The media player codec thread

[Dante74]

The various Macross Frontier episode threads contain a lot of tips 'n tricks for playing all the released RAW's and subs, but every time a new episode is released, the same questions pop up from members that are having troubles playing the files. Which is why I started this thread, to provide a place where members can get help to enjoy anime.

So, What's your setup for watching anime?

I used to use VLC media player for all my media files but it soesn't seem to like the hi-rez Gattai subs very much, so I switched to Windows Media Player 11 and installed the FFDshow and Haali media splitter decoders to play MKV files. How to install/settings. Now, I can even use my media center to watch the show on my tv. After installing these you should be able to play the 1280x720 h264 files without any trouble, but...where's the subs? In order to actually see the subs on screen, you'll need to activate them from the FFDshow system tray icon that shows up when you open the mkv file in WMP. Just click the little red FFv icon with the right mouse button and check the "subtitles" box.

So, what do you use to watch Frontier and other anime? post your favorite setup and help your fellow MW'ers out!

[Sulendil Ang]

Well, I use Media Player Classic from CCCP. My comp can play most of the mkv files, given that it's not in HD (1280x720) form. When I play those files, the movie become lag. My comp simply don't have the resource to handle those HD files.

[Holocause]

I too shuffle between MPC and VLC. Mainly I use MPC too which is included in CCCP. I do notice though that audio has a higher max volume in VLC than in MPC.

I too can watch most .mkv's as long as they are not 1280X720. If its in the lower 480 resolution then its no problem for me. When the RAW's come out and are in the high res .avi format, I use SUPER to downscale it to 480 and .mp4 h.264 format and watch it through MPC. I like it in mp4 so I can also play my vids via my I-phone for those times when I'm bored.

I am screwed however when a video comes out in .mkv at 1280 as I can't seem to get SUPER to downscale those and my PC can't handle it... recent example are the flurry of Evangelion 1.01 releases that have been coming out. Fortunately I was able to find a 480 subtitled avi version otherwise it would have been a sad weekend.

[Graham]

I'm currently using VLC player for the Anime In Action version and CCCP's Media Player Classic to watch the Gattai versions.

Graham

[raymond]

I also use CCCP to handle the codecs and whatnot. I tweak around with it quite a lot. The FFDShow Audio gets tweaked for sound, Video gets tweaked for subtitles. Personally, I use the Segoe UI font for subtitles instead of Arial and fix the aspect ratio, spacing, and font size for viewing distance. Since CCCP installs all these DirectShow filters, I can view pretty much anything with it with Media Player Classic, Windows Media Player or Windows Media Center. I primarily choose the latter since it provides a better experience when used with a remote control.

[mikeszekely]

I installed the CCCP on all of my Windows boxes. I pretty much stick to my HTPC, but occasionally use my primary desktop for viewing stuff. I've tried Windows Media Center, but I don't have a remote for it and don't care for it as much as Front Row anyway, so I use VLC for everything now. I haven't had any trouble playing any files. Granted, I haven't bothered with the Gattai subs (I've been watching AiA, but I might try Menclave's), but my HTPC at least could play Menclave's HD Gundam 00 files. I guess that some media players are more efficient than others, but I guess if you have enough computer you can use any media player you like.

[eugimon]

CCCP and windows media player 11. I find windows media center to be rather slow and bloated but I love media player.

[Wes]

We're getting drowned in this "The _______ thread"'s. I just stick with the kazaa megacodec pack

[JB0]

I use Media Player Classic and FFDShow.

I have no desire to mess around with codec packs.

[David Hingtgen]

I went with a MKV codec with Media Player Classic to see the Gattai subbed ones. VLC ALWAYS stuttered along while playing them. (VLC can play ANYTHING, but not always smoothly) And my PC is only a month old and I put pretty high-end stuff in it---it certainly isn't a CPU bottleneck or anything. Plus I have XP really stripped down, service-by-service, so it's probably not a bloated OS causing issues. I'm guessing VLC just doesn't like MKV files THAT much.

[the white drew carey]

OK, I may be an idiot, but I cannot get the size of the subtitles in VLC to change, and their "manual" isn't very helpful. I'm on an Intel Mac, and Mplayer OSX won't even run the video (it crashes before it starts).

Ummm, any ideas?

[azrael]

I use Media Player Classic + FFDshow. When that fails, I use SMPlayer (Mplayer frontend for Windows).

[akt_m]

I use k-lite codec pack. Nothing to complain. It comes with CoreAVC (but i'm not sure if this copy is 100% legal...).

Anyway CoreAVC is probably one of the fastest h264 decoders avaliable. This test shows it is as fast as AVIVO and Purevideo. http://www.behardware.com/news/8117/coreav...-purevideo.html

Edited April 28, 2008 by akt_m

[grss1982]

I'm currently using VLC player for the Anime In Action version and CCCP's Media Player Classic to watch the Gattai versions.

Graham

BTW, AiA's *.mp4 format can be played under CCCP's MPC. No need to use VLC, unless your using it for the added sound boost.

@David Hingtgen: VLC has always had playback issues with the *.MKV format especially the larger ones. Also the subtitles are sometimes bad/awful in an *.MKV file played under VLC. :-( You might wann try CCCP or Storm Codec, which I personally use.

AS FOR ME..... I generally install & use "VLC" & "Storm Codec" for all of my video playback needs.I've also used CCCP, but opted for Storm Codec so that I could play Real Media Files as well, which CCCP can't.

Edited April 28, 2008 by grss1982

[bsu legato]

I use k-lite codec pack. Nothing to complain.

X2

It runs everything I've come across, without a hiccup.

[Dante74]

BTW, AiA's *.mp4 format can be played under CCCP's MPC. No need to use VLC, unless your using it for the added sound boost.

@David Hingtgen: VLC has always had playback issues with the *.MKV format especially the larger ones. Also the subtitles are sometimes bad/awful in an *.MKV file played under VLC. :-( You might wann try CCCP or Storm Codec, which I personally use.

AS FOR ME..... I generally install & use "VLC" & "Storm Codec" for all of my video playback needs.I've also used CCCP, but opted for Storm Codec so that I could play Real Media Files as well, which CCCP can't.

When I got my current Vista laptop I installed CCCP and MPC on it too, but it froze up on me within minutes. That's why I went with VLC. Untill I got the Gattai release of Mac F it worked great, but I did experience the weird giant sub fonts on mkv files every once in a while.

[jwinges]

When I got my current Vista laptop I installed CCCP and MPC on it too, but it froze up on me within minutes. That's why I went with VLC. Untill I got the Gattai release of Mac F it worked great, but I did experience the weird giant sub fonts on mkv files every once in a while.

I use my dell xps laptop with 2 gig memory and don't have a problem with MKV or H264 files in HD using CCCP codec and VLC while cloning or dual screening my laptop to my 42 inch plasma.

However I did have a problem with one of the releases of macross frontier 2. I think it was just the release because I had no such problems with ep 1 or any other HD content I've downloaded. I'm downloading a different version of ep 2 from a more reliable subber and will try that and wait for ep 3-4 until the reliable subber does it. I think the bad version I had was either gattai or AIA. I'm downloading AonE's version now.

If you can play AonE then your gold.

[Dante74]

I use my dell xps laptop with 2 gig memory and don't have a problem with MKV or H264 files in HD using CCCP codec and VLC while cloning or dual screening my laptop to my 42 inch plasma.

However I did have a problem with one of the releases of macross frontier 2. I think it was just the release because I had no such problems with ep 1 or any other HD content I've downloaded. I'm downloading a different version of ep 2 from a more reliable subber and will try that and wait for ep 3-4 until the reliable subber does it. I think the bad version I had was either gattai or AIA. I'm downloading AonE's version now.

If you can play AonE then your gold.

Do you run Vista on the dell? That's what I think caused the problem for me.

[miriya]

Does anyone use a mac?

I did have a little bit of trouble with the gattai mkv on the VLC with the subs getting all garbled up one word on top of the other and then some video jittering.

Anyone with a mac know of a good way to watch the mkv files?

[jwinges]

Do you run Vista on the dell? That's what I think caused the problem for me.

Both, I have 2 identical xps 1710 laptops...my regular home theater one as mentioned above running xp and a second one that I installed vista for the bedroom with 2gigs mem running a DVI to HDMI cable to a LG 32" LCD set to either clone or dual screen. The vista copy is a tiny bit more glitchy but still works fine once its started.

BTW there is a new update for VLC on the web...just open VLC and do an update search through it.

I also have a host of codecs on my machine...I know that most people say you should have too many but I have good luck with high memory machines packed with codecs. off the top of my head I put these on every computer I own:

-Current DIVX

-FFDshow

-CCCP

-VOBsub

-Angelpotion

-Nemo codec pack

I also add:

-Realplayer

-Zone player

-core media player

-Media player classic

-Windows media player

-Quicktime

-Shockwave

Every once and a while I'll have a conflict but its pretty rare. I also try to stick with the better subbers.

[jwinges]

Does anyone use a mac?

I did have a little bit of trouble with the gattai mkv on the VLC with the subs getting all garbled up one word on top of the other and then some video jittering.

Anyone with a mac know of a good way to watch the mkv files?

I didn't have any problem with the gattai subs just stuttering of the whole thing. At some pts it look like stop motion animation. Play for 2 seconds stutter play for another 2 etc.

[buddhafabio]

i have sound not synced issues with gattai sub mkvs.

[miriya]

I had problems with episode 05 .mkv using VLC in both PC and Mac. mainly video jitter. For now I am just trying to collect the mpeg4 AiA subs.

By the way does anyone know a way to get the mpeg4 files to DVD that keeps the wide angle aspect. I have tried to put them in final cut pro and DVD studio pro and they will not accept it. Then I tried to encode them as mpeg2 and wav on my pc in canopus procoder but the video did not work. I also tried mpeg stream clip and that did not work. Finally I tried burn but it did not keep the wide angle so playing it on a TV cut off the edges and major portions of the subtitles too.

Any ideas?

[jwinges]

I had problems with episode 05 .mkv using VLC in both PC and Mac. mainly video jitter. For now I am just trying to collect the mpeg4 AiA subs.

By the way does anyone know a way to get the mpeg4 files to DVD that keeps the wide angle aspect. I have tried to put them in final cut pro and DVD studio pro and they will not accept it. Then I tried to encode them as mpeg2 and wav on my pc in canopus procoder but the video did not work. I also tried mpeg stream clip and that did not work. Finally I tried burn but it did not keep the wide angle so playing it on a TV cut off the edges and major portions of the subtitles too.

Any ideas?

try some of the other players.

or

use the shinsen-subs versions and upconvert to HD through a receiver then to your tv. They are really reliable.

[Mercurial Morpheus]

I've used k-lite for years. Never had a problem with it. Glad to see I'm not alone amidst the CCCP sea.

I also use VLC for incomplete playback.

[Xeros]

I've used k-lite for years. Never had a problem with it. Glad to see I'm not alone amidst the CCCP sea.

I also use VLC for incomplete playback.

+1

CCCP blows off the audio in power DVD

[F-ZeroOne]

You know, there are times when I miss the days when all I had to worry about in anime playback terms was Dub vs Sub.

I use VLC generally, though by the time I've posted this, it will probably have been replaced with something else.

[transfan52]

I recently found out about media player classic and its the only media codec I use right now... My macross frontier lunar anime subs werent working right on vlc so I tried media player classic and they worked perfectly.

[1/1 LowViz Lurker]

Klite codec pack or CCCP seems to work well for me. I use to use VLC but heard that that subtitles looked ugly when using it.

[Neova]

I don't use codec packs as I like to tweak my system and keep it very light:

Media Player Classic + MPC Cinema Edition (for movies to prevent tearing under Vista/DX10)

Xvid 1.2 - plays Divx, Xvid and MP4

CoreAVC - AVC, x264

CoreAAC

CoreFLAC - lossless CD audio!

CoreVorbis

AC3 Filter - for DTS/AC3 decoding via software

Quicktime Lite

Realmedia Lite

Everything works unless there is an old oddball animation with outdated codec.

Needs a fast cpu for this setup though. 1.8 GHZ C2D or 3GHZ + P4 to run at 1080p YUYV or maybe 24bit output. Don't even try 32bit video output unless the processor is faster or if you have a HW based VC1/AVC/x264 decoder.

I get all my codecs from www.free-codecs.com

Edited July 23, 2008 by Neova