MPEG freezes but can still hear audio

I have an odd problem - many of the MPG files I try to play freeze on the first frame, but the audio keeps playing in the background. I’ve tried downloading a few codecs, but have not had much success and am afraid I’ll cause more harm then good if I keep installing codecs.

One thing to point out - I can play the files in PowerDVD by Cyberlink without any problems - But Windows Media Player and the ATI File Player both behave the same - freeze on the first frame of the video, but continue in the background with the audio just fine.

Any suggestions? I’m at a loss on what else to check or try...

A little more information - Something installed on my PC must have changed a codec or modified something to stop these videos from being played.

The symptom is the same for anything that fails - the first frame of the video shows up and freezes (audio keeps playing in the background).

Using the movie codec tool, I see that every video that is failing when I try to play with Windows Media Player is listed as using:

Type: MPEG-1 PS
Video Codecs: MPEG-1 Video
Audio & Duration: The audio can be MPEG1 or 2 and the duration of the video is either blank or does contain a number...

Several of the videos were taken from my old sony camera, and did work at one time using media player - so something installed has disabled some MPEG-1 playback for some files. Again, all of these files play just fine in my Cyberlink Power DVD player, but NOT in Windows Media Player.

Has one of these other players I’ve got trumped the MPEG-1 codec with their own to force me to use Power DVD?

Is there some buried setting to resolve this in Windows?

All this did work at one time, but I am not sure when it started failing, so I’m not sure which installation hosed my current capabilities.

It’s a player problem. WMP is not a good one for a very long time even with the new IE7 so my advise is use VLC or BSplayer or Media player Classic all three freewares and use their own codecs. Google and find a download link and install the one you like. Also tools like GSpot and Avicodec help you to find out what codecs you need to play an avi file.

Marcus,

Thans for the reply. I downloaded 2 of the players above and had different results.

BSP breaks in the same way.

VLC works - and I’ll keep trying to use that program, but it is very buggy still. I guess it will take time to get used to it. The skins are not quite up-to-speed yet

Thanks for your help.

Try this site is updated daily. http://www.free-codecs.com/ Also try Media Player Classic.

I have exactly the same problem with files from my new Sony T-10 camera as well as my old Sony T-1 camera.

The files played properly up to several weeks ago. But, I cannot figure out what I did to cause the problem to arise.

The files do not play in WMP or RealPlayer (but they used to). They still play OK with the QuickTime player.

I’ve solved my (same) problem.
It is related to a new installation of a videodriver versus the installation (sequence) of the mainboard AGP driver.

If you have the sequence wrong, this will be the problem.

Greetz

I neglected to answer this thread with the answer aws provided by marcus - I went to http://www.free-codecs.com/ and downloaded the “FFDShow” Codecs- once I installed them, bam! everything was (and still is) working perfectly. I have no doubt that Coyote’s comment is correct - that some installation order messed up the codecs, and installing FFDShow set it right for MPEG1 movies. Now all my old Sony captures work perfectly.

FFDSHOW has inside the MPEG2 Decoder plus a lot of stuff but the decoder is also part from DirecX. If you install a fresh directX and a new driver you may be in luck. The problem is the MPEG2 decoder is not a freeware and if you don’t have a software like Win DVD or Power DVD your computer may ask for. Glad you fix the problem.

I was experiencing an MPEG issue as well. Only 26 secs of a 5 minute video was playing, however when the video stopped the audio would continue to play for the remainder of the 5 minutes. I downloaded VLC and VOILA, my video worked.

I am having this problem toooooooooo. I have a bunch of videos that used to work on my computer and no fail to do so in any player at all. Itunes, WMP, Quicktime, none of these play them. Something got messed up with the duration time. VLC is the closest thing I’ve gotten to playing them, but instead it just freezes the first frame and continues to stream the audio. I’ve tried downloading the FFDShow codecs but it didn’t change anything. Can somebody PLEASE help?