I posted this in the wrong forum I think, so let me try here.

Also I have tried to play them in several different media players and none of them are working.

Try using VLC, which is freely available here http://www.videolan.org/vlc/download-macosx.html

It can often play files QuickTime doesn't like.

For more info, try http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MPEG-4_Layer_14

I just spent the last 30 minutes trying to get that to work and searching their forum as well.

How can I tell if the files even have anything on it? It could be that there just isn't anything there?

Heh!

Well, I'm no video expert, so if VLC won't play it, I don't bother
At least VLC usually pops up a dialog saying what codec is needed.

I just search for .mpg to avoid most of the pain.

btw--most video less than ~ 40 MB is advertising and junk, and most < 700 MB is just a snip.

That is good to know.

I do think it was the files. I downloaded another one awhile ago and it seems to work out just fine.

Thank you for the information though.

Apologies if I'm posting in the wrong place but you guys always have the solutions to my limewire problems. I've downloaded an avi file and when I try to open it on my computer (G4 Powerbook OSX Panther QT 7.0,1), quicktime opens but tells me I am missing a Quicktime Codec. There's a link to a page on the Apple site which offers the following products: on2, zygovideo, ipix, zoomify, streambox, axel, alias, sheervideo, QSX essentials. I don't know what any of these do let alone whether any will provide the solution. A work colleague running Windows XP is getting the same 'missing Codec' message on her computer too. Thanks in advance for any help. Tim

Hi Tim

Hard to say what codec is needed.

If you try to open the video with VLC, there is usually a dialog stating what codec is missing/needed.

Maybe that will help.

Dear Stief,

Thank you for your reply. Forgive my ignorance but is VLC a viewer like, say, Quicktime or Real and if so are there any potential conflicts with Quicktime to look out for.

Thanks,
Tim

Hi Tim

yes--it's a player like Quicktime Player, but opensource, rougher, and much more versatile. I've had no conflicts between the two. Quite an interesting project: those folks who build it are to be commended.

Unlike QuickTime, VLC has all its codecs built-in. It is the most reliable player for Mac OSX. MPlayer is very similar with similar abilities but is buggy at times so I generally recommend VLC instead.

"If" you wanted to make VLC your default player, select the video file example on the desktop, ⌘ i (command-i keys) & choose open with & scroll down until you find VLC & select. Then choose Change All, which will make VLC the default to open all files of that same file-type. You'd need to do this for all video file types you have difficulty opening, be that avi, mpeg, mpg, wmv, etc. But no, vlc won't open realplayer files. A full list of what VLC can play can be seen here http://www.videolan.org/vlc/features.html

FYI codecs for QuickTime are not always so easy to find. Here's some: 1. DivX, 2. XviD, 3. 3ivx. You can also go to QT's preferences > Update tab > Find & install new 3rd party Softw. You'd also need to go to Advanced tab > MIME settings > Select those you wish enabled.