Windows 7 codec restrictions

coolVariable

Diamond Member
May 18, 2001
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Apparently there are some issues in Win7 that it doesn't allow the use of any other codecs in Win apps (WMP/WMC).

1. True? There are a ton of posts about it (just google it)
2. Any builds available that have this fixed? 7260? 7232?
 

Binky

Diamond Member
Oct 9, 1999
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I haven't seen any restrictions, but I use media player classic. Win7 includes a lot more codecs by default than any prior version of windows.
 

coolVariable

Diamond Member
May 18, 2001
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Originally posted by: Binky
I haven't seen any restrictions, but I use media player classic. Win7 includes a lot more codecs by default than any prior version of windows.

But it apparently does not allow you to use any others in the current RC builds?
 

GaryJohnson

Senior member
Jun 2, 2006
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Word is that it won't let you override any existing codecs that it ships with, but that you can install other codecs. Is that not the case?
 

The Keeper

Senior member
Mar 27, 2007
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Like GaryJohnson pointed out, codecs shipped with Windows 7 are quite likely treated as system files and thus cannot be overwritten. You can still install other codecs as long as they do not have identical file names and apps use them. However, I'd believe codecs shipped with Win7 are of superior quality than free 3rd party codecs anyway. So you won't be needing codecs that are already included.
 

Falloutboy

Diamond Member
Jan 2, 2003
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has anyone figured out a good way to play mkv? I know divx has that preview or whatever but its only for 32bit.
 

Binky

Diamond Member
Oct 9, 1999
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I haven't seen any reason to override the default codecs that are included so I don't really know if they are locked.

I installed the "Shark007" codec package. It's built mostly around ffdshow with some other splitters and it seems to work fine (including MKV). Hopefully this wont turn out to be a mistake. I've always been a bit cautious with codecs since I've screwed them up in the past and it can be difficult to get things working again.
http://shark007.net/win7codecs.html
 

ImDonly1

Platinum Member
Dec 17, 2004
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I have had the problems playing 264 encoded .mkv files. Windows 7 can play them with their own codecs, but sometimes they are slow and not that good. There are tutorials if you search Google on how to make your codecs the preferred, but I could not get it to work.

Instead what I did was go and change the name of the codec from msmpeg2vdec.dll to msmpeg2vdec_.dll the different name causes Windows to not find the codec and it instead uses your other installed codec (that codec I named is the 264 codec if you want to change others you need to find out the name of them on google). Changing the name is tricky because you need to take ownership of the file or else it won't let you change the name.

EDIT: The codecs are in the C:\Windows\SysWOW64 folder.
 

Gooberlx2

Lifer
May 4, 2001
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Originally posted by: Falloutboy
has anyone figured out a good way to play mkv? I know divx has that preview or whatever but its only for 32bit.

I'm pretty sure all you need is Haali media splitter. However, no external subtitles support...but whatever, I always hated vobsub and all that shit.
 

ImDonly1

Platinum Member
Dec 17, 2004
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Originally posted by: Falloutboy
has anyone figured out a good way to play mkv? I know divx has that preview or whatever but its only for 32bit.

Yeah, you can just install Haali Media Splitter and Windows 7 will use its own codec. But as my post above says the codec is not that great. For a different codec you can try FFDShow Tryouts or CoreAVC. FFDShow is free, and CoreAVC is not. I think you can also register the codec from Media Player Classic Home Cinema.
 
Mar 10, 2005
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Originally posted by: Binky
I haven't seen any reason to override the default codecs that are included so I don't really know if they are locked.

I installed the "Shark007" codec package. It's built mostly around ffdshow with some other splitters and it seems to work fine (including MKV). Hopefully this wont turn out to be a mistake. I've always been a bit cautious with codecs since I've screwed them up in the past and it can be difficult to get things working again.
http://shark007.net/win7codecs.html

i've had good luck with shark007's vista packages.
 

uallas5

Golden Member
Jun 3, 2005
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I've been using shark007's codec package with various beta and rc releases and have had no problems.