Codec question (I think)

[Evil Twin]

I just purchased a couple of discs with avi files on them. I can hear the audio but not view the video. I tried Windows Media Player as well as WinDVD.
I sent them to a friend of mine to see if he had the same problem but he had no problem hearing or viewing the files.

So my questions are;
1) Is this a codec problem?
2) How do I find out what kind of codec do I have?
3) What is the recommended codec to use?
4) How do I delete the codec I have to use another one, or is it just installing one over the other will make the latest one active and disable the previous one?

Thanks in advance for your help!!

[Conquest10]

get gspot. it will tell you what codecs the file uses.

[Paul_W]

1. Sounds like a codec problem although there are other possibilities.
2. Conquest10's post will tell you how to tell what codec your avi uses. You can get gspot from the "Tools" section on the left.
3. For playback you use the codec that the avi was recorded with.
4. You don't delete codecs. Your computer should automatically use the correct codec as long as it resides on your machine. If you don't have the codec, then you have to download or purchase the correct codec to be able to use the compressed file.

[Evil Twin]

Thanks guys!
gspot did the trick, I found out which codec I needed d/led, installed and that worked.

So I can have more than one codec installed right?
Having more than one will not hurt the machine or programs??

[Hardcoreruss]

Yes you can have as many codecs installed as you want and your computer will simply select the one it needs to play the relevant file when necessary.

[crack_man]

If you want a codec pack with all the codecs you need,then install K-Lite Codec Pack 2.02 which has all necessary codecs you need but you have to uninstall your old one first (uninstall codecs like uninstalling programs).

If you just watch your movie without encoding them,then install the basic version of K-Lite Codec Pack.

[ZippyP.]

Many people have had problems from installing some of the codec packs (like nimo) which contain all of the popular codecs and then some. One way is to install codecs only as they are required. That is, if you get a file that doesn't work, test it and install only the codec(s) that you need. This can help avoid conflicts. Just an alternative suggestion to the "shotgun" approach of the multi-codec packs. 8)