Gspot crashes - Unable to convert AVI files!

[cavepunk]

Hi there!

Been browsing your site - it's spiffy! - but couldn't find the answer I was looking for so I hope I'm posting this in the right forum...

I'm suddenly having problems burning my AVI files to DVD+R. I think the trouble started after downloading and experimenting with some of the burning software out there. Now Nero just produces coasters and, when using the other programs, I get discs with jumpy unsynchronised footage that stalls ten or twenty minutes in. I currently have installed several programs - including Alcohol 120, Iso Commander, MagicISO, AVI2DVD, Total Video Converter, Convert XtoDVD, WinAV Converter, DVD Flick... and more! - and I wonder if having so many programs could be causing a conflict.

Since then I've also had problems with GSpot, which now crashes while rendering any file. I have FFDshow installed along with the DivX bundle and Xvid and I'm at a loss as to what it going wrong.

I'm considering using System Restore to restore to an earlier stable system but I'd like to try other options first. Anyone any ideas?

My computer runs Windows XP with Service Pack 2 and I'm using Nero version 6...

Thanks in advance for your help!

jay

[redwudz]

Some video programs don't work and play well with others. I would definitely dump WinAVI. You have ffdshow, Divx and Xvid codecs installed, so you may have a conflict there, though I have all three. Some versions of ffdshow may also cause problems with other installed codecs.

You can try a program like Codec Sniper to see if you have corrupted or duplicate codecs. It works well for removing codec conflicts. I hope you haven't installed any codec packs like K-lite. It takes a lot to crash Gspot. You may also have some corrupted video files.

I would try to remove the programs that didn't work too well, along with some of those codecs and be prepared for a restore if you can't get it all working properly.

[cavepunk]

Thanks for the speedy reply. What a great site!

I'll do as you suggest and check my system with codec sniper, then get back with the results.
Cheers!
jay

[cavepunk]

Back again...

Codec Sniper says everything okay except for one file that's broken. It's an Audio Codec in Windows/system 32 called "msacm.I3codec". I've Googled it but found no results so I'm assuming not having this codec won't interfere with my system in any way? That right?

I'll try burning another DVD+R and check it out...

Cheers!
jay

[redwudz]

That may be an AC3 audio codec. Not a big problem. If and when you get Gspot running again, it will probably suggest a replacement if needed.

You must have other problems, then. I would uninstall a few more of those programs.

[cavepunk]

Back again!

Well while Codec Sniper shows no conflicts, a quick check with AnalogX codec checker (DXMan) shows there are several other codecs missing:


CoreAVC Video Decoder
Cucusoft DataExtractor
Cyberlink QuickTime Source Filter (I've removed Quicktime from my system)

Dump

FLV Source
FLV Splitter
FLV Video Decoder

MPEG4 Decoder DMO
MPEG43 Decoder DMO
MPEG4s Decoder DMO

RaLight APE DirectShow Filter
RadLight MPC DirectShow Filter

Record Queue

WMA Voice Decoder DMO
WMAPro over S/PDIF DMO
WMAudio Decoder DMO

WMV Screen decoder DMO
WMVideo 8 Decoder DMO
WMVideo Advanced Decoder DMO
WMVideo Decoder DMO


Are these necessary for encoding/burning playable DVD+Rs or should I not worry about them?

Would it be helpful (is this even the right forum?) if I posted a HijackThis log? I do have a lot of burning/converting programs on my system and wonder if they could be causing conflicts with Gspot?

It handles MPEGs okay. When I try to use Gspot and load in an AVI file, though, it says the codecs are installed, but when I press the "video> 2" button to render the file Gspot crashes with the message: "GSpot has encountered a problem and needs to close."

Any ideas how I can resolve this problem?
Sorry to be a pain!

Cheers-
jay

[Skith]

I know Alcohol 120% supports virtual drives, do any of the other programs support virtual drives? (ISO Commander, Magic ISO, etc)

I doubt it would be good to have multiple virtual drive (image mounting) programs installed.

As for your question on the above filters:
The following are for flash/shockwave files. I don't know much more than that.
FLV Source
FLV Splitter
FLV Video Decoder
--------

CoreAVC is a commercial/retail h.264 filter. Not required (though I think it is an excellent piece of software)

RaLight APE DirectShow Filter <- monkeys audio decoder / not required

RadLight MPC DirectShow Filter <- musepack decoder / not required
----------------
I believe the following come with windows

MPEG4 Decoder DMO
MPEG43 Decoder DMO
MPEG4s Decoder DMO

Record Queue

(the following obviously have to do with windows media audio and video)
WMA Voice Decoder DMO
WMAPro over S/PDIF DMO
WMAudio Decoder DMO

WMV Screen decoder DMO
WMVideo 8 Decoder DMO
WMVideo Advanced Decoder DMO
WMVideo Decoder DMO
-------------------------

On to Burning: Don't use cheap media, don't use labels, run a Disc Transfer Rate test with CDSpeed (use a disc that is near full). If that shows problems then make sure your optical and hard drives are operating in UDMA, try altering the burn speed.

With all that software, you may have more than one source of pain.