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If you've ever heard the term codec and wondered what it meant, you've come to the right place. We've compiled the following list of frequently asked questions about codecs to help you get up to speed on the technology that is at the heart of Windows Media Player and of many other digital media playback and creation programs:

• What is a codec?
• What codecs are included with Windows Media Player?
• Why are codecs used to compress files?
• Why do I get a message that says my computer is missing a codec?
• How do I find a codec?
• Are codecs and file formats the same?
• How do I determine what format a file is in?
• How do I tell what codec was used to compress a file?
• How do I tell which codecs are installed on my computer?
• Should I download the Microsoft codec package?
• What's the best codec?
• What are encoders and decoders?

What is a codec?

A codec is software that is used to compress or decompress a digital media file, such as a song or video. Windows Media Player, Windows Movie Maker, and other programs use codecs to play and create digital media files.

For example, when you rip a song from an audio CD to your computer, Windows Media Player uses a codec to compress the song into an audio file. By default, the Player uses the Windows Media Audio codec to compress the song into a compact WMA file.

Then, when you play the song that you ripped to your computer, the Player uses a codec to decompress the audio file and output the music to your speakers. The same is true for nearly all music or video files on your computer or links to music or video files that you click on a Web site.

Update 9-14-2008

Ok, so I found a bunch of locations where you can find Windows Vista Codecs:

Softpedia, Pcreview, ghacks, free-codecs and start-64

Feel free to visit these sites and check out the Windows Vista Codecs available for download

Vista codec Package is a package that gathers an impressive collection of codec’s (audio and video), making it possible to open the majority of the formats existing multimedia’s (Xvid, Windows video media 9, FFDShow, ogg and ac-3 acm)! Contrary to the majority of the others packs of codec’s, Vista codec Pack makes it possible to choose one by codec’s to be installed!

Vista codec Package functions under Vista (32 and 64 bits), but also functions under Windows XP. This version of Vista Codec Pack is completely free and size of file is 22.7 MB.

List of available codec inside this package:

• AC-3 ACM Codec
• FFDShow
• Ogg Vorbis CODEC
• TechSmith Screen Capture Codec
• Windows Media Video 9 VCM
• XviD MPEG-4 Video Codec
• VMware Movie decoder
• AudioSwitcher
• AVI <-> AC3/DTS Converter
• Buffer Filter
• CDDA Reader Filter
• CDXA Reader Filter
• CyberLink Video/SP Filter
• CoreAAC
• CoreVorbis
• D2V Source Filter
• CoreFLAC Audio Decoder & Source DirectShow Filter
• DivX® Media Filter
• Annodex Mux Filter
• CMML Decode Filter
• CMML Raw Source Filter
• Ogg Demux Packet Source Filter
• Ogg Mux Filter
• OGM Decode Filter
• Speex Decode Filter
• Speex Encode Filter
• Subtitle VMR9 Filter
• DirectShow Media Muxer
• DSM Splitter
• DTS/AC3 Source Filter
• Haali Video Renderer
• FLICSource Filter
• FLV Splitter
• File Source (Monkey Audio - APE)
• MPV Decoder Filter
• Mpeg Splitter
• Nut Splitter
• Ogg Splitter
• RealMedia Splitter (RM, RAM, RMVB)
• RadLight APE DirectShow Filter
• RadLight MPC DirectShow Filter
• RadLight OptimFROG DirectShow Filter
• RadLight PVA Splitter
• RadLight TTA DirectShow Filter
• RoQ Splitter
• Shoutcast Source Filter
• Haali Media Splitter
• SubtitleSource Filter
• Dr. Evil TRLDRP6
• UDP Reader Filter
• VP7 Decompression Filter
• VobSub & TextSub filter for DirectShow/VirtualDub/Avisynth
• VTS Reader Filter
• XviD MPEG-4 Video Decoder

Download Vista Codec Pack 4.4.8 from this link.

Now, More about Codecs....

What codecs are included with Windows Media Player?

 

There are hundreds of audio and video codecs in use today. Some have been created by Microsoft, but the vast majority of codecs have been created by other companies, organizations, or individuals. By default, a number of the most popular codecs are installed in the operating system and with Windows Media Player, such as the Windows Media Audio, Windows Media Video, and MP3 codecs.

Review the list of codecs that are installed by default. If you play a music or video file that requires a codec that isn't included by default, the Player searches your computer to see if it can use any of the codecs installed by other digital media playback and creation programs. If a codec isn't already installed, you might be able to download the necessary codec from the Web at no cost or for a fee.

Learn more about finding codecs

If the necessary codec is not available from the Web or is not compatible with Windows Media Player, you won't be able to play, burn, or synchronize the file.

Why are codecs used to compress files?

There are two main reasons why compressing a digital media file is helpful:

compressed file takes up less storage space than an uncompressed file. That means you can store more files on your computer, portable music player (MP3 player), or data CD. compressed file can be transferred from one location to another more quickly than an uncompressed file. For example, Web site creators frequently compress audio and video files so that they can be streamed over the Internet. It's usually not possible to stream an uncompressed file smoothly over the Internet.

Why do I get a message that says my computer is missing a codec?

You are probably trying to play a file that was compressed by using a codec that the operating system or Windows Media Player doesn't include by default. In many cases, you can download and install the missing codec at no cost or for a fee. However, in some cases, the content you're trying to play might use a codec that is not available or compatible with the Player, and you won't be able to use the Player to play it.

The MPEG-2 and DivX video codecs and the ACELP.net and Ogg Vorbis audio codecs are examples of codecs that are not included in the operating system or the Player by default. You can download these and other non-Microsoft codecs from the WMPlugins.com Codec page

If the Player doesn't find the right codec on your computer, it tries to download the codec from a Microsoft server. If the codec is available, Windows Media Player installs it on your computer, and then performs the task that you asked it to do. Note that if you're not the administrator for your computer, you won't be able to install the codec. For example, if you use the Player in a work environment that is managed by a network administrator, you might be restricted from downloading software from the Web or from installing it on your computer.

If the codec is not available on the server (for example, because the missing codec was not created by Microsoft), Windows Media Player displays a message that indicates your computer is missing a codec.

If you are connected to the Internet, the message usually has a Web Help button that you can click for more information. If Windows Media Player can determine which codec you are missing, when you click that button, a Help topic is displayed that contains a link to WMPlugins.com, a Web site that lists a number of codecs that are available to download.

Learn more about downloading codecs

Note

To ensure that Windows Media Player can download codecs from the Microsoft server if necessary, make sure the Download codecs automatically option is enabled (it's turned on by default). To check, right-click the Windows Media Player title bar, point to Tools, and then click Options. On the Player tab, verify the Download codecs automatically check box is selected.

How do I find a codec?

Windows Vista Drivers Windows Vista Themes Windows Vista Drivers

You can try the following steps to find the right codec for a particular file. If these steps don't work, then the codec that is needed for the file might not be compatible with the Player, so you might not be able to use the Player for this particular file.

To find codec on WMPlugins.com

missing a codec, in the message, click the Web Help button. A Help topic will be displayed that provides a link to WMPlugins.com. Click the link. – or – If you know the name of the codec that you are missing, you can go directly to the WMPlugins.com Codec page. follow the instructions on the page to download and install the codec. If the codec is not listed, see Find codec on other Web sites.

Most of the codecs listed on WMPlugins.com are available at no cost. Some, such as the MPEG-2 codec (also known as a DVD decoder), are available for purchase from companies that have licensed it.

To find codec on other Web sites

If you know the name of the codec or its ID (known as a FourCC identifier for video codecs or a WaveFormat identifier for audio codecs), try searching the Internet through an Internet search engine such as MSN Search The codec ID might be displayed in the search results on WMPlugins.com if the Player can identify which codec is missing. The following Web sites are good places to start to match the ID to the name of the codec. In many cases, they can be used to find the person or organization that created the codec.

Registered FourCC Codes and WAVE Formats FourCC.org

Note that some of the information on these sites might conflict. In general, the video codec information on FourCC.org is more up-to-date than the video codec information on MSDN.

You should use caution when installing codecs that aren't listed on WMPlugins.com or Microsoft.com. Tsunami, Nimo, and other codec packs frequently cause more problems with Windows Media Player.

Are codecs and file formats the same?

It's very easy to confuse codecs with file formats and vice versa because sometimes the name of the codec and the name of the file format are the same.

You can think of a file format as a type of container. Inside the container is data that has been compressed by using a particular codec. A file format such as Windows Media Audio contains data that is compressed by using the Windows Media Audio codec.

However, a file format such as Audio Video Interleaved (AVI) can contain data that is compressed by any of a number of different codecs, including the MPEG-2, DivX, or XVid codecs. AVI files can also contain data that is not compressed by any codec. Consequently, you might be able to play some AVI files and not others, depending on which codecs were used to compress the file and which codecs you have installed on your computer. For the same reason, you also might be able to play the audio portion of an AVI file, but not the video portion.

How do I determine what format a file is in?

You might be able to tell what a file's format is by looking at the file's extension (such as .wma, .wmv, .mp3, or .avi). However, there are limits to this approach.

Many programs create files with custom file extensions. And it's possible for anyone to rename a file without changing the file's format. A file with the extension .mpg or .dvr-ms, for instance, is usually just an AVI file that has been compressed by using some version of an MPEG video codec.

How do I tell what codec was used to compress a file?

There isn't an absolute way to do this, but these are your best options:

Player. While the file is playing, right-click the file in the library, and then click Properties. On the File tab, look at the sections named Audio codec and Video codec. GSpot Codec Information Appliance or Sherlock–The Codec Detective.

Note that a file can be compressed by more than one codec. For example, one codec might be used to compress the audio portion of a file and another codec might be used to compress the video portion of a file.

If you have the right audio codec installed on your computer but not the right video codec, when you play the file you'll probably be able to hear the sound but you won't be able to see the picture.

How do I tell which codecs are installed on my computer?

There isn't a simple way to do this. However, some non-Microsoft tools, such as Sherlock–The Codec Detective, can display a fairly accurate list.

Should I download the Microsoft codec package?

If you downloaded the Player yourself, the codecs that are in the Microsoft codec package were installed automatically, so downloading the Microsoft codec package probably won't help resolve any codec-related issues you might encounter. The Microsoft codec package is made available for network administrators who want to put the codecs on hundreds or thousands of computers at once rather than having each person in the company download codecs individually. Instead, try the steps outlined in How do I find a codec?

Microsoft codec package" refers to the codec packages available on the Windows Media Codec Download page and the Microsoft Download Center page

What's the best codec?

All codecs make some tradeoff between sound or video quality, file size, and compatibility with non-Microsoft playback programs and devices.

Windows Media Audio and Windows Media Video are widely used codecs that are flexible enough to suit the needs of most content creators and consumers. For example, the Windows Media Audio codec can be used to create very small files suitable for streaming talk radio over the Internet or very high-fidelity files that support multiple audio channels for use in high-end home theater systems. Likewise, the Windows Media Video codec can be used to create small files suitable for streaming short videos over the Internet or high-definition video suitable for projection in commercial movie theaters. Learn more about Windows Media codecs

What are encoders and decoders?

A codec can consist of two components—an encoder and a decoder. The encoder performs the compression function and the decoder performs the decompression function.

Some codecs include both of these components and some codecs only include one of them. For example, the video on a DVD-Video disc is compressed by using the MPEG-2 codec. If you install a DVD playback program on your computer, the program will likely install a codec that only includes an MPEG-2 decoder. The decoder allows you to decompress and play the DVD on your computer, but it won't enable you to make your own DVD-Video disc. To create a DVD-Video disc, you'd need to install a codec that includes an MPEG-2 encoder so that you could compress the video appropriately.

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Windows Vista is here. In order to get the best sound and video for your songs and movies, it is often necessary to download appropriate codecs.

Do you have any information or news of new codecs, questions or stories that you would like to share?

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