Cannot play avi files created using Adobe Premier from DV tapes

WD Legacy Products WD TV Live & Live Plus
1

I have converted DV tapes to avi files using Adobe Premier, however, the WD TV Live Media player is unable to play the files as it prompts the file is not supported. 

Using VLC media player on my PC I can play the files.

I need a firmware update to play the files as I have a huge (6TB) library of tapes which were converted to avi and I want to play them using WD TV Live.

2

You need to post the mediainfo info here.

Out of interest VLC is very, very flexible software and can play pretty well anything even if it is broken or not complete. In fact its advertised to do that. Hardware / firmware is a different ballgame.

3

Yes and the AVI container is about the most ill managed and non-standard one around (which is why MKV is rapidly replacing it and why such software as Handbrake gave up outputting it).  You’d be far better off biting the bullet and converting (and most likely saving many terabytes of space in the process).

4

mk123 wrote:

I have converted DV tapes to avi files using Adobe Premier, however, the WD TV Live Media player is unable to play the files as it prompts the file is not supported. 

 

Using VLC media player on my PC I can play the files.

 

I need a firmware update to play the files as I have a huge (6TB) library of tapes which were converted to avi and I want to play them using WD TV Live.

There is no mystery here - VLC plays it because you have the video codec installed on your PC.  The same codec you used to create the AVI file.  Question is:  Which codec did you use when you created the AVI with Premiere?

To create AVI’s with Premiere stick with the ‘standard’ codecs that will play with the WD Live unit.  Things like xVid, DivXand the likes.  xVid is a a good free codec that you can install.  DivX is another good one but the encoder is not free.

Please post mediainfo on the file.  mkelley suggested rencoding the file using HandBrake into MKV.  I understand that many do not wish to do that if they are using Premiere or Sony Vegas, in which case know what you are encoding with.  Please note that AVI is NOT an encoding.  It is a container format.  Encoding is the codec you used in premiere to create the file with AVI container.  This is what you should let us know what  it was.

5

Do a search for ‘DV’; there are many threads about AVI files with DV codecs.

Sadly, the answer is always the same:  WD TV Live does not support DV codecs in an AVI (or any) container.

From the manual:

The following video file formats are supported.

  • AVI (Xvid, AVC, MPEG1/2/4)
    „- MPG/MPEG„
  • VOB/ISO„
  • MKV (h.264, x.264, AVC, MPEG1/2/4)
    „- TS/TP/M2T (MPEG1/2/4, AVC, VC-1)„
  • MP4/MOV (MPEG4, h.264)„
  • M2TS„
  • WMV9 (VC-1)

Stick with codecs that the unit supports, in the containers that it states support for.

If you have too much media for re-encoding to be an option, look for a media player that specifically states that it will support the codec used.  6TB is a LOT of data…

6

Thanks everyone for your great feedback. I will provide the media info when I converted to avi from Premier. 

Since I will most likely have to convert my entire library to another format to be used by WD TV Live, what would you suggest to be the ideal format based on compatibility, size and quality?

7

One other important aspect after converting was I also want to be able to edit the files easily.