I am trying to play a Video CD which was created with "Image Mixer" IMX VCD. I have seen this CD play on other Windows systems.

I can get it to play the "Image Mixer - IMx VCD" lead in video and music which takes about 10 seconds, but I cannot get it to go to the next chapters or whatever they are called to see the music and pictures. It's as though they don't exist.

I have Windows 98 and Media Player 7.01.00.3055, and also Creative Media player. I have a DVD drive and a CD-RW drive My players successfully play about everything I try to play...WMV ASF AVI MPEG(MPE) etc.

(Note: Folder and filename references used are from the CD layout shown below.)

In Windows Media Player, to play the lead-in, I navigate to my CD or DVD player in WMP and I click... File->Open->MPEGAV-> and at this point no files are visible because Media Player is looking for: "Files Of Type: "Media Files (All Types)""

So I change that to "All Files (*.*)" and then file AVSEQ01.DAT in folder MPEGAV is visible.

I select that file and click "Open" and it plays the "Image Mixer" lead in video and music... and ends normally.

I try >>'ing ahead, and anything else I can think of to make it advance to another part, and it won't. >> is not available to click.

Next I do: File->Open->SEGMENT and select "All Files (*.*)" and choose any file in there ... ITEM0001.DAT for example, and click Open and it reads the CD and then I get Class Not Registered.

In Creative I navigate to the drive and click "Play This Disk" and it plays the lead-in and stops as above.

Next I do: File->Open->SEGMENT and select "All Files (*.*)" and choose any file in there ... ITEM0001.DAT for example, and click Open and it reads the CD and then I get Class Not Registered.

I have spent a lot of time on this, and various other help sites but may have missed something. If anyone has had experience or problems with playing ImageMixer CD's or can provide any insight into this problem I would really appreciate hearing from you. Thanks, Mike

The CD root directory looks like this: CDI MPEGAV SEGMENT VCD

...and the above folders contain files as follows: (readable characters shown after file size)

CDI (empty)

MPEGAV AVSEQ01.DAT 1,716KB RIFF4 CDXAfmt XA data SEGMENT

ITEM0001.DAT 345KB RIFFDb CDXAfmt ITEM0002.DAT 345KB " ITEM0003.DAT 345KB " ITEM0119.DAT 345KB " ITEM0271.DAT 345KB " ITEM0397.DAT 345KB " ITEM0563.DAT 345KB " ITEM0641.DAT 345KB " ITEM0839.DAT 345KB " ITEM0564.DAT 26,529KB " ITEM0840.DAT 30,664KB " ITEM0004.DAT 39,662KB " ITEM0272.DAT 43,067KB " ITEM0120.DAT 52,025KB " ITEM0398.DAT 56,848KB " ITEM0642.DAT 67,873KB "

VCD ENTRIES.VCD 2KB ENTRYVCD INFO.VCD 2KB VIDEO_CD PSD.VCD 2KB (Looks like a hex table) LOT.VCD 64KB (Looks like a hex table)

-- Mike OConnell (mikeoconnell@earthlink.net), December 05, 2004

Answers

That error typically means that something is not correct or is missing from your system. In this case, it's probably a damaged file or missing codec. Since you've seen the disc play on other machines, I would guess you are missing a codec, or have something that is corrupted. First thing is to update your Media Player. If you don't want to upgrade for whatever reason, search for Media Player Classic. It's a freeware program that mimics the older WMP6.

If that fails, go to: http://www.headbands.com/gspot/ and grab a copy of Gspot Codec Appliance, Version 2.51 Beta 01. Install it, run it, and drag one of the offending .dat files onto it. It will tell you what the file is, and let you try and play it with the codecs it should need. Post the results and we can work from there.

-- Bryan (gryps-innocens@gryphon.zzn.com), December 05, 2004.

I think it's a problem with your players. I know that Creative's Media Player and their VCD player don't recognize chapters at all. Windows Media Player probably doesn't either, although if you can upgrade to WMP version 10 it might. I don't know. DVD software players usually do recognize VCD chapters, so playing your VCD with something like Power DVD or WinDVD might solve your problem.

-- Root (root@yahoo.moc), December 06, 2004.

Thanks for the input. I'm still trying to fix it.

- The tip about Creative not recognizing chapters is good to know. I wasted some time on that one. Probably WMP also.

- The "something missing or corrupted" is probably it. I have reinstalled WMP 6 and 7 on top of itself (themselves) but that didn't help. I suspect the Chapters problem and the "not registered" problem are different issues.

- I have tried to identify exactly what piece(s) are missing so I can find and install those, but I can't seem to identify them. The "Class not registered" error doesn't give much info. I have read about it & tried to fix it with no luck.

- The system I saw this play on was very new and probably had WMP10 or some newer DVD software.

- I'm not sure what all Gspot is telling me. I tried to copy the relevant information below for the failing files, but I don't see what Codec or filter I am missing. Also, I don't know how to save the Gspot data or screen to a file for posting. (Gspot 2.52 B01 Build 040915 was the one I wound up with)

--------------------------------------------------- (This is the file that plays)

Path: E:\MPEGAV\AVSEQ01.DAT Size: 1.67 MB (or 1,715 KB or 1,756,988 bytes)

Container: CDXA << MPEG-1 System Stream << { 1 vid, 1 aud } Sys Bitrate: 1411 kb/s VBR

Video Codec: MPEG1_Payload MPEG-1 Codec(s) are Installed

Audio Codec: MPEG-1 Layer 2 Codec(s) Installed 0xc0:44100Hz 224 kb/s total (2 chnls)

--------------------------------------------------- (This is one of the files that won't play)

Path: E:\SEGMENT\ITEM0001.DAT Size: 344 KB (or 352,844 bytes)

Container CDXA << MPEG-1 System Stream << { 0 other } Sys Bitrate: 1411 kb/s VBR

=-=-=

Proposed Codec Solutions and Tests MS A/V (Clicking box#1) Rendering failed. Following is the error reported by DirectShow: 0x80040154: Class not registered

=-=-=

File->Play (Using associated player) Unable to play the file "G:\SEGMENT\ITEM0001.DAT"

Error text: "The operating system is out of memory or resources" from Gspot

--------------------------------------------------- (I think the last error lists an incorrect cause.)

-- Mike O'Connell (mikeoconnell@earthlink.net), December 06, 2004.

Monday Evening Status: Still not working. Recent developments...

I found two filters and installed them... RIFF CDXA and RIFF CDXA2. That got rid of the Class Not Registered.

Now I receive the following Gspot error: Rendering failed: Following is the error reported by DirectShow: 0x80040218: No combination of filters could be found to render the stream.

E:\SEGMENT\ITEM0642.DAT 66.2 MB (or 67,872 KB or 69,501,644 bytes)

CDXA << MPEG-1 System Stream << { 1 aud, 1 other } Sys Bitrate: 1411 kb/s VBR

(Src)-->>--(A)-->[MPEG-I Stream Splitter]>--(B)-->[ACM: ]>--(C)--> [Default DirectSound Device] Failed to connect Output pin 0x04ad2eb4 ("Src Media") on ITEM0642.DAT to input pin 0x007ede54 ("Input") on filter 0x01378a72 ("MPEG-I Stream Splitter").ConnectDirect() failed. Error 0x80040207: There is no common media type between these pins.

(Src)-->>--(A)-->[MPEG-I Stream Splitter]>--(B)-->[MPEG Layer-3 Decoder ]>--(C)-->[Default DirectSound Device] Failed to connect Output pin 0x04ad2c04 ("Src Media") on ITEM0642.DAT to input pin 0x007eae54 ("Input") on filter 0x01378a72 ("MPEG-I Stream Splitter").ConnectDirect() failed. Error 0x80040207: There is no common media type between these pins.

-- Mike O'Connell (mikeoconnell@earthlink.net), December 06, 2004.

There are two things that look suspicious about your video file:

Container CDXA << MPEG-1 System Stream << { 0 other } Sys Bitrate: 1411 kb/s VBR (Src)-->>--(A)-->[MPEG-I Stream Splitter]>--(B)-->[MPEG Layer-3 Decoder ]

The { 0 other } looks odd. This should show 1 video and 1 audio stream. The [MPEG Layer-3 Decoder] - if there really is audio embedded in the stream that is MP3, then this does not meed video CD specifications and won't work.

Gspot should show MPEG-1 Payload with Layer 2 audio for all of your .dat files. The fact that it's not says that the video is either corrupt, or has the wrong RIFF headers written on it and players don't know how to handle it.

The fact that you've seen this disc play on another system is even stranger. The only thing I know to do right now is try another VCD authoring program, or other players.

-- Bryan (gryps-innocens@gryphon.zzn.com), December 07, 2004.

Thank you for the analysis. Gspot is a nifty tool. Unfortunately I am currently way behind in the knowledge area and unable to use it to my full benefit.

My next steps are to get WinDVD and hope that works, and after that, one last try with PowerDVD.

--------Additional Comments Section--------- I noticed that in my infinite attention to detail I forgot to mention what the VCD is. This is basically a slide show with music added.

As I recall... There are around 5 chapters, and each chapter consists of about 40 still pictures and a music piece that lasts about 4 minutes maybe.

The following are the files with audio. E:\SEGMENT\ITEM0004.DAT E:\SEGMENT\ITEM0272.DAT E:\SEGMENT\ITEM0398.DAT E:\SEGMENT\ITEM0564.DAT E:\SEGMENT\ITEM0642.DAT E:\SEGMENT\ITEM0840.DAT So it looks like files ITEM0001...3 go with ITEM0004 ITEM0271 with ITEM0272, and so on. =-=-=-=-=-=-= The layout again CDI (empty)

MPEGAV AVSEQ01.DAT 1,716KB RIFF4 CDXAfmt XA data SEGMENT ITEM0001.DAT 345KB RIFFDb CDXAfmt ITEM0002.DAT 345KB " ITEM0003.DAT 345KB " ITEM0119.DAT 345KB " ITEM0271.DAT 345KB " ITEM0397.DAT 345KB " ITEM0563.DAT 345KB " ITEM0641.DAT 345KB " ITEM0839.DAT 345KB " ITEM0564.DAT 26,529KB " ITEM0840.DAT 30,664KB " ITEM0004.DAT 39,662KB " ITEM0272.DAT 43,067KB " ITEM0120.DAT 52,025KB " ITEM0398.DAT 56,848KB " ITEM0642.DAT 67,873KB "

VCD ENTRIES.VCD 2KB ENTRYVCD INFO.VCD 2KB VIDEO_CD PSD.VCD 2KB (Looks like a hex table) LOT.VCD 64KB (Looks like a hex table)

-- Mike O'Connell (mikeoconnell@earthlink.net), December 07, 2004.

WRAP-UP - Posted just for "closure" - I downloaded the trial version of WinDVD and it plays the VCD just fine. Too bad they want $70 for the permanent version... That doesn't digest well around Xmas time, especially for a fixed income individual like me. I might be ready to buy it by the time spring thaw hits next year. Anyway... Many thanks to all who helped me.

-- Mike O'Connell (mikeoconnell@earthlink.net), December 12, 2004.