Hi all -
Whilst I've got the general jist of codecs - I'm just trying to take a few steps back and look at this codec issue from a distance.
Can someone explain to me please, how is it I can do a fresh install of XP Pro (inc all updates) > put in a normal everyday off the shelf movie dvd > and have it either not play audio or request another codec?
(All devices drivers installed and working)
Conversely, my work pc with same OS, no alterations - can play them fine.
Surely when a retailer, for example, has everything laid out and they're playing movies to help sell them - they don't go round troubleshooting every display pc to ensure it has the right codecs? That answer is obvious.
I just don't quite get how one will work and not the other.
Can I extract / export / save my work PC codecs and install them onto my other pc with the issue?
I know I can use VLC for example, but I'm not 100% convinced you get the playback quality.
Hope this makes sense ... was just trying to see if there was a 'simplistic' view to this perhaps rather than drilling down to the enth degree.
Thanks in advance for your input to this ...
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The two installations are clearly not identical for the very reasons you describe. Are they both "off the shelf" machines or has your work machine been corporately "imaged". XP by default does not include a DVD player codec but it's a simple job to install one (particularly as an OEM supplier if the customer has DVD hardware installed). If you then take that machine and clean install XP you can say goodbye to DVD playing until you put the codec back manually.
Thank you both for your replies ...
Well, you both make valid points ....
>"The two installations are clearly not identical for the very reasons you describe"
Ok, yes that would be logical - for if they were, the issue would or wouldn't exist equally.
Affected PC - Custom Build.
Work PC - DELL / non corp image - must admit, sonic dvd rings a bell. Think I delete these sorts of 'extras' when I first get them - thus leaving the codec behind and playing on WMP? Would that be correct? Ok ... so I'm connecting the dots as it were ...
>" .... will not have to DO anything to get the most out of their system."
Yes and I guess that's my foundation of this post - I'm preparing two PC's for family - nothing tricky and I'm looking at the basic install and saying "so why the hell isn't this working?!! - It should just work for them!"
Since my post, I've poured and poured through different posts (rephrasing search words can often yield different results!)
I've since learnt (and as you have said) that WMP 'out of the box' won't play DVD - so cool, I can stop investigating that.
So moving onto options ~
1) Plug ins such as the ones found at http://www.microsoft.com/w
If I buy one - is it mine to install onto all my home PC's i.e. One purchase to install to three PC's?
1a) Is it a validation / registration / lock me in / arrangement?
1b) Do I have to / is it best advised that I buy a codec aligned with my graphics vendor?
2) Can I export / remove the codecs from the DELL PC and install to the custom one?
2a) If so, how?
3) "XP by default does not include a DVD player codec but it's a simple job to install one"
The vibe I get from different posts is that there seems to be some divide between installing a codec pack and getting what you need. I think I fit into the later category ... so where do you get a reputible codec from?
Thanks again. I appreciate that we may be moving away from the simplistic start of this post perhaps.
Further - by downloading a codec - will this automate it playing in WMP?
e.g. I've downloaded VLC - sure it works. Play the same DVD in WMP and it is identified as another DVD title all together! No it won't play either ... Yet running a codec programme, it will find the codecs installed (via VLC I'm assuming). So codec is installed - yet not playing in WMP - so WMP will not automatically inherit the codec and begin playing?
>>... so I'm connecting the dots as it were ...
Yes, I think you've got it. VLC unfortunately does not talk to WMP
Now the other difference is a DVD-Decoder, this isn't a codec but is the software that checks if it is OK to playback your disk in your region, decompresses the MPEG2 etc. Something else that was left behind on your work PC
This article explains it very nicely
http://www.microsoft.com/w
Windows Media Player is not a DVD player!
http://channels.lockergnom
and does not natively have a DVD-Decoder.
In order to get DVD playback functionality from Windows Media Player you need to add a plugin.
When combined with a Windows XP–compatible DVD decoder, Windows Media Player becomes a full featured DVD player with innovative features such as full-screen video playback controls, easy-to-navigate DVD chapter listings, integrated cover art, and more provided by WindowsMedia.com. All these features come together to deliver a great playback experience—whether you're watching DVDs on the plane, in the dorm, at home, or in the office. To find out if you already have a DVD decoder installed on your computer and whether it is compatible with Windows Media Player 10, install the Windows XP Video Decoder Checkup Utility:
http://www.microsoft.com/d
For examples of plugins see here:
http://www.microsoft.com/w
I would recommend the following plugin:
DVD XPack for Windows XP
The DVD XPack instantly adds DVD playback to Windows Media Player running on a Windows XP–based computer with the same theater-quality video and audio decoders proven by over 125 million users of WinDVD.
You may have one of these plugins installed on your work PC?
Hope this helps towards answering your question!
Thank you again for your replies -
So a decoder is (essentially) the bridge between WMP (or any other playing app) and your DVD media and the codec is the instruction that the decoder requires to play the media. Am I on the right track?
If I may also draw the attention back to these questions please, it would be appreciated.
"So moving onto options ~
1) Plug ins such as the ones found at http://www.microsoft.com/w
If I buy one - is it mine to install onto all my home PC's i.e. One purchase to install to three PC's?
1a) Is it a validation / registration / lock me in / arrangement?
1b) Do I have to / is it best advised that I buy a codec aligned with my graphics vendor?
2) Can I export / remove the codecs from the DELL PC and install to the custom one?
2a) If so, how?"
If someone could give me some specific answers to these if possible that would be appreciated.
Thanks again.
Hi DAQLD,
Codec stands for Coder/Decoder or Compressor/Decompressor.
A codec is a piece of hardware or software that compresses and decompresses digital audio and/or video. Codecs are used to play compressed files by decompressing them in memory. Adding a specific codec lets you play files compressed in that file format.
The codec works by decompressing the compressed digital signal received from the dvd into a meaningful output. Without the correct codec therefore, the compressed digital signal cannot be decoded and a media file will not be played correctly/at all.
1) If you buy a plugin, you buy the licence to use it. However, to use it on 3 PCs I think technically/legally you would need to buy it 3 times.
1a) Yes
1b) Perhaps - but personally I would go for one of the free options below:
Media Player Classic:
http://www.afterdawn.com/s
VLC Media Player:
http://www.videolan.org/vl
2) You can remove codecs, yes, although I would not recommend messing with these.
2a)
1. Go to properties of My Computer. Click the hardware tab and select Device Manager
2. In Device Manager, click "Sound, Video and Game Controllers"
3. To remove an audio codec, double-click Audio Codecs, click the properties tab. Highlight the codec you want to remove, and then click Remove.
4. To remove a video codec, double-click Video Codecs, click the properties tab. Highlight the codec you want to remove, and then click Remove.
Hope this helps!
1) If I buy one - is it mine to install onto all my home PC's i.e. One purchase to install to three PC's?
No, you are buying the decoder for a single user/machine
1a) Is it a validation / registration / lock me in / arrangement?
No it's simply an installation file
1b) Do I have to / is it best advised that I buy a codec aligned with my graphics vendor?
No it will make no difference unless you want to use the graphics vendor's DVD playing software when you might see better quality because the two are designed to work with each other. This question is about WMP and there is no difference between the decoders that Microsoft list.
2) Can I export / remove the codecs from the DELL PC and install to the custom one?
Possibly, have never tried. It should be easy enough if you have the original installation file (see 1a))
2a) If so, how?
Tricky, youl'd need to be able to identify the installed files and registry settings - it would be much the same as trying to transfer something like a Word installation from one PC to another without using the installation disks.
I think you still may have some confusion between codecs and decoders, codecs are on the whole open source or freely distributed (or where there are costs often free re-engineered versions). There are hundreds of sources.
Decoders allow the information on the DVD to be presented to the codec so the media can be viewed.
Codecs and decoders can be player specific so players like VLC, BSPlayer, Media Player Classic may all work with some but not all of the codecs installed on your PC. WMP is no different in this respect, you need WMP compatible codecs/decoders in order to view DVD's through it.
Going back one step...
With your home PC that you have just reinstalled with Xp, presumably it has a DVD drive. Did you get any OEM software bundled with it? If you have a DVD player program you can legitimately reinstall that.
Heres the easy answer to this question No widows media player will not inherit the correct way to play the dvd if you only install the codecs themselves it still has to have some sort of dvd player product on it such as power dvd or sonic dvd. If you want to test this get the klite codecs pack found here http://www.free-codecs.com
phew its a long list, may as well as mine.
Can someone explain to me please, how is it I can do a fresh install of XP Pro (inc all updates) > put in a normal everyday off the shelf movie dvd > and have it either not play audio or request another codec?
(All devices drivers installed and working)<< you have a dvd rom drive? it must have come with an install disc, you have to install the dvd player that came with your dvd rom player, whetehr you use it or not it provides the "codecs" drivers etc.
simple.
A solution to play dvd's with WMP is to use feww decoders, like ffdshow and ac3 decoder, both can be downloaded from http://www.free-codecs.com
ffdshow will decode mpeg2 video codec and ac3decoder is for the sound track. WMP can deal with menus and subtitles.
Hi again all - well, I think we've well and truly covered all the elements now, so I've tried to share the points around. Thank you all for your contributions.
Masqueraid - you asked >
"Going back one step...
With your home PC that you have just reinstalled with Xp, presumably it has a DVD drive. Did you get any OEM software bundled with it? If you have a DVD player program you can legitimately reinstall that."
>Yes, the DVD burners came with Nero 7 Essentials - just the basic 'non upgradeable until you buy' version.
I did install the media player element but had no joy with that either it seemed. Perhaps it's worth trying again?
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by: venom96737Posted on 2007-03-06 at 22:43:03ID: 18668247
well are you sure the 2 operating systems are 100 percent the same did u use the exact same disc to install both systems? The answer would lie in the dvd decoder possibly your work has preloaded software such as power dvd or sonic dvd that would include the codecs that you need while the retail install would not include these programs they must be purchased seperatly at a price. On the other hand when you by a computer that is preloaded with windows such as a dell or an hp they include these software packs as a way to make the buy feel like they are getting more for thier money and will not have to DO anything to get the most out of thier system. In a retail sales cd you are not buying that you are getting exactly what you pay for the Operating system i hope this makes more sense.