# How Do I Install the KLite Mega Codec?



## Rivera42 (Aug 3, 2007)

My computer needs the xvid codec, so I headed over to free-codecs.com and grabbed the K-Lite Mega Codec Pack, which is K-Lite plus Media Player (NOT Windows Media Player) and a couple other things. free-codecs.com is supposed to be one of the top sites for clean codecs.

However, the installation screen confused the heck out of me!

How do I install this codec pack without breaking anything?


----------



## ~Candy~ (Jan 27, 2001)

K-Lite, would that be associated with Kazaa?


----------



## Rivera42 (Aug 3, 2007)

No I don't believe so. It's supposed to be this bundle of audio and video codecs that should enable Windows users to play any music or video file, for instance those using xvid codecs like .avi files. WMP11 sends users to xvidmovies.com IIRC but I continued my search at xvid.com, which links to free-codecs.com which is supposed to be one of the better sites for safe codec downloads. I have them bookmarked from last year so I know I must have done some digging in order to decide this wasn't a scam site. So far as I know, free-codecs.com and the KLite pack are legitimate. In any case, it isn't for kazaa, it's for WMP11 to view .avi files.

*I definitely wouldn't dirty my hands with kazaa, and if this pack has any relation to that software this is the first i'm hearing of it.


----------



## Elvandil (Aug 1, 2003)

AcaCandy said:


> K-Lite, would that be associated with Kazaa?


 In name only, really. The same company was involved with both at one time, I believe, but the codec pack (which contains loads of poorly written codecs that may cause a machine to lose sound, lock up, or play media poorly because the rotten codecs take precedence over the good ones) is now pretty independent and contains only (bad, some good) codecs.

Use a scanner to find codecs you need. Packs are unwise.

CodecInstaller
GSpot
DP MediaInfo
VideoInspector
Sherlock


----------



## ~Candy~ (Jan 27, 2001)

Many codecs I have searched for involve paying for them. I must admit though, this is out of my area of expertise, and anytime I see K-LITE, it usually has involved Kazaa. I apologize if I am mistaken.


----------



## ~Candy~ (Jan 27, 2001)

Elvandil is following me around today


----------



## Rivera42 (Aug 3, 2007)

Thank you, thank you, thank you. I have no idea what sort of headache you may have just spared me, and I wouldn't want to know. But I think you just spared me one heck of a headache!

I have gspot, but it doesn't tell me where to go for the codecs, only which ones I need.

Do you guys (er, and ladies  ) happen to know if this site free-codecs.com is at least reliable? Because they seem to be pretty big KLite boosters, yet on the other hand even xvid.com sends people here.


----------



## Elvandil (Aug 1, 2003)

Try Codec Installer. He updates that a lot and has download pages.


----------



## Elvandil (Aug 1, 2003)

AcaCandy said:


> Elvandil is following me around today


Well, if you keep going to new posts, and things I want to respond to...see you at the next one.


----------



## Elvandil (Aug 1, 2003)

Rivera42 said:


> Thank you, thank you, thank you. I have no idea what sort of headache you may have just spared me, and I wouldn't want to know. But I think you just spared me one heck of a headache!
> 
> I have gspot, but it doesn't tell me where to go for the codecs, only which ones I need.
> 
> Do you guys (er, and lady  ) happen to know if this site free-codecs.com is at least reliable? Because they seem to be pretty big KLite boosters, yet on the other hand even xvid.com sends people here.


Yes, things become habitual on the internet. People hear things and repeat them. "Clean your registry. Vista is horrible. K-Lite is a must-have. MS sucks. The dumber you are, the less you sleep, and there's a guy in Spain that has never slept."

They spread very fast and never get validated.

Download sites check their wares for viruses, but most of the software is not tested except by downloaders themselves. The sites just want more traffic for more money.

Just look at all the awards and great reviews this guy got for submitting a fake program that did nothing at all:

http://successfulsoftware.net/2007/08/16/the-software-awards-scam/


----------



## Rivera42 (Aug 3, 2007)

The page won't load. I think it's them, not me, since im not having any trouble logging on to TG. I am on a mobile, though, maybe that's got something to do with it.

Likewise I can't exactly go download Codec Installer yet, since I'm not at my computer, but what will I need to know about actually using it?

Avoid the codec "packs," I understand that. Use gspot to determine what codec I need, ok. What comes next?


----------



## Elvandil (Aug 1, 2003)

Codec Installer is very friendly. You can use it to find out what codec a file needs, or scan your machine for what codecs you have, what are missing, and where to download them. I think the startup window only has 3 buttons.


----------



## Rivera42 (Aug 3, 2007)

I don't get why Windows Media Player can't "borrow" codecs from my installed VLC Player and MPlayer. I understand that it can't, but I don't understand WHY it can't.

What's all this about some codecs costing money?


----------



## Rivera42 (Aug 3, 2007)

Here's a reference to free-codecs.com right here on TG, only an hour ago:

http://forums.techguy.org/multimedia/705745-wmp-10-dvd-decoder-not-new-post.html


----------



## Elvandil (Aug 1, 2003)

Rivera42 said:


> I don't get why Windows Media Player can't "borrow" codecs from my installed VLC Player and MPlayer. I understand that it can't, but I don't understand WHY it can't.
> 
> What's all this about some codecs costing money?


There is a lot of sahring between apps. For example, I play Real and Quicktime movies in WMP11 now after installing Real Alternative, Quicktime Alternative, and the Media Player Classic that comes with them.

But sharing is not complete, for sure, and it may have something to do with how each player identifies that codec that is needed for a particular file to play.

Of course, file associations are another matter. Though QT and Real formats are not listed in the WMP11 formats liost in Options, if they are associated with WMP11 by another method, like with File Types Manager or FileAssociate, they take on the WMP icon and play with it when clicked.


----------



## Rivera42 (Aug 3, 2007)

Elvandil said:


> Just look at all the awards and great reviews this guy got for submitting a fake program that did nothing at all:
> 
> http://successfulsoftware.net/2007/08/16/the-software-awards-scam/


I could see myself downloading awardmestars, but that article makes me loath to believe everything I read on the Internet like I do now


----------



## Elvandil (Aug 1, 2003)

Rivera42 said:


> I could see myself downloading awardmestars, but that article makes me loath to believe everything I read on the Internet like I do now


LOL. Well, I wasn't trying to make you lose all your faith in the human race, but the internet is powered by money and nearly any method of making it is fair game. Everything should be taken with a grain of salt. I know I have often downloaded freeware that had all kinds of awards that either didn't run or caused damage.

A good search is sometimes wise. You don't even need to go beyond the search results page. You can tell from them whether people recommend a program and whether it is trouble.

You even need to be careful in this forum (and all others). If someone gives you advice and has only 2 posts, you can wonder whether they just joined to prank someone or sabotage a machine for fun. But by the time they have 100+ posts, you can be quite sure that if they were trouble, CookieGal, AcaCandy, or someone else would have kicked them to the curb.


----------



## Rivera42 (Aug 3, 2007)

Sometimes when I can't figure something out, that's just what I do. Search it on Google. For instance I had this problem, and the results of my search helped to put my mind slightly at ease. Not fully, but enough so that I could move forward.

As for moving forward, I've got Codec Installer now, and you're right, it looks pretty easy to use. Now let's see if it can get me that xvid codec.


----------



## Elvandil (Aug 1, 2003)

The Xvid codec recommended by xvid.com is here:

http://www.digital-digest.com/software/download.php?sid=1052&ssid=0&did=1 (with an installer).

Another very versatile one that will play most avi formats is FFDShow DirectShow Codec.


----------



## Rivera42 (Aug 3, 2007)

Now it's telling me I need the ac3 codec as well. WMP pointed me towards that codec's .net site, which sent me to sourceforge.

I'm guessing I just run the .exe's and that's it?

Something else strange, I installed the DivX bundle and now some of the files that wouldn't play before are working now, only with a DivX icon in the tray. I had a problem during install, as well, it looked for the firefox plugin folder in what I took to be a location used by Firefox Portable while there was a flash drive plugged in. I kept getting an error message that the DivX for Firefox plugin couldn't find Drive K.


----------



## Elvandil (Aug 1, 2003)

Those portable apps can cause problems. Some of them only have a plugins folder while running (Thinstalled). Better to unhook it while updating browsers.

Some codecs have installers, yes. Others need to be placed manually in the system32 folder and registered like a dll.


----------



## Rivera42 (Aug 3, 2007)

Well, that's just it. Before I powered the system on, I had removed all the USB-connected drives, including the external hard drive, so as not to interfere with any updating, scanning or restoring I might do this session. I even refreshed Device Manager. But for some reason, something somewhere inside is pointing towards the portable firefox, which really isn't even supposed to leave traces.


----------



## Rivera42 (Aug 3, 2007)

WMPlugins says it's the Dolby AC3 2000 codec I need, which from sourceforge comes as ac3filter_1_46.exe, but when I run it I get the famous unsigned/unknown publisher warning. Makes me nervous. But I followed the white rabbit directly from WMP11's links, so is there cause for concern?


----------



## sup2a (Oct 9, 2007)

Elvandil said:


> Yes, things become habitual on the internet. People hear things and repeat them. "Clean your registry. Vista is horrible. K-Lite is a must-have. MS sucks. The dumber you are, the less you sleep, and there's a guy in Spain that has never slept."
> 
> They spread very fast and never get validated.
> 
> ...


HA! that is amazing! major proof you CANNOT believe everything on the net!...and it sure is ridiculous what some people believe...


----------



## Elvandil (Aug 1, 2003)

Rivera42 said:


> WMPlugins says it's the Dolby AC3 2000 codec I need, which from sourceforge comes as ac3filter_1_46.exe, but when I run it I get the famous unsigned/unknown publisher warning. Makes me nervous. But I followed the white rabbit directly from WMP11's links, so is there cause for concern?


Sometimes you just have to trust. I imagine it is fine. Some people just don't have the time, money, or inclination to go that extra step.


----------



## Rivera42 (Aug 3, 2007)

Elvandil said:


> The Xvid codec recommended by xvid.com is here:
> 
> http://www.digital-digest.com/software/download.php?sid=1052&ssid=0&did=1 (with an installer).
> 
> Another very versatile one that will play most avi formats is FFDShow DirectShow Codec.


So these don't conflict with one another? Because CodecInstaller tells me I don't have that FFDShow one either and I was thinking about getting it. I noticed also the file versions differ between the xvid codec you linked me to, and the one from codecinstaller's helpful download. one had 2007 in the filename and one had 2008 - yours, i believe - reckon I'll use that one.

I'm also confused about the dolby AC3 codec, according to the codec installer I have it already, but WMP isn't playing the audio portions of those files.


----------



## Elvandil (Aug 1, 2003)

Where is the codec located? The ones located in system32 are available to all players, but those in application folders are only used by that application.

You can copy codecs to system32 and then register them with the system.

For example, Start > Run: regsvr32 codec.ax
or regsvr32 codec.dll


----------



## DarqueMist (Jan 16, 2001)

Elvandil said:


> .......
> 
> Another very versatile one that will play most avi formats is FFDShow DirectShow Codec.


An FYI Elvandil, the FFDshow codec has been causing some problems for gamers because of the way it forcibly locks itself to some games and apps. The most notable one is probably the performance / stability issues it caused when playing Oblivion.


----------



## Rivera42 (Aug 3, 2007)

So if I found codecs in, say, VLC Player's folder, those might work?


----------



## Elvandil (Aug 1, 2003)

DarqueMist said:


> An FYI Elvandil, the FFDshow codec has been causing some problems for gamers because of the way it forcibly locks itself to some games and apps. The most notable one is probably the performance / stability issues it caused when playing Oblivion.


Haven't heard that. Any links?

Ffdshow has been around so long that I think the makers of Oblivion should fix that problem.


----------



## Elvandil (Aug 1, 2003)

Rivera42 said:


> So if I found codecs in, say, VLC Player's folder, those might work?


Codecs should work with any player, but don't always. Don't do anything _en masse_. Try one at a time if you want.


----------



## DarqueMist (Jan 16, 2001)

Elvandil said:


> Haven't heard that. Any links?
> 
> Ffdshow has been around so long that I think the makers of Oblivion should fix that problem.


Here's one in the Oblivion FAQ (scroll down to ""FF" icons in the system tray"). I think I read somewhere that ffdshow (not Bethesda) has added Oblivion to it's ignore list in a recent release but I can't find where I read that so can't be 100% sure.


----------



## Rivera42 (Aug 3, 2007)

I looked in VLC's plugins folder. There's dozens of "lib" this and ".dll" that, including some with filenames that sound vaguely like codecs, but for the most part it's incomprehensible to me.


----------



## Elvandil (Aug 1, 2003)

Yes, VLC also has a Linux version and those files resemble Linux libraries. If not obvious, better just leave them. Find alternatives that can be installed for the system.


----------



## Rivera42 (Aug 3, 2007)

So if I have followed the links provided here, and by codecinstaller and microsoft, and obtained xvid, ffdshow and the directx9 setup file, it should be reasonably safe to install these...right?

The ffdshow install offers a number of options, but I went with very minimal checking of checkboxes because I don't want everyone trying to decode everything, I think that would cause pandemonium. 
Am I supposed to not associate filetypes and let the machine sort it out? This alphabet soup is vexing me.


----------



## Rivera42 (Aug 3, 2007)

Problem! I installed the xvid codec, ffdshow codec and an application called DVD Flick, and now Windows won't read CD's. I tried with WMP 11 and VLC, neither one worked. I also tried to use both a CD-RW and a DVD-RW .iso burn of my Windows CD - neither one would autorun but I was able to use the DVD-RW version from Windows Explorer. Regular DVD's don't seem to be affected; I tested one with VLC and it worked fine.

How do I fix this?


----------



## Rivera42 (Aug 3, 2007)

I used the included uninstallers to remove the xvid and ffdshow codecs. I have left DVD Flick installed fttb.

I started a new thread for this issue.
http://forums.techguy.org/multimedia/711495-suddenly-won-t-read-cd.html#post5851816


----------

