WME can't find MPEG-2 decoder

[sky captain]

I'm trying to take my m2v files into Windows Media Encoder. I get this error message:

One or more codecs required to open this media could not be found. (0xC00D1B83)

From what I've read on the internet, I need to install a decoder, like the Elecard mpeg-2 decoder.

BUT, then I read that it might be my DVD software that is causing the problem by taking "ownership" of the decompression codecs. I'm running Encore 1.5 and Sonic MyDVD.

I'd rather not have to uninstall either of those.

Will installing Elecard solve everything, or will it cause new problems with my DVD software?

[drag2f2f]

Could you install PowerDVD? It comes with the Cyberlink MPEG-2 Decoder and it is a good software DVD player.

[Baldrick]

wme is no dvd authoring. moving you.

i have never been able to import mpeg2 in wme...even if I have mpeg2 codecs installed. so I frameserve from dgindex or virtualdubmpeg2 or avisynth.

[sky captain]

The thing is, I somehow got the program to accept m2v yesterday after installing 3ivx. Now it's back to not working.

Before that, I was using a different (but slower) system. WME took m2v without a hiccup.

If Elecard doesn't do it, I'll try installing Power DVD.

In general, I like WME because it's letting me attach lots of various meta data to files. I haven't tried virtualdubmpeg, so I don't know if it will be friendly to all my settings. Can it mux together separate video and audio files, like WME?

(I figured I'd post in the DVD forum because it's an mpeg-2 issue and a possible DVD program conflict. I meant no harm.)

[sky captain]

UPDATE

I installed Power DVD. It didn't help.

I then installed Elecard. Presto! Now I can import m2v.

I rendered a movie and took a look at it. There is a little watermark in the upper right corner now, broadcasting to the world that I used this particular decoder. It's only a tiny graphic (not a word) but it's still frustrating.

[Soltaris]

If you're running XP download this:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=de1491ac-0ab6-4990-943d-627e6...DisplayLang=en

Chances are that you have another decoder installed and this utility will let you easily switch to it.

[roma_turok]

Just encode mpeg2 to mpeg1.
Windows Media Encoder don't have problem encoding from mpeg1.

[sky captain]

Thanks for the suggestions. I've tried downloading the Windows utility, but I'm having trouble getting my systems to validate first.

Going to MPEG-1 sounds like a bad idea, like it would be a step down in quality.

In a perfect world, I'd be working from AVI files, but I'm trying to avoid re-rendering those.