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    All in one Video Codec?

    Discussion in 'Windows OS and Software' started by BVD, Nov 9, 2005.

  1. BVD

    BVD Notebook Geek

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    I was just wondering if there was an all in one video codec that I could download so I can play a variety of file types on Windows Media Player. I at least want one that can play the most common types of video file. It would be helpful so I dont have to go through and download all the codecs individually. Any suggestions?
     
    BVD, Nov 9, 2005
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  2. drumfu

    drumfu super modfu

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    i would avoid downloading codecs and codec packs. they are quite suspect. instead just get VLC player which should have no problems playing anything you throw at it.
     
    drumfu, Nov 9, 2005
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  3. qwester

    qwester Notebook Virtuoso

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    ya vlc is good.

    I think that you would still need to get divx codec.

    and for real player and quicktime, you can get "real alternative" and "quicktime alternative" (just google them)
     
    qwester, Nov 9, 2005
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  4. BVD

    BVD Notebook Geek

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    What's wrong with codecs? I never heard of VLC before, I'll give it a shot. VLC works like a codec, I downloaded it and now I can play some of the files that I couldnt in Windows media Player.
     
    BVD, Nov 9, 2005
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  5. barrist

    barrist Notebook Consultant

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    only thing you need is ffdshow and real/quicktime alternative if you need em.
     
    barrist, Nov 9, 2005
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  6. drumfu

    drumfu super modfu

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    the problem with downloading random codecs or codec packs are the potential for viruses, spyware, etc.

    VLC is actually an open source player with built in streaming capabilities. it's a player that uses codecs; not a codec in itself.
     
    drumfu, Nov 9, 2005
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  7. onick

    onick Notebook Consultant

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    Has anyone here tried the "k-Lite Codec Pack"? i am running it for several months and i am pretty satisfied with it. :)
     
    onick, Nov 10, 2005
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  8. TaCtIkZ

    TaCtIkZ Notebook Guru

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    TaCtIkZ, Nov 10, 2005
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  9. ngocthach1130

    ngocthach1130 Notebook Guru

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    Yeah ffdshow does work pretty good. But recently there's also Matroska(.mkv) and Vorbis(.ogg) you're going to need other codec for those. Although it's worth it because they add function like subtitle and multilanguage. You can choose to add subtitle or change voice from one language to another
     
    ngocthach1130, Nov 13, 2005
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  10. Shampoo

    Shampoo Notebook Deity

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    I agree with TaCtIkZ get that codec pack from free-codecs.com, as I have used that and am doing fine with it.

    Yes downloading and installing VLC will be the same as installing codec packs as it installs its codec pack into windows.

    They have many codec packs but essentially they do the same job with different versions of the codecs.

    Cheers, hope that helps
    Mike
     
    Shampoo, Nov 15, 2005
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  11. RadcomTxx

    RadcomTxx Notebook Deity

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    I have used k-lite most of the time, but with the plethora of videos i watch, and with so many codecs out there, it is hard to get total compatibility. Another nod to ffdshow, matroska and such. As for all in one players, media player classic is another good one to rival vlc. It generally has everything built in, but sometimes you need to update the codecs separately. (such as if the vid maker is using the very latest of something and mpc hasn't yet been updated)
     
    RadcomTxx, Nov 15, 2005
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  12. jegHegy

    jegHegy Notebook Enthusiast

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    listen to him.
     
    jegHegy, Nov 15, 2005
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  13. LuckMC11

    LuckMC11 Computer Extraoirdinaire NBR Reviewer

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    i only use the DivX and XviD codecs...they work great for me!!! :D :D
     
    LuckMC11, Nov 16, 2005
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  14. pt9386

    pt9386 Notebook Consultant

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    There isn't really any "All-in-One" Codec out there, but I have use the ACEMega Pack with media player classic for a while now and it has worked great up until I encounter some other codecs I need. Since, I listen and watch all different types of files I am constantly downloading different codecs to be able to watch them on either media player classic or Winamp 5.11. The www.free-codecs.com site is a good one to get what you need, but I found Quicktime Alternative to be very troublesome. I had to uninstall it and install Quicktime 7 because it wouldn't play Quicktime files at all. It would just open my media player for a quick second and then, quickly close it. But Real Alternative was a godsend because RealPlayer, to be honest, sucks to death with all its ads and such.
     
    pt9386, Nov 16, 2005
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  15. dr_st

    dr_st Notebook Deity

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    I used to be pretty satisfied with K-Lite. I used the Mega Codec Pack, which includes the basic codec pack, Real/QT Alternatives and also comes with BSPlayer (my favorite video player). But the latest versions have been giving me trouble... 1.25 wouldn't play RealMedia files properly - they'd all get stretched or shrunk... The latest 1.43 seems to work, but it introduced some weird bug in BSPlayer, where pausing/unpausing or just skipping to a different place in the movie resets the volume to 100%, regardless of how you set the volume level in the software. What's more annoying is that this bug stayed even after I uninstalled and put the old version back on, and even reinstalled my Audigy drivers...

    With all this I find it hard to recommend K-Lite anymore. Not to mention that it failed to work at all on my Win98SE machine...
     
    dr_st, Nov 18, 2005
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