How can i connect a FourCC code with a codec?

[Tommy Carrot]

I have the following problem: the VSS codec has been expired, and i cannot open the encoded videos in Virtualdub anymore. FFDSHOW can decode it properly, but i cannot instruct Virtualdub to use it.

Note: i'm not asking about DirectShow, but the Video for Windows codec.

[jggimi]

I assume you mean the codec(s) from Videosoft, Inc.? If so, please note: Note: free decoder package consists of DirectShow decoder filter only. You need to register at Videosoft and download either trial or commercial Videosoft H.264 codec package in order to create H.264 AVI clips.To obtain a new trial, or purchase the commercial product when it becomes available, please contact them at sales@vsofts.com.

[Tommy Carrot]

Thanks, but my problem is not that. I simply would like to tell Virtualdub to use ffdshow (the FFVFW part, not the dshow filter) to open H.264 videos (encoded with both Videosoft codec and FFdshow). Any way to do this (perhaps in the registry)?

[stephanV]

i dont think ffdshow has a vfw decoding part only a directshow one... you could just download the genuine ffvfw and try it with that.

but im not sure it has a H.264 part

[Selur]

as work around you could open the file in VirtualDub through an avisynth script using the DirectShowSource option ;)

Cu Selur

[Tommy Carrot]

Originally posted by stephanV
i dont think ffdshow has a vfw decoding part only a directshow one...
If it has a VFW encoder, there should be a VFW decoder too. :)
Originally posted by Selur
as work around you could open the file in VirtualDub through an avisynth script using the DirectShowSource option ;)

Cu Selur
Thanks, it's not exactly what i'm looking for, but works at least. :)

[Mug Funky]

on win2k:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Drivers32

all the fourCCs are registered here. you can simply point the appropriate fourCC to ffvfw.dll

hope this works :)

[stephanV]

Originally posted by Tommy Carrot
If it has a VFW encoder, there should be a VFW decoder too. :)


should there? quite honestly i dont know, but just because it has an encoder doesnt mean it has decoder of course :)

anyway, i looked in the registry and ffdshow seemed to be linked with fourcc ffds to ffdshow.ax. so i just forced the fourcc to ffds with virtualdubmod, but that didnt work (gave me possibly corrupted data error). also tried to link the fourcc h264 to the ff_x264.dll but that didnt work either, it wouldnt use it somehow. (possibly because it is just an encoding library not a decoding one)

anyway, i dont think directshowsource is really what you want (you need to re-encode the file then). but i cant see how it would work otherwise as there wont be any DS-support in VDub soon. :(

[edit]in my case, linking to ffvfw.dll didnt work either, same error

[edit2] perhaps forcing fourcc to ffds should work, it did with other file :) (was MPEG4 though, but also read in ffdshow-config that H264 support was not complete)

[Tommy Carrot]

Yes, apparently you're right, i cannot find VFW decoder neither. As far as i can see, ffdshow.ax is a combined encoder/dshow filter, but it cannot be used for VFW decoding, and ffvfw.dll doesn't exist in the latest built.

Anyway, thanks everyone.

edit: with fourcc FFDS Vdub can open the file, but cannot decompress the frames.

[Mug Funky]

in addition to mapping the fourCC (hmm... strange. i didn't see an ffdshow.ax when i got that reg key earlier... but i think you're right), you have to select h263 for decoding within ffdshow's options.

to do this, select it in virtualdub's compression dialog, and click the tab "decoding", then find the apropriate fourCC.

this should work, unless the codec you used previously used a strange fourCC. hopefully ffdshow is smart enough for that.

[stephanV]

Originally posted by Mug Funky

this should work, unless the codec you used previously used a strange fourCC. hopefully ffdshow is smart enough for that.

fourcc shouldnt matter since hes forcing it ffds with vdub extended opening options. if h264 decoding is enabled it should work, but as i said it has some comments about being incomplete in the configure screen of ffdshow. so it it still might not work untill finished.

[movmasty]

just installed videosoft H264 codec main v2.1

now when i opend the compression diag in vdub pops up a message saying "protection failed" and the codec doesnt shows in codecs list.


???? the codec has a time limit of 5 days, so i would need a fast help....

[stegre]

Originally posted by Tommy Carrot
Yes, apparently you're right, i cannot find VFW decoder neither. As far as i can see, ffdshow.ax is a combined encoder/dshow filter, but it cannot be used for VFW decoding, and ffvfw.dll doesn't exist in the latest built.
They've apparently put the VFW functionality in ffdshow.ax, along with the DirectShow encoding & decoding functionality. But there's also an apparent bug with the install process. If it doesn't show up in VDub's codec list, then (assuming a default install):

1. Check the registry key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Drivers32 and find the "vidc.ffds" entry.

2. If its value is "C:\Program Files\ffdshow\ffdshow.ax", change it to "C:\PROGRA~1\ffdshow\ffdshow.ax"

That should fix it. Doesn't seem to decode H264 very well though, if at all.

[Tommy Carrot]

Thank you, but my question was already answered half a year ago [we have to manually enable the h.264 decoding in the decoder/codecs panel of the vfw codec] in another thread. The installer problem is a different issue, it didn't even existed when i started this topic. :) Apparently it caused a little confusion that Movmasty brought up his problem in an old thread, now you're the third guy wanting to help me in this problem. :D

Thanks anyway.

[stegre]

ha, I often catch those but missed it this time. I'm gonna have to find out what the deal with the installer is, though. Meanwhile I'll shut up and stop bumping this thread any more than it has been already...:D