How to Play AVI Files

Want to know how to play AVI files? First, you need to know what they are and how they work. "AVI" stands for "audio video interleave." AVI files represent a special type of data file format known as containers because they contain audio and video information, but the way that information is encoded can vary. Since there is no standard way to encode information in AVI files, not all video playback devices are equipped to handle every AVI file.

Decoding Your AVI File
In order for a video playback device to play an AVI file, it must be decoded. The device needs to be told how to do this. That's where codecs come in. Codecs are programs that decode digital video and audio for streaming media. Many playback devices already have some codecs installed. For this reason, some AVI files may already work for you. However, if you attempt to play an AVI file and it fails, you've probably seen an error message stating you lack the proper codecs to play the file.

Finding And Downloading The Right Codecs
Luckily, there is a way you can download codecs that you need. You can download codecs in a pack that contain some of the most often used codecs bundled together. This way may not be the most efficient, but it presents an easy solution. You could also download a product called AVICodec, which tells you what codecs you need. Then you could search for the specific codec your AVI file needs to play, download it and install it.

Most video playback devices come with the most common codecs already installed, so you shouldn't have much of a problem playing AVI files on newer computers. However, if it does not play, it's mostly likely caused by the right codecs not being installed. Once you find the right codecs, you should have no problem getting the AVI file up and running.