Not all multimedia files can be controlled alike, but the default build-in, independent INTERACT Video Player can handle next to any modern video format right out of the box.
IMPORTANT: Always perform this test before you start coding with a new video type.
To check if the currently used video codec is accurate enough, follow those steps:
▪Open the video(s) within INTERACT
FPS Value
▪Check the fps value in the top left corner of your video window; this should match the rate at which the video was recorded. Most common values: 25 fps (PAL, Europe), 29.97 fps (NTSC, USA), 10 or 15 fps (screen recording).
▪Press 
Play to run the video.
▪Check the time format of the ongoing time value in the Observation ribbon 
:
The time format is HH:MM:SS:FRAMES or HH:MM:SS.MS.
If the last 2 digits show you seconds instead of frames or milliseconds, you need another codec.
▪Pause the video and rewind it to the start 
.
Video Duration
▪Check the length of your video in the Windows Explorer (Windows 7 & 8: Select the file and look at the details at the bottom of the window; Windows XP: Right-click the file and choose Properties and then Details).
▪Verify that this duration matches the duration of the session. If they differ significantly, there is a problem in your digitizing process (unless you work with time lapse material of course).
▪Position the video at its end time, using the slider or click 
and compare the time value in INTERACT with the duration information from the Windows Explorer (or GSpot or MediaInfo).
▪Position the video near the end of the file and let the video play until the end. Check if the video and the ongoing time code stop at the same time. Should either of the two continue, after the other has stopped, you need a better playback codec. Read the section Codecs and Playback Software for details.
Position Accuracy
▪Position your video at an easy to identify spot.
▪Click the 
Frame forward and 
Frame Reverse buttons a couple of times, to control your video frame by frame.
▪Click 
to log some test Events.
▪Press the SPACEBAR to log sample events without codes - pay close attention to the visible frame the moment you do this.
▪Log some sample events at the start, the middle and the end of the video.
▪Double-click on any of the logged time codes and check if the video is re-positioned in the right spot - slipping frames might occur, but by differences bigger than 2-3 frames, a better solution should be available.
Playback speed
▪To verify if the video can be played in slow motion and/or high speed, use the play-speed arrows 
within the Video Controls and click Play. Best to Pause the video before you change the speed.
IMPORTANT: The visible time information, especially at high speed, can get out of sync with the displayed video frame. Re-adjust video and time information by moving 1 frame forward or backwards before you log an event.
▪Playback should be fluent, if not; you might face a performance problem on your system. You can check this in the Windows Taskmanager on the Performance tab. Please read the Time Code Trouble topic in the Getting Help chapter for further details.
Multiple Videos Simultaneously
▪INTERACT is able to handle multiple videos simultaneously, but unfortunately not all video codecs are able to do this. The most important requirement, however, is sufficient system capacity!
▪HD videos require very much CPU power, so simultaneous playback will require real high-end computers.
▪During simultaneous playback of multiple videos over a longer period - especially using none Mangold-Lab videos - the videos may get out of sync.
▪Re-adjust videos and time information by Pausing the video before you log an Event.
If all of this works fine, you are all set!
Note: Should any of the above fail, verify if you video type is listed among the tested one listed in INTERACT Player AND check the PC's workload on the Performance tab of the Windows Task Manager.
If your video format is not listed:
▪Send us detailed information about your video - as identified in the first step - and a detailed description of your issue to support@mangold-international.com.