Playback DIVX/XVID without installing codecs or player(s)

[WorldBook]

Hi,

Is it possible to playback divx/xvid and/or ac3 audio (note: the PC comes loaded with a dvd drive and WINDVD PLATINUM) without having admin privelages (lacking the ability to install any software).

While searching I stumbled upon this thread:

http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?threadid=37822&highlight=play+divx+in+BSPLAYER+without+install

However, I can't locate the old version of BSPLAYER (the new 0.86 version appears to include an installer). I think MPC (Mediaplayerclassic) does not have an installer? I don't know about Zoomplayer.

Would it be possible to register codecs (using regserv sp? command) or load the dll's (from divx 5.xx/divx 3.11/xvid or preferably ffdshow)into software players and make it possible to playback divx/xvid content? If it is achievable, can someone please explain this procedure?

Thanks in advance.

[jggimi]

If the platform on which you cannot install software can be rebooted, you might consider Knoppix (http://knoppix.net/). This is a CD based, yet fairly complete, downloadable Linux implementation. If I remember correctly, it includes a couple of DVD/AVI players, such as Mplayer and Xine, and if I recall, includes MPEG-4 codecs like XviD. If the platform only has a single CD-ROM/DVD-ROM drive, you'll need to have your .avi files on hard drive before booting it.

If the platform can't boot from CD, you can also start the boot from diskette. The link has details.

[epere4]

There is a project called Movix that is similar to Knoppix.
So you can choose :-)

http://movix.sourceforge.net/

[WorldBook]

I certainly appreciate your responses. I do have enough permission to reboot and shutdown. So basically these linux distros will work straight from cd.

I will look into installing these linux distros.

However, is there anyway to make divx/xvid content playable on Windows2000 without having to install codecs? E.g. as I mentioned earlier, loading certain .dll's or files in directories or perhaps registering certain files?

[|minister]

try this thread (http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=52335)
mplayer is imho THE media player for linux and the win32 port allows you to play movies with no codecs installed

[WorldBook]

|minister

Thanks :). MPLAYER for win32 seems to be the easiest choice at the moment. Just one quick question, does MPLAYER require installation? or will it run directly (e.g. double-click and run).

From MPLAYER website what package would I dl?

BTW reading that thread will it be able to decode xvid content? and it seems to have some issues regarding cpu consumption and b-frames playback.

[jggimi]

I wasn't aware of that thread, |minister, thanks for pointing it out.

Worldbook, if you look at the zip it contains .dll files and the .exe; I would guess you unzip it into a directory and execute.

[ChristianHJW]

VLC from http://www.videolan.org is available as win32 binaries also, unfortunately without matroska support yet :( .... so mplayer is your first choice IMHO :) .. there is a new mailinglist about the cygwin compilation of mplayer for Windows, maybe worth subscribing ( its on http://gmane.org also ) ....

[WorldBook]

Hi Christian

I did check out the videolan site. But a few things are unclear: 1) are all neccesary codecs built into the player? and 2) does it or does it not have to be installed?

Thanks for the help you guys have given me. Now it looks like I'll have to test these players to see for myself :)

[qwerpoi]

To add a suggestion to the already growing pile, I believe you still can try out BSPlayer- although it requires an install, all you need is the player itself, bsplay.exe (or whatever it's called). I of course am assuming you have a pc at home which you can install the program, which you could then copy the exe and the appropriate filters plus your movie files onto a disk. It's kind of difficult to get it to work correctly (you'll have to do more searching here to find all the correct syntax and directories), and for me I found it to be a bit buggy, but it may be worth trying out, since it definitely works.
As far as Media Player Classic goes, you're right, no installer required, and there exists some kind of support for loading filters, although it seems you need to use command lines, or edit the .ini to assign the paths. I haven't got this to work myself, which is a shame, because MPC is a really great program, with built in AC3 and subtitle handling, all it needs to load is ffdshow and you're set. Maybe gabest or someone else would know how to do this stuff better than I would, I need to spend more time (which I don't have) playing around with it.

[WorldBook]

Thanks for your suggestion :). I will also try BSPLAYER. Fortunately, I do have PC on which I exercise absolute control :D

But do you have any clue what files I should install to make XVID and Divx 3 and 5.xx work?

Getting FFDSHOW to work would be ideal. In fact, when you install FFDSHOW the installer itself tells you waht files were extracted and where they were placed (though it does not mention what if any registry keys were created/modified). Would FFDSHOW work if I manually did what the installer tells me to do on a PC? Have you tried such a thing?

[qwerpoi]

Hurm, it's been a while since I tried this stuff with bsplayer, so I can't guarantee this will work. In a directory which contains the bplay.exe (could be the root of the cd), make a text file, change the name and extension to "bspfilters.dat". In this file should be the following:

[BSPlayer filter def file]
AddFilter divxdec.ax,{78766964-0000-0010-8000-00AA00389B71},Divx Decoder Filter
AddFilter dvobsub.ax,{93A22E7A-5091-45EF-BA61-6DA26156A5D0},VobSub Decoder Filter

Note that these are just two examples, they can be any filters provided you know the correct id (using regedit). Now make a folder called "Filters", all that needs to be in this folder are the .ax files specified, in this case divxdec.ax and dvobsub.ax. Back in the directory with bplay.exe and bspfilters.dat, put in any appropriate dlls needed. In this case you need to put in vobsub.dll. Note that you will have to go hunting through your system to find these files. You should also have the bsrendv.dll in this directory, although I'm not sure if you need it.

Anyhow, that's the gist of it, I can't guarantee that what I have just described is completely correct, but I can guarantee that it will work if you play around with it- you need to make sure you have the appropriate IDs as well as all the appropriate .ax and .dll files necessary for a codec to work. I'm almost positive you can go hunting through either this forum or other forums to find a shorter and better guide than the one I just wrote. As far as ffdshow is concerned, I think it would be possible to go through what I have just described to get bsplayer to load ffdshow, since it also consists of a single .ax file and several .dlls (or am I wrong?), but I've never tried it myself. Good luck and let me know if it works out.

One last note- I have heard that using the above method is glitchy if you attempt to use it on a computer which already has the filters installed. Just something to keep in mind when testing it out.

[WorldBook]

Some success :)

I managed to load videolan on the laptop. It plays divx content.

However, certain content encoded with divx 3.11 alpha freezes and causes Videolan to freeze as well.

Anyway to resolve this?

I guess one way I could try is to change the playback filter (e.g. make the divx 5 or xvid decoders playback divx 3.11 content). However, I don't know if that will fix the freeze frames issue.

[avih]

Originally posted by WorldBook
|minister

Thanks :). MPLAYER for win32 seems to be the easiest choice at the moment. Just one quick question, does MPLAYER require installation? or will it run directly (e.g. double-click and run).

From MPLAYER website what package would I dl?

BTW reading that thread will it be able to decode xvid content? and it seems to have some issues regarding cpu consumption and b-frames playback.

just download from the link on the 1st post of the mplayer thread. it doesn't require installation. just unzip. it plays all common formats out of the box, including xvid, divx3/4/5, vcd, svcd, avi, ogm, etc. the other download packages are for realPlayer, quicktime (don't work for newer versions), and more obscure formats. worth a try imho.

[|minister]

you answered for me avih :) just download the mplayer .exe and drag the files you want to play on top of it. should play most common formats.

good luck

[WorldBook]

I'll take a look at mplayer too :)

BTW would it make any difference if I changed the fourcc code of the problematic divx 3.11 alpha file to say "dx50" or "divx" (and used the filter that decodes divx 5.xx to playback the file in Videolan) to playback the file?

[avih]

Dear WorldBook.
You ask very nice questions, all of which you could answe pretty fast by yourself if you just tried. it shouldn't take too long to try. just do it. and when you have answered all your questions, come back here, and let us know the results.

[gabest]

Originally posted by qwerpoi
As far as Media Player Classic goes, you're right, no installer required, and there exists some kind of support for loading filters, ...It is possible to load filters from command line like this: "mplayerc.exe /filter ffdshow.ax /filter ...", or you can add them through the options, which then saves into the registry/ini.

[WorldBook]

Gabest do you an idea as to what dll's or *.ax files i should load from Videolan or mplayer into MPC for xvid/divx?

Videolan used the libavcodec I think.

[gabest]

ffdshow uses libavcodec if I'm correct.

[WorldBook]

Unfortunatley, I can't install any application including FFDSHOW. However, Videolan does work (it contains a lot of files from what appears to be the libavcodec.

[avih]

WorldBook, i'm serious, take a short break, stop asking questions and start implementing the many answers you've been already given. please.

[WorldBook]

Sorry. I will do more work and less talk.