Changing a video's thumbnail in Vista. Is it possible?

Hi,

Is it possible to manually change a video's thumbnail from the one automatically generated by Vista?

As I understand it, Vista generates thumbnails of videos (from seemingly random early frames), and stores them in small caches in the system folder.

My main grievance is that the thumbnails are usually black screens, or shots from uninteresting scenes, and so I'd like to be able to swap the thumbnail that Vista has stored with an image file of my choosing.

I remember reading somewhere that .jpg files sharing the file name of the target video (but without the extension), were used as the thumbnail by the operating system. However, this could have been for XP, as I've not heard it mentioned in the context of Vista.

I have been searching for a long time for a solution and as far as I can see, nobody knows how to do it. I guess I'm just pedantic, but I like things to look pretty, so if anybody does know how it can be done, I'd be grateful.

James

Thread Moved.

You can make a change.Check here for more details:-


http://forums.techarena.in/vista-mus...eo/1013671.htm

It is possible to manually change a video's thumbnail from the one automatically generated by Vista?

It depends on:
a. the codec you use
b. the settings for windows thumbnailing

Hey Why don't you use Videocharge - 3.8, The VideoCharge will allow you to perform practically any operations with incoming files such as splitting files up into several scenes, merging several files into a single file, cutting scene(s) out of video files, creating video file(s) based on selected scene(s), creating thumbnails for video files in manual or automatic mode, addition Watermark to movie(s) or thumbnail(s), solving Interlaced Video problem.
Download it from here http://www.download32.com/videocharge-i19695.html

Rameez.J - Sorry.
Capers - I read that thread, but it doesn't seem to help with my specific problem.
Gusgr8 - The only non-standard codecs I use are DivX and XviD, which generate thumbnails fine for all of my files, they're just not what I'd choose if I could do so myself.
Jimmy24 - I might be pedantic, but I'm still poor. :crybaby:

Thanks for the input so far, Techs. I think it's just one of those things that doesn't have a solution. Thanks anyway.

James

In Windows Vista’s Windows Explorer window, when user chooses to display the files and folders listing in Extra Large Icons, Large Icons, Medium Icons and Tiles view, Windows Vista can show a preview thumbnail on the icons of folders itself using content inside the folders, normally image and photo or file type icon if there is no graphic file inside the folder.

The thumbnail preview picture on folders’ icon listing in Windows Explorer window allows user to have a quick yet comprehensive glance about the file contents that may contains inside the folders. However, sometimes, the thumbnail preview image is not the one that user wants. In this case, user can customize or self define a picture to be used, placed and showed on the folder icon.

1. In Windows Explorer, at folder parent level, right click on the folder that want to change its preview image on folder icon, and then select Properties.
2. Click on Customize tab.
3. Under Folder pictures section, click on Choose File button.
4. In “Browse” dialog box appears, select an image file to represent the folder and to show on the folder icon when viewing directory listing in supported views, and click Open.
5. The selected picture will be used as thumbnail preview image on folder icon with immediate effect.
6. To revert the setting (remove the user-set folder picture, click on Restore Default button instead.

Alternative Method:

1. Copy an image in .JPG or .GIF format that user want to use as folder picture into the folder itself.
2. Rename the picture file name to Folder. For example, Picture1.jpg should be renamed to Folder.jpg and Picture1.gif should be renamed to Folder.gif.
3. Optionally, set the folder picture file (Folder.img) with hidden attribute to prevent it from displaying when listing folder’s contents.
4. To revert and restore the original Windows Vista automatic assigned folder pictures, just delete the Folder.img file.
5. Note that for alternative method, .BMP and .PNG image formats is not supported.

Source: mydigitallife.info

Expertz, that guide is for changing the folder image, not the .avi files' thumbnails.

Thanks, anyway.

James