Audio & Video Codecs

[ntluser]

I have just got a new machine with Windows XP Pro and want to ensure that I have all the necessary codecs to process all the files I encounter. Can any XP users recommend any "must have" codecs that they have found useful and point me in the direction of sites where they can be obtained please?

Any help gratefully appreciated.

[Richard M]

DivX: http://download.divx.com/divx/DivX511.exe
XVid: http://roeder.goe.net/~koepi/xvid.shtml
Radium mp3 codec (much better quality than the standard one, up to 320): http://www.riphelp.com/downloads/radium_codec.html
OGG: http://www.riphelp.com/downloads/ogg_codec.html

[Jon M]

Or just get the one codec pack to rule them all..
http://www.k-litecodecpack.com/

[Richard M]

One thing I found with that though, is that my mp3 codec got screwed up.
It could have just been that particular version though.

[ntl customer]

Don't install any of these codec packs unless you want to screw up and add unnecessary crap your system.

I installed a codec pack ages ago and I got lots of problems with MP3, MPEG anfd DIVX file playback in WMP. Restoring the system to its original state was a bit tricky as well.

Install codecs as and when you need them.

[Theodoric]

Originally Posted by ntl customer

Don't install any of these codec packs unless you want to screw up and add unnecessary crap your system.

I installed a codec pack ages ago and I got lots of problems with MP3, MPEG anfd DIVX file playback in WMP. Restoring the system to its original state was a bit tricky as well.

Install codecs as and when you need them.

A couple of questions if I may. For the same reason as ntluser, that is to be prepared for all eventualities, I downloaded DivX 5.11 a while ago, but I've been a bit wary of installing it. How do I install it; is it as simple as running the downloaded exe file? More importantly, can it give rise to any problems once installed?

EDIT I've XP Home Edition.

[punky]

Originally Posted by Theodoric

A couple of questions if I may. For the same reason as ntluser, that is to be prepared for all eventualities, I downloaded DivX 5.11 a while ago, but I've been a bit wary of installing it. How do I install it; is it as simple as running the downloaded exe file? More importantly, can it give rise to any problems once installed?

EDIT I've XP Home Edition.

You shouldn't be wary of installing it. It is fairly stable for me.

To install it, you will get an exe file which copies the files where it should etc. It also installs (if you choose it to) the DivX player (which you should install), as I have downloaded some videos that won't play through Winamp/WMP.

If you already have a codec installed, the new one over it shouldn't really cause any trouble. If it did, you easily uninstall the DivX bundle, just like any other program, and reinstall the codec you had before. If it was a windows standard one, it will reinstall itself next time you go to play a video requiring it.

[darkangel]

there is no need to install a codec unless u plan to encode the files all that is needed is a direct show filter to play back file, ffdshow is a good example of this http://sourceforge.net/projects/ffdshow