Where are the best tutorials for understanding codecs?

[byplanehover]

Self explaining title really. I have tons of questions like:

What are the best codec packages?

When installing codecs/packages, how do you make sure to remove old codecs that could conflict?

Using Easy Video Splitter, I have been running into a message about the "source MPEG file is invalid!" on some of my files captured from my WinFast Capture card while others work fine. Some of those files play while others make WMP say that I am missing a required codec...

It boils down to if I knew more about codecs in general, I'd probably be able to figure things out better, or at least ask more informed questions probably... So where best to look for in depth info on codecs first?

Thanks for your time :D

[Guest]

Please read and follow the forum rules, specifically, rule 12: do not ask what's best. Thank you.

http://forum.doom9.org/forum-rules.htm

[jggimi]

Let's do some level-setting, starting with wikipedia:A Codec is a device or program capable of performing encoding and decoding on a digital data stream or signal. The word "codec" is a portmanteau of any of the following: 'Compressor-Decompressor', 'Coder-Decoder', or 'Compression/Decompression algorithm'.Doom9's Glossary (http://www.doom9.org/glossary.htm) says:COder/DECoder. A codec is a piece of software that allows you to encode something - usually audio or video - to a specific format and can decode media encoded in this specific format again. Popular Codecs: MPEG1, MPEG2, MPEG-4, Indeo, etc. AVI, ASF, etc is not a codec but a format - that can be encoded using different codecs.With that out of the way, you should ask yourself, "How do I propose to watch digital video? Will I use a standalone DVD player of some kind, or will I use a personal computer?"

PC's obviously have can deal with a wider variety of possible video codecs than can standalone DVD players. Standalone DVD players can usually manage burned DVDs (MPEG-2 codec), perhaps SVCDs (also MPEG-2), and perhaps VCDs (MPEG-1). Some standalone players can handle certain types of MPEG-4 codecs, such as DivX or XviD in .avi files on data discs.

If you're interested in the many forms of MPEG-4 video, please review Doom9's Codec Comparisons (http://www.doom9.org/codec-comparisons.htm).

Once you've chosen the codec(s) you wish to use, the general consensus among our membership is to install each codec individually, and stay as far away from "codec packs" as you can. Installing software that you do not understand, that includes things you do not need or want, is not normally recommended.