Are any of these codecs really better or offer more support than the built-in ones in Windows 7? I mean I know there's some obscure stuff it can't play (.rm, but Real can go to hell), but I have a hard time finding a good reason to even use MPC-HC anymore. Not trying to start a flame-war, honest concern.
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The definitive (ish) video watching/editing/encoding thread.
- Thread starter Nazo
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Are any of these codecs really better or offer more support than the built-in ones in Windows 7? I mean I know there's some obscure stuff it can't play (.rm, but Real can go to hell), but I have a hard time finding a good reason to even use MPC-HC anymore. Not trying to start a flame-war, honest concern.
JediFonger
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can som1 figure how to play .flac files in windows 7 media center x64? i'm not talking 32-bit, that worx, i'm talking 64-bit ONLY. and get even more specific i can play .flac on windows media player, MPC-HC, etc.
i'm talking about how to play .flac INSIDE of media center 64-bit version =). so far, there hasn't been a solution, but if there is, please post it here =)
i'm talking about how to play .flac INSIDE of media center 64-bit version =). so far, there hasn't been a solution, but if there is, please post it here =)
kompulsive
Limp Gawd
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Are you certain that you have the proper codecs installed? That'd be a good place to start.
JediFonger
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i got it all working... dunno why. it's all working now =P.
thx.
thx.
Nazo
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Late response, but, yes. For one, they are more up to date. Features are added from time to time even. Just for instance, b-frame encoding support was added to MPEG4 a good while back. This is surely in 7 (at least I'd assume it would have such a basic thing) but the point is that a built-in CODEC would not implement such a feature as it's added. If some newer thing like that were added to the third party CODECs it could be a very long time before MS bothered to add it. Also, I've noticed something curious with some videos (in particular, XviD) where if it is encoded with a newer CODEC, sometimes it will not decode well in an older CODEC. Namely, an INSANE amount of CPU power will be used compared to what should be. Also, I'd be willing to bet that MS's CODECs aren't as well optimized. Finally, what one person calls obscure may not actually be. For instance, I wouldn't be shocked if OGG Vorbis support weren't built into 7, but it's not so much obscure as just less well known among major corporations and such (which really is too bad because it would be a lot better to get an OGG Vorbis license for probably next to nothing if not free even for business purposes than buying an expensive license for one of the better major CODECs.) In other words, you may just find yourself stuck with something not working right simply because MS deemed it unimportant or didn't know about it.
I'm not even going to get started on the processing. Windows 7 CODECs can't do ANY of the stuff ffdshow-tryouts offers such as lanczos resizing and so on. It's not as if installing, ffdshow-tryouts is particularly time consuming anyway. Plus, it can be set not to take over a CODEC when one wants to use something else. (And it can still do the processing if you tell it to handle uncompressed video.) My favorite feature is the ability to handle subtitles. I've noticed it takes ffdshow-tryouts a lot less CPU power to process subtitles and add them to the stream going to the player than for the player to have to try to overlay them. Don't ask me why since in theory what they do isn't so different, but it just seems to be more efficient (presumably because of its position in the stream, but I'm not sure.)
Removed ATI card, Installed Nvidia card, issue resolved.Turns out my RDP'ing into the HTPC was pissing ATI CCC off.
I just built a new system, the specs of which are in my signature and installed a Bluray burner - LG WH12LS30 as well as a DVD burner - Lite On IHAS424!
My OS is Win 7 - Home Premium 64 bit!
I have a 3 question about playing Bluray media - unfortunately windows for whatever reason has chosen not to support blu ray media in their Media Player, which is a shame! Tried VLC and they also does not support it, yet! So I right now use Power DVD 11 - trail version to play Blu Ray media, but I really don't want to spend another $30 bucks on software to play Blu ray's when the trial expires.
Q 1) Hence are there any free Blu Ray media players out there or codec's I can install to make it play on any of my existing players!
Q 2) Also for Blu Ray ripping software - are there any free rippers available that can rip Blu-ray's? I use Handbrake for my DVD's and it is excellent, but it doesn't recognize Blu Ray discs!
Q 3) What is the best format to convert DVD's to - high quality is what I'm looking for, conversion time and size, I'm not so particular about, I don't convert a lot, but when I do, I'd like to retain the highest quality possible! I use Format Factory for these format conversions!
I also have format factory and Nero 9 essentials installed! I read else where that the Media Player Classic - Home Cinema does support Blu ray's haven't tried it yet, does any one know whether it does for sure?
Any suggestions or advice on these are welcome! Thanks in advance!
My OS is Win 7 - Home Premium 64 bit!
I have a 3 question about playing Bluray media - unfortunately windows for whatever reason has chosen not to support blu ray media in their Media Player, which is a shame! Tried VLC and they also does not support it, yet! So I right now use Power DVD 11 - trail version to play Blu Ray media, but I really don't want to spend another $30 bucks on software to play Blu ray's when the trial expires.
Q 1) Hence are there any free Blu Ray media players out there or codec's I can install to make it play on any of my existing players!
Q 2) Also for Blu Ray ripping software - are there any free rippers available that can rip Blu-ray's? I use Handbrake for my DVD's and it is excellent, but it doesn't recognize Blu Ray discs!
Q 3) What is the best format to convert DVD's to - high quality is what I'm looking for, conversion time and size, I'm not so particular about, I don't convert a lot, but when I do, I'd like to retain the highest quality possible! I use Format Factory for these format conversions!
I also have format factory and Nero 9 essentials installed! I read else where that the Media Player Classic - Home Cinema does support Blu ray's haven't tried it yet, does any one know whether it does for sure?
Any suggestions or advice on these are welcome! Thanks in advance!
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@aoommen
The reason because of which Microsoft do not support Blu-ray playback in their Media Player is quite simple (look here). There are license fees required for every piece of software, hardware, media or whatever related to Blu-ray technology. So, having in mind that probably not every Windows customer will use such feature, Microsoft have correctly decided to exclude Blu-ray playback from their player. It does not make sense to pay these licensing fees for every copy of Windows without knowing if the functionality will be used. And the reason why there is not Blu-ray player software for free is pretty much the same.
The reason because of which Microsoft do not support Blu-ray playback in their Media Player is quite simple (look here). There are license fees required for every piece of software, hardware, media or whatever related to Blu-ray technology. So, having in mind that probably not every Windows customer will use such feature, Microsoft have correctly decided to exclude Blu-ray playback from their player. It does not make sense to pay these licensing fees for every copy of Windows without knowing if the functionality will be used. And the reason why there is not Blu-ray player software for free is pretty much the same.
Little knowledge is a very dangerous thing - see this.
If Digiarty can do it then so can MS, and they will pretty soon!
Did you try it? You'll be the first person I find claiming it actually works for Blu-ray playback...
I checked their site again. Here is what I read: "Play Bluray from hard disk backup files and virtual driver." Their software is not a fully capable Blu-ray player. I didn't try it so I could be wrong but I doubt it.
btw. Digiarty are a bit of spammers but it's another topic.
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Of course I did try it and have been using it since I found short after my first post here and my thread here. It plays Blu-Ray discs and ripped files, iso images all those.
The only problem I have with it is that there is no way to integrate the player into WMC, so I use Corel Win DVD Pro on my HTPC and this one on my desktop! But yes it works.
- like I said - little knowledge is a very dangerous thing...just because you don't know doesn't mean it doesn't work! If you don't know ask don't advice others and mislead them too. Please try/use the product before passing a blanket judgement statement or attempting a review.
You can call them what you want but their blu-ray player is free and it plays blu-ray discs and images just fine, that is what a free blu-ray player is supposed to do.
BTW I have had no spyware installed on my system, and I have had this and used it for quite some time (almost 6 months).
Who has said something about spyware??
Ok, you are the knowledgeable guy. Now search the Internet and see that pretty much every discussion about Digiarty's or other "free" Blu-ray player software actually ends with the conclusion that these are not fully capable Blu-ray players. So, let me be the unknowledgeable guy but I continue to support that you are probably the only one claiming the opposite (except for the spammers, of course).
And you can check, for example, this one about their trustworthiness: http://slickdeals.net/f/2427571-Free-Blu-Ray-Software-DAPlayer-by-Digiarty-Winx-DVD
I personally know people that have been spammed by them.
Does Sony Vegas have no support for HD 7800 series GPU's? Or is there something wrong with my PC, because GPU encoding doesn't work and when I render a youtube .mp4, it has weird horizontal pixelation, edges are all distorted. Worked so well with my GTX 460, not anymore...