Media Player Codec Server

OK ... I need to rant

It seems that every time my Windows Media Player contacts his "Codec Server" for updates when it encounters a video file, the transaction fails and the codec can't be retrieved ... resulting in sound-only videos or nothing at all.
Rather annoying IMHO ... and I just lost quite some time after downloading an "Oblivion" trailer as well as an "X³" trailer which both failed. Of course the player tells me this AFTER waiting for the hundreds of MB download time

And no ... my firewall is set up to allow the Windows Media Update.

Any solutions or will I have to massacre my machine with a hammer in an outburst of fury?


bernie

Try VLC mediaplayer, it has all codecs baked in.

Thanx Bart, but I'd like to stick with the automatic Windows thing and not mess with yet another program that needs care and updating. Any way to get this damned MS player to work like it should?
bernie

quit watching porno.just kidding did ya try a codec pack? or run gspot to see what codec it wants?

The porno movies do work, it is those new "state-of-the-art" vodeo game trailers that are challenging the player.
When I try to run the update function it will also fail.
What's gspot ? Or where can I get such a codec-pack that is virus-free ?
bk

Kiessling said:

What's gspot ? Or where can I get such a codec-pack that is virus-free ?
bk

Click to expand...

You shouldn't have a problem contracting a virus while searching for your gspot


Alot of times just getting the xvid or divx codecs take care of the problem.

Imagine you speak to someone with only basic computer knowledge ... how do I get those xvid and divx codecs?

Try downloading a codecpack from Filehippo, I've tried this one on a computer that had the same problems. Just download and install.

Kiessling said:

What's gspot

Click to expand...

G Spot is a program (not sure if it even installs) that when opened, you drag and drop a video icon on it, and it shows buttloads of info on it.
Screenshot:

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

I know you don't want to mess with another player, but I'll be redundant and give a plug to Media Player Classic from Sourceforge.net. It looks like Media Player 6.4, but can play alot of file types, rarely locks up or crashes, etc.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Media_Player_Classic

I'll never use anything else after this prog.

Combined Community Codec Pack: http://www.cccp-project.net/

Contents

Note: Installing all of these separately will not have the same effect as installing the CCCP because the ffdshow build (the core video/audio decoding software) is customized and so are all of the components' settings.

Customized build of ffdshow
Haali Media Splitter
MPV Decoder
VSFilter
WMV9VCM
Media Player Classic
Zoom Player


Supported formats
Container formats: AVI, OGM, MKV, and MP4
Video codecs: DivX, XviD, H.264/MPEG-4 AVC, WMV9, Theora, and Generic MPEG-4 ASP (3ivx, lavc etc.)
Audio codecs: MP1, MP2, MP3, AC3, DTS, AAC, Vorbis, LPCM, FLAC, and TTA


Unsupported common formats
RealMedia .rm .rmvb
QuickTime .qt .mov
Indeo

It also contains two video players, Media Player Classic and Zoomplayer. But you can still use windows media player to play those supported codecs/formats. If you do want to play real media or quicktime formats with your windows media player, you'll have to download two additional codecs:

RealMedia:
http://www.free-codecs.com/download/Real_Alternative.htm

Quicktime:
http://www.free-codecs.com/download/QuickTime_Alternative.htm

Kiessling said:

Imagine you speak to someone with only basic computer knowledge ... how do I get those xvid and divx codecs?

Click to expand...

They are all over the place.

Here is one link:

http://www.afterdawn.com/software/video_software/codecs_and_filters/

http://www.divx.com/

etc


The codec packs always scare me. It is so easy to compile some extra crap into the decoder that I worry. I still do it though :devil:

B@rt said:

Try VLC mediaplayer, it has all codecs baked in.

Click to expand...

I installed it my PC, but it won't play anything? I tried opening the files, but the player just flashes (the whole tiny VLC window "blinks") and then... nothing. Any ideas?

OK ... I installed the filehippo thing and ... it WORKS !!!!
Thanx a bunch for all the help !!! :thumbsup:
bernie