This is strange. I have tv tonic set to download a bunch of hd stuff, like systm.  Its in some kind of quicktime .mp4 hd format. I can "see" the file listed as playable in vmc - but when I click them I get can not find codec.

These same files will play in media player classic.

To add to the confusion, if I rename the same file from systm.mp4 to systm.avi - it DOES play in vmc.

I'm using the k-lite codec pack 4.1.4, and the newest version of ffdshow. I'm assuming its a registry issue? since I obviously have the correct codecs installed to play the file - since it plays unaltered in mpc.  HELP.

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Click for Pics and Specs

personally I never use codec packs.
I archive all my DVD to mp4 and they play back in media center.
All you need is the haali media splitter and ffdshow tryouts. sometimes you may have to make a reg change in order for vmc to see them.

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http://www.spore.com/view/profile/Vengence_IRL

Hi Vengence,

 

Just a couple of questions for you if you don't mind.  I recently purchased an extender and obviously, DVD library doesnt work with it.  I am interested in converting my DVD's to MP4 so I can play them on an extender.  Questions;

1. Do the MP4's work on extenders?

2. Do they have 5.1 audio?

3. Can you provide a little more information about the tools you use to convert your DVD's?

Thanks,

hamiltonguy

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"There are only 10 types of people in the
world: Those who understand binary, and those who don't"

My VMC HTCP - Vista Ultimate x64
ASUS P5Q, Core 2 Duo 3.15 Ghz
4GB DDR2-800, XFX 9800GT
1 X TB,ATI 550Pro, HDHOMERUN
Linksys 2100, 360, WHS

I dont use extenders, my HTPC is virtually silent and sits under the tv. so others may have to chime on on that aspect.
My mp4's have 5.1 aac audio that is passed by ffdshow to my amp as dolby digital.
The only things I use are something to remove the protection from the dvds (region free/anydvd etc) and nero recode2.

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http://www.spore.com/view/profile/Vengence_IRL

I know its a registry edit, but I dont know what to edit.

The .mp4 file in question, which is a hd episodes of systm downloaded from tv tonic.  Ok... the file itself will play in media player clssic - when named systm.mp4.  VMC does see the file systm.mp4 but when I click on it - the screen goes black, then blue and tells me I dont have the proper codec installed... but the file plays in mpc on the same pc.

if I rename that file to systm.avi (same file mind you) it plays just fine in vmc... in HD and everything.

Something is messed up in the registry I'm guessing - since VMC is not properly accessing the codec to play this file - which are obviously installed since mpc does play the same file.

ANY ADVICE? or suggestions what to check?

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Click for Pics and Specs

I hear ya but are you listening? have you checked to see if the haali media splitter is installed?
as for the regedit a quick search on the forum yielded this:
http://thegreenbutton.com/forums/post/179854.aspx

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http://www.spore.com/view/profile/Vengence_IRL

I am listening... and YES Haali is installed - and working... Which is why I can actually play the file in question OUTSIDE of VMC, and inside VMC when I rename the file extension.

I have the entries in the registry, and I can "see" the file listed as a playable file under video's - but when clicked it gives me the no supported codec error.

I've triple checked my registry... Here's what I have:

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Multimedia\WMPlayer\Extensions\.mp4]
"MediaType.Icon"=""
"PerceivedType"="video"
"Permissions"=dword:0000000f
"Runtime"=dword:00000007

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.mp4]
@="mplayerc.mp4"
"PerceivedType"="video"
"Content Type"="video/mpeg"

Those are the actual entries from my registry.

Now, here's what I see in .avi, and remember, if I rename that file in question, I can play it in VMC (same file will NOT play when named systm.mp4)

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Multimedia\WMPlayer\Extensions\.avi]
"Runtime"=dword:00000007
"Extension.MIME"="video/avi"
"SPDHandler"="WMP11.AssocFile.AVI"
"Extension.Handler"="avifile"
"MCIHandler"="MPEGVideo"
"Permissions"=dword:0000000f
"MediaType.Description"="Video Clip"
"MediaType.Icon"=hex(2):25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,6f,00,\
  6f,00,74,00,25,00,5c,00,73,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,\
  00,77,00,6d,00,70,00,6c,00,6f,00,63,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,2c,00,2d,00,\
  37,00,33,00,31,00,00,00
"Shell.Open"="/prefetch:8 /Open \"%L\""
"PerceivedType"="video"
"MediaType.DescriptionID"="9905"
"Shell.AltVerb.Cmd"="/prefetch:8 /Play \"%L\""
"ReplaceApps"="wmplayer.exe"

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Click for Pics and Specs

when you try play the file in windows media player does it complain about not recognising the extension and "would you like media player to play...dont ask me about this again?"
To make things simple I'd remove the codec pack and just try a fresh install oh ffdshow tryouts and matroska.
I've seen something similar before when I changed the "allow applications to take exclusive control of this device" option in the volume mixer/playback device area.

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http://www.spore.com/view/profile/Vengence_IRL

hamiltonguy:

Hi Vengence,

 

Just a couple of questions for you if you don't mind.  I recently purchased an extender and obviously, DVD library doesnt work with it.  I am interested in converting my DVD's to MP4 so I can play them on an extender.  Questions;

1. Do the MP4's work on extenders?

2. Do they have 5.1 audio?

3. Can you provide a little more information about the tools you use to convert your DVD's?

Thanks,

hamiltonguy

Hope you don't mind if I answer this question.

1. All my MP4's work on my DMA 2100 extenders.  However, they take about 15 seconds to start playing.

2. I encode them with 5.1 audio.

3. I use Nero Recode 2 to create the MP4's. Typically, I made a a 1.5 hour video into a 3 GB file.

Having said the above, I recently switched to DVR-MS for video using Video Redo TV Suite.  Although file sizes are larger, they play instantly on an extender plus FF/REW works on both VMC and extenders.  I use DVD-Shrink before DVR-MS to make the video about 3.5 GB in size, so the extra 1/2 GB isn't a big deal.  Video qulaity looks the same as MP4.  The entire DVR-MS process takes more steps, but the total time to create the end result is faster.

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Asus P5E-VM HDMI (onboard audio/video), Core 2 Duo E8200, 4 GB RAM, Hauppauge HVR-1800 (x2), LG-GGC H20L, DMA-2100 (x4), Yamaha RX-N600, InFocus IN76, D-LINK DIR 655, Vista Ultimate

I crunch dvds down to ~1.5 GB which is pretty good, but if storage or large collections is the way to go then maybe wmv or dvr-ms would be better

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http://www.spore.com/view/profile/Vengence_IRL

WMP would NOT play the files either, and never gave me a option to play in anything else either.

GraphEdit wouldn't open the files while named .mp4 (remember, these are tv tonic downloads of systm were talking about) GraphEdit would choke and say - can not open.

If I rename the .mp4 to .avi - WMP plays them, VMC plays them and GraphEdit opens and examines them..... the exact same file.

I finally decided to install quicktime (which I didn't want to do), after installing QuickTime - Everything plays just fine in WMP and VMC...

I know I didn't have to install quicktime to make this work. I know FFDshow was capable of playing these files - it did play them outside of VMC, it was obvious it was a setting somewhere about DirectShow or Overlay or something....but I didnt know what to change or where to change it, and it looked like no one else did either.... at least, not specifically anyway. And after several days of it... well, I just installed quicktime to get it overwith.
 

THANKS FOR THE HELP AND CONTRIBUTING TO THIS THRED.

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Click for Pics and Specs

I have had no problems using various versions of the K-Lite Full Codec pack, so you should be ok to use it if you wish.

To get MP4's playing on my VMC PC in WMP11 and VMC and also on my XBOX 360 dashboard I had to run this reg file. (32 Bit OS) For 64 Bit see here

I wrote more about this subject on my blog here.

This should sort you out!

Cheers

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Stu

aka C-Dub



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