Need .MPG Codec for Media Player 11

[bshoenhair]

I am unable to open an .MPG file with Media Player 11.

Windows Media Player cannot play the file. One or more codecs required to play the file could not be found.

The .MPG was created with VideoStudio 11, can someone direct me to the correct codec ?

Thanks.

[skier-hughes]

I've not actually tried WMP11 yet, but it should pcick up on the mpeg codec installed by your dvd playing software, such as windvd etc.

Did WMP10 play your mpegs ok?

Have you looked to see if there is an update to your dvd playing software, which it may need to pass on the codec to WMP11?

I assume the mpeg in question is actually an standard Mpeg2 for these answers, as mpeg1's should play normally without further help, mpeg4's are a different matter, perhaps expand o your file.

As WMP11 is only in beta, then it may well be incompatible with your system at this stage, in which case report your bug to MS and go back to WMP10.

Graham

[THoff]

To clarify, Windows Media Player does not come with a MPEG2 codec, only MPEG1. If you are trying to play a MPEG2 file created by any program on a system with Windows Media Player but without a DVD decoder, you will not be able to play the file.

You can download a free MPEG2 decoder that works with Windows Media Player HERE.

[bshoenhair]

Tried this codec on Media Player 10 & 11 doesn't work. The file is an MPG not MPEG.

To clarify, Windows Media Player does not come with a MPEG2 codec, only MPEG1. If you are trying to play a MPEG2 file created by any program on a system with Windows Media Player but without a DVD decoder, you will not be able to play the file.

You can download a free MPEG2 decoder that works with Windows Media Player HERE.

[THoff]

.MPG is the most common filename extension used under Windows for MPEG1 and MPEG2 files, but .MPEG is also used (in addition to a few others). For all intents and purposes, MPG and MPEG are one and the same thing.

Try downloading Microsoft's MPEG Decoder Checkup Utility to see what MPEG decoders (if any) are installed, and whether they are compatible with Windows Media Player.

[bshoenhair]

Ran "Microsoft's MPEG Decoder Checkup Utility" but no compatible decoders were listed.

Ulead doesn't offer this decoder for Media Player ?

If not can someone recommend a "FREE" viewer I can use instead of Media Player ?

[THoff]

That's exactly what the MPEG2 decoder in my first reply is supposed to do. I can't try it at the moment, but I have no reason to believe that it doesn't work if installed correctly.

[Ken Berry]

Torsten -- I once had that codec you recommended installed when I was having trouble because for some reason the existing mpeg-2 codec(s) on my computer had either disappeared or ceased functioning. It certainly worked for general purposes, but I distinctly remember it did not appear to work with WMP 10. And the Microsoft Checkup program did not list it as one of the compatible codecs (had a big red X next to it). The only compatible codec on my computer at that time was a Cyberlink one associated with PowerDVD 5 (and then 6).

Currently, the Checkup program shows a number of compatible codecs, three of them Cyberlink ones installed by other programs on my computer. Another compatible one now is an NVidia codec installed with my TV capture card. And the other one is an 'InterVideo Video Encoder' IVIVENC.ax -- though I think that may have been installed with WinDVD or another InterVideo suite, rather than as part of VS10. The distinctly Ulead codecs are not shown as being compatible -- so no help from simply having VS9 or 10 installed on the same computer.

It could thus be for bshoenhair that your recommended codec works for other purposes but may not for WMP 10 (or 11). The problem is that I don't know of any free codecs which may work with WMP, and (like you) I am loath to recommend any of the codec megapacks which may correct one problem but introduce a hundred new ones. And of course, the Cyberlink/NVidia/InterVideo codecs I mentioned do not come free.

[bshoenhair]

Sorry, MPEG2 decoder is not working for this MPG file.

That's exactly what the MPEG2 decoder in my first reply is supposed to do. I can't try it at the moment, but I have no reason to believe that it doesn't work if installed correctly.

[bshoenhair]

Installed FREE Quicktime which includes the proper decoder and I am able to view VidesStudio 10 MPG files now.

[Ken Berry]

That's interesting in its own right. I have QT 7.1 Pro on my computer, yet the Microsoft Check-up program does not detect any QT codecs... Neither do either GSpot or Sherlock, apart from a QT Decoder which, however, uses the standard windows quartz.dll file.

(I have also detected, with the Check-up program something called the 'PP Mpeg Video Decoder', which uses a file ppmmv.ax, but neither the name nor this file are detected at all by either GSpot or Sherlock. But I suspect this is probably irrelevant to the main point of this thread! )

[Ron P.]

Installed FREE Quicktime which includes the proper decoder and I am able to view VidesStudio 10 MPG files now.

This is strange that you had to install the free QT player. Before using VS10+, I had the older version of QT installed due to problems with VS9. When VS10+ was installed, it installed the latest QT Player. I guess VS10 uses the latest one.

I could care less about QT, I don't use it unless I'm forced into it, I'd rather use WM Player. This is of course just my personal preference.

Ron P.

[THoff]

SmartSounds won't work without QuickTime -- that's the only reason I keep it on my system.