How can I play FLV4 in Media Player Classic?

[Rekrul]

I have a couple FLV4 files and so far the only program I can view them with is VLC. I'd much rather be able to view them in MPC, since VLC is too buggy, unstable and just plain clunky for my taste, but so far I haven't had any luck.

First of all, I'm using Windows 98SE and don't want to switch to XP at this time for various reason, so I'm looking for a solution that will work on my system.

I have the latest versions of MPC, and ffdshow. I've tried enabling VP6F in ffdshow, but the video doesn't play. I tried installing Gabest's FLV splitter (at least I think I installed it correctly by using regsvr32), but still no video. I tried it with and without ffdshow's VP6F enabled. Nothing.

Is there a way to play FLV4/VP6 files in MPC under Windows 98SE?

[clsid]

The files on Gabest's sourceforge page don't include support for FLV4/VP6. You need to use Celtic_Druids SVN builds for that. But unfortunately he has only made unicode builds, and those don't work on Win98.

[Rekrul]

The files on Gabest's sourceforge page don't include support for FLV4/VP6. You need to use Celtic_Druids SVN builds for that. But unfortunately he has only made unicode builds, and those don't work on Win98.

I know. Any idea when the VP6F support in fffdshow will actually work?

[clsid]

It already works. But you also need a FLV splitter that recognizes the VP6F type.

[Rekrul]

It already works. But you also need a FLV splitter that recognizes the VP6F type.

Forgive me, but I'm kind of confused. I've read that a splitter splits the media streams (audio and video), but I have no idea why one is required to support a particular video format. Gabest made an FLV splitter, so that implies that it was required at some point for FLV1 files, but I didn't need it. I simply enabled FLV1 in ffdshow and they worked in MPC. They don't work in WMP6.4, but that's not surprising, considering it won't play half the videos I have.

Why can't VP6F be handled like any other codec?

Also, from the usage it would seem that a splitter is something that works behind the scenes and affects raw data, so I'm a little confused as to why such a program would need unicode support, which seems designed purely for supporting text characters in other languages.

[Milvus]

FLV files work like any other media files, you need a splitter to separate audio and video streams, and decoders to decode them. All this filters need to be up to date to work. MPC has also an internal FLV splitter, that's why you had the impression you didn't need one, when, in fact, you were using one without knowing.

So, here, the problem lies within the splitter, not the decoders. The code has been updated, but the builds are not following, except for the Celtic_Druids SVN builds of MPC. All others versions of both the external FLV splitter and MPC are too old: they only support FLV1 and not FLV4. So even if you have a perfectly good FLV4 decoder, the splitter doesn't know how to identify it and flag it accordingly, and the decoder can't start doing his job.

And the real problem for you is the absence of any kind of win 98 build, a problem who is spreading rapidly in all kind of software, as dev and builders have less and less the time and means of making and testing software for and outdated OS.

[Rekrul]

FLV files work like any other media files, you need a splitter to separate audio and video streams, and decoders to decode them. All this filters need to be up to date to work. MPC has also an internal FLV splitter, that's why you had the impression you didn't need one, when, in fact, you were using one without knowing.

Ok, I didn't know that.

So, here, the problem lies within the splitter, not the decoders. The code has been updated, but the builds are not following, except for the Celtic_Druids SVN builds of MPC. All others versions of both the external FLV splitter and MPC are too old: they only support FLV1 and not FLV4. So even if you have a perfectly good FLV4 decoder, the splitter doesn't know how to identify it and flag it accordingly, and the decoder can't start doing his job.

Why didn't the authors of ffdshow just include a splitter along with the decoder?

And the real problem for you is the absence of any kind of win 98 build, a problem who is spreading rapidly in all kind of software, as dev and builders have less and less the time and means of making and testing software for and outdated OS.

A problem that will soon be shared by all the Windows 2K/NT/XP users, since DirectX 10 will be for Windows Vista only. Gee, so much for XP being the future...

[foxyshadis]

I'd make you a build, but I don't have the vp62 files (which aren't distributed with mpc). :(

If ffdshow were to include splitters, it'd have to bundle a whole huge boatload of them. Of course, codec packs like CCCP might do just this, you might crack one open and see.

[KoD]

If you are looking for a VP6 decoder, On2 provides a free download of such decoders on their website. Here's the link (http://www.on2.com/downloads/). You can safely disable VP6 decoding in ffdshow if you install this.

[Rekrul]

I'd make you a build, but I don't have the vp62 files (which aren't distributed with mpc). :(

A build of the splitter? If so thank you!

Of course, codec packs like CCCP might do just this, you might crack one open and see.

I try to stay away from codec packs. I know people that have had a lot of problems with various ones.

If you are looking for a VP6 decoder, On2 provides a free download of such decoders on their website. Here's the link (http://www.on2.com/downloads/). You can safely disable VP6 decoding in ffdshow if you install this.

Thanks, but the link to the download page for the VP6 decoder is broken. Besides, from what I've been told in this thread, it still won't work with a splitter.

[dumbuser]

Try installing Unicode support from Microsoft.
http://www.microsoft.com.nsatc.net/globaldev/handson/dev/mslu_announce.mspx
Windows 95 - Me Unicode support

The files belong in your c:\windows\system folder.

[clsid]

That won't help.

[dasiy0627]

The best way is to convert your flv files to avi,rm,mpeg format for play on your windows98, media player,you can use FlV to video converter software, can perfectly convert all kinds of FLV to video without any extra codecs, The supported FLV files include On2 vp6 video FLV, H263 video FLV, Nelly Moser audio FLV, MP3 audio FLV and audio-only FLV, and also provides various output types.such as flv to avi, flv to video, flv to mpeg, flv to wmv, flv to mov, flv to mp4, flv to mp3, flv to 3gp.you can play not only on you pc,but also 3gp phone,sony psp, zune,ipod supported,download for free trial,
http://www.flash-video-mx.com/flv_to_video_web/
http://www.my-video-converter.com/

[clsid]

VLC player should be able to play it on Win98.

Conversion only lowers the quality, which is already pretty poor on most flv files.

[Rekrul]

VLC player should be able to play it on Win98.

Yes, VLC will play them, however I don't particularly like VLC. It's quite buggy and not very polished. I'll use it if I have to, but I'd much rather find a way to play them in MPC.

[video_magic]

Just a quick suggestion; I don't know of one but might there be an Avisynth solution?

[Rekrul]

After much searching, I finally found a copy of the VP6 decoder. I downloaded it, installed it, disabled VP6 support in ffdshow, loaded an FLV4 video into Media Player Classic and... Nothing!

The video STILL won't play. GSpot tells me that the required decompressor is missing.

Isn't there a codec for this format yet? (One that will work under Win98)

[clsid]

Try this one:
http://www.zshare.net/download/flvsplitter-ax.html

[Rekrul]

Try this one:
http://www.zshare.net/download/flvsplitter-ax.html

Thank you!

At first I couldn't get it to work, ffdshow wasn't even being loaded. Turns out that I had to uncheck the FLV option in MPC, then it worked.

Thank you very much! :thanks:

[cobo]

I have the latest build of ffdshow and the FLV splitter installed and I still can't get video play of FLV files encoded with On2 VP6 codec in the mpc or vlc players. They will display in Gspot v.2.70a however. Gspot is using the FLV spitter, ffdshow decoder, and quartz.dll as the video renderer. Any ideas about what my problem might be with mpc?

[cobo]

OK, I found the new patched builds of mpc which will play VP6 encoded FLV's in this thread.
http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?t=123537&page=10