WMP Classic and Codecs (a codec newbie)

[Terry Orchard]

I have just reinstalled win2K on my laptop, so it's a fairly clean
system. I have installed Windows Media Player Classic, and would like
to avoid other players if I can.

Some video clips will play, but I have various avi, mpg, and wmv files
that WMPC says "Failed to render the file".

After googling around, I:

- installed WMPCDS8.exe from Microsoft, which should install the WMV
codecs. The wmv files still refuse to play.

- installed fddshow from sourceforge.

- installed divx511 from divx.

None of this seemed to make any difference, I still can't play the
files. The files are good, I can play them on my linux box.

1) How do I know what codec is required to play a particular file?
Most players I have used before tell you what codec they need when
they can't play something, but WMPC seems to just stop in its tracks.

2) Is there a good set of basic codecs to install? This seems to be a
very confusing area, and I haven't found a good consistent set of
advice.

3) Is there an alternative to WMPCDS8 for wmv files? The license
agreement that you must click-through for that install is full of DRM
restrictions, and gives permission to MS to automatically install
updates.

Sorry if you consider this OT. It seems others in this group use this
software, so I'm hoping to get some reliable advice. If I should be
looking at another group, please point me in the right direction.

TIA,

Terry

 

[David Lee]

I have just reinstalled win2K on my laptop, so it's a fairly clean
system. I have installed Windows Media Player Classic, and would like
to avoid other players if I can.

Some video clips will play, but I have various avi, mpg, and wmv files
that WMPC says "Failed to render the file".

After googling around, I:

- installed WMPCDS8.exe from Microsoft, which should install the WMV
codecs. The wmv files still refuse to play.

- installed fddshow from sourceforge.

- installed divx511 from divx.

None of this seemed to make any difference, I still can't play the
files. The files are good, I can play them on my linux box.

1) How do I know what codec is required to play a particular file?
Most players I have used before tell you what codec they need when
they can't play something, but WMPC seems to just stop in its tracks.

2) Is there a good set of basic codecs to install? This seems to be a
very confusing area, and I haven't found a good consistent set of
advice.

3) Is there an alternative to WMPCDS8 for wmv files? The license
agreement that you must click-through for that install is full of DRM
restrictions, and gives permission to MS to automatically install
updates.

Sorry if you consider this OT. It seems others in this group use this
software, so I'm hoping to get some reliable advice. If I should be
looking at another group, please point me in the right direction.

TIA,

Terry

Before you fill up your machine with players and codecs, try GSpot:

http://www.headbands.com/gspot/

a small, free utility that analyzes multimedia files. Officially only
for ogg and avi files, it will make an educated guess on other file
types.

good luck

Dave

 

[Mark Warner]

I have just reinstalled win2K on my laptop, so it's a fairly clean
system. I have installed Windows Media Player Classic, and would like
to avoid other players if I can.

Some video clips will play, but I have various avi, mpg, and wmv files
that WMPC says "Failed to render the file".

http://www.k-litecodecpack.com/

Get the Mega.

 

[djek]

I have just reinstalled win2K on my laptop, so it's a fairly clean system.
I have installed Windows Media Player Classic, and would like to avoid
other players if I can.

Some video clips will play, but I have various avi, mpg, and wmv files
that WMPC says "Failed to render the file".

<snip>

get directx
mpc needs it

 

[Terry Orchard]

Before you fill up your machine with players and codecs, try GSpot:

http://www.headbands.com/gspot/

a small, free utility that analyzes multimedia files. Officially only
for ogg and avi files, it will make an educated guess on other file
types.

Thanks for that suggestion, that's a useful utility.

With more investigation, it looks like I have a problem with WMP
Classic, not with codecs. I tried bsplayer, and it could play all my
video.

Terry

 

[Terry Orchard]

<snip>

get directx
mpc needs it

Thanks for the suggestion, but I do have directx 9 installed (and
win2k comes with directx, ver 7 IIRC).

After more investigation, it looks like I have a problem with WMP
Classic, not with codecs. I tried bsplayer, and it could play all my
video.

Terry

 

[Onno]

How do I know what codec is required to play a particular file?

Use MovieId:
http://www.geocities.com/cplarosa/movieid/

 

[digitalMOSQUITO]

I have just reinstalled win2K on my laptop, so it's a fairly clean
system. I have installed Windows Media Player Classic, and would like
to avoid other players if I can.

Some video clips will play, but I have various avi, mpg, and wmv files
that WMPC says "Failed to render the file".

For divx, xvid and such you only need fddshow
For wmv, wma, asf you only need http://dshow.narod.ru/video/WM9Codecs.exe
For real media you will need realalternative

With these CODECs you should be able to play almost any video files

For more rare CODECs see here:

http://dshow.narod.ru/
DirectShow utils and filters

The fewer CODECs you install the better.
If you dot not intend to ENCODE abstain from install Divx and similar.

dM

 

[David Lee]

Thanks for that suggestion, that's a useful utility.

With more investigation, it looks like I have a problem with WMP
Classic, not with codecs. I tried bsplayer, and it could play all my
video.

Terry

WMP Classic is not perfect; I could not play real media with versions
6.4.7.6 thru .7.8 (6.4.7.5 was ok, as was the newer .7.9 and .8.0).

Also, under view/options/tweaks, there's a WM option you can try.

Dave