K-Lite codec packages

[Tomcat76]

I've observed several problems with the K-Lite Mega codec package. Some of these occur in the smaller packages as well but I need the big one.

1) Media Player Classic cannot play quite a few of the MPEG files that I've got. The video is not rendered, the audio sounds like garbage (you hear the real audio but it's mixed with loud "tchick tchuck" and propeller sounds), and the total time indicator shows a much larger value as if Media Player Classic really thinks it's playing an audio file. Also, the total time indicator constantly changes (40:57, 40:48, 40:53, etc.). I have compared codecs, bit rates and resolutions, but there's nothing consistent to be found there.

2) The beginning of MP3 files always sounds like garbage when played back under a Power User account. It's as if the first second is played back really fast. No problems in admin accounts. I haven't tried account types lower than "Power User".

3) MPEG video files, MP3 audio files and M4A audio files (probably other types too, but not WAV) often "skip a second or two" when played back under a Power User account. This can happen as often as every 2 seconds. Everything is fine in an account with administrative privileges.

Workarounds...

* Set DirectShow Audio Filters > AC3 to "AC3Filter 0.70b". This fixes problem #2, the garbage noise at the beginning of MP3 files in Power User accounts.

* Untick the main ffdshow entry (ie, nuke ffdshow). This fixes problems #3; everything is played back fluently now on a Power User account.

* There's no real fix for problem #1 other than not associating Media Player Classic with MPEG files. I want to use Windows Media Player 6.4 for MPEG, AVI and WMV files anyway so it's not that much of an issue.

Edit:

When removing ffdshow, the "skipping" can still occur but only very rarely and only on really big files. I'm still testing how this can be remedied.

Edited December 20, 2005 by Tomcat76

[Reino]

Why do you need that codecpack at all?

[suryad]

I just grab QT alternative and divx adn thats it...I play it thru WMP 10. No probs ever!

[Tomcat76]

Why do you need that codecpack at all?

Mainly for QT Alternative, Real Alternative, DivX, Ogg and MPEG4/M4V/M4A support.

[Zxian]

I know CoRoNe and Jeremy are gonna kill me for this, but I'll recommend an alternative set of codecs.

QT Alternative

Real Alternative

XP Codec Pack

Download them all separately, and install them in that order. I've never found a file that those three together can't play through MPC smoothly. H264 files used to be a PITA with Klite Codec Pack, but now I've got no problems whatsoever.

[Reino]

Mainly for QT Alternative, Real Alternative, DivX, Ogg and MPEG4/M4V/M4A support.

What do you mean by "support"? For playback/decoding or creation/encoding purposes?

For playback purposes all you need is a set of splitters and decoders, and even if you want to creat your own stuff imo you don't even need those big codecpacks.

Have you ever heard of commandline-en/decoders? I don't think many people do. Those are simple DOS exe files and with it you're able to create almost any audio file imaginable. It's not the easiest thing to do and understand, but once you got the hang of it you'll love it. There's a beautifull GUI available for these commandliners named Multi frontend.

And AutoGK is THE solution for DVD to DivX/XviD conversion, which also comes with the latest XviD codec.

What codec does that Klite codecpack have which is really worth looking into then, besides DivX/XivD that is?

As for the XP Codec Pack...

The XP Codec Pack first of all is 5.57MB, contains the FFDShow Video Decoder, but also contains filters of which FFDShow is already capable of handling. (AC3Filter 1.01a RC5 (liba52 in FFDShow), CoreAAC (AAC DirectShow Decoder) 1.2.0 (libfaad2 in FFDShow), OggSplitter/CoreVorbis 1.1.0.79 (tremor in FFDShow)) And it doesn't make sense putting the RealMedia Splitter 1.0.1.1 into the package when Real Alternative already has one.

It's also kinda funny since actually none of the XP Codec Pack's content are codecs, but are all decoders/filters.

Because I let FFDShow do almost all the decoding work, my package is just 2MB.

To play your music files you don't need those big evil codecpacks to be installed

[da'bEAST]

I've got a little question to you guys.

I've been using KLite Mega codec pack for a few months because i needed to encode a lot of things.

But know I'm done with encoding.So I would like to give up using Klite.Now I only need suport for mpe4,OGG,QT,Real Media(playback only).Would ffdshow and QT and Real Alternative be enough?Also for the ogg suport what should I install?

[Reino]

-MP4-files > MP4 Splitter, AAC Audio Decoder (libfaad2, ffdshow)

-OGG-files > OGG Splitter, Vorbis Audio Decoder (tremor, ffdshow)

======================================
	  DirectShow FilterPack 1.9
	 by Reino Wijnsma / CoRoNe
======================================

[Content]

-RadLight OGG Splitter 1.0.0.2 (13022005)
Parses OGG files into a video and/or audio stream

-Elecard MP4 Demultiplexer 1.4.2.51012 (31102005)
Parses MP4/M4A files into a video and/or audio stream

[da'bEAST]

-MP4-files > MP4 Splitter, AAC Audio Decoder (libfaad2, ffdshow)

-OGG-files > OGG Splitter, Vorbis Audio Decoder (tremor, ffdshow)

So if I got it right ffdshow and QT and Real Alternative should be enough for my needs.

I might give your filter pack a shot in the near future when I update my CD.

Thanks very much.

[Tomcat76]

Mainly for QT Alternative, Real Alternative, DivX, Ogg and MPEG4/M4V/M4A support.

What do you mean by "support"? For playback/decoding or creation/encoding purposes?

Playback is the most important thing. Being able to edit "codecked" videos with an editing application (I use Studio 9) would come in handy but it's not really a requirement.

I first used QT & Real Alternative. Then I added 3ivX to play back MPEG4 files but found it to be dog slow at opening MPEG4 files and dog slow at closing them again. I don't know how they did it, but nothing beats the startup/closing speed of MPEG4 files with the KLite Mega codec pack. I used QT Alt, Real Alt & KLite Mega for a while but got fed up having two Media Player Classics so I ditched the standalone QT/Real Alts.

For what it's worth, I got rid of the remaining "skipping issues" but it still needs further testing. I disabled AC3Filter completely, disabled MP3 Fraunhofer and disabled AC3 ffcHandler. I'm gonna try to narrow it down.

[da'bEAST]

Well I had random issues with Klite while using it.So thats why I'm giving it up now.If the problems continue you should simply give Klite up and use another codec pack.Or use separate codecs instead.Or use ffdshow as I am as of today.

[Reino]

So if I got it right ffdshow and QT and Real Alternative should be enough for my needs.

Basicly, yes. Of course you're free to use the OGG splitter from Gabest, or Haali's media splitter for your MP4-files, but that's your call.

[suryad]

I know CoRoNe and Jeremy are gonna kill me for this, but I'll recommend an alternative set of codecs.

QT Alternative

Real Alternative

XP Codec Pack

Download them all separately, and install them in that order. I've never found a file that those three together can't play through MPC smoothly. H264 files used to be a PITA with Klite Codec Pack, but now I've got no problems whatsoever.

Seconded.

[Tomcat76]

@CoRoNe:

I don't seem to have any of the problems I mentioned above with DirectShow FilterPack (except MPC still not being able to play some of the MPEG1 files but I don't care about that).

I use DSFP 1.9 + ffdshow 20051221 + QT Alt 1.67 + Real Alt 1.46.

It's a bit of a hassle getting everything installed and configured, though; a few clicks here and there is enough for KLite Mega. I'm gonna try and see if I can somehow automate the install of DSFP, QT Alt and Real Alt, but ffdshow is gonna be more difficult: I need to verify if all the customizations I make during install as well as those after install (per the instructions in your readme file) can be done with registry hacks. Also, the M4A format still needs to be configured in Windows.

[Tomcat76]

Whoops... It looks like I spoke too soon. MP3 files are fine, but M4A files have the "skipping problem". Back to KLite Mega...