Cannot add avi in MyDVD

[threechaotic]

I recently purchased a new PC which came with a copy of EMC9 preinstalled. When using MyDVD, I cannot add any avi files. When I click Add New Movie, it displays the avi files, but instead of the normal thumbnail, all I get is an icon with a red NO sign (like no smoking without the cigarette). I can't even select the files.

 

My system is using Vista Home Premium (32 bit). The only solution I could find that I thought might help was the known issue with DivX. I had installed DivX, and tried doing a system restore to return my computer to a previous state. Afterwards, the divxdec.ax file was gone from my System32 folder.

 

I've tried completely uninstalling the Roxio software and using Vista's Recovery Manager to reinstall it, but still there's no divxdec.ax file.

 

At this point, I'm not even sure this was the issue, since I was having this problem before I installed the DivX software.

 

What do I do to be able to load these in MyDVD?? I can't stand using Windows DVD Maker, but it's currently the only thing I have that works.

[Brendon]

You get this sort of behavior when you don't have necessary codecs installed to decode your AVIs.

 

There are a host of codecs which can be used, and DivX will get a lot of them, but not all of them.

(You can see a list of them here if you're interested)

 

A good idea would be to get a utility like GSpot (here) which will tell you which codec your AVI files use.

 

You run the program, drag and drop your AVI onto it, and then this part of the display tells you what codec is needed and if you have it installed or not.

 

 

Then you can go get the codec you need, or come back here for suggestions.

[threechaotic]

You get this sort of behavior when you don't have necessary codecs installed to decode your AVIs.

 

There are a host of codecs which can be used, and DivX will get a lot of them, but not all of them.

(You can see a list of them here if you're interested)

 

A good idea would be to get a utility like GSpot (here) which will tell you which codec your AVI files use.

 

You run the program, drag and drop your AVI onto it, and then this part of the display tells you what codec is needed and if you have it installed or not.

 

 

Then you can go get the codec you need, or come back here for suggestions.

 

OK. The files are all DivX. G-Spot shows that the codecs are installed.

 

This just leads me back to the known issue of a problem with EMC9 and DivX. But my EMC9 software is not installing any DivX codecs. There isn't even a DivX folder in my c:\Program Files\Common Files\Roxio Shared\9.0\ folder (as is suggested in the "How To" for the DivX/EMC9 issue).

[jeanrosenfeld]

It may be, if you recently purchased the download of EMC 9 that the version you have is EMC 9.1, which places files at slightly different locations than EMC 9 and the post you refer to no longer applies. The Roxio DivX files could be in C:\Program Files\Common Files\Roxio Shared\DLLShared instead. However, the registry entries for them may be incorrect.

 

If you are willing to check and edit your registry, you could try the following:

 

1. Check with Windows Explorer whether you have the file DivxDec.ax (with mixed upper and lower case letters). Best way is to search your C:\ drive. To ensure that you find all instances, first do the following:

Control panel, folder options, view tab: Check 'show hidden files and folders', uncheck 'hide extensions for known file types', uncheck 'hide protected system operating files' (click yes on any warning message). Click Apply, OK. Then in Search, More advanced options, check the first three boxes.

Now search your C:\ drive for divxdec.ax. This is case insensitive so should bring up all instances of both DivXDec.ax (the Roxio file) and divxdec.ax (the divx.com file).

 

If you have DivXDec.ax (the Roxio one) note the path to it.

 

2. click start, run, type regedit, click OK or press enter. The registry editor opens.

In the left pane click on the topmost icon (My Computer) to highlight it.

Edit menu, click Find. In the box that opens, type divxdec.ax (as this is case insensitive, it does not matter about the upper/lower case). make sure the 3 boxes (keys, values, data) are checked, click find next.

The registry editor will show the first instance of either DivXDec.ax or divxdec.ax, in the right pane. If it shows DivXDec.ax, check that the path to the file in the data column is correct. If not, right click on the corresponding value, click modify, edit the path to where you noted DivXDec.ax is located. If it shows divxdec.ax (all llower case) do not edit.

Press F3 to resume the search to the next instance. Edit if necessary, press F3 again untilk you get to the end.

 

3. Do steps 1 and 2 also for the following two files:

 

DivXDemux.ax

DivXSubDec.ax

again noting the mixed upper and lower case letters.

 

If you really do not have the DivXDec.ax file (or the other two), then clearly the suite was not fully installed, and my advice then would be to uninstall both it and the divx.com codecs, the reinstall the suite, choosing complete install. Then check where the files got installed, check that the paths are correct in the registry.

If the Roxio DivX files are in the folder I indicated above, then once the path to them has been corrected in the registry, you can safely reinstall the divx.com codec pack, it will no longer clash with the Roxio versions.

[threechaotic]

It may be, if you recently purchased the download of EMC 9 that the version you have is EMC 9.1, which places files at slightly different locations than EMC 9 and the post you refer to no longer applies. The Roxio DivX files could be in C:\Program Files\Common Files\Roxio Shared\DLLShared instead. However, the registry entries for them may be incorrect.

 

I'm running version 9.0.559. None of the three files are on my computer. Only the divxdec.ax file installed by the DivX software. There is only one instance of the divxdec.ax in my registry and no instances of the other two files.

 

As I said, this program came preinstalled on my computer, so I don't have any software. The only way I can reinstall the program is through Vista's Recovery Manager. I've done a clean install twice now and neither time were any DivX files installed. Everything else works fine.

[jeanrosenfeld]

Sorry to read that you don't have the Roxio version of DivXDec.ax. Videowave/My DVD will not load divx files with the divx.com version of divxdec.ax (don't ask me why, I don't know). However having the divx.com codecs will allow you to play the divx encoded files in, say, Windows Media Player (or of course in the Divx player).

 

As your EMC 9 suite came preinstalled, it is likely that you have an OEM version that does not have all the features of the full retail suite. Unfortunately, I don't know whether the Roxio DivX files are amongst the bits not availale in such cut down versions.

 

Both Dell and HP offer OEM versions (though if your PC is from Dell they should have provided you with the installation CD for their version, don't know about HP). I don't know whether other PC manufacturers have an OEM version.

 

The only thing I can suggest is that you contact the PC manufacturer and ask them for an installation CD of their EMC 9 OEM suite, and/or for info about how their OEM version differs from the full retail version.

[threechaotic]

Sorry to read that you don't have the Roxio version of DivXDec.ax. Videowave/My DVD will not load divx files with the divx.com version of divxdec.ax (don't ask me why, I don't know). However having the divx.com codecs will allow you to play the divx encoded files in, say, Windows Media Player (or of course in the Divx player).

 

As your EMC 9 suite came preinstalled, it is likely that you have an OEM version that does not have all the features of the full retail suite. Unfortunately, I don't know whether the Roxio DivX files are amongst the bits not availale in such cut down versions.

 

Both Dell and HP offer OEM versions (though if your PC is from Dell they should have provided you with the installation CD for their version, don't know about HP). I don't know whether other PC manufacturers have an OEM version.

 

The only thing I can suggest is that you contact the PC manufacturer and ask them for an installation CD of their EMC 9 OEM suite, and/or for info about how their OEM version differs from the full retail version.

 

It is an HP computer so I guess this is probably the issue. In theory, I don't really need to use ECM9 for DVD burning anyway, but I've yet to find anything else that I like as much for DVD authoring. At this point, I suppose I'll just stop trying to fix this issue and start looking for some new DVD authoring software. Thanks to everyone for all the help with this though. It is greatly appreciated.

[jeanrosenfeld]

I have thought of one more thing you could try, though I don't know if it will work with your OEM version of EMC 9.

 

Download and install (free), ffdshow MPEG-4 from

 

http://www.free-codecs.com/download/FFDShow.htm

 

it includes a divx decoder, which Videowave can use if it finds no other suitable codec.

During the install you will get a box where you can check file types ffdshow should be used for (or there is alao a short cut in the start/programs folder ffdshow creates to configure in greater detail what file types it's used for). Make sure it is enabled for divx.

Then try Videowave again.

 

I have checked this with the retail version of EMC I have, having first moved the DivXDec.ax file out of the way so Videowave could not use it (as well as another codec it then wanted to use), and Videowave was happy to load divx encoded files. Right clicking on the loaded file, clicking properties, detail tab, showed it was using the ffdshow codec.

 

I can't be absolutely sure that will work on your OEM version, as there may be other Roxio divx- related files that are missing, but it's worth a try. Ffdshow can be uninstalled from add/remove or from its own uninstall shortcut.