[MPlayer-users] Re: trying to convert MJPEG

[John Brown]

Steve Kleene <skmpl <at> syrano.acb.uc.edu> writes:

> 
[cut]
> 
> [Summary: lizard.avi is from an older video camera.  I'm trying
>  to convert it
>  to a smaller file that will still play on XP.  ...]

I was just about to suggest that you read a recent thread on this
very subject ("portable video format"), only to discover that you
were the original poster. I take it that you never found the answer?
> 
[cut]
> 
> On Mon, 16 Apr 2007 02:11:54 +0000 (UTC), John Brown asked:
> 
> > You certify_that_your_video_stream_does_not_use_b_frames. 
>> Do you know if that is
> > really true?
> 
> No, I'm not sure.

By now, you would have seen that it was not relevant.
> 
> > Instead of -of lavf -lavfopts try:
> >
> > -of mpeg -mpegopts format=mpeg1
> 
> Thanks.  I just tried this, and the output plays fine on mplayer.
>
  But WMP
> says it "encountered an unknown error".  (Not knowing what the error is
> another error, if you ask me.)  I have never gotten anything I can play
> on XP using "-of mpeg".

I do it all the time. I use MEncoder only for making DVD-compliant MPEGs
(MPEG-2), following the guide in the MPlayer documentation. I can play
these with WMP, but only if I have MPEG-2 codecs installed, which I do
(from PowerDVD, but you can download free ones such as Stinky's MPEG-2
codec).

However, I just tried to import one into Movie Maker, and just as you
said, it split it into 3 clips.

I don't know anything about Movie Maker, but I suppose that your
relatives would have to install an MPEG-2 codec to view your Movie Maker
file.

I have seen it on this list that a default XP installation can play MPEG-1,
but maybe that is not true, and you need to get an MPEG codec.