Questions about DV Codecs

[troyvcd1]

I have an avi file that was captured from my minidv camcorder and edited and made a short avi clip with premiere. I tried to use avisynth to open the file and avisynth would not open it in mediaplayer or CCE. It said missing dvsd codec. I then read somewhere where I was missing the panasonic codec. So I installed this codec and now my avi files will open with mediaplayer and CCE. When I try to use Avisynth filters I need to have a command converttoyuy2() before the filters or the files will not open. It seems obvious that panasonic codec is taking over these avi files and panasonic is RGB so I need this converttoyuy2() before the filters to make them work.

I just do not understand how this codec gets associated with my avi file.

Is it possible to associate a different codec with my avi file.

What kind of quality loss or gain am I going to get with having this codec associated with my avi files.

Also I do not understand really what the deal is with these codecs. Can anyone shed some light on the subject.

[proxyx99]

Your application pics the codec that it needs to play the file. As far as I understand it you cannot "assign" a different codec because you like it more. Codec tells your app how to write and read your file. The rules here are very strict. There maybe tolerances in that sense that 1 codec may appear to be more tolerant or cover more ground. But thats just appearance. In fact it may contain standards for several file types (example DivX, 1 codec but all differnt DivX codecs inside from 3 to 5).

Obviously you need to ask AVISYNTH GURU how to handle that. If you can play the file, you have the right codec. Search for avisynth in forums, there is an answer to your problem somwhere. Or you can wait.

Now, to make sure that you have all the codecs avisynth or you may ever need, just download the best codec pack.

[Dragonsf]

There are at least two ways to alter the codec (as long, as the codec is designed to work on the same video).For DV you have at least the choice of Sony/Panasonic/Microsoft/Adaptec/Mainconcept.You can install all of them in parallel (they should have different FOURCC).Now you can either assign your FOURCC "dvsd" to a different dll (with regedit) or you can alter the FOURCC in the avi (with a Hex Editor).Such you can try all codecs.

[State Of Mind]

Try the MainConcept DV Demo Codec v1.2.

[troyvcd1]

Thanks for the replies. I tried using the canopus dv file converter and it creates an avi file with a fourcc cdvc that avisynth can use without the converttoyuy() before the filters. This must mean that the canopus is using the yuy colorspace which is what the original dv should be. I believe that this will give me better quality but I dont know.

[petesimon]

Try to use "DirectShowSource()" command in AviSynth to open DV files. I suppose this feature may require an AviSynth plugin...

[BSR]

I believe that this will give me better quality but I dont know.

Was there much of a difference(speed or quality) in changing the FourCC from dvsd to cdvc to get the colorspace conversion compared to Avisynth with converttoyuy2()?

Try to use "DirectShowSource()" command in AviSynth to open DV files. I suppose this feature may require an AviSynth plugin...

How does directshow differ from AVIsource? I noticed AVIsource gave me RGB24 and directtshow gave me YUY (using info() in the script). Why is this?

So the suggestion is to use directshow to bybass the dvsd codec and keep colorspace in DV's origianl YUY colorspace?