

[epoxpro]

Hi there

You are spot on with why I want to join them, so I can get them on a DVD so I'll have a go at encoding them to MPEG2 and then try it in an authoring program. I'll post back on how I went in case I might need some more advice. Thanks
Cheers

EDIT: As a matter of learning when I open both the avi videos in Gspot they have identical specs. (as far as I can make out) and as I said in my OP it lists that Codecs are installed.

What changes after they are joined that it states Codecs are not installed?

Cheers

[Abond]

Which codec reported gspot in both cases?

[mikiem]

FWIW...

There are 2 halves to a codec, COmpession & DECompression -- There are a few codecs, one example being those installed by SOFO/Sony, that only have the decompression part, so perhaps the finished file header isn't written correctly?

Another possibility I think is a slight difference in fps or formatting. I've had V/Dub (not the mod version) report prob. when everything looked exactly the same -- wouldn't work properly until I did a stream copy of each individually either in V/dub or something like prem or vegas, rewriting the headers.

And, Gspot hasn't been updated in a while - have read a few complaints... An easy way to tell what codec's being used by windows, select properties after opening the file in wmplayer.

[epoxpro]

Which codec reported gspot in both cases?

Hi there

GSpot reports each .avi as mp43. When I merge the 2 .avi's it states the codec is not installed but it's listed as AngelPotion? OK this get's really confusing

Cheers

EDIT: OK this is what I've discovered. Initially I used VirtualDubMod to merge / combine the 2 .avi's. As I stated before when using GSpot the codecs are installed but after merging with VDM and using Gspot I get no codec installed (AngelPotion?). I just used DVtool to merge the 2 .avi's and loading the merged video into GSpot now reports codecs ARE installed.
I guess there's no one tool that does everything you need. Oh well it's a learning experience