vista video playback problem

[mikee]

My sisters bf asked me to fix his computer because he got a really bad virus but it was so messed up I couldn't even use windows explorer. He said he wanted to try vista on it . So now that vista is set up I downloaded k-lite mega codec pack but now all wmp says when I try to play a video is windows media player encountered an error and the files don't play

Here's the specs of his computer

Amd athlon xp 2700+
2GB ram
160GB HDD and 250Gb HDD
Geforce Ti4200 Graphics
Soundblaster live 5.1 sound c

 

[dude_56013]

Just use VLC. So much better..plays just about anything.

EDIT: Free btw...

 

[eyeCpc]

The main problem there is trying to run free 3rd party codecs on Vista and WMP 11. MS provides a page showing Cyberlink's PowerDVD and CinePlayer plugins for about $40- along with another for upgrading the current edition's features at http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/player/plugins.aspx

While at first WMP 11 seemed to lack visualizations like those seen with XP in WMP 10 and earlier it seems SP1 and WMP updates now see everything including dvd playback and support for various video file types without a need for an additional plugin. Do you have SP1 on there yet?

 

[mikee]

no sp 1 yet will that make a difference?

THese are codecs like divx and xvid not dvds

 

[eyeCpc]

Once you simply try various plugins and codecs found first make sure those are not for the XP version of WMP 11. That would be another thing there to look at as well.

The plugins seen on the MS page there while seeing a $40 price tag are highly recommended being designed for Vista to start with. I can't say anything on the CinePlayer while Cyberlink's software is one of the best out for the wide range of support.

Another item to look at on the older system there of course is the video card being used. You could be running into a need for a DX10 compatible card since Vista is being run there with an older DX8-9 card. For a lower priced model since newegg lacks any 8xxx AGP models the Radeon HD 2400Pro is seen for $50- at http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102734

There are several other 2600Pro and 2600XT AGP models as well. The first batch of fixes for Vista as well as some enhancements will be seen with SP1. Most report seeing that go on well and having good results.

Besides VLC which has been tried here as well the Media Player Classic is also another free player while an even better substitute surprizingly is Apple's Quick Time for video and ITunes for audio. These will all run well on Vista.

In fact I'm also looking at Miro another free open source video player to see how that one goes. You can look that one over at http://www.getmiro.com/download/windows.php

 

[mikee]

After some fooling around with stuff I noticed the videos play in media player classic but this doesn't work well when hooked up to the HDTV which we do alot. This was the computer used to watch movies on the tv. So I figured that there is an issue with wmp but can't figure it out

 

[eyeCpc]

You have an old build connected for an HD TV? Right off you'll need a much newer HD capable video card. Fortunately the HD 2400s and HD 2600s are HD capable seeing DVI out for an updated AGP type card. Plus the better of those would be an HD 2600XT over Pro for picture quality as well as the higher resolutions.