Updated CODEC Guide

[NLS]

I see two stickies in the forum that talk about CODEC setup and configuration, but unless their authors plan to update them, I will start another.

I need everybody's help though.

Please report the following:

- Your CODECs and filters (and anything related) installed over the clean XP SP2 system.

- CODEC/filters availability (you want to tell us if you use a commercial filter or if a filter is only installed by installing some application first - like Nero).

- Prefered version if any.

- CODEC/filter configuration tips you may have.

- CODECs selected in MP configuration.exe.

- Anything else that should go in a CODEC/filter guide.

...and I will collect those (maybe discuss alternatives etc.) to a Guide here and/or a Wiki FAQ or something.

Thanks.

[James]

I would like to see a list of which codecs people have had success with and which not. A kind of priority list.

So for example:

My TV:

Video
1. NVIDIA PureVideo Decoder
2. Dscaler
3. Mpeg2Dec
4. ffdshow

Audio
....

My Video
...

etc.

/James

[mPod]

Please DON'T list codec packs here, only pure codecs. We're not interested in codec packs in any way. If people successfully use it, fine. But it is NOT recommended to use them. They MIGHT break your system and you don't even notice it.

Video:
- NVIDIA PureVideo Decoder (encrypted MPEG2)
- XviD 1.1 [Koepi's build] (standard MPEG4 part 2)
- CoreAVC (standard MPEG4 part 10)
- Illiminable Ogg Directshow Filters 0.71.0946 (Theora)
- Windows Media 9 (MPEG1, MJPEG and Windows Media Video)
- On2 Technologies VP7 Video Decoder (VP7)
- Real Alternative (RV9/10)
- QuickTime Alternative (QuickTime MOV container and Sorenson)
- MPV (MPEG2 -fallback for PureVideo-; bundled w/ MediaPortal)

Audio:
- NVIDIA PureVideo Decoder (AC3 and DTS -passthrough-)
- Illiminable Ogg Directshow Filters 0.71.0946 (OGG container and Speex)
- CoreVorbis (Vorbis)
- CoreAAC (AAC)
- CoreFLAC (FLAC)
- CoreWavPack (WavPack)
- RadLight APE (Monkey Audio)
- RadLight MPC (MusePack)
- RadLight OFR (OptimFROG)
- RadLight TTA (True Audio)
- Sony ATRAC3 0.98 ACM Codec (ATRAC3)
- Lame 3.97.B2 DirectShow filter (MP3)
- Windows Media 9 (MPEG1 and Windows Media Audio)
- MPA (AC3 and DTS -fallback for PureVideo-; bundled w/ MediaPortal)

(S)VCD:
CDXA Reader

Subtitles:
VSFilter

Demuxers & Splitters & Misc:
Haali Media Splitter (AVI, MKV, OGM and MP4 containers)
DVBPortal HDTV Pump Filter
RadLight PVA Splitter
MythTV Filters
D2V Source Splitter
FLIC Source Splitter
DSP-worx MOD Source Filter
ShoutcastSource

I can play most files and do most things advertised by MediaPortal.
I surely forgot some but it is pretty near to be exhaustive.

[NLS]

Let me help... my thread...

In my configuration I have:

DVD CODECS:
InterVideo Video Decoder
DVD Navigator (the only one available in MP - is this normal?)
ffdshow Audio Decoder (the only way I found to have AC3/DTS)

Movies:
?????? I had the default and now I see the one I selected disappeared (and I had an empty Video decoder!)
ffdshow Audio Decoder (for the same reason with DVD)

TV:
InterVideo NonCSS Video Decoder for Hauppauge
InterVideo NonCSS Audio Decoder for Hauppauge
(I wouldn't change this since this the recomended/native for my card - a PVR-350)

Also I have set all decoder filters to output to SPDIF.

I have the latest (unofficial) ffdshow I found (built in 2006) and don't use it for anything else than pass-though AC3/DTS.

I have VobSub with the latest filter (used ffshow before).

I'll let you know of more details later.

[CHli]

Originally Posted by NLS

DVD Navigator (the only one available in MP - is this normal?)

If I remember weell others are not listed for compatibilty issues, perhaps they should be added again since the DXVA acceleration can be disabled now.

[NLS]

OK more info about my setup:

Other installed related software:

- AC3+DTS XForm (do I still need this?)
- ffdshow 20060505-rev2546 (all codecs disabled, since I don't want to use it much but still need it for experiments)
- latest Hauppauge updates (hcw2_2_0_35_23258_pp2) for my PVR-350
- WinDVD 7
- PowerDVD 5
- QT alternative 1.70
- Real alternative 1.48
- VobSub 2.23 with 2.27 filter (use this for subs, I would prefere NATIVE MP support using that filter)
- XviD 1.1 final

Selectable DVD/Movies/Audio CODECS (selected with *):
(video)
- MPV Decoder * (Movies)
- DScaler Mpeg2 Video Decoder (DScaler is useless on my TV card AFAIK)
- InterVideo Video Decoder * (DVD)
- SnapStream Video/SP Decoder
- CyberLink Video/SP Decoder
- ULead MPEG Video Decoder
- InterVideo NonCSS Video Decoder for Hauppauge * (TV)
- SnapStream MPEG-2 Video Decoder DMO
- SnapStream MPEGMuxer
- CyberLink MPEG Muxer (twice!?)
- ULead MPEG Encoder
- Hauppauge WinTV PVR PCI II Decoder
(audio)
- MPA Decoder Filter * (DVD, Movies)
- ffdshow Audio Decoder
- DScaler Audio Decoder
- InterVideo Audio Decoder
- CyberLink Audio Decoder
- SnapStream Audio Decoder
- InterVideo NonCSS Audio Decoder for Hauppauge * (TV)
- ULead MPEG Audio Decoder
- SnapStream MPEG-2 Audio Transform
- SnapStream MPEGMuxer
- CyberLink MPEG Muxer (again twice!)
(I have also selected "use AC3 filter")

Do you people suggest I should select some OTHER CODEC (either from those available or install some other) for DVD or Movies for video and audio? Take note of my hardware: P4 @2.6GHz, 512MB HT RAM, ATI 9800XT/256, Envy24 7.1 onboard audio connected on S/PDIF 5.1 z-680 (that can decode DTS/AC3), Hauppauge PVR-350 and I use TV-out of my VGA (until DVI/HDMI LCD 37" comes).

What do YOU use and why?

[spotty]

I have had the classic problem of lots of programs installing codecs and now some things don't work.

A general guide to codec management would be great including things like -
-** NOTE: DEFINATELY CREATE A SYSTEM RESTORE POINT FIRST **
-use of 'graphedit' to check filters/codecs
-recording merit values before installing programs/codecs so they can be reinstated (filmerit 2.1 + diff tool) or the log could be posted on a forum.
-editing merits etc and restoring MS directshow filters to default state (directshow filter manager)

This is only a suggestion, Im so unclear on the best ways of doing this despite doing alot of reading on the internet.

Please do post any other (free) tools you use for codec/filter issues or any guides on the internet. Its an interesting topic, but it seems bits and piece of information are all over the place, I can't seem to find any particularly good sites.

Perhaps someone might put together a list of freeware codecs that work for typical media-portal purposes, and then some of this software (eg filmerit) could be used to setup any computer with a "BASELINE" media portal codec setup (merits etc).
This might help users and also help programmers with debugging problems that are related to codec issues.

(would do this myself if I could spare the time & knowledge)

[Callifo]

Well my list is going to be pretty small compared to those as I dont use a lot of formats but:

Nvidia Purevideo decoder
Xvid
Quicktime Alternative
Real Alternative
AVI<->AC3 Directshow filter

[ronilse]

Not a huge list, but here it is:

For TV, Video & DVD
Nvidia Purevideo decoder

Other codec's:
Xvid
Quicktime Alternative 170
Real Alternativ 148
ffdshow 20060604 (rev 2546)

Regards
Roy