VDub "incompatible data formats" error

[coyote2]

I'm a VirtualDub noob, trying to append one .avi file to another .avi file.

Error msg: "Cannot append segment "C:\...\filename.avi": The video streams have incompatible data formats. (Mismatch detected in opaque codec data at byte 14 of the format data.)"

*Before that message*

To join a pair of files, I understood I needed to change a file's resolution (from 720x544) to match that of the other file (640x480),
and also it's codec (DX50) to match that of the other file (XVID).

I installed DivX and XviD codecs.

Unsure whether to try changing both resolution and codec in one step (should I?), I tried changing resolution first:

I went to "Select video compression" and saw DivX codecs (divx, yv12) , but not the same FourCC as in the file (DX50). Since yv12's "Format restrictions" box said "couldn't find compatible format", I picked divx. Then in the Resize filter, I entered 640x480 by selecting "Aspect Ratio" = "Disabled in the Resize. Then I saved as, which changed the resolution as I hoped (to 640x480), and left the codec = DX50.

With that file, I tried changing it's codec to xvid, by selecting it in "Select video compression". Then I Saved As.

Now I had two files which GSpot show have matching resolution (640x480), codec (xvid), and framerate (25/s). Yet when I tried to append them together, VirtualDub gave the "incompatible data formats" error I mentioned above.

I wonder if Audio is the issue. The file I've been working on (because it's a smaller patch), is:
0x0055 MPEG-1 Layer 3, 48000 160 kbps tot, Joint Stereo
and
0x0055 MPEG-1 Layer 3, 48000 128 kbps tot, Joint Stereo
is the other file.

Should (and if so how?) do I change the first file's kbps from 160 to 128?

VirtualDub 1.9.11
XP Pro sp3

This is intimidating stuff. Please help!

[redwudz]

VD is very particular with appending. With video rate, it seems to have a problem with the rate even to the third decimal point.

The audio may be the problem. You could drop both audio files into Audacity and convert them both to a common format. I would try one of them first. But you may have to do both. With VD, I save them out as a WAV with full processing and open that in Audacity. Then save out and mux back with the video.

Leaving VD running while running Audacity will make it easier to add the modified audio file back in. You can 'Direct stream copy' the resulting muxed file and use that for another try at appending.

And you might try AVIDemux as it is a bit more forgiving than VD for appending.

[coyote2]

VD is very particular with appending. With video rate, it seems to have a problem with the rate even to the third decimal point.

The audio may be the problem. You could drop both audio files into Audacity and convert them both to a common format. I would try one of them first. But you may have to do both. With VD, I save them out as a WAV with full processing and open that in Audacity. Then save out and mux back with the video.

Leaving VD running while running Audacity will make it easier to add the modified audio file back in. You can 'Direct stream copy' the resulting muxed file and use that for another try at appending.

And you might try AVIDemux as it is a bit more forgiving than VD for appending.

Thank you very much for your reply, redwudz!

Would it be less desirable to simply use VD to change the kbps from 160 to 128?

[redwudz]

Try it from within VD. I just normally use Audacity as I'm more used to it. I would use a copy of the original file, in case there's a problem.

[mgh]

My general experience has been that unless the avis have been created by splitting a larger file, virtualdub invariably refuses to join them.
You do not need to reencode the video from divx to xvid or vice versa. Simply use AVI-FourCC-Code-Changer
There is a way to join avis with video being divx, and audio being mp3, without changing resolutions etc- i.e. mismatch does not matter at all.
Use DivXMediaBuilder to create a .divx file
I have done it for fun long ago. Afaik, all you have to do is add all the avis and ask it to create the divx file. The avis will play in the order you have attached them

[coyote2]

I'm still getting the "incompatible data formats" error after all the processing I planned. GSpot tells me the Framerate (25fps), resolution (640x480), and audio (MPEG-1 Layer 3 48000Hz 128kbps tot Joint Stereo), and the codec FourCC (XVID) are all identical.

However, I notice that GSpot's codec Name fields for the files are different; one is
XviD 1.2 SMP
the other is
XviD ISO MPEG-4

Is that the problem and if so what do I do, please?

[davexnet]

Try joining them in Avidemux, it's a little more forgiving.

[coyote2]

Try joining them in Avidemux, it's a little more forgiving.

Thank you davexnet, that worked!

I didn't tell it (when it asked) to "unpack" them; was that a good decision?

[davexnet]

Unpacking is not necessary. Playback on the computer and probably most standalone players by now should be able
to handle the packed B frames without issue.

[coyote2]

Might I expect any issues joining a pair of (otherwise identical) .avi files, if one is Stereo and the other is "Joint Stereo"?

[davexnet]

I doubt it.