Problem with DVSD AVI playback (and capturing).

[qphox]

I've owned a JVC-GRD250 for about 7 or 8 months now. Since then, I've been capturing footage and editing it in Premiere 7 no problem.

Then something changed. I have no idea what that something is. I feel like I've exhausted the possibilities, so I'm turning to the internet for help.

I'll try to outline the situation as much as possible:

Upon opening a captured avi (that is, captured before the problem began) my computer struggles to play the video. It *does* open, and I see an image here and there, but it's dropping most of the frames. Enough that it might as well be unopenable. Audio also stutters in and out.

The same thing happens (albeit to varying degrees) whether I attempt to view it in Premiere, Winamp, Media Player, VirtualDub, or DivX.

The fact that my computer could handle these at one point leads me to believe it's a software issue, and not a hardware issue.

I've reviewed existing topics in numerous forums already...I've installed a number of codecs and codec packages to no avail.

When I open one of the files in GSpot, it tells me I've got 3 codecs that should be compatible with the file. AVI Draw, DV Video Decoder, and Panasonic DV Codec. ("DirectShow is apparently able to play the file as well.")


As the topic subject suggests, I've also discovered that Premiere can no longer capture without dropping at least 10% of the frames, if not more. This made me think that perhaps it's a hardware problem (firewire), but an update of the drivers was unfruitful.


Through a little more investigation, I've found that my computer can also no longer play some other files it used to be able to...GSpot tells me:
4CC: mjpg
Name: Motion JPEG including Huffman Tables

...and that 2 codecs should be compatible, AVI Draw, and DV Video Decoder. ("DirectShow is apparently able to play the file as well.")


Since the beginning of this problem (about 1.5 weeks ago), I've formatted my HD, reinstalled all the codecs I had before (pretty sure anyway), and reinstalled all the software I was using before.

Here's the list of video codecs GSpot tells me I have installed:
DMO WMVA WMVideo Advanced Decoder DMO Microsoft Corporation qasf.dll --> wmvadvd.dll
DMO WMV Screen decoder DMO Microsoft Corporation qasf.dll --> wmsdmod.dll
DMO WMVideo Decoder DMO Microsoft Corporation qasf.dll --> wmvdmod.dll
DMO MP43 Mpeg43 Decoder DMO Microsoft Corporation qasf.dll --> mp43dmod.dll
DMO MP42 Mpeg4 Decoder DMO Microsoft Corporation qasf.dll --> mpg4dmod.dll
DSH DV Video Encoder qdv.dll
DSH Indeo® video 5.10 Compression Filter Intel Corporation ir50_32.dll
DSH MJPEG Compressor quartz.dll
DSH DIVX DivX Decoder Filter DivXNetworks, Inc. divxdec.ax
DSH MPEG1 MPEG Video Decoder quartz.dll
DSH DirectVobSub (auto-loading version) Gabest VSFilter.dll
DSH VP60 VP6 Decompressor On2.com Inc. vp6dec.ax
DSH MSS1 Microsoft Screen Video Decompressor Microsoft Corporation msscds32.ax
DSH WMV1 Windows Media Video Decoder Microsoft Corporation wmvds32.ax
DSH WMV2 Windows Media Video Decoder Microsoft Corporation wmv8ds32.ax
DSH XVID XviD MPEG-4 Video Decoder xvid.ax
DSH MP43 Microsoft MPEG-4 Video Decompressor Microsoft Corporation mpg4ds32.ax
DSH DVSD DV Video Decoder qdv.dll
DSH VP70 VP7 Decompressor On2.com Inc. vp7dec.ax
DSH IV41 Indeo® video 4.4 Decompression Filter Intel Corporation ir41_32.ax
DSH IV50 Indeo® video 5.10 Decompression Filter Intel Corporation ir50_32.dll
DSH MJPG AVI Draw quartz.dll
DSH Video Port Manager quartz.dll
DSH AVI Decompressor quartz.dll
DSH QTRpza QT Decompressor quartz.dll
DSH MJPG MJPEG Decompressor quartz.dll
DSH DXRE DivX Subtitle Decoder DivXNetworks DivXMedia.ax
VFW CVID Cinepak Codec by Radius Radius Inc. qcap.dll --> iccvid.dll
VFW DIVX DivX® 6.0 Codec DivXNetworks qcap.dll --> DivX.dll
VFW DVSD Panasonic DV CODEC Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. qcap.dll --> pdvcodec.dll
VFW I420 Intel 4:2:0 Video V2.50 Microsoft Corporation qcap.dll --> msh263.drv
VFW IV32 Intel Indeo(R) Video R3.2 qcap.dll --> ir32_32.dll
VFW IV41 Intel Indeo® Video 4.5 Intel Corporation qcap.dll --> ir41_32.ax
VFW IV50 Indeo® video 5.10 Intel Corporation qcap.dll --> ir50_32.dll
VFW IYUV Intel IYUV codec Microsoft Corporation qcap.dll --> iyuv_32.dll
VFW M261 Microsoft H.261 Video Codec Microsoft Corporation qcap.dll --> msh261.drv
VFW M263 Microsoft H.263 Video Codec Microsoft Corporation qcap.dll --> msh263.drv
VFW MRLE Microsoft RLE Microsoft Corporation qcap.dll --> msrle32.dll
VFW MSVC Microsoft Video 1 Microsoft Corporation qcap.dll --> msvidc32.dll
VFW YV12 DivX® 6.0 YV12 Codec DivXNetworks qcap.dll --> DivX.dll

I really, really want to solve this problem. Any ideas?

Thank you in advance.

[guns1inger]

You well have compounded the problem by turning to codec packs to solve this. They often install conflicting codecs and settings and cause more trouble than they are worth.

That your machine once worked and now doesn't does not necessarily means software. Your symptoms could also be the result of a failing or badly fragmented hard drive. I would start by running a defrag, then a check disk across both drives. Make sure both drives are running in Ultra DMA Mode (probably 2 or 5). I would also uninstall all codec packs and codecs that you can.

I think you have started out with an annoying but relatively simple problem (fragmentation), and turned it into a larger one (screwed codecs from codec packs). If you can clean things up, you can then use G-Spot to identify the codecs you really need, and install just those as required.

[qphox]

I would start by running a defrag, then a check disk across both drives. Make sure both drives are running in Ultra DMA Mode (probably 2 or 5).

I failed to mention it, but that is in fact how I started. When this failed, I ended up reformatting (It was about time anyway...)

As far as uninstalling codecs, should I be worried about uninstalling something I shouldn't have?

[guns1inger]

Worst case, you will have to reinstall a codec you need. It is better to do this than to have these problems.

[Megahurts]

qphox,

I have to agree with guns1inger about the DMA setting. That would cause the exact problem with DV files.

Check if your IDE channels are set to DMA and not PIO mode.


Chas

[qphox]

Just now, I confirmed that both my disks are configured to DMA. In windows, I mean.

In the bios, I changed it to DMA 5 for each...PIO still said 4, but I'm assuming that doesn't matter unless Windows is telling my computer to *use* it in the first place.

I uninstalled most of the codecs I had installed, and there's no effect, even upon uninstallation...hold up, okay I just went back into my video codecs properties in the device manager, and they're all there again. If I remove it, click OK, and then go back into it, the removed codec has reappeared. What?


Also, just took note that my computer usage goes up to 100% each time the video stutters.

[qphox]

No ideas?

Any idea why I can't remove video codecs?

[Nelson37]

Isolate and Identify.

I would go back to square one. Reformat and re-install. Install NO repeat NO codecs. Attempt to play a simple MPG1 file, this ability is built-in to windows. This will test basic hardware ability, if it fails, something is majorly wrong in the original hardware. As soon as you start adding software, particularly in the uncontrolled and unspecific manner in which you have proceeded, you remove any specific useful information.

Isolate and Identify.

If the MPG1 is OK, then install One (1) and One (1) only, software DVD player. Play an MPG2 or DVD file. This will be a more throughput intensive operation than the MPG1, by using One (1), standard, commercial app you have eliminated, almost completely, the possibility of a hosed codec or app. Ideally the DVD player prog is installed from a commercial CD, not a downloaded app.

As it is, all I can tell you is that either you have a hardware problem, or one or more of the 35 things you have installed is defective or conflicting.

Some guesses - ASSuming that you did not install some software immediately before the problem began, and then forgot about it, this would point to virus or hardware failure. Again ASSuming that you did not repeat the install of the virus after the format and multiple installs, that would leave hardware failure. It could have been a randomly corrupted file, but the recurrance after the format virtually eliminates this, unless it was a virus or you started with a corrupted file and then added a virus later which simulated the same type of error, which would be unlikely.

Are ANY of the files installed after the re-format things that have been recently acquired?

The valuable key which you thru away is that the only thing which remains constant after a format is hardware. Your multiple installs after the format is what thru away the value gained from the format.