Windows media player - info for you..

[guydewdney]

i dont know if i am the only one stupid enough to have done this for the last x years - but whn downloading films / videos etc quite often it attempts to play them, and comes up with an error of 'error downloading codec'

I have always assumed the files were thus corrupt..

Aparantly not - heres how to fix it:-

go to:- http://www.headbands.com/gspot/download.html
download, install and run the program. In the top left is the file address (c:/films or whatever) - stick that in, or browse using hte small box next to it.
this then tells you in the top right what CODEC is needed - DX50 / DIVX / etc etc - a four letter code.

Go to:- http://www.fourcc.org/index.php?http://www.fourcc.org/codecs.php
and scroll through until you find the CODEC called DX50 or whatever. click on the link, download and install.

Run WMP - and hey presto - it works.. :bannana:

Im sorry if this was obvious to you lot - but it wasnt to me..

 

[pluggers]

Im sorry if this was obvious to you lot - but it wasnt to me..

News to me! Mind you Ive got a few players installed on my system so if it dont work on one I will try another till it does.Shall give it a try tho.

 

[Sp!ke]

Been using G spot for a couple of years - great tool :bannana:

 

[peterchurch]

Easier than that Open Windows Media Player and select options from the tools menu and look at the front set of options (Player) in automatic Updates there is a little box that says Load Codec Automatically tick it and the problem is largely removed

While I was checking this out I had a quick look through the other settings
and a few of them where not as I would expect as a default setting.

1. Player page invites you to allow your player to be uniquely recognised by internet sites. I unticked that one, it might only be cookies etc but coupled with other settings it could remove anonymity
2) In copying music tab it offers the facility to copy protect you music for you. Unticked that one as well
3) In Media Library there are settings for read write access to WMP from the internet and local programs. I locked both those options down to none...
don't think that it is a good idea for remote sites to be able to read your library while holding a unique reference to your media player and being able to log an IP address. In my opinion local programs would not be safe either as that would include Internet Exporer which could largely do the same job...

Peter

 

[scotth_uk]

GSpot is a fantastic program. As usual, the problem is finding it.....

 

[Bugblatter]

GSpot is a fantastic program. As usual, the problem is finding it.....

Hee hee hee! It took a couple of seconds for the penny (or should I say tuppence) to drop.

 

[splang]

i just spent ages trying to get mine to work - reinstalled powerdvd (which always works ) etc .. but still windows media player said 'copy protection error' etc... but now i have found the solution - gather round close ... ready? here you go:

search for : mpgdec.ax (in your hard drive) and delete it !!

NOw it all works and i can watch all dvd's in WMP!!

Hope this helps someone else

Steve