Codex on ULEAD disk?

jpChris · Post by **jpChris** » Thu Jun 11, 2009 12:15 am

Hi all,

I have a Pioneer 16x16 DVD-RW. It came with the ULEAD Movie Factory 3.5se disk.

Even though I've read the Read Me, I still can't burn a DVD Image file\folder, nor a .iso image. It acts like it's doing something, but I always get some kind of error.

I finally uninstalled it, mainly because of the errors, but also because it wouldn't let me install to another partition.

I have the disk and all I want to know is where and how do I install the codexs so I can play a DVD?

Post by **Ron P.** » Thu Jun 11, 2009 6:28 am

JP,
You shouldn't need to install codecs from this program to just play DVDs on your new drive. Any necessary codecs for playing will be part of the media player (Windows Media Player, Power DVD, WinDVD or whatever you use), installation.

You don't provide any info on what OS you're using so it may be that since DVD MF 3 is so outdated, it may not be compatible with your OS. The current release of DVD MF in the US is 6, in Australia it is 7. Finally it is bundled software which is denoted by the SE. These versions are generally tweaked by the hardware vendor for their specific product, and most likely are not full versions, missing some features and functionality.

jpChris · Post by **jpChris** » Fri Jun 12, 2009 7:35 pm

Hi vidoman,

You shouldn't need to install codecs from this program to just play DVDs on your new drive. Any necessary codecs for playing will be part of the media player (Windows Media Player, Power DVD, WinDVD or whatever you use), installation.

I have WMP 10, and the DVD drivers are Microsoft's standard CD drivers from 2003. I've tried to update WMP10, but no joy on the DVD side ¡X it keeps telling me I need codecs ¡X and the only codecs are $ ones.

You don't provide any info on what OS you're using so it may be that since DVD MF 3 is so outdated, it may not be compatible with your OS. The current release of DVD MF in the US is 6 . . .

My OS is WXP Pro SP1. By "MF" do you mean Meta File? If so, where can I find it\them? Would it be on the ULEAD disk? Or on the MS site? Or . . . ?

DVDDoug · Post by **DVDDoug** » Fri Jun 12, 2009 9:39 pm

I still can't burn a DVD Image file\folder, nor a .iso image. It acts like it's doing something, but I always get some kind of error.

There could be many reasons for that.

Most of burning/authoring problems seem to be caused by the inability to decode/transcode the original files. So if you want help with that, tell us the format your source videos, and where they came from.

Along the way, someone is probably going to recommend that you download the trial version of Movie Factory 6 (or Video Studio). If you will be making DVDs regularly, you probably won't be satisfied with MF3se, and you'll want to upgrade. Of course, you may want to check-out "the competition" too, but I'd recommend that you try MF6 before you completely give-up on Movie Factory.

how do I install the codexs so I can play a DVD?

Movie Factory is not a DVD player, it's for making/burning DVDs.

Most DVD drives come with DVD-player software such as WinDVD or PowerDVD. (These include the CODECs.) If your's didn't, you might be able to find free DVD-player software, but legally there is a royalty required for the MPEG-2 and Dolby AC-3 CODECs, so you might need to buy some player software or the Microsoft recomended CODECs for WMP. (Movie Factory comes with an MPEG-2 CODEC, but I don't think WMP can use it, and it may not have with an AC3 decoder for the audio.)

jpChris · Post by **jpChris** » Fri Jun 12, 2009 11:01 pm

Hi DVDDoug,

Most of burning/authoring problems seem to be caused by the inability to decode/transcode the original files.

That's been the problem all along ¡X inability to decode/transcode the original files. The ULEAD program burned the .iso file, but not the 4 folders with it (Win7).

I finally got Active ISO Burn and it worked perfectly the first time: i.e., no brain damage.

Movie Factory comes with an MPEG-2 CODEC

That's what I'm looking for! Do you know the exact name of the file or where it is on the disk? I can give it a try.

Really, all I want is to be able to stick in a DVD and have WMP10 play the darn thing. I really don't want to have to spend money for a codec that should have been included with my DVD player ¡X which I though ULEAD would have.

sjj1805 · Post by **sjj1805** » Fri Jun 12, 2009 11:21 pm

From memory I think that Windows Media Player - certainly the older versions - required you to have a 3rd party CODEC installed on your computer before Windows Media Player could play a Video DVD.
This might not be so with the more recent versions of Windows Media Player - things in the world of computing change so fast.

With older versions you had to install a 3rd party software DVD player and then Windows Media Player would (for want of a better term) steal its codec.
Like I said things may be different now - especially with Vista and Windows 7.

There are several 3rd party software DVD players available such as
WinDVD
PowerDVD
Nero Showtime
Roxio
and many many more.

Coral · Post by **Coral** » Sat Jun 13, 2009 4:12 am

With WMP 10 I'm using this free mpeg 1/2 decoder and it works fine for me.

http://www.free-codecs.com/gpl_mpeg-1_2 ... wnload.htm

If your DVD will not auto run, just open the VIDEO_TS folder and 2x click on the IFO file.

jpChris · Post by **jpChris** » Sat Jun 13, 2009 8:51 pm

Hi Coral,

Thank you for the link; it appears to be exactly what I want. One quick question though: The site you linked also has a "Microsoft MPEG-4 V1/2/3 VKI Codec" download. Since I know a lot of stuff is going to be (or already is) MPEG4, would the MPEG4 download be better, in your opinion?

sjj1805 · Post by **sjj1805** » Sun Jun 14, 2009 1:20 am

jpChris wrote:Hi Coral,

Thank you for the link; it appears to be exactly what I want. One quick question though: The site you linked also has a "Microsoft MPEG-4 V1/2/3 VKI Codec" download. Since I know a lot of stuff is going to be (or already is) MPEG4, would the MPEG4 download be better, in your opinion?

jpChris wrote:....................
I have the disk and all I want to know is where and how do I install the codexs so I can play a DVD?

To answer your more recent enquiry we must look at your original post.
You want to play a "DVD" by this we presume you mean a DVD such as those bought at the shops or rented from the video shop. These types of DVD comprise of VOB files which are in fact a form of MPEG2 file and for that you need the codecs that we mentioned earlier.

MPEG4 is a different kettle of fish it is a more compressed format and mainly aimed at use on the internet where file sizes must be kept to a minimum whilst at the same time maintaining a high quality. The MPEG4 format is now also being extensively used in the more modern camcorders - not so much due to quality but more a case of storage and weight.

Standard Camcorders traditionally record in DV (Digital Video) which eats 13 GB of hard drive space per hours worth of video. This means that recordings are either saved to a cassette tape or to a hard drive. This in turns means weight and bulk. Later those DV files are converted to MPEG2 which requires up to 4.3 GB per hour though you can compress it further sort of like the long play mode of an old VHS tape player. The quality of MPEG2 is of course superior to MPEG4.

Another form of camcorder records directly onto a DVD disc in MPEG2 format. Here you could just take the DVD out of the camcorder and place it into your DVD player - though of course what you shot is what you get including your feet if you forgot to turn off the record button!

MPEG4 being more compressed uses roughly 700 MB per hours worth of video. This in turn means that the video can be recorded onto postage stamp sized SD cards. This in turn means the camcorders can be made smaller and lighter - less bulky.

Raw MPEG4 video cannot be played in most standalone DVD players though there are players now available.

jpChris · Post by **jpChris** » Sun Jun 14, 2009 4:07 am

Hi sjj1805,

Thanks for the info. The reason I asked about MPEG4 is because satellite companies used to use MPEG2, but they're making the change (or already have in most places) to MPEG4 because broadcasters are making the switch to offer more bandwidth and HiDef programming. MPEG2 is standard definition.

So, it seems by what you're saying is that recording in MPEG4 and broadcasting in MPEG4 are two different animals?

Anyway, I'll download the decoder posted and see how it works.

jpChris · Post by **jpChris** » Sun Jun 14, 2009 4:39 am

Hi all,

OK, I downloaded gpl_mpeg-1_2_directshow_decoder, installed it and . . . nothing. Did a "repair" and still nothing. Uninstalled and reinstalled ¡X still nothing (with reboots inbetween). Codecs checker showed there were no codecs installed! Also, I read the .txt file and it was from 1991!

So, I'd like to get back to my original question: Where on the ULEAD disk are the codecs so I can install them?

Post by **Ron P.** » Sun Jun 14, 2009 8:31 am

Where on the ULEAD disk are the codecs so I can install them?

That's unknown, as they could be packed in one of the *.DAT files, inside the Setup.exe file, or one of the datacab files. The program should have installed any and all codecs it needed when you ran the install. I've looked through the installation files for DVD MF6 + and the closest to codecs I could find were for MPEG-4. They were located in a folder called M4, however were not the actual codecs, but the "ini" files.

Once the program is installed, there usually is a Common folder called MPEG which is installed in the C:\Program Files\Common Files\Ulead Systems folder. It contains the codecs used by the various Ulead programs, such as VS, MSP, and DVD MF. The codecs will have the *.ax extension.

Coral · Post by **Coral** » Sun Jun 14, 2009 1:52 pm

That's very strange, about mpeg-1/2 directshow decoder filter not working. I'm also using WMP 10 and I have no problems.

On the properties tab of WMP 10, it doesn't show any codecs, however it still plays the movie.
Try Media Player Classic just to have a go. It doesn't install anyting on your PC.
http://www.softpedia.com/progDownload/M ... -5655.html

jpChris · Post by **jpChris** » Mon Jun 15, 2009 12:46 am

@Coral: I thought it was strange, too. After "installing" I used codec checker and it said there were no codecs installed!

@Everyone else: Thanks for your help, but it didn't help. I didn't want to install 662MB's of stuff I had no use for just to play a DVD. After scrounging thru the install disk, I found a folder that said "DVD Player". I copied that folder to my E:\ partition and found the setup.exe file and installed it to that partition.

I ran codec checker again and it said I had CEVideo.ax installed, but there was a red X in front of, and behind, it (meaning they didn't want to pay M$ to "certify" it). I searched the registry for CEVideo.ax and it listed it as being in the ULEAD DVD folder.

FYI, the DVD Player is only 25MB's and the .ax file is only 192kb's. Anyway, I put a DVD in the drive and I had a choice of playing with WMP, RealPlayer, or ULEAD DVD Player. I tried all three and and all three played the disk (well, RealPlayer nagged me that _____ wasn't installed, but I clicked out and it played just fine!)

So, now I know that the .ax file is what I was looking for, I'm going to experiment and delete everything from the ULEAD folder (I already deleted the folders from Program Files & Common Files without any problems with playing the ULEAD DVD Player, nor WMP) except the .ax file in the ULEAD folder. Then I'll try a disk and see if WMP10 plays it. I mean, really, the codec I wanted was just 192kb's; why should I have to install 662MB's or 25MB's just to get a 192kb app?

Post by **Ron P.** » Mon Jun 15, 2009 2:44 am

So you don't want to burn DVDs, just play them? You still should not have had to install anything from your CD. You should have Windows Movie Maker, that is part of the Windows XP installation. With WMM, you can burn DVDs, and should be able to view them with WMP. So with that said, you should have had at least an MPEG-2 codec on your system.

If you don't have WMM, you can get it here:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/down ... aker2.mspx