windows 7 codec pack

[PreKe]

Codec packs are useless these days.

What if one wants to do encoding, and also make absolutely sure all videos work?

I used https://www.neowin.net/forum/index.php?act=announce&f=12&id=11 Codec Pack in the past, but not on Windows 7 :)

[Xilo]

The ONLY codecs you NEED to play ALL video&audio formats in Windows 7 are:

Video: Ffdshow -newest build: http://sourceforge.net/projects/ffdshow-tryout/ - uncheck all Audio processing and leave only the video (default settings) !

Audio: AC3 Filter for Ac3/DTS processing:

http://ac3filter.googlecode.com/files/ac3filter_1_63b.exe

Everything else, especially the so called codec packs aka TRASH will render your system useless after some time. Trust me!

Why the hell would you use Directshow filters in place of WMF codecs?

[pezzonovante]

Use shark 007's codec packs to play everything using the beautiful WMP12. Stay a hundred miles away from craps like VLC and MPC.

[_I am Reptar]

Use shark 007's codec packs to play everything using the beautiful WMP12. Stay a hundred miles away from craps like VLC and MPC.

I hope you're joking...

[ilev]

Windows 7 doesn't need a codec pack. What's not supported doesn't need to be heard or seen , according to Microsoft, on this super-duper out-of-this-world magnificent OS.

You can install VLC or MPC (Media Player Classic HomeCinema) and you won't need to install codecs :-)

[0nyX]

Use shark 007's codec packs to play everything using the beautiful WMP12. Stay a hundred miles away from craps like VLC and MPC.

Terminate your Internet connection with your ISP and stop posting.

Seriously.

[HawkMan]

I like how the vlc/mpc fanclub gets all hot and bothered when other people don't like their software choice.

seriously VLC is just pure annoying on top of being ugly and it works like ****, video quality also tends to be sub par. MPC is somewhat barely passable as a video player, but again but ugly UI.

WMP just happens to work and look good doing it without needing to install these win95 remnants.

[Singh400]

I hope you're joking...

While VLC is great in some respects (ie plays anything no codecs required) in some respects like UI and quality of playback are severely lacking in my opinion. MPC-HC is much better though, and I have no gripes with that (Y)

[Minchino]

None. MPC used to be a good combo with ffdshow, but MPC-HC has all the ffdshow-tryouts filters built in now, so you don't really need ffdshow either.

MPC-HC or VLC.

Unless you really like WMP12 (*shudders*) then just install ffdshow-tryouts. Stay away from codec 'packs'.

[cacoe]

WMP just happens to work and look good doing it without needing to install these win95 remnants.

lol, you realize that there are newer builds of VLC and MPCHC than there are of WMP?

You might like the look of WMP which is fine but that doesn't mean to say the looks of these apps should define their ability.

Also, when it comes down to it, who looks at the pretty user interface of their media player while watching a movie?

[HawkMan]

lol, you realize that there are newer builds of VLC and MPCHC than there are of WMP?

You might like the look of WMP which is fine but that doesn't mean to say the looks of these apps should define their ability.

Also, when it comes down to it, who looks at the pretty user interface of their media player while watching a movie?

what does the age of the builds matter ?

and it's not really about it being pretty. thoguh I like my apps to not look like they where made for win95. however, WMP's sleek design in integrating the play uttons and seek bar in the video without ugly overlays that cover the movie and crap. but a nice well design transparent overlay. yeah, that wins.

Granted I don't really use any of these for major movie watching, that all happens in media portal through my htpc box. but when I do watch movies or suchon my laptop, I ave no need for anything but wmp though I usually keep KM player installed, but WMP and Zune does have far better in movie UI's. and they're far more stable. despite the the constant updates (seriously newer builds and new updates weekly+ is not a mark of good quality)

[Mouldy Punk]

Out of curiosity, what does Win 7 support out of the box and what doesn't it? I haven't run into any problems playing DVDs or any media files on my PC. I wonder if there is any need for a codec pack any more.

[HawkMan]

Out of curiosity, what does Win 7 support out of the box and what doesn't it? I haven't run into any problems playing DVDs or any media files on my PC. I wonder if there is any need for a codec pack any more.

What most peopel will notice, is the mkv container, well most people probably won't, but it's the big one, thoguh it does generally support what's inside the mkv container.

[Xilo]

Out of curiosity, what does Win 7 support out of the box and what doesn't it? I haven't run into any problems playing DVDs or any media files on my PC. I wonder if there is any need for a codec pack any more.

Things it doesn't support out of the box:

Open source audio formats

Subtitles

MKV

OGG

Quicktime

[HawkMan]

Things it doesn't support out of the box:

Open source audio formats

Subtitles

MKV

OGG

Quicktime

Open source audio formats and ODD is redundant. especially since OGG is pretty much it. and honestly. back when it first camje out I was a big fan and ripped my music in it. then I realized it had no advantages over other new formats, and unlike them, hardly any PMP's supported the format, and the ones that did where real expensive. OGG as an audio format is essentially dead outside nerd basements.

and it actually does support quicktime though.

And as I said, it essentially does support most stuff in the mkv, just not the container.

[hdood]

Things it doesn't support out of the box:

Open source audio formats

Subtitles

MKV

OGG

Quicktime

It supports QuickTime as a container, but the only video format normally found in QT files it supports is H.264 and I guess maybe some camera formats. Really though, your list shows that there is very little of interest that is not supported. If you want MKV, you install Haali Media Splitter. If you want subtitles, you install the VobSub filter. If you want OGG support, you install the Vorbis filter. This list is so short that everyone should just download and install these manually instead of resorting to dubious codec packs.

I sometimes wonder where people are getting files in all these obscure formats to actually need 300 different codecs installed.

OGG as an audio format is essentially dead outside nerd basements

It has found a niche though, even if it isn't popular as a standalone format. It is used a fair bit as an internal audio format for games and applications (even Spotify!), because it's free. Not relevant to the discussion, but who doesn't like trivia.

[simonlang]

Things it doesn't support out of the box:

Open source audio formats

Subtitles

MKV

OGG

Quicktime

yep it deffo doesnt support mkv out of the box, thats why i need a codec pack or at least install ffdshow; once i thought i could just use vlc player to play mkv files, it was fine for short files with size about 50MB, but then i wanted to watch some movies as bluray rips and vlc player was dead slow, caused high cpu usage and it was unusable ...

[HawkMan]

yep it deffo doesnt support mkv out of the box, thats why i need a codec pack or at least install ffdshow; once i thought i could just use vlc player to play mkv files, it was fine for short files with size about 50MB, but then i wanted to watch some movies as bluray rips and vlc player was dead slow, caused high cpu usage and it was unusable ...

no, you actually only need a matroska splitter, like hali.

though personally I'll grab shark's since it does the same as installing those things manually in additions to adding support for a few more obscure things I sometime scome along in anime and stuff. and neither shark or cccp cause any kind of the problems old codec packs did. so I don't see why I should grab the stuff manually rather than just grab one pack and have it done automatically for me wuthout havign to search for the obscure stuff when I do need it.

[hdood]

yep it deffo doesnt support mkv out of the box, thats why i need a codec pack or at least install ffdshow; once i thought i could just use vlc player to play mkv files, it was fine for short files with size about 50MB, but then i wanted to watch some movies as bluray rips and vlc player was dead slow, caused high cpu usage and it was unusable ...

Why not install Haali Media Splitter? Seriously. You can install that and nothing else, and WMP will play MKVs just fine. There is no need for any codec packs or things like ffdshow. If you happen to have audio problems with an MKV, it's almost always solved with AC3Filter. If you need subtitles, DirectVobSub takes care of that.

These are the only three things 99.87% of people need to install to play almost anything with WMP.

[Osirus23]

yep it deffo doesnt support mkv out of the box, thats why i need a codec pack or at least install ffdshow; once i thought i could just use vlc player to play mkv files, it was fine for short files with size about 50MB, but then i wanted to watch some movies as bluray rips and vlc player was dead slow, caused high cpu usage and it was unusable ...

MKV is just a container, use Haali media splitter and WMP will be able to decode the H.264 video.

[Preppy Veteran]

get with the times, it's at least 5 years since codec packs where a issue and headache.

I'm not going to call that a bald-faced lie, but I did think about it. Various codec packs that are still being downloaded (why is garbage like ACE still on the net?) are still corrupt, and most of the others were problematic through at least 2008 - with the old versions of those packs still causing MILLIONS of problems.

I cannot vouch for the current sanity of chaos, err, "codec" packs. I *can* vouch for the recent and still-affecting-millions-of-users problems of codec packs ""designed"" without adequate testing or area knowledge.

Windows 7 doesn't need a codec pack. What's not supported doesn't need to be heard or seen , according to Microsoft, on this super-duper out-of-this-world magnificent OS.

Why troll?

There's a huge difference between "getting codecs from the vendors themselves, thus potentially ensuring increased stability and sanity" vs "getting codecs from warez distributions of old versions of codecs, stealing dollars away from the relevant companies that might have gone towards improving those codecs, as well as trusting some random pirate to make a half-decent install of a codec they know little about and don't tend to know the problems of".

A message of "get the exact codec you need directly from the codec vendor" seems like an excellent plan.

If you're making a cynical jab about MS locking down the already-inbox-supported codecs a little more, I'll call that cynical jab and reraise you many many many million crashes resultant from bad third party codecs.... including xvid, ffdshow, and divx, among others. It may be a strange and unique idea that MS might want to be shipping you software that doesn't crash and is harder to destabilize, but it's an interesting and worthwhile concept in my book.

[Xilo]

I'm not going to call that a bald-faced lie, but I did think about it. Various codec packs that are still being downloaded (why is garbage like ACE still on the net?) are still corrupt, and most of the others were problematic through at least 2008 - with the old versions of those packs still causing MILLIONS of problems.

I cannot vouch for the current sanity of chaos, err, "codec" packs. I *can* vouch for the recent and still-affecting-millions-of-users problems of codec packs ""designed"" without adequate testing or area knowledge.

Why troll?

There's a huge difference between "getting codecs from the vendors themselves, thus potentially ensuring increased stability and sanity" vs "getting codecs from warez distributions of old versions of codecs, stealing dollars away from the relevant companies that might have gone towards improving those codecs, as well as trusting some random pirate to make a half-decent install of a codec they know little about and don't tend to know the problems of".

A message of "get the exact codec you need directly from the codec vendor" seems like an excellent plan.

If you're making a cynical jab about MS locking down the already-inbox-supported codecs a little more, I'll call that cynical jab and reraise you many many many million crashes resultant from bad third party codecs.... including xvid, ffdshow, and divx, among others. It may be a strange and unique idea that MS might want to be shipping you software that doesn't crash and is harder to destabilize, but it's an interesting and worthwhile concept in my book.

This post just shows your arrogance and complete lack of knowledge. Thousands of people use Shark and CCCP. They are the defacto standard for codec packs. All they really include anyways is ffdshow, vobsub, haali's media splitter, mpc-hc, and a couple other small things with some default settings set up. I would say these packs are MORE stable than getting them directly from the vendor or downloading the latest version because at least with the CCCP team, a lot of testing goes in to make sure nothing screws up your PC or video playback goes bonkers.

[Preppy Veteran]

This post just shows your arrogance and complete lack of knowledge.

This would come as a surprise to CCCP, Shark, clsid, and others who I've helped point out implementation flaws to. I don't claim brilliance, just knowledge. I have no idea of your areas of technical expertise, but I've probably worked with more companies professionally and casually in this space than 99.999% of people on the planet. If you're in that 0.001%, bravo to you - but if you don't know what I'm talking about, you're completely discrediting yourself.

As re: arrogance: I apologize for being terse when rehashing the same stupid discussion for the millionth time. The people that ARE defending codec packs blindly are ignorant. If we can't agree on that, you're not qualified to comment knowledgeably upon this area. What a smarter more technical person would do would be to recommend specific and exact iterations, given the huge landmines in this area.

If this were a work email, I would have used 72 point font for "huge" there, and if this conversation continued I'd loop in your manager because I would gravely doubt your competence. I reserve and cherish the right to Be Right when I have my hands on heartbreaking stats backing up my comments, and when the codec pack makers themselves know exactly what I'm talking about. But you're going to defend them.... ?

Is it really an effective use of your time to preach upon dangerous subject areas you have little knowledge of? Perhaps you would be interested in contacting me directly offline (PM?) such that we don't waste other people's time. There is no possibility whatsoever that an educated person will disagree with me. Seriously.

Thousands of people use Shark and CCCP. They are the defacto standard for codec packs. All they really include anyways is ffdshow, vobsub, haali's media splitter, mpc-hc, and a couple other small things with some default settings set up. I would say these packs are MORE stable than getting them directly from the vendor or downloading the latest version because at least with the CCCP team, a lot of testing goes in to make sure nothing screws up your PC or video playback goes bonkers.

OK, so you're saying that CCCP might be a good choice. How about ACE? How about Tsunami? Are those dangerous and probably going to destabilize your system?

Perhaps the moral of the story is that MOST codec packs are BAD. Perhaps you're saying that PROBABLY CCCP might be in good hands right now. Knock on wood.

You know what I care about? Not looking beautiful or nice, but PEOPLE'S SYSTEMS WORKING CORRECTLY. Have fun bashing upon me or my poor communication skills, but don't you dare mislead people. You evidently have no clue how terrible this problem had gotten. It's STILL in horrible shape, but the cr*p is slooooooooooowly being flushed out of the system as people fix their systems or upgrade, plus or minus people using non-dangerous codec packs -- plus or minus yet to be noticed flaws in those as well.

Have you checked with Shark or clsid about what the #1 cause of crashes across multimedia on Windows Vista was? Maybe still is: I just help defang problems, I cannot retroactively undo the damage they've done.

My message: Codec packs are dangerous. Most codec packs are put together incompetently and do damage to your system. There are a FEW, very few, people that seem to care about this area. They are unfortunately reactively handling any issues, as they're generally just bundling interim builds of other people's works. The most competent scheme would be for the actual codec vendor to release redists that CCCP or others than redisted if needs be. Evidently we're not at that point.

Background and final note: Perhaps if someone such as myself had access for professional reasons to statistics tracking sources of crashes in Windows, perhaps that would lead to an ability to comment knowledgeably upon ... sources of crashes in Windows, and perhaps even software to avoid.

xoxo

I would strongly encourage PMs to mediate any miscommunication. I have the utmost love for you and everybody else, but I get passionate about people's systems working well. It's not fair to let random noobs get their systems boned because they're not savvy enough to know the critical difference between the 5.2 and 5.3 versions of XXXX.

[blizeH]

Really glad I found this thread - I'm a huge fan of Media Player Classic (HC) and purely by installing that I can now load all of my AVI and MKV files without even the slightest problem!

Just one very quick question though - whenever I press pause or play, or seek to another time, I get a little status message in the top left corner of the video - is there anyway to remove that please?

Thanks :)

[blizeH]

Also, if I move a video between monitors (which I do often) I get a green bar across the bottom, until I re-open the file - anyone else had this? :(