All Installed Codecs

[State Of Mind]

I used Codec Sniper to identify all the installed codecs on my system. I don't have DivX or XviD installed because I use FFDShow. I have AVI, MPG/MPEG-1 & 2 files on my PC. I also have the Panasonic DV Codec installed. I also view WMV files from the Internet. Now, judging by the list of codecs listed in this text file, I was wondering if anyone could tell me which of the listed codecs are safe to remove. Thank you in advance.

0#Direct Show#ffdshow MPEG-4 Video Decoder#C:\Program Files\ffdshow\ffdshow.ax#-#1, 0, 0, 1#ok
1#Direct Show#ffdshow raw video filter#C:\Program Files\ffdshow\ffdshow.ax#-#1, 0, 0, 1#ok
2#Direct Show#Generic Render#C:\Program Files\Adobe Premiere Pro\Plug-ins\DXGenericRender.prm#-##ok
3#Direct Show#ffdshow Audio Decoder#C:\Program Files\ffdshow\ffdshow.ax#-#1, 0, 0, 1#ok
4#Direct Show#Windows Media Audio Decoder#C:\WINDOWS\System32\msadds32.ax#-#8.00.00.4487#ok
5#Direct Show#AC3 Parser Filter#C:\WINDOWS\System32\mpg2splt.ax#-##ok
6#Direct Show#DvPlayTee#C:\Program Files\Adobe Premiere Pro\Plug-ins\DXDVSupport.prm#-##ok
7#Direct Show#MainConcept MPEG Splitter#C:\Program Files\Adobe Premiere Pro\mcspmpeg.ax#-#1, 0, 0, 51#ok
8#Direct Show#MainConcept MPEG Audio Decoder#C:\Program Files\Adobe Premiere Pro\mcdsmpeg.ax#-#1, 0, 0, 55#ok
9#Direct Show#MainConcept MPEG Video Decoder#C:\Program Files\Adobe Premiere Pro\mcdsmpeg.ax#-#1, 0, 0, 55#ok
10#Direct Show#MainConcept MPEG Encoder#C:\Program Files\Adobe Premiere Pro\mcesmpeg.ax#-#1, 0, 1, 21#ok
11#Direct Show#MainConcept MPEG Video Encoder#C:\Program Files\Adobe Premiere Pro\mcevmpeg.ax#-#1, 0, 0, 13#ok
12#Direct Show#MainConcept MPEG Audio Encoder#C:\Program Files\Adobe Premiere Pro\mceampeg.ax#-#1, 0, 0, 6#ok
13#Direct Show#Dump#C:\Program Files\Adobe Premiere Pro\Plug-ins\DvFileWriter.prm#-##ok
14#Direct Show#MPEG Layer-3 Decoder#C:\WINDOWS\System32\l3codecx.ax#-#1, 5, 0, 50#ok
15#Direct Show#DV V/A ACM Source Filter#C:\WINDOWS\System32\l3codecx.ax#-#1, 5, 0, 50#ok
16#Direct Show#MPEG-2 Splitter#C:\WINDOWS\System32\mpg2splt.ax#-##ok
17#Direct Show#ACELP.net Sipro Lab Audio Decoder#C:\WINDOWS\System32\acelpdec.ax#-#1.40#ok
18#Direct Show#DV Video Source Filter#C:\WINDOWS\System32\acelpdec.ax#-#1.40#ok
19#Direct Show#Generic Source#C:\Program Files\Adobe Premiere Pro\Plug-ins\DXGenericSource.prm#-##ok
20#Direct Show#WST Decoder#C:\WINDOWS\System32\wstdecod.dll#-#5.1.2600.0 (XPClient.010817-1148)#ok
21#Direct Show#VBI Surface Allocator#C:\WINDOWS\System32\vbisurf.ax#-#5.1.2600.1106 (xpsp1.020828-1920)#ok
22#Direct Show#Dib Receive#C:\WINDOWS\System32\vbisurf.ax#-#5.1.2600.1106 (xpsp1.020828-1920)#ok
23#Direct Show#Microsoft MPEG-4 Video Decompressor#C:\WINDOWS\System32\mpg4ds32.ax#-#8.00.00.4487#ok
24#Direct Show#ffdshow VFW decoder helper#C:\Program Files\ffdshow\ffdshow.ax#-#1, 0, 0, 1#ok
25#Direct Show#G.711 Codec#C:\WINDOWS\System32\g711codc.ax#-#5.1.2600.0 (xpclient.010817-1148)#ok
26#Direct Show#MPEG-2 Demultiplexer#C:\WINDOWS\System32\mpg2splt.ax#-##ok
27#Direct Show#WIA Stream Snapshot Filter#C:\WINDOWS\System32\wiasf.ax#-##ok
28#Direct Show#Ligos MPEG Video Decoder#C:\WINDOWS\system32\Mpeg2Decoder.ax#-#1.2.0.79#ok
29#Direct Show#CyberLink QuickTime Source Filter#C:\WINDOWS\System32\QuickTime.ax#-#1.00.1016#ok
30#Audio-Codec#IMA ADPCM CODEC for MSACM#C:\WINDOWS\system32\imaadp32.acm#msacm.imaadpcm#5.1.2600.1106 (xpsp1.020828-1920)#ok
31#Audio-Codec#Microsoft ADPCM CODEC for MSACM#C:\WINDOWS\system32\msadp32.acm#msacm.msadpcm#5.1.2600.1106 (xpsp1.020828-1920)#ok
32#Audio-Codec#Microsoft CCITT G.711 (A-Law and u-Law) CODEC for MSACM#C:\WINDOWS\system32\msg711.acm#msacm.msg711#5.1.2600.0 (xpclient.010817-1148)#ok
33#Audio-Codec#Microsoft GSM 6.10 Audio CODEC for MSACM#C:\WINDOWS\system32\msgsm32.acm#msacm.msgsm610#5.1.2600.0 (xpclient.010817-1148)#ok
34#Audio-Codec#DSP Group TrueSpeech(TM) Audio Codec for MSACM V3.50#C:\WINDOWS\system32\tssoft32.acm#msacm.trspch#1.01#ok
35#Video-Codec#Cinepak® Codec#C:\WINDOWS\system32\iccvid.dll#vidc.cvid#1.10.0.6#ok
36#Video-Codec#Microsoft H.263 ICM Driver#C:\WINDOWS\system32\msh263.drv#vidc.i420#4.4.3400#ok
37#Video-Codec##C:\WINDOWS\system32\ir32_32.dll#vidc.iv31##ok
38#Video-Codec##C:\WINDOWS\system32\ir32_32.dll#vidc.iv32##ok
39#Video-Codec#Intel Indeo(R) Video YUV Codec#C:\WINDOWS\system32\iyuv_32.dll#vidc.iyuv#5.1.2600.0 (XPClient.010817-1148)#ok
40#Video-Codec#Microsoft UYVY Video Decompressor#C:\WINDOWS\system32\msyuv.dll#vidc.uyvy#5.1.2600.0 (XPClient.010817-1148)#ok
41#Video-Codec#Microsoft UYVY Video Decompressor#C:\WINDOWS\system32\msyuv.dll#vidc.yuy2#5.1.2600.0 (XPClient.010817-1148)#ok
42#Video-Codec#Microsoft UYVY Video Decompressor#C:\WINDOWS\system32\msyuv.dll#vidc.yvyu#5.1.2600.0 (XPClient.010817-1148)#ok
43#Audio-Codec#MPEG Layer-3 Audio Codec for MSACM#C:\WINDOWS\System32\l3codeca.acm#msacm.l3acm#1, 9, 0, 0305#ok
44#Video-Codec#DV Video for Windows Driver#C:\WINDOWS\system32\pdvcodec.dll#vidc.dvsd#2, 64, 1119, 1600#ok
45#Video-Codec#Intel Indeo® video 5.11#C:\WINDOWS\system32\Ir50_32.dll#vidc.iv50#R.5.11.15.2.55#ok
46#Video-Codec#DirectShow and VFW video and audio decoding/encoding/processing filter#C:\Program Files\ffdshow\ffdshow.ax#vidc.ffds#1, 0, 0, 1#ok
47#Audio-Codec#DirectShow and VFW video and audio decoding/encoding/processing filter#C:\Program Files\ffdshow\ffdshow.ax#msacm.avis#1, 0, 0, 1#ok

[redwudz]

Are you having problems with codecs interfering with each other? With Sniper, I show 132 listings, but I have no problems.

Most of what I see on the list appear harmless. I'm not a fan of Ligos, that's one I don't use because of problems in the past. That's about the only one I noticed.

If you have a particular problem, I would try to trace it down to the codec involved. I use AVIcodec to see if there are any duplicated or overlapping codecs. As it says on the bottom of the Sniper program, Be Careful.

[lordsmurf]

I use Ligos, have for years. Should be fine. It's a name-brand MPEG decoder/encoder.

[redwudz]

lordsmurf, I defer to you on that. I have only used Ligos some time ago. I also notice that it appears to be a decoder, not encoder. All in all, I don't really see anything I would remove, unless one of the codecs can be shown to be a problem.

[lordsmurf]

Ligos makes LSX Encoder, and Ligos GoMotion is present in many hardware/software MPEG encoding equipment. Good stuff. Ligos also exists as a decoder for MPEG, and is one of the earliest ones that cooperated with Premiere and others. It's not 100% perfect, I've had to disable it in the past, but it's generally better than other decoders (which I've had to disable a LOT more frequently). It's also better for MPEG-2, not so hot on MPEG-1.

Cyberlink and Sony are two other decent MPEG decoders.

[State Of Mind]

Ok, thanks guys. I just thought that since I only use Media Player Classic and FFDShow that I would be able to remove maybe the Indeo and Ligos codecs. I don't experience any problems.

[lordsmurf]

Intel Indeo shouldn't be trouble, likely came with Windows.

[AlecWest]

I use Ligos, have for years. Should be fine. It's a name-brand MPEG decoder/encoder.

Got a question. Is it a codec (or some other factor) that determines the display size given to a DVD while viewing it on a computer? In another thread, someone blamed the Ligos decoder for this. Example. I encoded and authored 2 DVDs (both PAL format) ... one from a 352x288 M1V file, another from a 720x576 M2V file. Here are the pertinent DVDauthorGUI log excerpts:

INFO: Video pts = 0.184 .. 4137.744
INFO: Audio[8] pts = 0.184 .. 4137.760
STAT: VOBU 5495 at 705MB, 1 PGCS
INFO: Generating VTS with the following video attributes:
INFO: MPEG version: mpeg1
INFO: TV standard: pal
INFO: Aspect ratio: 4:3
INFO: Resolution: 352x288
INFO: Audio ch 0 format: mp2/2ch, 48khz 20bps

INFO: Video pts = 0.184 .. 4137.744
INFO: Audio[8] pts = 0.184 .. 4137.760
STAT: VOBU 7950 at 1627MB, 1 PGCS
INFO: Generating VTS with the following video attributes:
INFO: MPEG version: mpeg2
INFO: TV standard: pal
INFO: Aspect ratio: 4:3
INFO: Resolution: 720x576
INFO: Audio ch 0 format: mp2/2ch, 48khz 20bps

Both DVDs, when played back on my computer, did so with a display size of 720x540. Then, I put a "pro" DVD in my drive (NTSC this time) and it, too, had a 720x540 display size.

Is this due to the Ligos decoder or some other situation? And, do you know of something one can do to make DVD display sizes match the display sizes they'd have when played back to a television (PAL or NTSC)?

[lordsmurf]

Aspect ratio is controlled by the software properly reading the codec. So, sort of, but not entirely.

It sounds like your software is doing EXACTLY what it's supposed to do, which is read the 4:3 data and play back with a 4:3 ratio.

[AlecWest]

Aspect ratio is controlled by the software properly reading the codec. So, sort of, but not entirely.

It sounds like your software is doing EXACTLY what it's supposed to do, which is read the 4:3 data and play back with a 4:3 ratio.

Well, the displays look OK on my computer. I'll just assume they'll look OK when played on TV. I'll go ahead and mail out the PAL DVD to my friend in the UK, explaining to him that it's my first PAL DVD project (grin). If it looks like crap on his end, I suspect he'll let me know.

Thanks.

P.S. BTW, the burn made with the original M1V file didn't look as good as the burn made with the re-encoded M2V. Strange. Anyhoo, he'll get the M2V version.

P.P.S. The Hauppauge PVR150 arrived ... finally. I'll play around with it over the next week to see how it does. In the meantime, I'm going to try one more experiment ... with DVDdecrypter (et al). A coworker of mine went to England and, oblivious to the region/format differences, thought it would be OK to buy a DVD over there. She brought it home and it ... hehe ... did nothing. Anyhoo, she does own it ... and I'm going to try to rip and reencode it as an NTSC DVD.