Windows XP not showing mpg duration

[wguru]

Old problem, probably no fix (ie; MS refuses to adequately write it's software?). 'My' XPH SP3's system only seems designed/capable of listing .wmv video file duration.

Aparently there's no way to list video durations for other than wmv's?

Note; I use and associate all my video files for GOM's player and absolutely refuse to use WMP.

[AlanHK]

G-Spot can report the length.

[wguru]

Thanks for mentioning GSpot, but I think you missed the point as many players and software will list video duration, again I'm asking if someone knows how to get Windows 'explorer' (XP's) duration to list.

Note that perhaps many use mpeg I and II formats with mp2 audio and it seems maybe all XPH's explorer won't list such format's video duration, again, I'm looking for someone who knows if there's a way to force an XPH machine (in my case, an SP3 version) to list video durations for more formats than just wmv and mp3.

I notice that a Windows 7 machine has no problem listing duration for an acceptable assortment of commonly used video format, ie; wmv, mpg flv, etc., but my XPH SP3 only lists wmv and mp3 video durations.

I've read that 'secondary' to this issue's cause, is that reportedly the video's audio codec, eg; PCM/WAV, etc., may result in Windows failing to list video durations, but all my current recordings (as well as what few downloaded mpeg II files I have), their durations don't list in explorer. In this case, it seems that Windows (MS) is trying to force users into using their media player and again I'm guessing that there's a way to get Windows explorer to list more video file durations than just wmv and mp3.

As I think our choices, when having chosen an mpeg II format for video, it's audio seems to usually be MPEG Audio Version 1 Layer 2, but even if I choose to convert mpeg II audio to AC3, the video file's duration still doesn't list in explorer. Note I'm sure fewer people use AC3 audio codec probably because, if I recall correctly, some players fail to play the audio portion, that or if burning to VCD or DVD, the AC3 audio won't reproduce. I digress.

Anyway, again my XPH machine (maybe all of them) will list only wmv and mp3 video durations, so whatever a possible resolution is, I'm posting with hopes someone has a workaround that enables Window Explorer windows to list video "duration(s)" for other than wmv and mp3.

[AlanHK]

Thanks for mentioning GSpot, but I think you missed the point as many players and software will list video duration, again I'm asking if someone knows how to get Windows 'explorer' (XP's) duration to list.

Yes, I did "miss your point" because you never said you were talking about Explorer to begin with.
So it's not "again" you are asking, but for the first time.

Perhaps now you've explained your actual problem someone can help you.


I don't really expect Explorer to tell me anything about the internals of a file, just the file system specs of any file: size and date of creation.

Obviously Microsoft has added some hooks to give info and sometimes thumbnails for some formats, its own mostly, but other formats you have to find a plugin or just forget about Explorer.

A program like AVIcodec can tell you the specs of many media files, though obviously targeted at AVIs, it seems to give the correct duration for MPEG too.

See some other tools at https://www.videohelp.com/tools/sections/codec-video-identifiers

[wguru]

Thanks again for replying. App's for my intial post's 'mere' references to "Windows" and "MS" with respect to "file duration", I assumed that readers needn't be told that file duration was an Explorer attribute.

So unless someone has a workaround or fix for XP "explorer" not recognizing file durations for anything but wmv and mp3 videos, it looks like MS has gotten away with refusing to adequately program that utility, ie; seems to be an obvious combination of MS's propensity to force users into using their spyware player as well as assuring room for their predominately unused bloatware. J.M.O.

[guns1inger]

XP has always had limited video and audio capabilities without resorting to third party addons. Much of this was simply due to nopt wanting to pay royalties for things like mpeg-2 support (note : quicklime also requires a payware mpeg-2 license for Macs). Install mediainfo (small and well featured) and you will be able to all the information you could ever want about video and audio files.

FWIW, Windows 7 supports a much wider range of codecs out of the box, however it does not support them (and neither should it be expected to), so mediainfo is still a must have.

[RabidDog]

FWIW, Windows 7 supports a wider range of codecs from the get-go, however it does not support them all (and neither should it be expected to), so mediainfo and VLC player are still a must have. LOL

[DarrellS]

XP has never supported details for mpg files. It supports details for most other files. It doesn't support codec details but somehow, I have codec details in my XP Pro backup image. I'm not sure what program gave me that capability because XP does not support codec details in Windows Explorer.

If I hover my mouse over a video file, it gives me the file name, the file type, the duration, the dimensions and the file size. I have dbpoweramp installed so I get a lot of audio info also.

I assume you are in details mode and are not getting details. Go to View > Click Details > Click Choose Details and put a check mark next to all the details you want showing and click OK. If you don't see the details you selected then you will need to do a Windows repair to get that feature back or search for a registry hack to repair this feature.

[wguru]

Most certainly in details view.

As I think I mentioned, my XPH's SP3 laptop refuses to and seems inexplicably incapable of listing mpg video file durations, I say inexplicably as my W7 Pro's laptop does list mpg, mpeg, mp4, avi and wmv, video file durations.

Go figure why nobody yet has cracked the issue and resolved it with a patch, workaround or fix (that results in details view listing duration).

But thanks for replies.

[DarrellS]

As I (and others) stated in my post "Windows XP does not support details for MPG files". XP only supports default settings (Name, Size, Type and Date Modified) for mpg files.

I would install mediainfo and put a checkmark next to "Shell info tip (in explorer, move the mouse over the file, info will be displayed)" under Option > Preferences. This way, you can get the duration when you hover over the file.

If you aren't getting duration for other file types (avi, mov, wmv,mkv, mp4) then something is wrong with XP and it needs to be repaired. You may be able to just replace Explorer.exe with another copy to fix it. I don't know.

Available Column Settings In Details View

• Owner
• Name
• Size
• Type
• Date Modified
• Status
• Attributes
• Author
• Title
• Subject
• Category
• Pages
• Comments
• Copyright
• Date Created
• Date Accessed
• Attributes
• Artist
• Album Title
• Year
• Track Number
• Genre
• Duration
• Bit Rate
• Protected
• Camera Model
• Date Picture Taken
• Dimensions
• Company
• Description
• File Version
• Product Name
• Product Version