video hickups when not opened through utorrent

[cyberdad]

This is really strange. When I open a downloaded video file(s) through utorrent using the context menu->open it plays fine in VLC (my default media player).

But when I try to play the very same file(s) by opening it from windows explorer (or opus or whatever shell i may be using) it plays with interrupts (hickups) like if some parts are missing (which they dont). Video freezes momentarily then skips a few seconds forward (20-60 seconds).

This playback glitch does not happen randomly, it happens at specific times through out a video file (each file has its own pattern).

I tried removing the torrents,moving the files -> same result.

The same thing also happens with Media Player Classic (+ffdshow).

Didn't try yet but I am sure other players will have the same results.

So,

utorrent->open->VLC->plays fine

file->open->VLC->plays bad

file->open->MPC->plays bad

I also just tried playing some of these videos on my second PC and got the exact same results. So it is certainly some kind of corruption in the files. The question though is this: How can this corruption not happen when the files are opened through utorrent?! Thats insane...

I am using Panda Internet Security

Player: VLC,MPC(+ffdshow)

my box:

INTEL Q6600@3,2

DFI LanParty 680i

CORSAIR 800 4-4-4-12 2GB RAM (checked)

ASUS 8800 GTS

2x500GB SATA (healthy)

2x120GB SATA (healthy)

Anyone else has experienced this? Any ideas?

[nos_slived]

Open VLC, and open the file within the application. What happens?

[cyberdad]

Run VCL->Open File-> Same result.

The only way for the files to play right is through utorrent->open.

[ajones81]

That's really weird... You're sure the files have been downloaded 100%?

When you're opening in stand-alone VLC, is uTorrent running? This shouldn't have any effect, but could you quit uTorrent completely and then try opening the file?

[cyberdad]

Not only did I try to play the videos with uTorrent not running, I also tried to play them on my second PC which doesnt even have uTorrent installed.

No matter if uTorrent is running or not, installed or not. The result is the same->corrupted playback.

Only exception being: uTorrent->right click on file->open... no problem.

I have seen a lot of weird things these 15 years I am in computers but this one is certainly in the top 5

[ajones81]

Man, this is a new one! Sorry, I've never seen anything like this so can't help you here...

[slipstream]

Weird indeed. Are you 100% (and double-checked) sure those are the very same files? I.e. did you try those very files in the download foler, w/o copying them?

[cyberdad]

Yes of course, 100%. Files are exactly the same ones.

This reminds me of another weird problem I had some months ago where windows explorer would only open a Hard Disk through right click->open and never when double clicking on it.

I never found out why And I am certain that this one with uTorrent is quite the same class of weirdness.

[Ultima]

lol what the? Normally, we get people complaining about how µTorrent corrupts videos (false claim), not how it fixes videos xD

[cyberdad]

Hehehe... it is happening here. So there you have it a brand new feature!

[Ultima]

Hm. Grab Process Explorer from sysinternals.com, and run it.

When you open the file from µTorrent, switch to Process Explorer and check the properties for the video player's process. In the Image tab, note the Command line field. Now close the video player, then try opening the file from Explorer and check the Command line field for the video player's process. Is there anything different?

Edit: Clarification... Close the process property dialog too each time after you're done looking at it.

[cyberdad]

You were right on using process explorer. I totally forgot about this. It showed me the (not so) obvious. It seems that I had downloaded 2 almost exactly same copies of these video files in 2 different folders. One folder being the default one (i guess) in "my documents\downloads" and the other being my selected one in "G:\Downloads" (the hard drive I am using for "my documents").

Long story short, I did do a trick I thought it would work and manually altered the resume file of these videos because I wanted them to download in my new location. Apparently that did not work and the files continued to download in the default location without me knowing about it.

So of course the playback was corrupted since I was opening the not finished versions whereas uTorrent opened the finished ones.

Hmmm... I admit I feel a little stupid now. Thank you all for trying to help me and especially Ultima who pointed to the right way of doing things.

[ajones81]

Oh well... Seems the new 'feature' got nixed...