How do I preview a media file?
I don't recommend you use Kazaa to preview a media file. If it works for you, that's great, but there are a lot of people who have problems with it. I just use Windows Media Player or VideoLAN.
To preview a file, wait until you have downloaded at least 500 KB of the file (for big files, such as movies of couple of MB is better). Then pause the download.
Option 1:
Copy the file to another directory. (Like My Documents) Then change the extension to the correct one (.mp3 .avi .mpg etc.). Then play it in Windows Media Player (or another player). For some movie files this will not work. If so, try option 2.
Option 2:
Open your partial downloaded movie (or a copy of it) with VideoLAN.
You can download this free player here.
Why can’t I preview a certain media file?
There are two main reasons for this:
- Some media files cannot be previewed because of their nature. MP3 and MPEG should play, AVI does not always work. Try the VideoLAN client (see above).
- The file is in use. Watching or playing the file while it downloads isn't possible. If you tried playing it in the KaZaA theatre before you tried another videoplayer, it might also be in use. Close KaZaA and try again.
I hear no sound when I play a video file.
You don't have the Codec you need to play that type of video. There is a codec for each different system of encoding sound or video files.
Install the Nimo Codec Pack. Instructions are below on this page.
I have problems playing a video file.
You don't have the Codec you need to play that type of video. There is a codec for each different system of encoding sound or video files.
Install the Nimo Codec Pack. Instructions are below on this page.
When I preview an audio/video file, it contains some parts of other audio/video files that I have downloaded, but the file is correct when completed downloading
When you delete a file, only the pointer (in the file allocation table or FAT) to that file is removed to make the space the file used become free. The actual data stays on your disk until it is overwritten by another file.
When KaZaA creates a .dat file (partial download), it claims a bit of free space on your harddrive for this file. The data will be downloaded into that claimed space, overwriting the old data. When you preview your partial download, it thus can contain some old data from another file (which was not yet overwritten, because your download is not complete yet).
How to install the Nimo Codec Pack (Lite version)
Download Nimo Codec Pack Lite for playback support for the most commonly used video formats.
These instructions are based on version 1.0 of Nimo Codec Pack Lite
Only install the following things (de-select everything else!):
- Video > ffdshow play DivX 3,4,5 XviD
- Audio / Directshow > DivX ;) Audio
- Audio / Directshow > Fraunhofer MPEG-layer 3 codec
- Audio / Directshow > Ogg Vorbis audio codec
- Audio / Directshow > Ogg Vorbis directshow
- Audio / Directshow > AC3 audio decoder
- Audio / Directshow > MPEG layer-2 audio decoder
How to install the Nimo Codec Pack (Normal version)
Download Nimo Codec Pack for playback and encoding support for the most commonly used video formats.
These instructions are based on version 5.0 build 8 of Nimo Codec Pack.
Only install the following things (de-select everything else!):
- Video Codecs > DivX 3.11 Alpha
- Video Codecs > DivX 5.02
- Video Codecs > Xvid
- Video Codecs > Microsoft MPEG-4
- Video Codecs > 3ivx 3.5 codec
- Audio Codecs > -Select them all-
- Directshow filters > VOB directshow filters
- Directshow filters > LAME MP3 directshow
- Directshow filters > Subtitle picture decoder
- Directshow filters > Subtitler directshow
- Directshow filters > Ogg Vorbis directshow
- Directshow filters > Fraunhofer MPEG-2 directshow filders A/V
- Directshow filters > AC3 audio decoder
- Directshow filters > DivX antifreeze 0.4
- Directshow filters > MPEG layer-2 audio decoder
More codec links
DivX - Nimo Codec Pack - Quicktime
How to make a VCD / SVCD
Very detailed guides to do this can be found here:
How can I play a downloaded movie on my standalone DVD player ?
Most standalone DVD players support VCD and/or SVCD playback. You can see if yours does on your player or in the manual.
If you movie in in mpeg format you are lucky. That can easily be converted to (S)VCD. DivX movies are more difficult. Converting those take a lot of time and at a loss of quality.
Very detailed guides to do this can be found here:
How to rip a DVD?
Very detailed guides to do this can be found here:
How to create a DivX movie?
Very detailed guides to do this can be found here: