codec and registax

[Scott]

i'm a bit stuck here. when i try to open an avi file from sharpcap with registax i get a message saying

"Failed to start AVI decompression. codecMJPGvids"

I'm next to useless with pc's so i don't know if this error is with registax, sharpcap or my pc.anyone who can explain what is wrong and how to fix it to me please do. i'm relly keen to try webcam imaging on the moon and planets but i can't do anything until i get this sorted. any help would be really appreciated.

[Tribal-Wolf]

Have you read the registax instructions? Loads of stuff in there that may help.

[JamesF]

It may be that registax can't handle the codec your avi file is using. In sharpcap you may be offered more than one codec, so you may need to try another one.

I'm guessing here, but are you using an xbox live camera? If so, sharpcap defaults to mjpeg I believe, but you can change it to YUY2. Registax should certainly handle the latter.

James

[JamesF]

It also strikes me that virtual dub or something similar may be able to help with the data you already have, either by changing the codec to something registax can cope with, or by splitting the avi in to lots of individual frames that can be loaded into registax.

James

[Scott]

i'm sure it's good advice you've given me james but the problem is i don't even know what a codec is let alone how to change one. i thought i would be downloading with sharpcap and stacking with registax, job done. nothings ever that simple i guess. thanks anyway for your time.

[Cornelius Varley]

Codec - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Codec is short for Compressor Decompressor. The is the program used to compress and decompress the video file captured by the webcam. Registax can open various forms of video file but needs the right codec to do so. If you download Virtualdub you should be able to load the video file into it and resave as an old format AVI (this is one of the save options). Registax should then be able to load the file and stack. When capturing set the codec to YUY2.

Peter

[JamesF]

And in case you can't find it, sharpcap shows the current codec in a box above the camera options for exposure/gain/brightness etc. Click on the box and you should see what possibilities you have. There may be some or all of MJPG, YUY2, I420, IYUV and perhaps others. Set it to YUY2 if the option exists.

James

[Scott]

James and peter, thankyou both so much for your clear and concise help. I cant get on the

Laptop yet but I feel I've got something to work with now. Cheers

[Scott]

i'm guessing the webcam i'm using might not be ccd (i think thats right). the only option i get is mjpg. is my thinking right? it records with capsharp and plays with windows media but registax doesn't want to know.

[Cornelius Varley]

Registax shouldn't have a problem using the MPJG codec in Sharpcap, I just tried it with an Xbox 360 which can record using the MPJG or YUY2 codec. The type of sensor (ccd/cmos) shouldn't matter, it is just the format the video was recording in and if Registax can open the file. I did notice that the small video file i recorded using the MPJG codec was significantly smaller than the same length video created using YUY2, which means that the data is highly compressed using the MPJG codec, you should use YUY2 to ensure all the video data is recorded.

Are you using the same computer to record the video and process in Registax ? The camera software might install some files that Registax needs to open the video file (this is the case with the Imaging Source cameras).

Peter

[Scott]

peter, i used virtualdub to save in old avi format and it seems to have worked. thanks so much for all your help.

[Celestdon]

Last time I have a codec error I downloaded the Divx player and that sorted it out, the player has multiple codecs for all kinds of audio and video files and installs them into your system files for use with other programs. Hope this helps. Cheers Alan

[dean w]

j had the same problem when i first tried it but found if i changed the setting to yuy2 it worked fine (using xbox camera )