Uploading .AVI to camera

[kbforge]

Hi, I would like to upload small .avi movies (not produced with the camera!) to my Canon A710IS but the firmware does not let me write to the card. Also the format of standard .AVI files (as well as standard .JPG files) does not seem to be recognized by the camera software so that writing to the card using a card reader/writer does not help either. Has anybody succeeded in overcoming these difficulties somehow? your help would be appreciated.
many thanks
kbforge

[kbforge]

Thanks Barney for your very helpful and quick info. I downloaded the software and am now left with only one problem (I think). How do I upload the converted file to the camera as I don't have a card reader/writer,  how can I overcome the camera firmware write block. Does CHDK offer such an option or do I have to buy a reader/writer?
Many thanks
kbforge

[emu]

Thanks Barney for your very helpful and quick info. I downloaded the software and am now left with only one problem (I think). How do I upload the converted file to the camera as I don't have a card reader/writer,  how can I overcome the camera firmware write block. Does CHDK offer such an option or do I have to buy a reader/writer?
Many thanks
kbforge

Do you mean the write block by the little switch you moved to "lock" on your SD-card ?
btw. a cardreader is a really good thing to have 

[kbforge]

Many thanks again for your help Barney (and Emu), I appreciate now the need to get a card reader.
Cheers,
kbforge

[GrAnd]

Audio > Conversion > Sampling Rate: 11025Hz > Precision: 8-bit > Channels: Mono

I think you can try an other sampling rates for S-series cameras, because they can record and play videos with better sound quality. But for other series you should use the settings above.

[GrAnd]

I want to hear back from someone that converted Lord of the Rings part IV (V?) to fit on an SD card and watched it in their camera now.

...
Then, connect your camera to your plasma TV and Hi-Fi audio system...
And use USB remote control during watching to control the playback.

[kbforge]

Hi, sorry for the delay, I have been busy coming to grips with the issues and software and buying a card reader! The outcome is as follows:
1) I am able to convert an mpeg file to Canon AVI using three programs: SUPER, VirtualDub and canonavi.
2) the movie shows perfectly well in the PC based Canon software that comes with my Powershot A710IS (ZoomBrowser Express).
3) I can copy the resulting .AVI file and .THM file to the SD card using the card reader.
4) and here is the problem. Nothing at all show in the camera. It's as though the file is not there. BUT, when I connect the camera to the PC, the movie file is found and downloaded by the Canon software (CameraWindow) and it even shows in the preview pane of the PC! but nothing at all shows in the camera.
5) I checked the properties of the file and it shows as follows (among others):
File size: 152 MB
Image size: 640x480
Camera Model Name: A540
Recording time: 468:00
Frame rate: 30

The frame rate was set at 15 in VirtualDub and I assume the model number comes from canonavi. Could this be the problem and if so can anybody offer any suggestions on how to overcome it?
Many thanks

[onecut]

First hi everybody and thx for the precious CHDK FW!

I have subscribe to this forum for one thing and with little search it seems that this topic is the closer to my question:
Can we imagine playback any mpeg or divx video on a powershot using a custom fm that can support those file format?
Im mean watching 640x480 AVI (canon) on a TV is a lot of fun but im thinking about watching any compressed video using my S2 IS will but really great!
Transform the camera in a kind of media player center? (!)

Possible?

Thanks,
regards,
onecut.

[coupdeforce]

I'm having a problem with the "There is not a MJPEG Handler" error.

The console output is:

 Warning: File size is smaller than AVI RIFF file size
dwMaxBytesPerSec = 0
dwMicroSecPerFrame = 66667
dwWidth = 320
dwHeight = 240
dwTotalFrames = 397
dwSuggestedBufferSize (MaxFrameSize) = 0
Warning! fccHadnler!='mjpg', set to 'mjpg'

Edit:

I was able to get another version of the program from GrAnd's second link, http://elfsoft.narod.ru/

http://elfsoft.narod.ru/files/avi2canon.rar

I ran that on the file, like it says: avi2canon.exe <source.avi> <destination.avi>

and it didn't make the .thm file, but then I used canonavi.exe on the destination .avi and it worked!

Thanks a lot to everyone who explained how to do this.

Edit 2:

I also found that it's limited to the first 3 minutes.  Then I noticed the explanation on elfsoft is that it's "caused by the properties of fotika".

[kbforge]

Well done coupdeforce, you solved the last problem. But the 3 minute limit makes the victory somewhat hollow.
Is there anyway to overcome it?
Cheers

[coupdeforce]

I'm not sure why there's a 3 minute limit, maybe someone who understands russian could find out more.

[Barney Fife]

Deleted

[coupdeforce]

I was using the LEAD MJPEG codec (with all the right settings), which didn't work for canonavi but did work for avi2canon.

I just tried using the PICVideo MJPEG codec and it worked fine with canonavi, converting the whole file.

Linked from here: http://dobryiy.narod.ru/canon/canon.htm

There's an installer: ftp://ftp2.pegasusimaging.com/picvideo/PICVIDEO.EXE
with some interesting information about it on that page http://dobryiy.narod.ru/canon/canon.htm

I was pleasantly surprised at how well the fast forward speed increases as the button is held down, which works great for moving through large movies.


[Moderator: made slight edit to your post, I think you'll know why.]

[shali]

Hi, I can store AVI files in my A570 and watch them without problems, but I would like to use headphones. I know that there is audio on first and video on second channel, I can handle it. But problem is, that everytime I connect headphones to camera, the display goes dark (well it is suppost to). Can this be overriden somehow? Or it is a hardware thing and no CHDK could change it?

Thanks

[hejm]

Could guy(s) who made that canonavi program make it so it accepts 15fps and less. Most common fps in videos are:

29,97
23,976
25

So when you use in virtualdub Frame rate > Frame rate decimation > Process every other frame (decimate by 2) ...cuts frame rate in half ...audio and video are in synch and the video is watchable.

Can canon camera play 11,988fps or must be whole number like 15?