mpeg is longer than timecode says it is!

[Mother Superior]

Hello All

Can anyone help with a query about mpeg's and avi's, which are large files, but when you play them, Windows Media Player, thinks they are only short clips. How do I rectify this problem. Here is an example of what I mean:

I have an mpeg file which is 126,151Kb. Windows Media Player thinks it is only 2 mins long. Which is completely wrong. I say this because, when it gets to the end of 2 mins and the scrolling play button stops, you can drag it back through the clip, to about mid-way, and new footage appears, and when it reaches the end again, you can drag it back to slightly ahead of where you just dragged it back and again, new footage will appear. I am inclined to think that the clip is probably supposed to be about 20mins in total, but I'll be darned if I can actually get it to play properly.

Can anyone offer a solution to this problem, and has anyone had it as well?
I also have the same problem with a few avi.'s too!

Is it a case of not having the right codecs?
Does the file need de-multiplexing and then putting back together again?
Is there a better media player which will play these files properly?

I have tried using GSpot to ascertain what codecs it uses, but it can't verifiy, what it's using and when rendering, to play the clip it uses an asortment of codecs from the Nimo codecs pack.

A penny for your thoughts?

Mother SUperior....jump the gun.

[xsbs52x]

i have had the exact same problem with mpegs, however for me even when the scroll bar stops the video will keep playing. no idea what the problem is.

[Baldrick]

The mpg header is probably corrupt. Try repair the mpg. Like remultiplex with tmpgenc, www.dvdrhelp.com/faq.htm#repairmpg

[xsbs52x]

i got some program that will repair the header and it did nothing. if i try to demultiplex it stops where the time code tells it to stop.

[Mother Superior]

Thanks Baldric,

Tmpgenc worked a treat, and solved the problem. The example clip now plays fully, at 14 mins, instead of the 2 mins, it originally suggested.

Now all I have to do is re-multiplex all the other problem files