Video cameras and video editing software use different file types (e.g., .avi, .mov, .mp4, etc.) and codecs (i.e., compression formats used to manage the file size) when saving or exporting videos. The file type and codecs are often optimized for video players commonly associated with the camera/editor. Video analysis applications such as Logger Pro must be able to make sense of the information in the video file in order to replay the video as was intended when the video was created. A movie will not play properly if the video player cannot read or understand the information contained in the video file. While Logger Pro can handle may different file types and codecs, there are some that are not supported.

A video that won’t play correctly is most likely in a format that is incompatible with the video player that Logger Pro uses for video playback. Here are some typical symptoms of an incompatible video file:

• The video plays back at the wrong rate.
• The video has fewer frames than expected.
• The video is not oriented correctly (rotated or upside down)
• The playback controls don’t work normally, preventing playback or cropping of the video.
• The video is blank.
• The timestamps don’t make sense after adding a few points.

Here are some additional details

• The Logger Pro video player on Windows is based on Windows Media Foundation. Windows Media Foundation opens a wide variety of files, but not all formats and codecs.
• The Logger Pro video player on macOS uses the macOS AV Foundation toolset. Like the Windows equivalent, it opens a wide variety of files, but not all formats and codecs.
• Note that while many video files can be opened on both macOS and Windows, there will be some that open on only one platform or the other, and some that will open on neither.

Troubleshooting

1) Make sure your Logger Pro software is up to date
If you have macOS 10.15 or newer you must use Logger Pro 3.16 or newer to use video features. For Logger Pro updates, see
https://www.vernier.com/downloads/logger-pro-updates/

2) Make sure you are inserting the video using the correct command
You cannot insert a video by using the Open command from the File menu. This will generate an error message about incompatible file types. Instead, you must use the Movie command from the Insert menu to insert a video.

3) Try using a different camera
Try using a different camera to capture your video. If a video from a different camera works correctly, then it is likely that the file format and/or codec of the original camera is incompatible with Logger Pro on your device.

4) Try converting the video to another format
If a different camera is not an option try converting the video to another format. For information on how to do that, see
How can I convert a video to a different file format or codec?

5) Contact us for additional assistance
If none of the above steps help, contact us (support@vernier.com) and we will help if possible. Please be prepared to provide your device and browser information and a sample video that shows the problem.

Related Information

How do I transfer a Logger Pro file containing a movie or image to another computer?
Why does the movie player in Logger Pro show a blank panel?
Logger Pro displays video as solid green
Why does a video captured on an iOS device give a codec error or render as a gray or black box in Logger Pro, Graphical Analysis Pro, or Vernier Video Analysis?