.AVI Files Won't Play Properly

evilchimp900 · Jun 13, 2012

First off, I'm sorry if this is the wrong section; I don't know very much about computers.

I'm using an HP Pavilion dv6500 and running Windows Vista, and using Windows Media Player to try and play .AVI files. When I play them, they don't play properly. They play choppy and the video is slower than the audio. I've tried using other players, such as RealPlayer, and VLC, but it does it there as well. I think it may just be my computer. I want to make a video using Windows Movie Maker, so I want the videos to play there. Does anyone have any tips? I don't know much about computers, so any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

I also forgot to mention that I have also tried installing and uninstalling multiple different codec packs. That also didn't help.

plodr · Jun 13, 2012

VLC has all the codecs you need. Are the avi files on your computer or are you streaming them from the internet?
If you are streaming, what type of internet connection do you have?
How much RAM is in your Vista computer?
Click on Computer then right click on C. What size if the hard drive? How much free space do you have?
What antivirus program are you running?

evilchimp900 · Jun 13, 2012

The .AVI files are on my computer.
RAM is 959 MB
Hard drive is 149 GB and there is 8.51 GB free
I am running AVG antivirus

plodr · Jun 14, 2012

Hard drive is 149 GB and there is 8.51 GB free
Click to expand...

That's a problem. The rule of thumb is that about 20% of the hard drive should be free. If the hd fills up more than this, strange things start to happen.
You should have about 29GB free instead of 8.51GB.
Defrag might not work properly with so little room to spare. You have less than 5% free.

AVG can also be a resource hog.

Do this as a test: be sure you are disconnected from the internet, turn off AVG and then play an avi file. Is it a bit better? If so, look for a less bloated av program that doesn't cause such a performance hit on your computer.

You also need to go in and clear out some files. If you need everything on the computer, then get an external hard drive, connect it to the computer and start moving files there to create more room on the internal hard drive.

After you have about 24GB free space, run a defrag.

Have you ever used CCleaner? This will clean out junk files and remove entries from the registry. It is one of the safer registry cleaners because it is not as aggressive as some of the other programs out there.

evilchimp900 · Jun 15, 2012

Okay, I tried all of that, and I'm still getting problems. :/
Although, it is a bit better; not much, though

I have 46.2 GB free.

Is there anything else I could try?

plodr · Jun 15, 2012

So you got rid of some files, defragged, ran CCleaner and replaced AVG with another av and still have the problem?

evilchimp900 · Jun 15, 2012

No, I didn't replace AVG. I tried what you recommended about turning it off, and tried it a few times, it had no difference.

There is one thing I forgot to mention: I'm getting these video files from my digital camera, and there are 3 different modes to record in. It only does this now, with the HD files. It does not with the other ones. The other ones play fine, even with AVG. Is there anything I can do to make the HD video files play properly?

evilchimp900 · Jun 15, 2012

I'm sorry for double posting, I can't seem to edit my post. Sorry.

I just wanted to add that I'm having the problem again.

It's especially annoying in Windows Movie Maker. It's really choppy and slow there. It's only the .AVI files, and it does it with the low quality ones as well. I'm really getting annoyed with this.

Also, it's still doing it in Windows Media Player; just wanted to clarify that.

Again, I'm sorry for double posting.

By the way, are there any free AV that you would recommend?

plodr · Jun 16, 2012

It only does this now, with the HD files.
Click to expand...

I did some searching to see if your computer is capable of handing high def. All I found is this from the HP site:
"To play an HD DVD movie, use the QuickPlay / DVD Play or MediaSmart application that came with your computer. Because of incompatibilities in the codex drivers, HD DVD movies will not play in Windows Media Center or in Windows Media Player 11 or earlier." So I'd say, use another program.

Free AV: see #2 here
http://forums.majorgeeks.com/showthread.php?t=44525
I have no experience with Vista. I used to run AntiVir but that was getting sluggich so I replaced it with Microsoft Security Essentials on XP and 7. It works well for some people but a few people report it as being sluggish.
Whatever you decide to try, download the free av first then
use AppRemover ti remove your version of AVG if it is listed here
http://www.appremover.com/supported-applications#vista
download from here http://www.appremover.com/
FAQs http://www.appremover.com/faq

evilchimp900 · Jun 16, 2012

Okay, I don't know how, but the .AVI files play on Windows Media Player, this is before I tried doing what you just suggested.

I just can't get them to work in Movie Maker; which is the main reason I even asked this, because I'm trying to edit my videos in Windows Movie Maker. Any tips for that?

plodr · Jun 16, 2012

Sorry, I've never used Movie Maker and as I mentioned, I have no computers running Vista.

evilchimp900 · Jun 16, 2012

Oh, that's okay. I'll just have to see what I can do, I guess. I really appreciate your help. Thank you.

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.AVI Files Won't Play Properly

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