How do I find out how codecs encode and decode and how frameserving works?

[Onceler]

I am begining programing in C(noy C++) and want to learn the way codecs install and work in computers.
Like how can you register your codec so that apps will find it listed as a possibility when you work with an app that encodes video. Also how does the system know what codec to use to decode your codec and how does this work?
Finally I want to know how to serve frames both visual and audio one at a time as an app requests them(both encode and playback).
Sorry if this has been posted before, I tried searching but came up with all kinds of stuff that didn't pertain to the subject that I need.
I have tried looking at some source code but it was in C++ which I hate because of OOP and I don't think that way.
Does anyone know of some good source code in C?
I posted this also on the videohelp.com forum but so far no one has replied.
Thank you.

 

[Markbnj]

You're covering a lot of ground there. This is all fairly system-specific. Beyond the basic compression/decompression that a codec does, the whole framework for installing and managing them, and mapping media data to a codec is dependent on the system. You didn't mention your platform. For Windows this is a decent place to begin: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/ff819508(v=vs.85).aspx

 

[Onceler]

Thanks
I wanted to know how it works for all platforms.
Thanks again for the link I will read it now.

 

[Ken g6]

I'll just leave this here:

http://forum.doom9.org/forumdisplay.php?f=17

 

[Paul98]

You may want to check out DirectShow