[How-To] Install CoDec's to allow Multimedia Playback

Information:
This How-To aims to instruct users how to install a CoDec pack to enable the playback of a great deal of AVI's, MPeg's, DVD's, Quicktime Movies etc, etc with Windows Media Player. This means that you will be able to enjoy a heap of different videos, compressed with different CoDec's, without having to install any other players, like ZoomPlayer, Media Player Classic, VLC Player and the list goes on. Hopefully this How-To will get everybody up and running with multimedia files and disks, without having to install any amount of bloatware.

The basic theory being, Windows comes with a player, so why should you clog up your hard drive and registry with a multitude of different players and the bloat that goes with them.

I've been using the K-Lite Mega CoDec pack mentioned in this How-To for years. It is fully functional on all mainstream Windows platforms (XP, Vista, Win 7) as well as both x86 (32 bit) and x64 (64 bit) environments. The only time I have not been able to run a media file with it was when MKV first became popular, however since then there's been numerous updates to the CoDec pack and now it plays everything I throw at it. Having said that, it's bound to hit a wall sooner or later, but rest assured the developers will release an update to allow the playback of the new CoDec.

Step 1
Goto http://www.free-codecs.com/download/K_L ... c_Pack.htm and click the big bold words that say "Download K-Lite Mega CoDec"

Step 2
The new ( http://www.free-codecs.com/K_Lite_Mega_ ... wnload.htm ) page loads with a list of mirrors that have available versions of the CoDec pack to download. Choose the latest version

Step 3
If you use Mozilla Firefox, save the file to a location of your choice, or if you're still running on the default settings, it will automatically save to your "Downloads" folder. Either way, make note of where it is saved to, so you can run the installation after the download is finished.

Step 4
Open the file to run the installation, at the first (introduction) screen, click next
Step 5
* Choose the "Advanced Install (Show All Options)" install method and click "next"
* Use the default location ( C:\Program Files\K-Lite Codec Pack ), click next
* From the drop-down menu, choose "Lots of Stuff Without Player", click next
* Choose "Don't Create A Start Menu Folder", click next

* Scroll down and choose not to visit the website after installation, click next
* Choose Windows Media Player for file associations, click next
* Scroll down the lists and tick all the boxes to enable all the file associations, click next
* Tick all the boxes to enable thumbnail generation for all file types and click next - This will allow Windows Explorer to generate thumbnails for all supported media types, instead of displaying default system icons for the files

* Choose your speaker orientation and click next - The Aspire Ones only have 2 speakers, so select 2.0

* Click Install
* Click Finish

Congratulations! You have just installed the K-Lite Mega CoDec Pack. You can now play DVD's and virtually all other media file types in Windows Media Player, without having to install any bloat. You will probably also be able to create video's with your editing software, but have more of a range of CoDec's to compress them in.

 

I have an Acer Aspire One 325h with 2G ram, an Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 3150 with the latest driver, and running Windows 7 Premium Home Edition (32 Bit). Recently, I noticed that all my videos were very slow & 'stuttering' in both video & audio. Other than normal Windows updates...nothing has been changed. I tried your "Install CoDec's" and followed all the instructions....NOW all my videos zip by in seconds...too fast & no sound. HELP