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AVI files

gleneagles
Aspiring Legend
Posts: 11,105
Thanks: 2,459
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Registered: ‎02-08-2007

AVI files

I have some stuff on DVD that plays fine on my computer but will not work on my DVD Player, other than mucking about trying to convert files what is the cheapest way for me to get these to play on the TV other than connecting my computer to the TV ? (that is if it is possible to connect it)
We are born into history and history is born into us.
12 REPLIES 12
johpal
Grafter
Posts: 550
Registered: ‎20-04-2008

Re: AVI files

AVI files are a computer format. For regular DVD disks (the type you play in a DVD player connected to your TV) the files must be converted to the MPEG-2 format. A hunt around with your favourite internet search engine should provide some software.
A note of caution, unless you have a recent, multi-core processor, video conversion can take a long, long, long time.
pierre_pierre
Grafter
Posts: 19,757
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Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Re: AVI files

must be an old DVD player, most new ones play different formats
barky
Grafter
Posts: 166
Registered: ‎21-01-2009

Re: AVI files

yes most dvd players made recently will play lots of formats, even the cheapest ones ... got a 2004 player that will play divx/mp4 etc etc type files, and there is a way to encode AVI's to play on a dvd player via mpeg4(MP4) compression
best bet though is dvd burning software, set to burn as dvd video
pierre_pierre
Grafter
Posts: 19,757
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Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Re: AVI files

the Win Media player wont run MP4  I have to use VLC for that
pierre_pierre
Grafter
Posts: 19,757
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Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Re: AVI files

if you get the new copy of PC Utilities Magazine Issue 135, just come out, it has all the programs you need on its DVD to do what you require, cost £5.99
HairyMcbiker
All Star
Posts: 6,792
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Registered: ‎16-02-2009

Re: AVI files

Well other options include:-
A newer DVD player that plays Divx etc
A Media player - from about £20 if you want SD £40 for HD with HDMI etc.
A console like an Xbox (old one with XBMC on it - used one for years as my standard media center until I wanted HD content)
VileReynard
Hero
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Registered: ‎01-09-2007

Re: AVI files

My (6 months old) media/DVD player won't play Xvid or DVD's produced on my PC - although it claims to.
The previous DVD player was O.K. with DVD's produced with DeVeDe on the PC.
I suspect it's a DRM (Digital Rights Management) problem.

"In The Beginning Was The Word, And The Word Was Aardvark."

gleneagles
Aspiring Legend
Posts: 11,105
Thanks: 2,459
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Registered: ‎02-08-2007

Re: AVI files

Quote from: pierre_pierre
if you get the new copy of PC Utilities Magazine Issue 135, just come out, it has all the programs you need on its DVD to do what you require, cost £5.99

Thanks I will get a copy of that.
Quote from: pierre_pierre
must be an old DVD player, most new ones play different formats

Well not that old, it's a Sony DVP - NS78H.....with a software conversion to make it an all regional player.
I guess what I was looking for may not exist, I assumed there might be some hardware whereby you connect something to the television / computer and it would transmit via a wireless connection anything playing on the computer to the television.
You can possibly tell from this statement that my knowledge of this topic is zero but thought it worth checking out.
No doubt I will end up having a bash at converting the files but as johpal says it takes a long, long, time
We are born into history and history is born into us.
orbrey
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Posts: 10,540
Registered: ‎18-07-2007

Re: AVI files

If you do, take a look at Handbrake - not that I convert much video, but that's a free program with some good tutorials online and (iirc) a relatively simple interface... for a video transcoding program, anyway.
http://handbrake.fr/
johpal
Grafter
Posts: 550
Registered: ‎20-04-2008

Re: AVI files

@gleneagles - There are internet equipped TVs available; my Samsung will play DivX streamed material from my NAS device, for example, or JPEGs from a USB key, etc. Is this what you had in mind?
gleneagles
Aspiring Legend
Posts: 11,105
Thanks: 2,459
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Registered: ‎02-08-2007

Re: AVI files

Quote from: Matt
If you do, take a look at Handbrake - not that I convert much video, but that's a free program with some good tutorials online and (iirc) a relatively simple interface... for a video transcoding program, anyway.
http://handbrake.fr/
Thanks for that link, looks intersting, i'm always looking for free (or cheap) programs.
Johpal,
Quite interesting reply, unfortunately my TV is fairly new so a change of telly is not an option for me
We are born into history and history is born into us.
HPsauce
Pro
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Registered: ‎02-02-2008

Re: AVI files

Quote from: Matt
If you do, take a look at Handbrake

Thanks for that, solved a problem for me. The files saved by my Hauppauge Freeview card with the latest version of WinTV can now be converted to a "useable" format. Earlier versions of WinTV created pretty standard MPEG's but not this one.