Utiltity to determine MPEG codec used to create movie file?

[MALFIE]

I have a good number of what appear to be mpeg 1 videos that I used to be able to play (years ago..) but no longer..
The files are not corrupt nor is the media faulty..

There appears to be utilities to determine the codec used in .avi files so I'm hoping there is something like it for early mpeg.

I hunted down and tried a large range of modern players.. but they all say they can't use the file, or words to that effect.



"We do not stop playing because we are old, more likely we grow old because we stop playing...

 

[linney]

See what's here.

http://www.updatexp.com/sherlock-codec-detective.html

http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/archive/fourcc.mspx

http://www.nwlink.com/~zachd/pss/pss.html#codecs

 

[gpalmer711]

If they are true MPG files then they could only use 1 of 3 codecs

Mpeg 1
Mpeg 2
Mpeg 4

The files are not corrupt nor is the media faulty

How can you be sure of this?

http://www.flaskmpeg.net

free utility to convert mpeg files to avi. This will also allow the file to be previewed within the application. If this software will not read the file then it is either corrupt or not a true MPEG file.

Greg Palmer
Freeware Utilities for Windows Administrators.

http://www.palmersoft.co.uk

 

[smah]

Here's another tool:

http://www.openwares.org/index.php?...=0&func=fileinfo&parent=category&filecatid=14

 

[MALFIE]

Alas, all my efforts (and your suggestions..) have produced nothing new...
I guess that although DOS sees the file/s as a mpg ( one as .mpeg ) it doesnt necessary follow that they are actualy mpg codec.
GSpot claims they are non-AVI files and will not successfully render them..
Strange thing is that when I first obtained them (there are 40 files) 4 or 5 would always run no matter what PC i played them on.. at least the ones I had... this was back in 2001,... but I could always find a PC that would play them all.. I didnt know about codecs then ( and not much more now, I guess..) So really the problem is just that todays PC's/O.S. do not play the majority..
The ones that do play.. ( and they all have a similiar creation date..) GSPOT says they are mpg, mpeg/vob.
But it has all n.a in the other boxes such as Video Code 4CC.
I'll be back at the service bench come Monday and will have access to a wide range of Pc's and O.S. so will run the CD on a number, particularly any dating back to 2001 and beyond (they are always plenty of those..) and see what eventuates.
If anything comes up positive I'll see if I can convert them to a common codec...

Thanks for the support..



"We do not stop playing because we are old, more likely we grow old because we stop playing...

 

[cdogg]

Gspot is meant to show you codecs for AVI, Flash, and Windows Media files. When it comes to the standard compression of MPEG 1 or 2, it usually just fills in the "File" and "Stream Type" fields and nothing else.

MPEG-4 is a little different. This technology is based on DIVX which can rely on different codecs. Typically, you can install the one here and it will work for most MPEG-4 files:

http://www.divx.com/divx/download/

Otherwise, give this player a shot:

http://www.projectmayo.com/projects/detail.php?projectId=9

If the above can't read it either, then I would say either your MPEG files are corrupt, or they are MPEG-2. MPEG-2 requires a codec which is not "usually" free (DVD spec). For example, if you have a DVD-ROM drive with a player such as PowerDVD or WinDVD, then you already have the MPEG-2 codec installed.

If not, there is a free MPEG-2 player here:

http://xinehq.de/

~cdogg
[tab]"All paid jobs absorb and degrade the mind";
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[BadBigBen]

Hola, for MPEGs I generally use a progy called WinAMP, it comes with a few codecs for playing various files...

I can also suggest that you download from the FourCC website, one of the CODEC PACKS that they refer to...



Ben

If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer...