Windows Media Player 12 Codecs - Vlc?

[manuleka 0]

so i'm starting to like the feel and look of Windows Media Player... only problem, it can't play most file formats like VLCso i'm wondering if anyone know of a codec pack that works perfectly fine with Windows Media Player 12? so i would be able to play formats like .mkv and other non-supported ones on WMPcheers

[yordan 10]

huh? Now you start a rather complicated process.In order to play mkv files, you will need to install matroska codecs. Don't forget to backup your operating system before that, because the new codecs may conflict with existing ones, making other parts of your natural windows multimedia usage fail.

[manuleka 0]

huh? Now you start a rather complicated process.In order to play mkv files, you will need to install matroska codecs. Don't forget to backup your operating system before that, because the new codecs may conflict with existing ones, making other parts of your natural windows multimedia usage fail.

when i try to play certain video files .avi/mkv etc they don't play on Windows Media Player although with VLC it runs perfectly fine... so i'm wondering whether there's a some sort of Universal codec for Windows Media Player because obviously it has limited format support by default (compared to VLC)

[yordan 10]

when i try to play certain video files .avi/mkv etc they don't play on Windows Media Player although with VLC it runs perfectly fine... so i'm wondering whether there's a some sort of Universal codec for Windows Media Player because obviously it has limited format support by default (compared to VLC)

All the codecs are included with vlc. No codec is included with windows, which allows you to buy separetaly each codec you need. This is the standard commercial choice for windows systems.
If you really want to use Microsoft Media player, try the Windows 7 codec pack, http://www.windows7codecs.com/
I didn't try it yet, that's why you should perform a system backup before installing it, just in case.

[manuleka 0]

downloaded it, installed and still some videos don't play... i guess this is why WMP is so popular and recommended by many Tech users heheVLC rocks

Edited December 3, 2012 by manuleka (see edit history)

[yordan 10]

So, you need to get the matroshka codecs too, I expected it to be included in the first codec pack but sems it's not.

[tritesh 1]

I use Media Player Codec Pack which supports almost all filetypes. I am surprised that both codec packs one used by me and other one about which yordan tells us have same specification only difference is that have different file size.

And as I understand and hear about vlc is that it is based on ffdshow and opensource software. manuleka as you like wmp's look so why don't you try wmp 12 skin for vlc.

Edited December 3, 2012 by agyat (see edit history)

[manuleka 0]

I use Media Player Codec Pack which supports almost all filetypes. I am surprised that both codec packs one used by me and other one about which yordan tells us have same specification only difference is that have different file size.

 

And as I understand and hear about vlc is that it is based on ffdshow and opensource software. manuleka as you like wmp's look so why don't you try wmp 12 skin for vlc.

 

i installed this one and nope a particular .avi video played on WMP but without picture (just audio)... vlc had no issue playing it...

[yordan 10]

i installed this one and nope a particular .avi video played on WMP but without picture (just audio)... vlc had no issue playing it...

This means that you have the audio codecs but the video codecs ar not installed

[manuleka 0]

i suspected that, i was expecting the codec pack to be able to allow WMP to handle pretty much any video... i guess this video is one of the exceptions hehe

[yordan 10]

Ideally, you have to know which codecs have been used in order to encode your files, and then, install these codecs on your Windows machine.

[manuleka 0]

unfortunately few of the videos i'm interested on weren't created by me (or doesn't have info on the particular codec used)... would've been nice if videos codec were so easy to recognize hehebut nevertheless, VLC rocks the sock of WMP...

[yordan 10]

unfortunately few of the videos i'm interested on weren't created by me (or doesn't have info on the particular codec used)... would've been nice if videos codec were so easy to recognize hehe
but nevertheless, VLC rocks the sock of WMP...

use gspot. gspot tells you which codecs have been used to compress a movie. Simply apply it to a movie file, it will tell you the codec.
You get it from http://www.doom9.org/
download section, then "avi editing tools".
By the way, +1 for VLC

[manuleka 0]

thanks yordan, will have a look into it soon

[yordan 10]

I use it each time I have to play a video, in order to check that I have the codecs installed. Useful when for instance a friend comes with some vids off his camera and wants to show them on my home TV.