How to tell what filters & codecs are in use???

[laserfan]

I know that I can run GraphEdit and "Render Media File" will show me (I think?) what my PC's "preferred" and likely filters are in use but...

How can I tell what an individual program is using (or trying to use) e.g. Media Player Classic or PowerDVD or GB-PVR or ...other, to play a video? I use Windows XP SP2 and about a zillion different programs and DirectShow Filter Manager does not help me very much--very confusing. Is there any utility that will "watch" these programs & show which resources are being used? I need occasionally to troubleshoot issues and the large number of filters in my system are causing me concern...

[setarip_old]

Hi!

For many file formats, you can use good ol' Microsoft Windows Media Player v.6.4 as follows:

1) Start playing the video
2) Rightclick in the video window and select "Properties"
3) Click on the "Advanced" tab
4) If you require more information about any of the listed filters/codecs, doubleclick on their names

BTW - You can load this player onto your system as follows:

Desktop>>Start>>Run Then type (without quotation marks) "mplayer2.exe"

[laserfan]

Thanks for that. If every player that I used showed the filters that it used in rendering, then I would be golden. But that seems not to be the case.

I was looking for way to determine what was being used for WHATEVER player, ANY player that was currently playing a video.

[jmnk]

when a given player plays a file open graphedit and use File->'connect to Remote Graph'. If you see anything in the window that pops out - click on that and it will show you the graph being used.

It does not work in all cases - sometimes (I do not know why) you will not have any remote graph options even if a player plays a file.

And obviously it only works for DirectShow media players.

[laserfan]

when a given player plays a file open graphedit and use File->'connect to Remote Graph'.Thanks jmnk I'd have never thought to try that. It worked with MPC but not PowerDVD or GB-PVR...

Apparently I have a lot to learn about DirectShow. At least I should read GraphEdit's Help file. If anyone has any other tips by all means let me know.

[dwm4444]

Here's a trick I use sometimes (got it over at the AVSforum but can't find the original post, so thanks to whoever):

1. open ffdshow's "audio decoder configuration"
2. Click on "Codecs" in top left window
3. Go to "Uncompressed" in bottom of right window. Set that to "all supported"
4. Click on "Tray, dialog & paths" in left window and set "Tray icons:" to Modern or Classic.

Now when you play something in WMP (or other player), right-click the ffdshow icon in the tray to show what filters etc. are being used.

I just tried this in PowerDVD 7.3 and it worked fine. Don't know about GB-PVR.

Edit: I found that post I was talking about. Thanks arfster:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=11488317#post11488317

[laserfan]

Good info and link; I'm a little too tired to make much of it right now but this did catch my eye:

"Only if an app uses the system defaults and only the system defaults is graphedit accurate."

That thread also discusses "preferred filters (defaults) by app" which explains a few things. MS has made it hard to see what's going-on... I will try the ffdshow trick though, thanks dwm4444!

[squid_80]

You can only connect to a remote graph using graphedit if the application (or one of the filters in use) explicitly exposes the graph. ffdshow used to have the option to do this but it seems to have disappeared.

[laserfan]

I find this all to be seriously maddening, having literally dozens (hundreds?) of filters/codecs and maybe a dozen or so different players, and I can't tell which are needed/used by which players, at least not easily!!! I can get something to work, then install something else, and another thing breaks... :scared: Arrgh!

Someday someone will build a filter manager that will list everything along with the programs that use them?

[clsid]

Media Player Classic, ZoomPlayer and BS.Player can all show you exactly which filters are being used during playback.

[foxyshadis]

I find this all to be seriously maddening, having literally dozens (hundreds?) of filters/codecs and maybe a dozen or so different players, and I can't tell which are needed/used by which players, at least not easily!!! I can get something to work, then install something else, and another thing breaks... :scared: Arrgh!

Someday someone will build a filter manager that will list everything along with the programs that use them?

Most media players will let you override the system defaults, use internal codecs, or just use completely different sets, so it's not really possible (or at least worthwhile). Better to just clean them all off if it's become unmanageable and start fresh.

[SAAP]

There is a software called GSPOT which determines
whihc codec your video have and which are installed in your pc.

[laserfan]

Most media players will let you override the system defaults, use internal codecs, or just use completely different sets, so it's not really possible (or at least worthwhile). Better to just clean them all off if it's become unmanageable and start fresh.Most do, but some do not, and if there is a conflict of some sort (e.g. one player's installation messes-up another player's) then cleaning/reinstalling doesn't help, unless you are religious enough to install-one-by-one-and-then-retest-everything-else-one-by-one as well.

Disappointed that MS didn't build-in a "filter watcher" but then I guess they only want us to use WMP!!!

SAAP I do use Gspot and love it. It will tell how you can render files, but it doesn't tell how a particular player HAS rendered (or is attempting to render) a file.

[KoD]

You know, you're supposed to know better than to use badly written media players. It's not like someone is forcing you to use them.

[laserfan]

You know, you're supposed to know better than to use badly written media players. It's not like someone is forcing you to use them.Now that's a lot of help!

[KoD]

Of course it is ! You don't go every day to a bakery to keep asking them why aren't they selling shoes, do you ? So why do you keep using defective players and then complain they're defective instead of using proper players ? I wonder what kind of logic is that you are following there. But, of course, everyone's free to do what they wish. Just don't complain at the results, it was you that made the choice.

[darbid]

I thought this thread might be ok to post in.

I use ffdshow (audio and video). Everytime I install a program which relates to codecs (filters) it changes the merits in directshow and I am not able to get them back the way they are. (thus ffdshow is downgraded). I failed with radlight and graphedit, infact my problem got worse. Anyway going back to an earlier point in windows solved the problem.

Is there some way that you can save the directshow filter merit levels so that after you install a program you can reset them to the pre program installed settings?