intervideo audio codec and Windows Media Player

Ilene · Post by **Ilene** » Tue Feb 03, 2009 6:39 pm

I am having an issue with mpeg files, directly captured ( imported) from DVD using VS10, 11+ and X2 ( I have tested them all) I noticed that the audio does not play back in Windows Media Player but the video does. I did some investigating.... and I'm not sure what the fix is. ( btw the properties of the video captured fr DVD are NTSC DVD, MPEG-2 Video, Upper field first, Audio Type Dolby)

Here is what I've determined....

When I use the files captured (imported) from DVD in my projects and render my completed project, I always use LPCM as my audio selection in my project properties.... therefore when the project is rendered out to mpg-2 upon completion, it will play back fine ( audio and video) in WMP. When I look at the file properties of this file, in WMV, the Audio Codec used is MainConcept Mpeg Audio Decoder. SO - THERE IS NO ISSUE with my being able to edit w the captured mpeg files from dvd and producing my required output.

HOWEVER....

When I play the mpeg files captured from DVD directly in WMV - the Audio codec it is trying to use is Intervideo Audio Decoder. I see the video no problem in WMV ( which is using Intervideo Video Decoder as well) but I have NO AUDIO. Btw the file properties of the captured or imported mpg from DVD has DOLBY audio as its audio file type. ( I looked at the properties if this file using VS)

This is more of a nuisance than a major problem....but I can't figure out how to fix it. Is there a way to force WMV to use a different codec to playback this file? Is the problem related to the Intervideo Codec or a Dolby codec?

FYI - I can play the captured mpg file on a different computer.... when I looked a which codec WMV was using on the other computer - it was using a pinnacle codec ( I don't have the exact name...but could check if it was relevant)
Also - this other computer does not have Intervideo Installed.... the latest version of VS on it, is VS10. I'm not sure when Intervideo began coming packaged w VS. Intervideo is installed on the computer I am having the above referenced issue with. Also I check to see that the ivivideo.ax and iviaudio.ax were in the appropriate folders.... and they are. I did some googling on the Intervideo codec and determined that these were necessary files.

Do I need Intervideo? Can I just uninstall it? And if so, I wonder what audio codec WMV would try to use instead?

ANY SUGGESTIONS on what to do here???

thanks.
Ilene

Post by **Ken Berry** » Tue Feb 03, 2009 9:54 pm

Ilene -- this is only a stop-gap response until someone more knowledgeable comes along. My problem is that I cannot recall the exact name of the small program that is available on the Microsoft site, but maybe you can find it through the MS knowledge base. It has one simple function: to tell you which of the video and audio codecs it finds on your computer are suitable for playing with WMP! I don't have it installed on my current computer, so I can't cross check. But I well remember on my old computer that it told me the IVI codecs were not suitable (though as you found, WMP can use at least the video one). In my case, the preferred codecs were Cyberlink ones which had been installed with a variety of programs by that company which I had installed on that computer.

IIRC, InterVideo took over Ulead around the time of VS10, though I am not sure that it was before VS10 had already been issued. So I am not sure that IVI codecs were necessarily used in VS10, but definitely they were in VS11 and, it seems, X2. But if you have any other InterVideo (now Corel) programs on your computer, the codecs could have got there that way.

Ilene · Post by **Ilene** » Tue Feb 03, 2009 10:20 pm

hi Ken - thanks for responding.... I think the program you are referring to is Microsoft Windows XP Video Decoder Check-up utility.... I believe the function is to check which codecs are installed on the computer. I just wish there were a way to tell WMV which encoder I wanted it to use.

I've also given some thought to whether this was a Direct X issue ( although I do have the latest install from 11/2008 per this user boards recommendation) or perhaps a Windows Media Encoder 9 issue. I have Windows Media Player 10 installed.... I think the Windows Media Encoder is different than the player??

I don't know... these things are so complicated sometimes.

Let me know if you come up w any other thoughts... hopefully someone will have a tip for me. I usually find very helpful info on this board!

The good news, as I said, is that this is not really affecting my work flow - but it is a nuisance. I would think if the files play back fine within VS that they would play on WMP as well.

thanks.
Ilene

Post by **Ken Berry** » Tue Feb 03, 2009 10:27 pm

Yep, that's the program. And as its name implies, it works on with XP. I don't think MS has brought out a version for Vista. But it does not just list codecs; it specifically adds ticks or whatever to indicate which ones will work with WMP...

But I know of no way of telling WMP to use a particular codec -- particular if it rates that codec as being less-suitable or totally unsuitable.

EDIT: After writing the above, I did a Google search and came up with the following link: http://mediacenterexpert.blogspot.com/2 ... ility.html Note that it is NOT an MS product, and the maker accepts no responsibility. But at the same time, he/she claims it will actually allow you to assign a chosen codec (if, as I understand, it is at least listed as being compatible with WMP, even if it is not the preferred one...)

Ilene · Post by **Ilene** » Tue Feb 03, 2009 10:30 pm

one more test - the file plays fine in Intervideo DVD player.... no issues with audio codec there... so it just seems to be that WMP is attempting to play a file using Intervideo Audio Codec and it can't play it. FYI - I don't get an error message from WMP - I just get no audio. ( I have also tried all the speaker/volume settings etc on the computer.)

Post by **Ken Berry** » Tue Feb 03, 2009 10:34 pm

See my EDIT in the post above.

FWIW I just downloaded that program and it performs as advertised. Interestingly enough, though, it does not even list the IVI codecs as being potential alternatives which are compatible with Windows Media Center (and thus by implication, WMP...)

Ilene · Post by **Ilene** » Tue Feb 03, 2009 10:50 pm

Interesting.... I'll look for the Windows XP video decoder checkup utility... but the other link you referenced is for Vista... which won't help me. I'm not using Vista.

thanks.

Post by **Ken Berry** » Tue Feb 03, 2009 10:56 pm

The problem is, though, that the MS Checkup utility does not, IIRC, allow you to change the default. So you might need to do a further Google search...

Ilene · Post by **Ilene** » Wed Feb 04, 2009 3:37 am

Hi Ken... I was looking through your responses.... and found it quite puzzling that Ulead/Corel would package Intervideo with its software and that the codecs assoc with Intervideo would not be compatible with WMV. Their software is designed for Windows Operating Systems.... why shouldn't the captured files play on WMP?

I was thinking of just uninstalling Intervideo and downloading another DVD player like Cyberlink or Power DVD. Is there any reason I need Intervideo on my computer?

I don't even use the DVD player... I most often watch DVD's that I load through WMP anyway............

I wonder if Intervideo was uninstalled whether WMP would search for another compatible codec or whether the file wouldn't play at all.

Any more thoughts?

Ilene

Post by **Ken Berry** » Wed Feb 04, 2009 4:10 am

First a brief history lesson (very brief). Ulead was an independent company, but was taken over by InterVideo around the time that VS10 came out -- around three years ago. Under IVI management, it was inevitable that some of their codecs etc got injected into 'Ulead' products. This was the case with VS11 when, very regrettably, they replaced all the previous capture plug-ins (and related codecs) with a single one called the IVI (for InterVideo) Capture Component which caused a variety of problems.

In the meantime, InterVideo was taken over by Corel, but Corel in their wisdom continued with the IVI Capture Component in X2. So if you are using VS11, 11.5+ or X2, I am afraid you install InterVideo things whether you like it or not. And you cannot simply uninstall at least some of them as they are an integral part of VS, without which it simply won't work.

Another brief lesson -- you refer to Cyberlink and PowerDVD as though they are separate products. In fact, Cyberlink is the company that produces PowerDVD amongst other things, including a direct competitor to VS.

That being said, if you do not already have PowerDVD installed on your computer, that means WMP, when it is surveying the codecs it can use, has to make do with what it can find, in your case, it seems, the IVI codecs. Now I can assure you that WMP definitely classes the Cyberlink codecs as preferred codecs for WMP. So that is what I would be doing if I were you and if you have access to PowerDVD: install that and see if things now work with WMP.

Ilene · Post by **Ilene** » Wed Feb 04, 2009 4:23 am

Ken - that is all very informative!! I'll look into cyberlinks power dvd and give it a shot. I'll keep you posted!

Ilene