What you think about codec packs?

[Delerue]

I had a bad experience with K-Lite Codec Pack (WMVHD with bad performance and no audio; ffdshow solved all my problems). I would like to know what you think about the codec packs around, telling your thoughts and experiences.

[]s

[celtic_druid]

No sir, I don't like them.

[Delerue]

No sir, I don't like them.

But why?

[unskinnyboy]

But why?
Why? OK, you tell us why you need a DivX decoder *and* an XviD decoder *and* a 3ivX decoder *and* ffdshow all in your PC together, if let's say your aim is just to watch your MPEG-4 files? You don't.

Codec packs install all sort of unneeded encoders and decoders and players and whatnot and when you run up against what we call a "codec conflict" (decoder A tries to grab priority from decoder B and decoder B tries to win it back etc), it is a big pain to get out of it. :rolleyes:

Install only the video/audio decoders you absolutely need (and encoders if you encode).

[Sirber]

One of them is good, rest is pure crap.

[iwod]

The problem i think is to choose good codec pack. So far My codec pack work great for me.

[Oki]

If you use codec packs you will have problems when upgrading one of the codec. I prefer having my own set of codecs and filters and I am sure I can uninstall one of them if it gives me any problem and I can upgrade a certain one as they are independent from each other.

regards

[Winamp_Hater]

I hate codec packs!
I've tried a lot of codec packs, but each of them had bugs. Even when I uninstalled Ace Mega "Dinosaur" codec pack (thanks goodness not on my pc) it deleted the windows codecs, and WMP couldn't play anything. Now I use only:
DivX, Ac3 Filter, Nic's XviD and a DirectShow filter for Indeo Video.

[Smile2]

No Codec Packs For me.

You know what you're installing, you can get the latest update for each codec
If conflict occurs, you're more likely to know which/what codec does it and fix it.

I've had a lot of bad experience with codec pack.

some codec pack that I've tried with no problem is DefilerPack and CCCP, however this just very small collection of filters and codecs which can be installed manually as well.

[xDrJx]

and what about GordianKnot codec pack?

[Smile2]

and what about GordianKnot codec pack?

You can install GordianKnot without any codec.

Personally, I've never install GordianKnot codec pack.

[xDrJx]

You can install GordianKnot without any codec

I know :sly: just wondered what you guys think about it. I'm outta codecpack business since my Tsunami CP trouble, messed my entire system up :angry:

[Sirber]

Why use a CP when you can screw your own system yourself? :p

[niamh]

the GK codec pack is perfectly fine and safe, problems would arise when users already have codecs on the system, and a pack will slap other versions of the same codecs on top without uninstalling anything.
NB: it won't decode everything, far from it, as it only has stuff to encode with GK, and isn't aimed at decoding *everything*. I'm not sure it's been updated either.

[mastercontrol]

Codec packs are alright, as long as they are used properly. Too many people install everything, which causes conflicts. If you install just what you need, you'll be okay.

[celtic_druid]

Why bother with the codec pack then? Just grab what you need and install it.

[Axed]

I agree with celtic, there is absoultely no need for any codec packs imo. Download them seperately so you know what you have and can upgrade them (if the need arises) easily. And use the wonderful MPC which cuts down on the splitter requirements.

[SeeMoreDigital]

Installing codec packs is all part of the learning experience....

It would seem most of us have done it (at least once) and either had a bad experience, or simply realised that they offer nothing that can't be found individually... As and when you need it.

When you first start off fiddling about with audio and video encoding and decoding, your first instinct is wanting and being able to play anything that comes your way.... often in any media player!

But as time goes by and your experience grows (not to mention a few formats later), you eventually adopt a more relaxed attitude and only install the filters you want for the content you have ;)


Cheers

[xDrJx]

truer words where never spoken

[mastercontrol]

Why bother with the codec pack then? Just grab what you need and install it.
It's easier to find and download one installer than it is to track down all the codecs you're looking for.

[clsid]

The argument that codec packs install too many codecs and filters isn't really valid. A 'good' codec pack allows the end-user to specify exactly what gets installed.

I think that a codec pack is very useful to quickly and easily install codecs for someone with not much computer experience. Run just one installer and select the basic stuff that that user will need.

I guess most people on this forum update their software very frequently. So the majority here probably uses standalone versions instead of packs.

[Smile2]

The argument that codec packs install too many codecs and filters isn't really valid. A 'good' codec pack allows the end-user to specify exactly what gets installed.

I think that a codec pack is very useful to quickly and easily install codecs for someone with not much computer experience. Run just one installer and select the basic stuff that that user will need.

I guess most people on this forum update their software very frequently. So the majority here probably uses standalone versions instead of packs.

agree on this, however a "good" codec pack is just nowhere to be found.

[filewalker]

The argument that codec packs install too many codecs and filters isn't really valid. A 'good' codec pack allows the end-user to specify exactly what gets installed.
Advanced users can maybe manage codec packs to select the needed filters...but what's with newbies. I think here the problesms start.
A newbie don't know which codecs are needed and install all filters...and that leads to troubles.

Here is also the opinion of Blight, the author of Zommplayer, who should know his job and DS.
http://forum.inmatrix.com/index.php?showtopic=107


Cu

[trolltuning]

A friend who distributes some of the DVDs and VCDs I make from DV footage has urged people to use the NEMO codek -pak for several years. I cautioned him that I've heard of people having to format their drives to get rid of codec paks. His response was that it came with an uninstaller. Are the uninstallers in the codec paks reliable?

[celtic_druid]

I'd say not. From what I have seen they can remove stuff that was already there before they were installed and or not remove everything that they did install.

[QQ]

Lets just put it this way: I have hard time trying to manage what's ALREADY on my system, let alone what would CPs put on it! When you install Nero, some TV card software, even worse, some DVD playback software, you'll end up with 4+ mpeg2 and such decoders, each with higher and higher merit values. And I dont know, if it's just me, or the whole windows DS system is screwed, but some of them just DONT honor the merit value I set - sometimes it's just NOT possible to get some codec/filter to appear instead of another :/

off topic: does anyone know of a GOOD mpeg splitter which copes with broken files decently? i can't find anything..

[stax76]

They are OK when they wrap the original installer but rather expect them to do things like installing a simple COM server (e.g. a dshow filter) in the sys dir like many softs do. How am I supposed to figure what application installed a filter in my system when the filter is located in the sys dir? Installing a file in the sys dir actually makes the system slower. Generally there is too many applications that polute the system because of a inexperienced programmer so it's better to install only what's really needed and to use another system to test new applications.

[zilog jones]

I think codec packs are the tool of the devil. After installing the K-Lite codec pack last year, I've since never been able to play a QuickTime file, even after uninstalling it and installing the proper QuickTime.

[theReal]

I have often used GKnots codec pack, but I manually chose which filters to install. I think it's important to know what codecs and what versions are being installed, then you can safely use a pack installer (at least GKnot - I haven't used any others).

Since I'm not using GKnot anymore, I manually install single codecs, each one as soon as I need it. Installing fewer codecs never hurts, installing too many can screw things up :rolleyes:

sometimes it's just NOT possible to get some codec/filter to appear instead of another :/ Do you know how to unregister single codecs? There's a tool called "Sysenum", it comes with Graphedit and shows you all registered codecs and their file paths. Now that you know the filename and path, you can unregister the codec with the windows command "unregsvr32.exe /u codec.dll". Re-register is also simple: "unregsvr32.exe codec.dll"

[Caroliano]

And about Matroska Pack? Its a very basic codec pack based on FFDShow, nothing redundant like the K-lite's ones. I always recomend this pack to newbies.

[Mgz]

And about Matroska Pack? Its a very basic codec pack based on FFDShow, nothing redundant like the K-lite's ones. I always recomend this pack to newbies.

it owns , i'm using it now and has zero problem :)

how the hell am I (a newbie) gonna install Direct VobSub (it has only 1 dll file and NO installer)

and i'm too lazy to do the regsvr32 manually for everything (coreacc, corevorbis) rawr :scared:

but i do not recommend ffdshow, cause too much problem as much as the evil kazaa/Nemo Codec pack(haven't touched it since 2004, not sure if ffdshow is any better in 2005)

[celtic_druid]

coreaac and corevorbis have installers, I have seen installers for VSFilter around to.
http://www.aziendeassociate.it/cd.asp?dir=/Misc <-- my corevorbis and coreaac builds. Really though if you have ffdshow, then you don't need either since it can decode both aac and vorbis.

[Mgz]

coreaac and corevorbis have installers, I have seen installers for VSFilter around to.
http://www.aziendeassociate.it/cd.asp?dir=/Misc <-- my corevorbis and coreaac builds. Really though if you have ffdshow, then you don't need either since it can decode both aac and vorbis.

VSFilter DO have an installer but it is the ancient dinosauer version 2.23 :scared:

[celtic_druid]

http://www.inmatrix.com/zplayer/formats/vsfilter.shtml <-- v2.36.

v2.23 was vobsub wasn't it?

[Leak]

but i do not recommend ffdshow, cause too much problem as much as the evil kazaa/Nemo Codec pack(haven't touched it since 2004, not sure if ffdshow is any better in 2005)
Not to mention that ffdshow is a single filter that's easily uninstalled without any residue, has a big settings page where you can quickly and non-destructively choose which fourCCs it should decode and is actively developed and supported?

Are you kidding?

EDIT: for the record - I don't like codec packs either.

np: Arovane - The Storm (Tides)

[sNNooPY]

I don't like codec packs. BAAAAAAAD.

[Revgen]

<OFFTOPIC>
No sir, I don't like them.

LOL! You look and sound like that horse from Ren & Stimpy.

[celtic_druid]

Wow, I was expecting someone to pick up on that sooner.