mpeg codec problem

[cybergeo3]

i recently got some files that i'm having problems playing. They are mpeg files and actually play no problem, but when i open the files in windows media player, the files don't say how long they are, and the seekbar stays exactly on the left, and doesnt move. If i try to seek, it brings up a note saying windows media errored and must close, and if i hit stop, it does the same. I can pause it and unpause it, but cannot seek or do anythign else. I have tested the files with codec tools and it says my computer is capable of playing them, but i encounter this problem every time. If anyone can offer any help, i'd appreciate it.

george

[SonicVanguard]

Regardless of the ability to play them, it's how the codec is decompressing the file. Often with hacked codecs (like XviD, DivX and other hacks on the MPEG4 codec) you loose some control ability. For example, both the DivX and XvD codecs remove the timecode stream from a video to conserve space. But when that happesn, some videos will not give you complete playback control like you are experiencing.

So for as much as people like the small file sizes and high quality video DivX and XviD can provide, they are still hacks on the original MPEG4 codec and can be somewhat limiting.

Dave.