The VideoLAN Forums

I have some Avi files saved on my computer that I did with my Flip Video camcorder. When I play them on my VLC Media Palyer the sound doesn't work. Not having this trouble when I am playing a large AVI file that I downloaded from the internet. Sound works fine when I play the file on another computer using windows media player. Any advice. thanks.

open problematic file and press ctrl+i and from advanced information tab, check what audio codec that file uses and paste info to here. If VLC can't tell that, use tool called mediainfo to figure it out.

I am also having the problem with my Flip and its .avi files. I did ctrl+i and the audio codec being used is "ms". Any ideas? Thanks.

Could you identify AVI files with tool called Mediainfo? It should tell little more about audio codec. You could also try nightly builds to see if they handle those files better.
http://nightlies.videolan.org/

I am also having the problem with my Flip and its .avi files. I did ctrl+i and the audio codec being used is "ms". Any ideas? Thanks.

I'm having the exact same problem with Flip video (VideoLAN detects "XVID" codec), but see 3 different behavior on 3 different XVID files:

1) FLIP XVID AVIs -- PROBLEM
NO SOUND!
VLC detects "Meta-information -- Setting: HAS_INDEX IS_INTERLEAVED TRUST_CKTYPE"
"Audio Device" option is NOT available ("Audio Track" is only "Audio" option)
VLC is way off on the .avi duration, thinking clips are ~10 MINUTES instead of 15 SECONDS

2) XVID -- OK
VLC detects no "Meta-information" (it does not appear as stream info)
"Audio Device" option of Mono or Stereo (default -- no problem)
several other options available "Audio Channel", "Visualizations", "Equalizer"

3) XVID -- Initial problem
No sound initially, by default
VLC detects "Meta-information -- Setting: HAS_INDEX IS_INTERLEAVED"
No "Audio Channel" option, but "Audio Device", "Vis" and "Equ" are available
"Audio Device" is set to "A/52 over S/PDIF" by default (Mono & Stereo are also available)

If I switch "Audio Device" to "Stereo", sound is OK.

*** but for the FLIP videos, there is no way to switch the "Audio Device" to "Stereo".
*** Activating / Deactivating the VLC audio option to "Use S/PDIF when available" makes no difference.

It seems to me that this "A/52 over S/PDIF" setting is getting in the way for FLIP videos, and there's no way to disable it!

Better is if someone can provide a sample file.

Better is if someone can provide a sample file.

Gladly ... but how ?!
I don't see an upload option for the forum.

Is this problem solved already, or should people still provide sample Flip Video samples?
If you still need files, let us know how to deliver them.

You can use rapidshare, megaupload or similar service. Or you can use FTP and upload files to ftp://ftp.videolan.org/incoming/ and also include text file with same name that explains the issue with the file.

You can use rapidshare, megaupload or similar service. Or you can use FTP and upload files to ftp://ftp.videolan.org/incoming/ and also include text file with same name that explains the issue with the file.

I've loaded a .zip file containing the Flip Video clip and supporting files to the ftp site, but don't see it -- i guess that's how it should work

Yes. Outsiders can't see/access the files uploaded.

Could you identify AVI files with tool called Mediainfo? It should tell little more about audio codec. You could also try nightly builds to see if they handle those files better.
http://nightlies.videolan.org/

Okay I downloaded the Mediainfo program and used it on one of my Flip videos. Here's what it said:

Complete name : C:\Users\Andrew\Documents\My Flip Video Library\Andrew\Apr 07 2008 - VID00018.AVI
Format : AVI
Format/Info : Audio Video Interleave
Format/Family : RIFF
File size : 11.2 MiB
PlayTime : 23s 133ms
Bit rate : 4046 Kbps
StreamSize/String : 28.7 KiB

Here's some more info on the same file from Mediainfo, it's a neat little program.

Codec : XviD
Codec/Family : MPEG-4V
Codec/Info : XviD project
Codec profile : Streaming Video Profile/Level 1
Codec settings, Packet bitst : No
Codec settings, BVOP : Yes
Codec settings, QPel : No
Codec settings, GMC : 0
Codec settings, Matrix : Default
PlayTime : 23s 133ms
Bit rate : 3858 Kbps
Width : 640 pixels
Height : 480 pixels
Display Aspect ratio : 4/3
Frame rate : 30.000 fps
Resolution : 8 bits
Chroma : 4:2:0
Interlacement : Progressive
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.419
StreamSize/String : 10.6 MiB
Writing library : Zoran

Codec : ADPCM
Codec/Family : ADPCM
Codec/Info : Microsoft ADPCM
Codec settings : Microsoft
Codec settings, Firm : Microsoft
PlayTime : 23s 131ms
Bit rate : 176.4 Kbps
Channel(s) : 1 channel
Sampling rate : 44.1 KHz
Resolution : 4 bits
StreamSize/String : 501 KiB

viewtopic.php?f=14&t=43975&p=138679
http://wiki.videolan.org/ADPCM
ADPCM should in theory work with VLC, but those audiotracks might include some special modifications that cause problems.

viewtopic.php?f=14&t=43975&p=138679
http://wiki.videolan.org/ADPCM
ADPCM should in theory work with VLC, but those audiotracks might include some special modifications that cause problems.

Just to repeat the surprise that another user expressed in the related topic above, how can VLC consider a popular format "broken" when, first, it's quite popular (Flip Video) and, second, other less capable video players don't have any trouble.

Just to be fair, I'll contact Flip Video, and let them know that my new Flip only creates broken ADPCM audio tracks. Let's see what they say

Just to be fair, I'll contact Flip Video, and let them know that my new Flip only creates broken ADPCM audio tracks. Let's see what they say

Well here's just about 2 cents from Flip Video -- but it does seem to vindicate VLC (too bad for Flip-owning VLC enthusiasts):

"-----Original Message-----
From: help [mailto:help@puredigitalinc.com]
Sent: Saturday, April 19, 2008 7:59 PM
Subject: RE: Contact Support Request {Your Name} April 18, 2008 10:13 pm

Hello,
Thank you for contacting us.

In order to use your Flip videos in other applications, you may need to convert the files to a more universal file format. You can save your videos in the WMV format by choosing the following features: “Save Videos”>”Save Videos for Emailing”. This will save your videos in the WMV format, which you may be able to import into other applications. However, we have not fully tested our product with other applications or products, so we cannot guarantee full functionality.

Please feel free to contact us further.
Thank you,
Flip Video Support
Pure Digital Technologies"

Bottom line: in order to get a break from M$oft hegemony by using VLC, you have to save all your Flip videos in a M$ format. All other formats are apparently too much trouble to do properly. That sounds a bit bitter ... I let these silly inconveniences irritate me too much.

Bottom line: use applications that output standard ADPCM...

This sucks. I thought the Flip was perfect until this. Pure Digital Technologies needs to get their act together.

Currently my default media player is VLC. Is there anyway to tell Windows to use MS Media Player to be the default player for a specified directory (My Flip videos directory)? This is the only workaround I can think of.

File type associations are AFAIK associated to file types. It might work if you create new nonsense filetype and associate WMP for it and rename all of your flip videos to that filetype. Or use library function of WMP and select those Flip files only from there. Or add Open with WMP option behind the file right click.