What is FFDshow?

[terrypin]

I think this has arisen as the result of installing a free DVD-making program called DVD Flick last night. During its installation process it also installed something called FFDshow, which I gather is some sort of codec. Anyway, I uninstalled DVD Flick this morning, as it didn't work properly. But it seems FFDshow is still present. When I open a DVD authoring project in MemoriesOnTV, which was fine yesterday, its clip thumbnail no longer appear. And several ffdshow icons appear in the Win XP tray, flashing, as if they are trying to process something and failing.

There's no entry for it in Add/Remove Programs, but there is an executable unins000.exe in C:\Program Files\ffdshow, so I'm assuming I will be able to uninstall it. But before that, can anyone enlighten me about it please? What does it do and why might I need to keep it? Is there for example any connection with AVISynth, which I also have installed? It's all a closed book to me!

Any help would be much appreciated please.

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Terry, West Sussex, UK

[mats.hogberg]

It's a gp video codec. Handles most mpeg4 flavors like DivX, XviD etc. Usually one of the nicest codecs to have around.

/Mats

[guns1inger]

FFDShow is a collection of DirectShow filters (and some Video For Windows filters) for decoding many types of video. It can be used instead of installing a lot of single codecs, but is primarily for playback, not encoding. It can also use some avisynth and virtualdub filters on the fly if you choose, to enhance or alter the look of video when it is being played back.

If you don't need it, uninstall it, however for my money it is handy to have around. That said, if you choose to keep it, we need to help you get memoriesonTV back up and running.

[terrypin]

Thanks both, appreciate the help.

For time being I've uninstalled it, and MoTV now works OK. I emailed Codejam to see if they have any thoughts. I would like to get it back, once I discover why it affects MoTV like that.

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Terry, West Sussex, UK

[celtic_druid]

Well if MoTV is dealing with MPEG-2, then simply disabling ffdshow for MPEG-2 decoding should do it.

[terrypin]

Thanks celtic_druid, that sounds encouraging. Assuming I can re-install ffdshow (without installing DVD Flick, until it's fixed), could you tell me how I would do that selective disabling please?

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Terry, West Sussex, UK

[celtic_druid]

Well some settings are disabled/enabled during install. Otherwise it is a simple matter of opening the video decoder dialogue and setting anything you don't want to use ffdshow for to disabled. Lowering the merit/priority could also help since whatever filter you were previously using would in theory have a higher merit and be used over ffdshow. If you had several tray icons then you might want to look into the audio configuration to.

[terrypin]

OK thanks, I'll get into that in a few days or so.

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Terry, West Sussex, UK

[dubanddubber]

HI there!

I have a question.. I recently installed the new K-lite package, and additionally I have installed a seperate ffdshow install from sourceforge i guess.
I did this bc. I couldnt see video on a streaming website. But after I installed that seperate ffdshow it is solved.

But does this mean ffdshow is now installed twice on my computer? Where to look to see if it is?

[Bonie81]

FFDShow is a collection of DirectShow filters, it is always better to install require DirectShow filters individually rather than installing FFDShow coz I tried installing FFDShow and screwed-up proper installation of other proprietary codecs. FFDShow does not match well with other codecs and try to get supremacy as default filter plus it tries to control other codec while encoding.

Finally I have to un-install FFDShow and re-install all other codecs.

[dubanddubber]

Thanks, but that didn't really help my question. Maybe I should make a seperate thread.

My question was: I installed the K-Lite codec package, and after that I installed an additional ffdshow package (downloaded from sourceforge). Does this mean I have two ffdshow running on my computer?

I'm very confused where ffdshow installs it's software so I dont know where to look.

Funny thing is, I couldn't see wmv footage on a streaming website by installing just the K-Lite package.
I know the k-lite also installs ffdshow. But I installed ffdshow from sourforge again anyway. Streaming roblem solved..
But am I running twice the ffdshow now?

[freebird73717]

First off welcome to the forums!

Codec packs are not generally recommended here. While there are some here who have not had any problems with codec packs I personally will not install one on any of my systems. FFdshow is one of the first things I do install on a new system. As mentioned by gunslinger in his post from almost 4 years ago, FFdshow is not a codec pack. It is a collection of directshow filters. It's also highly configurable. If it is conflicting with one of your installed codecs then you can disable ffdshow for that particular codec. Usually ffdshow is all you really need. Install new codecs when needed.

Honestly I'd install klite and just stick with the ffdshow from sourceforge.

Also gravedigging an old thread like this is really not useful. If in doubt just post a new thread.