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What Codecs for HTPC?

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dude12564

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VLC Media Player is a great option.
The K-Lite Codec Pack is good as well.
 
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HOBORG

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Saf

Hi.
SAF pack is specially designed for HTPC's. It is based on most advanced decoders, aimed for highest audio and video quality.
It have direct support for MediaPortal or nPVR HTPC software, great support for MPEG-2/h.264 LiveTV, and it can work as standalone playback solution too. Of course audio passthrough (including HD audio) is supported.
SAF will setup DirectShow automatically, there is no need to use any kind of Codec tweeker.
SAF also have bunch of good diagnostic tools included as selectable component for easy problem solving. Often updated and all for free.

Homepage/download: http://hobring.esero.net/saf/binary/
Mirror: http://www.free-codecs.com/download/SAF_Codec_Pack.htm
Mirror2: http://www.softpedia.com/get/Multimedia/Video/Codec-Packs-Video-Codecs/SAF.shtml
 
Last edited:
Mr McC

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Another vote for KMPlayer - if you want to try it I suggest downloading from the Spanish section of the site as I think the main download is bundled with some crap that has been removed from the version provided in the Spanish section.
 
RCoon

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KLite Codec pack, it is used on all my multimedia machines at work as standard, that thing will let you play literally ANYTHING on media player or MPC.
I'll vote up for VLC as well as it will play ISO's
 
Mussels

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RCoon said:
KLite Codec pack, it is used on all my multimedia machines at work as standard, that thing will let you play literally ANYTHING on media player or MPC.
I'll vote up for VLC as well as it will play ISO's
Click to expand...

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO



people voting for Klite makes me sad :(


CCCP is far superior to Klite, but you'd never know it because once you install Klite, you're already screwed.
 
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HOBORG

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Is not CCCP based on bugged Haali media splitter and ~1 year old decoders?
 
Mussels

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HOBORG said:
Is not CCCP based on bugged Haali media splitter and ~1 year old decoders?
Click to expand...

they update slowly, but it has received an update more recent than that. their beta section receives semi-regular updates.


I've never had to fix a machines codecs for problems caused by CCCP, but the same cant be said for K-lite.
 
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erixx

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VLC and no codexs at all. Anything else is toxic.
 
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HOBORG

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erixx said:
VLC and no codexs at all. Anything else is toxic.
Click to expand...

VLC lack some formats support, like interlaced VC-1, VP7, no dts-hd, certain *.MOVs and *.RM cannot be played at all, no DXVA (on XP) or other acceleration like CUDA, IntelQuickSync, it is not directShow based player, no HW deinterlacing, etc...

Maybe some was already implemented, i didt check for some time now.
 
Mussels

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HOBORG said:
VLC lack some formats support, like interlaced VC-1, VP7, no dts-hd, certain *.MOVs and *.RM cannot be played at all, no DXVA (on XP) or other acceleration like CUDA, IntelQuickSync, it is not directShow based player, no HW deinterlacing, etc...

Maybe some was already implemented, i didt check for some time now.
Click to expand...

last time i used it, i tried AC-3 playback straight to my sound system. VLC couldnt do it, and i was told by the devs it would never be fixed because they simply didnt care.
 
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HOBORG

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Mussels said:
last time i used it, i tried AC-3 playback straight to my sound system. VLC couldnt do it, and i was told by the devs it would never be fixed because they simply didnt care.
Click to expand...

And? SAF already support all possible audio formats Bitstreaming, including HD audio :)
 
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erixx

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Must be that I am lucky as what I play VLC just eats it and never shows a problem. That's why I said, thinking in general purposes, do not install anything. But of course there are specific scenarios, but (2) the times that everybody installed codexes on every pc are over, seems...
 
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