How to play an avi file?

Hi all,

The Windows xp media player could not play a given avi file. What should I do?

Thanks in advance.
:)

There is a freeware program called Avicodec, which will tell you the codec used in a particular AVI file and usually give a link to follow to get the codec.

try downloading VLC player, it uses built-in video codecs
http://www.videolan.org/vlc/

you can also get it portable (no install needed)
http://portableapps.com/apps/music_video/vlc_portable

also, if it asks for the Unicows.dll you can get a copy here
http://www.dll-files.com/

Thanks a lot.

.avi really is just a container format for a video file -- there are countless different compression formats that may be used with an AVI, and only a handful of these formats are recognized by windows out of the box.

Many others require a 3rd party codec to be installed before mediaplayer understands it. The most common ones you'll run into on the internet that windows doesn't understand by itself are XVID and DIVX. Both have free codecs that you can download for playing these files. (Divx also comes in a 'professional' version that allows you to create your own divx files, they do charge for that.

There are some programs that will look at a file and tell you which codec is necesary to play it. MrTricks mentioned Avicodec, I've used 'Codec Finder' myself.

Thank you, xlsior.

A bit late, but Gspot (http://www.headbands.com/gspot/download.html) is usually my recommendation. Also never get codec packs, they only cause problems. Whenever you're in need of a codec, get only the installer for that codec. It might be more fiddly, but if something goes wrong you know -exactly- what caused it. Here's a hint : for XviD (which handles MPEG and DivX as well and is totally free, not unlike ogg vs mp3), get Koepi's distribution, I wouldn't trust any other.