VirtualDub cannot open huffy video

[Phat J]

Hey everyone,

I'm having an issue opening huffy encoded videos in VirtualDub. I've tried multiple versions of it, x86 and x64 versions.

The errors I get are "couldn't locate a decompressor for format HFYU," or some versions of VirtualDub will open it, and it's just a green preview screen.
I've installed both the x86 and x64 versions of huffy, and tried countless versions of VirtualDub. I also tried using an AVISynth script, VirtualDub says it's not a valid AVI file.

I created the huffy file myself, and it plays back just fine. The huffy filter shows up in VirtualDub as an option for encoding, but it doesn't want to decode it for some reason.

Any ideas?

Thanks!

[davexnet]

Did you try Virtualdub2 ?

[DB83]

Should work just fine in the original vdub.


I fact I just did a quick test. Loaded a video in vdub 1.10.4 encoded in huffyuv v2.1.1. The encoded video loaded fine and played. I left all huffyuv settings at default.


What I forget though is whether these are 64 bit or 32 bit. There are issues if you try to install both 32 bit and 64 bit huffyuv but there is a method described on the page from the link.

[jagabo]

If you use a 32 bit editor/player you need to install 32 bit huffyuv. If you use a 64 bit editor/player you need to install 64 bit huffyuv. It's been a long time, but if I remember correctly the 64 bit version of huffyuv needs a special installation procedure.

VirtualDub2 (64 bit and 32 bit) have huffyuv (and many other codecs) built in so they don't require a system (VFW) installed codec.

[Sharc]

From W7 upwards one has to register the Huffyuv 2.1.1 VFW codec manually. What worked here:

Download the 32 and 64 bit Huffyuv 2.1.1 from https://www.videohelp.com/software/HuffYUV.
Once you have downloaded them, extract to a folder, e.g. C:\Utils. Next you will need to open a command prompt as Administrator. Then run the following commands.

for 32bit huffyuv:
rundll32 C:\Windows\SysWOW64\setupapi.dll,InstallHinfSection DefaultInstall 0 C:\Utils\huffyuv-2.1.1\huffyuv.inf

for 64bit huffyuv:
rundll32 C:\Windows\System32\setupapi.dll,InstallHinfSection DefaultInstall 0 C:\Utils\huffyuv64\huffyuv.inf

VirtualDub2 should then recognize it.

[richardpl]

Doesn't vdub2 uses ffmpeg huffyuv decoder instead?

[Sharc]

Yes, but the FOURCC codes are different. The OP may still want to install the Huffyuv v2.1.1 codec.

[poisondeathray]

By default, vdub2 will open AVI files with the AVI file driver , which relies on VFW installed codecs.

You can choose ffmpeg decoding instead by using the drop down menu in the open file "files of type" dialog box and selecting ffmpeg for vdub2, or ffmpeg input driver (old external plugin) for vdub classic . Or if the huffyuv is in another container, such as MKV, it will use ffmpeg decoding by default also

[Phat J]

Hey everyone, thanks so much. I never knew about VirtualDub2, I tried it and it works great!

[lordsmurf]

FFHuffyuv encodes may not open with Huffyuv codecs.

VirtualDub2 is fine for opening/edit/etc, but pretty terrible for capturing.

[richardpl]

Are you sure you know the difference between ffvhuff and huffyuv? huffyuv encodes both from ffmpeg and from reference should work in both software. ffvhuff is ffmpeg only codec and just share same code as huffyuv.

[lordsmurf]

Are you sure you know the difference between ffvhuff and huffyuv? huffyuv encodes both from ffmpeg and from reference should work in both software. ffvhuff is ffmpeg only codec and just share same code as huffyuv.

Yep.
And sometimes systems with only Huffyuv do not recognize FFHuffyuv encodes/captures.
I don't know why it happen -- just that it happen.

[jagabo]

And sometimes systems with only Huffyuv do not recognize FFHuffyuv encodes/captures.
I don't know why it happen -- just that it happen.

Because ffmpeg uses a different fourcc when it compresses. The original huffyuv uses "HFYU", ffmpeg uses "FFVH". The original only recognizes HFUY, ffmpeg recognizes both.

Note that the ffmpeg version supports many more color formats like YV12, YV24, etc. So it had to use a new fourcc.