AVI in Premiere Pro 4.0.1

Question

Can anyone explain why, when I import my avi files into an Encore 4.0.1 timeline, they playback perfectly.
However, when I import them into a Premiere Pro 4.0.1 sequence, they do not playback correctly at all (no display in monitor, audio is heard but is incorrect).
TIA

Answer 1

Thanks for redoing the G-Spot screen. Don't know why attachments take forever to get out of queue.
Now, the problem with your AVI files is that they are using the Xvid CODEC. This is an open source version of DivX CODEC. Both of these are very heavily compressed CODEC's designed to create streaming media files of a small size for delivery only. They do their jobs well for this one purpose - delivery only.
However, one might be asked to edit this material. First, quality has taken a big hit. It can never be recovered. The only way to edit these is to convert the files to something that an editing application can use and work with. I happen to use DigitalMedia Converter (DMC) to do this, when I get handed almost any footage that is not DV-AVI Type II w/ 48KHz 16-bit PCM/WAV Audio. Write that down, as it will be your target setting for any conversion program that you use. I like DMC, because it works with almost any format/CODEC that I throw at it (you will need to HAVE the CODEC properly installed for it to work with it - you can use G-Spot to get the official name of the necessary CODEC and then Google to find it), and has batch processing. I can load it up with files, check the settings fire it up and go get my coffee. Depending on the speed of one's machine, the Duration of the files and the CODEC that is used, in no time, you'll have those DV-AVI Type II files. Import them into PrPro and edit away. The one downside of DMC is that it is not freeware. It costs ~US$50, but I love it so much that I own a copy for each of my computers. There are freeware converters available. I do not use any, so I cannot comment on any. There are many recs. on this forum and one many more. With some freeware, you get what you pay for. Still, there are some good programs out there, but you have to try them to see. Many seem to do a good job, and then the audio is gone, or the video stutters horribly. If that happens after a few tries, move on to another freeware conversion program. Don't fight it. Just try another.
The first trick of editing is to always convert any non-standard footage to DV-AVI Type II, before you Import it. Obviously, HD material will differ and there are more choices and more concerns. Take those on a case-by-case basis. I'm only talking SD footage here.
Now, remember that I mentioned "highly compressed" earlier on. This means that the quality has been squeezed out already. You can never put it back. You just have to understand that the result will never be as good, as if you have been given the original source files. Only you can determine if the quality hit is acceptable.
Good luck, and do not hesitate to ask more questions. I hope that the quality of your Xvid material will still work for you. I find the results just bad of marginal, but that's me.
Hunt