The Audio Visual Interleave (.avi) file type, defined by Microsoft,
is the most common format for storing audio and video data on a PC. The .avi
file format acts a like a "container" or "wrapper".
The compressed audio and video contents can be created using a wide variety
of codecs, for example, an .avi file from a camcorder may use MPEG4 compression,
and an .avi file created with a capture device may use DivX or with XviD.
The common audio codecs used in .avi files are: MP3 codec, Microsoft Adaptive
Differential Pulse Code Modulation (MS ADPCM), or uncompressed Pulse Code
Modulation (PCM) codec. The common video codecs that are frequently used
in .avi files are:
- DivX codec ( http://www.divx.com)
Note: The Creative ZEN Vision and ZEN Vision:M support DivX 4 and
DivX 5 but do not support DivX 3.11.
If you have an .avi file created with DivX codec, please verify
the DivX version.
- XviD codec ( http://www.xvid.org/)
The Creative ZEN can play XviD encoded files if these files are encoded
as standard MPEG-4 Simple (SP) or Advanced Simple Profile without GMC.
- Indeo codec ( http://www.ligos.com)
- DV codec
- M-JPEG codec
To play back a compressed .avi file on your PC, you must first have appropriate
codecs installed. If Windows Media Player 10 could not find the required
codec from its default database and its online data, it will report an error.
To resolve the error, follow the procedures below.
Download and install the last firmware for your portable player.
Download and install all the default codecs included with popular media
players.
- Windows Media Player from www.microsoft.com,
especially if the video clips are in an AVI container file.
- For a list of default codecs that are included with Windows Media Player
10 and Windows XP Service Pack 2, please refer to Microsoft
KB article 899113.
- Quick Time Player from www.apple.com,
especially if the video clips are in MPEG-4 standards (MP4, M4V, Mov).
Check and verify if the codecs required to play a video file are present
in your PC, and verify the integrity of installed codecs.
You can use Windows Media Player 10 or search for 3rd party applications
that can check and verify the existence and integrity of the required
codecs.
To use Windows Media Player, open Windows Media Player 10, highlight the
video file of interest , and then click File and Properties.
Contact the content owner or manufacturer for more information about obtaining
additional necessary video or audio codecs. Do not install a codec unless
is required to play back a video clip.
You can also browse the following sites for information about required codecs.
Copy the video clip to a different PC and test it with a different PC.
If the video clip plays fine one PC but not on another, it is likely that
there is a conflict of codecs.
