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Q142179: Troubleshooting .avi File Playback Problems in Windows 95

Article: Q142179
Product(s): Microsoft Windows 95.x Retail Product
Version(s): 
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbmm kbtshoot win95
Last Modified: 14-FEB-2002

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Windows 95 
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SUMMARY
=======

This article contains steps to help you troubleshoot problems playing .avi files
in Windows 95.

MORE INFORMATION
================

Program-Specific Problems
-------------------------

Try to play the .avi file with different programs such as Media Player, Windows
Explorer, and the program the .avi file was included with.

1. If there is a problem viewing the .avi file with a third-party program, try
  to play the file using Media Player. If you can play the .avi file with Media
  Player, contact the third-party program's manufacturer.

2. If you cannot play the .avi file with Media Player, the file may be damaged.
  Try to play another .avi file. If you do not have another .avi file, connect
  to the Microsoft Download Service and download Avisampl.exe. If you can play
  other .avi files, the problem may be related to the codec used to create the
  .avi file. For information about how to obtain the Avisampl.exe file, see the
  following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

  Q119383 AVI Files Available for Testing Video for Windows Runtime

3. If you cannot play any .avi file, the MCI video device may be disabled. To
  enable it, double-click Multimedia in Control Panel, click the Advanced tab,
  double-click Media Control Devices, double-click Motion Video Device, click
  the Use This Media Control Device check box to select it, and then click OK.

Playback Device Not Configured Properly
---------------------------------------

If the .avi file plays poorly (jerky video or breaks in the sound), the problem
may be related to the video playback size setting. By default, Windows 95 sets
video playback to be twice the original size of the video clip. To achieve
better playback quality, use the following steps to adjust the video playback
size:

1. Click Start, point to Settings, click Control Panel, and then double- click
  Multimedia.

2. On the Video tab, click Windows, and then click Original Size in the Window
  box.

3. Click OK.

CD-ROM Throughput Not Fast Enough
---------------------------------

If an .avi file plays poorly (jerky video or breaks in the sound) from the CD-ROM
drive, the .avi file's target rate may exceed the CD-ROM drive's throughput. Use
the following steps to determine the .avi file's target rate:

1. In Windows Explorer, use the right mouse button to click the .avi file, and
  then click Properties on the menu that appears.

2. Click the Details tab and note the Video Format information. The file's
  target video playback rate is listed in KB/sec.

Most files are recorded at a target data rate (video and sound included) of less
than or equal to 300 KB/sec.

If there is enough free space on your hard disk, copy the .avi file to your hard
disk (to an uncompressed drive, if possible) and test the playback of the file.
If there is not enough free space on your hard disk, test a smaller .avi file
with the same properties.

If the file plays correctly from your hard disk, your CD-ROM drive may not be
providing fast enough throughput and may need to be optimized. For information
about optimizing CD-ROM drive access in Windows 95, see the following article in
the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

  Q141368 Poor Performance from CD-ROM-Based Program

If playback of the .avi file does not improve after optimizing, you may need to
use a faster CD-ROM drive or play .avi files from your hard disk.

Playing .avi Files as Links or Over the Network
-----------------------------------------------

The playback of an .avi file linked into a document or across the network can
cause poor playback performance. Access time to files on the network can vary
depending on network traffic and the hardware being used. For better playback,
you should copy .avi files to and play them from your hard disk.

Video Driver Displays Colors Incorrectly
----------------------------------------

If the .avi file flashes or displays incorrect colors during playback, the
problem may be related to the video driver you have installed. Check the .avi
file format for the number of colors (such as 8-bit or 24-bit color). If you are
using a video driver with 16 colors, .avi files with 256 or more colors will
look very different during playback or may not play at all. Such .avi files will
have a washed-out look during playback because of the dithering (converting from
256 to 16 colors) that takes place. Use one of the following steps to resolve
these problems:

- Install a display driver with higher color capabilities, or adjust the color
  palette of your current display driver to use more colors.

- Remove and reinstall your display driver.

- Obtain and install an updated display driver designed for Windows 95 from the
  manufacturer of your video adapter, if available.

Problems with Sound During .avi File Playback
---------------------------------------------

If there are breaks in sound during playback of the .avi file or there is no
sound, the sound card may not be configured properly. Sound in an .avi file is
not usually compressed, so you can test playback of an uncompressed file such as
the Chimes.wav file included with Windows 95. If .wav files do not play
correctly, see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

  Q140334 How to Troubleshoot Wave Sound File Problems in Windows 95, Windows
  98, and Windows Millennium Edition (Me)

NOTE: Make sure the volume is set properly for your sound card, and check that
the .avi file was captured with sound by looking at the properties for the file
and checking the audio format.

Codec Is Not Installed or Is Damaged
------------------------------------

If you receive a message about a codec that is missing or not installed when you
try to play an .avi file, make sure that the required codec is installed. Use
the following steps to find out which codec was used to compress the .avi file:

1. In Windows Explorer, use the right mouse button to click the .avi file, and
  then click Properties on the menu that appears.

2. Click the Details tab and note the Video Format information. The codec used
  to compress the file is the last piece of information listed.

3. Click Start, point to Settings, click Control Panel, and then double- click
  Multimedia.

4. On the Advanced tab, double-click Video Compression Codecs. If the codec used
  to compress the file is not listed, you must install it.

Windows 95 includes the following 32-bit video codecs:

- Intel Indeo (IR31 or IR32)

- Supermatch Cinepak

- Microsoft RLE (MS-RLE)

- Microsoft Video 1 (MS-CRAM)

You may also receive a message about a codec that is missing or not installed if
the codec that the .avi file is attempting to use is damaged. Use the following
steps to remove and reinstall a 32-bit video codec:

1. Click Start, point to Settings, click Control Panel, and then double- click
  Multimedia.

2. On the Advanced tab, double-click Video Compression Codecs.

3. Click the codec you want to remove, click Properties, click Remove, and then
  click Yes when you are prompted.

4. Close the Multimedia Properties dialog box.

5. Click Start, point to Settings, click Control Panel, and then double- click
  Add New Hardware.

6. Click Next, click No, and then click Next.

7. In the Hardware Types box, double-click Sound, Video, And Game Controllers.

8. In the Manufacturers box, click the appropriate item:

   - for RLE and Video 1, click Microsoft Video Codecs

   - for Cinepak, click SuperMatch

   - for IR31 or IR32, click Intel

9. Click the appropriate codec in the Models box, click Next, and then click
  Finish. If you are prompted to restart Windows 95, do so.

If you have a 16-bit video codec installed, you should disable it and install a
corresponding 32-bit video codec. 16-bit video codecs are listed in the
[Drivers] section of the System.ini file and usually begin with the word "VIDC."
To disable a 16-bit codec, place a semicolon (;) at the beginning of the
corresponding line in the System.ini file, save the System.ini file, and then
restart Windows 95.

Display Problems
----------------

Reduce the graphics acceleration setting. To do so, follow these steps:

1. Right-click My Computer, and then click Properties.

2. Click the Performance tab, click Graphics, and then move the Hardware
  Acceleration slider to one notch from the left.

3. Click OK, and then click Close.

4. Click Yes when you are prompted to restart your computer.



Additional query words: audio visual

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Keywords          : kbmm kbtshoot win95 
Technology        : kbWin95search kbZNotKeyword3
Version           : :

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