Qestion about "codec's "

[WesterServer]

I have a question about codecs, i know .AVI , .MOV are containers for such codecs.

So is MPEG -1 , MPEG -2 , MPEG -4 , VORBIS, DIVX, are these the actual codecs inside these containers
And how do you know what a particular container uses what codec's......

Sorry if the question is a little vaigue , i am just a beginner on the suject

[AlBags]

Nope...

A codec can be likened to a "spanner" in a toolkit (Windows) to understand and display a video format and send a recognisable audio stream to the audio card.
Windows installs a few codecs that will play some popular PC formats, but not all. Anything from Real media,WMV, Quick time, MP4, VOB's in DVD's, Mobile formats, etc, etc, all need a codec to play properly.
Apart from the basic Windows installation, if you add the codec FFDShow, and Real Player Alternative, Quick Time alternative (comes with Classic Media Player) you can play most formats. You need Classic Media Player to play DVD's (it has own codecs) or some use VLC Player (same .. has own codecs)
Installing Quick Time and Real Player is not totally necessary (and besides Real Player especially clutters up your PC with hundreds of entries, and it practically takes over)
Containers are just like a box that contains another format. There is no codec in a video/sound file or a container. Hence, it will not play if you don't have a suitable codec installed on the system.

[AlBags]

Best standalone players are generally regarded to be Zoom Player or Gom player at the moment. Gom also has some codecs of it's own.

[WesterServer]

" if you add the codec FFDShow, and Real Player Alternative, Quick Time alternative (comes with Classic Media Player) "

Still rather confusing, so FFDSHOW AND REAL PLAYER or even WINDOWS MEDIA PLAYER, are codec's themselves

[ABerrant]

AlBags has gone slightly off track with the description of media player software, these being applications that use codecs but are not themselves codecs.

Not having the urge to reinvent the wheel, I direct you to the relevant Wikis...

http://en.wikipedia.o...rison_of_video_codecs
http://en.wikipedia.o..._of_container_formats

[AlBags]

Real Player Alternative and Quick Time Alternative are codecs ... The Classic Media Player is included in either of their packages.
Read the reply.

[AlBags]

I mentioned not Windows Media Player.
Real Player Alt and Quick Time alt are just codecs and files enabling playback of relevant content. The package for either has Classic Media Player available. This also has it's own codecs which can play most formats.
FFDShow is a multi-format codec.

Windows Media Player is a DirectShow player like many others. It does not have it's own codec package .. it looks to Windows always.

[WesterServer]

OK, going back to my original question, what part of it is wrong.
The information i already have, which is from the Videolan.org web-site

Is MPEG-1 , MPEG -2 . MPEG -4 . VORBIS , DIVX . are codec's
And .AVI , oGG , .MOV , . ASF , MP4. are container formats.

So how do you know what codec's are in any particular "container"
(ie. if i was veiwing a .MOV file what codec would this use.

Better still here is a link to the page i have printed out...

Scroll down about 3/4 quarters of the page

http://wiki.videolan....ng,_Muxers_and_Codecs

[AlBags]

The information is correct ... Read ALL of it.
Your first statement is too vague .. and incorrect.

Check the matrix for what containers can support what formats.
http://www.videolan.o...reaming-features.html

Remember that this is pertaining to streaming, but a general guide to others.

[WesterServer]

OK Albags, i'll study it a bit more,i'll post back if i am stuck on something.

[WesterServer]

Hello Albags.

QUOTE
And how do you know what a particular container uses what codec's......
UNQUOTE

I found a useful program for this" Mediainfo"

Still reading on the subject though.
thanks for your help on this albags and Aberrant