[fredok1]

For some reason videos shot on my K5 and K7 cameras play as a black screen on my desktop PC with Windows XP OS. The sound does play although it's mostly camera noise. I've tried Windows Media Player, Real Player, and Pentax Digital Camera Utility 4. These are the AVI videos. What can I do to get them to play properly? They're fine in play back mode in camera.

[Adam]

This is why everyone hates Pentax AVI files! VLC media player should be able to open them, with a little bit of effort. Although I'm not an expert, I know that there's also free software out there which lets you convert these AVI files.

[fredok1]

Adam,

Thanks. I was finally able to run the videos in Quick Time.

[fredok1]

I also just discovered that i can run Nikon AVI files in Pentax Utility 4 but not the Pentax AVI files. Go figure!

[boriscleto]

I also just discovered that i can run Nikon AVI files in Pentax Utility 4 but not the Pentax AVI files. Go figure!

Different codecs. The K-5 and K-7 use Motion JPEG (MJPEG), which as you have found out is natively supported by Quicktime Player.

Motion JPEG - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The K-30 and K-01 use H.264 like the D5100 and later. The D5000 and D90 used MJPEG.

H.264/MPEG-4 AVC - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[RKKS08]

@Adam @fredok1

AVI is a streaming container, not a codec. It kind of organizes the ingredients (take it as a kind of frame around the real contents).

AVI can hold a wide range of different video and audio files. Any viewer (except some older Apple programs) can "read" AVI.
But to correctly play AVI files the the operating system and/or the player needs to have the correct codecs installed, and also the appropriate splitter to correctly map video and audio together.

[fredok1]

Where does one find the correct codecs and appropriate splitters for a particular OS, i.e., Windows XP?

[boriscleto]

Where does one find the correct codecs and appropriate splitters for a particular OS, i.e., Windows XP?

MJPG: Motion JPEG - Solutions - MovieCodec.com

Handbrake will transcode the file to an MP4 or MKV.

HandBrake

[paulh]

Adam mentioned VLC, which is what I use. Pretty much handles any media file (audio and video). Freeware.

[VisualDarkness]

Don't forget that uploading a video to youtube mess up the sound, at least for me. I get a frustrating clicking noise in the uploaded videos.

[boriscleto]

Don't forget that uploading a video to youtube mess up the sound, at least for me. I get a frustrating clicking noise in the uploaded videos.

Somewhere on YouTube there is a way to fix that. You have to convert the video with the correct audio settings before you upload to YouTube.

[VisualDarkness]

Somewhere on YouTube there is a way to fix that. You have to convert the video with the correct audio settings before you upload to YouTube.

I know, but it prevents you from making any kind of direct upload if you want the audio intact.

[Adam]

I know, but it prevents you from making any kind of direct upload if you want the audio intact.

Indeed it does, which is why my K-5 got to sit out during Photokina in favor of a K-30 loaner.

[exwintech]

Fredok1 - As mentioned above, the K7 and K5 save as MJPEG in the AVI container. With your XP OS you can install the free video converter and basic editor, Avidemux, easily. When you download - before you click the executable to install, check the file with your A/V to ensure it isn't accompanied by anything Windows doesn't like.

Individual camera clips won't be nearly as long as movies or entertainment videos, so converting them properly doesn't take long per clip.

You can convert MJPEG to H264 (MPEG4-AVC - Advanced Video Codec), std Compliant MPEG4, Xvid4 (a subset of the MPEG4 standard - better than std MPEG4, not quite as good as H264), or MPEG2. The PC "time-and-energy" easiest conversion is MPEG4, AVI container - next and better quality, Xvid4, AVI container.

Either MPEG4 or Xvid4 should play in any program or TV player that lists MPEG4 in its formats. Also, an MPEG2 conversion likewise.

Clips from current Canon cameras (including my old SX10) are H264/MOV - that is, MPEG4-AVC in Apple's proprietary Container. (K30 has shifted to the same.) The actual "native" container for H264 is MP4 - not AVI.

You "can" convert MJPEG to H264 (in Avidemux's list it's called 'MPEG4 AVC') - but note that as it's compressed more highly than std MPEG4 or Xvid4, it's much heavier work for the PC, and takes longer. If needing to do this, the first time check after a couple of minutes on CPU and mainboard temps - your PC might need more ventilation to cope. If so - a 120mm case fan runs quietly and shifts plenty of air - and is easy and low-cost to fit.

When you convert your videos, decide on the audio conversion - MP3 is "universal", but only handles mono and plain stereo. You can use AAC and 5.1 audio where available**, with H264, MPEG2, and Xvid4. To handle that, MPEG2 is *.mpg, H264 is its native *.mp4, and Xvid4 must use the *.mp4 container, not its more usual *.avi.

With Avidemux, to keep the audio in sync, you need to use the 2-Pass mode. On the first Pass, it examines the video, noting where the high and low bitrate regions are, and where the audio is synced. It saves info in a *.txt data file to work from. On the second Pass, it uses that to "work ahead' with the bitrate and audio.

** You can add tracks in your Video Editor, other than just Left-Right stereo, when assembling the converted clips into a movie. Can be background music (there are royalty-free open audio sites - just be careful on the wording about 'free' and 'open' - if you intend to distribute your movie.) - or voice-over.

Regards, Dave.

[fredok1]

Thanks for all the info everybody.