Video (and other media) codecs/players

[Offler]

Few weeks ago i was trying to find some videos, but after their download i realized that i cannot play them - since they were using unknown codec - h264.

I almost went mad when i tried large number of many codecs and codec packs to find suitable and workable codec for Windows 98. So here is my experience:

i was searching for these formats...

DivX codec - last version of this codec which can be installed on windows 9x is DivX 5.2.1

Xvid codec - newest versions still available for win9x

WMV - even microsoft is offering codec pack to support older players (predcessors of Windows Media Player 7) these are causing serious errors when playing video

MP4 - this format was completely unknown to me...

Avi with H264 - another unknown and rarely supported format.

since divix is no longer supporting our beloved windows 98 there was only chance to install older version, but for newer ones there was needed different support. Then i found information about Libavcodec and FFDshow.

Althought i was warned that these "filters" are useless it is only way how to decode some formats - new divixes and h264.

I tried Storm Codec - was too buggy, also i tried CCCP pack, also buggy with bad image quality. Then i tried Cole2k pack, yet buggy but it gived support for all needed formats, with very good image quality. Its developer was also grateful when i send him detailed bugreport, so for now i am helping him to tweak up some features directly for Windows 9x based systems. I hope that in few days shall be released new version.

For now i am researching only one problem called "Windows Media Player 9". This player can be installed on windows 98 without any restrictions. Codec packs released by microsoft are giving possibility to read WMV files, but image quality of these codecs are poor, so only way how to solve it was WMP 9. After that all tested video players gived better Wmv support.

Also is there possible to use classical stand alone codecs and filters - some results

Haali media Splitter - works for MP4 and related formats

VobSub 2.33 - subtitle filter - this one is not workable in windows 98.

VobSub 2.37 - subtitle filter - this works if FFD is correctly tweaked (i hope it shall be used in Cole2k) or with "Media Player Classic" where "VMR 9" setting must be enabled. Cannot work standalone in w98

Ac3 Filter - this is still available for windows 98

h264 codec - i found some standalone codecs - no one of them was free or usable. If using this format it is recommendet to install divix 5.2.1 codec - its filters are helping by decoding of h264 and are correcting some bugs (in fullscreen)

DivX 6 and higher - only possibility to decode is throught Xvid or FFDShow.

Tested video players:

MPLAYER2 - standard player of windows 98. works good with all formats including wmv

Windows Media Player 7 - nightmare. Do NOT install.

Windows Media Player 9 - gives good WMV support, too many bells and whistles. Useful but nothing special.

MicroDVDPlayer 1.1 - rather old player, works good except using Vobsub subtitles (minor bugs in image, may read them without trouble but you shall see) and Wmv. Good ergonomy, has its own playlist (no file), clear and fast seeking in file.

ZoomPlayer - not workable.

Media Player Classic - supports wide range of formats - media files, dvd and even TV tuner, has its own filters and shaders, good ergonomy, good performance, wide range of options. It looks like upgraded MPlayer2.

Players which have integraded decoders have not been tested.

sources:

www.free-codecs.com

www.cole2k.net

Edited January 15, 2007 by Offler

[jimmsta]

I always include the latest KLCodec pack with my Win9x Power Pack, since it fully supports most, if not all video and audio formats on win9x. You can find it here: www.codecguide.com

I use the Standard release for my package, but personally make use of the Mega codec pack, since it actually contains the latest DivX and Xvid codecs, not just FFDShow, and other multi-codec packages.

[awergh]

you could use vlc 0.86a which supports just about everything it even supports quicktime 7 and all versions support 98se

[Offler]

to Jimmsta: K-lite supports Xvid, DivX, ac3 sound and it contains VobSub 2.37. MP4 or h264 is not supported and VobSub may cause crashes if using subtitled videos with "default video renderer" without some tweaks... I've been testing it too - check it.

Now is Cole2k Standard pack almost debugged for windows 98 and it is solution for decoding of wide spectrum of video formats, and from my experience i may say that it is wider spectrum than K-lite provides... We shall see - version 6.0.9 might be suitable for win9x and i hope available soon.

to awergh: I prefer classical codecs (because i need not only decode but encode too, and i want to use and test variety of players), but some of them like divix cannot be installed on windows 98, so for decoding i use FFD.

Edited January 16, 2007 by Offler

[Fredledingue]

DivX:

DXN (Divx Networks) changed its attitude with the introduction of DivX6.

DXN is not anymore the bunch of geeks revolutionizing the world of digital video. DXN is now a fully commercial bloatware company. DivX6 is only one of their product. And because they don't want to lose money fixing issues on w98 platform they dropped support for it.

Wierd since a codec normaly, doesn't need any XP module. Gone-there Done-that, MDGx had described on his website how to install DivX6 on w98, but it required a paid license and a (separate) XP computer. I don't know if this information is still on MDGx website. Anyway it's a proof DivX6 can run on w98 but DXN co. doesn't want to.

DivX6 (encoder/decoder) is not realy freeware anymore. It's not addware like DivX5-Pro was (thought the addware nuisance is very easy to circumvent) but the free trial expire after 6 months. Last time I checked (one and half year ago), a 6 month free trial is renewed at each update, make it virtualy free, but I'm not sure if it's still like that. I think the free trial has been reduced radicaly.

I just want to say that if you don't want to be stuck in a free trial period, you may want to consider the old DivX5.2x-Pro.

Is DivX5.2x worse or less good than DivX6? It's not sure. From what I have read it's 10~20% faster but no very big difference in quality.

The quality of video encoding has reached a plateau. Two years ago, we were reading about even more revolutionizing codecs to come. Yet, they are still not widely used, incredibly slow and not that better.

The only thing I recommand is not to use DivX5 Vanila for encoding.

For decoding FFDShow is perfect. It offers many options which can turn mplayer2 into an ultra advanced player. It's even better than the original DivX codecs thought they also improved. If you have issues with recent FFDShow, I use the 3 years old 0.4.6 version. Check if it's still there on sourcefoge.

XviD:

Yes, XviD is THE alternative to DivX, free, open source, even better quality according to Xvid fans (if you know how to tweak the 276 setting options), a choice of several builds... what more would you want to dream for?

Well, DVD-DivX player compatibility! Theoricaly DivX capable DVD players should play XviD and they proudly mention that on the box. In practice they don't play XviD very well if at all. You cannot insert a cd with XviD movie into your DVD player and be 100% sure that you will be watching it 30 seconds later. It may work and it may not work.

That hopefully will be improved as hardware performance for these devices increase. Let's hope.

WMV-9:

MDGx has a link to it on his website.

I don't agree that mplayer2 is working seamlessly with wmv. Some wmv files took ages to open if they opened at all.

Other players, like FastStone player, handle wmv better.

HTH

Edited January 17, 2007 by Fredledingue

[Fredledingue]

I prefer classical codecs (because i need not only decode but encode too

I use FFDShow for decoding, DivX5.21 (or any other codecs from the drop down list) for encoding. No problem.

[Offler]

yesterday i tested encoding ability of FFDshow... not bad indeed, but for example DivX encoded by libavcodec cannot be decoded by divX but only by libavcodec...

WMV always was and always will be bad way of encoding. Behaviour like streaming over net even when it is on hdd is not best way...

Few months ago i found H264 video... 3Mb of data and one minute of quality fullscreen image, but not intended for realtime encoding with weak prcessor. thats the most impressive video format i found.

For now is Xvid most suitable for me (tv capturing, realtime compression, 1,120 Mhz, no hardware compression available)

[rainyd]

Offler, from this site: http://gabextreme.googlepages.com/x264vfwunited you can download standalone h264 codec.

Btw, another useful site: http://www.videohelp.com/

[Offler]

a tried that codec... and i can say that its core is compatible with W98, but rest - especially registry entries are screwed up.

It cannot decode videos, it cannot encode stream from TV tuner. The same malfunctions are present at Koepi's Xvid 1.1.2

install it on win98, and try to run its configuration utility - wrong path. rundll is in "windows" directory, not in "system" directory...

These are common bugs which are left in these codecs.