Codec Help

[tonydotigr85]

I have a fresh install of Windows XP and I'd like to install the minimum codecs for playback on most videos. I've heard installing a codec pack (k-lite) is not always the best method. Any recommendations/feedback would be greatly appreciated!

Why does the language always default back to English ... I'd like English US?

What do you use?

Thanks all!

[mikeh49]

I've never used a codec pack, so can't comment. However, there is a general consensus, I think, on the forum, that installing the minimum number of codecs is best. Sub frequently recommends the MPV (video) and MPA (audio) free codecs as good starting points. You can Google to find them. I use Nvidia PureVideo which is old, but may still be available from Nvidia and handles both video and audio. I also use AC3 filter for audio; it is free and seems to handle AC3 streams better than Nvidia. These are for MPEG recordings in the US. Maybe different for other areas.

Hauppauge cards come with basic video and audio decoders that will get you started. The problem with the Hauppauge decoder that came with the PVR analog cards is that it can't decode commercial DVDs.