Step by step installation of k lite mega codec pack. Installing K-Lite Codec Pack. Supported File Formats

In this lesson we will install k-lite codec codecs on your computer.

I think that everyone has had this situation when you open a video or try to do something in a program, and a message pops up that says this or that codec is not installed on your computer. Today we will solve this problem.

Now codecs are distributed mainly in the form of packages. The most common in this case is a package called K-Lite Codec Pack. In order to download this package, go to the website and go to the "Download" section.

Depending on the set of codecs and utilities, there are several versions of the package: Basic, Standard, Full and Mega. I think that the Standard package is enough for us, so on the page that opens, follow the “Download Standard” link. It is also recommended by the site itself.

On the next page we select the hosting from which we will download codecs. Let's download the file from digital-digest.com. Follow the link to the left of this hosting as in the picture below.

On the website that opens, you need to follow the “Click Here To Download” link.

Now all you have to do is save the file to your computer. Once the download is complete, run the codec installation. To do this, go to the folder with the file and double-click on it with the left mouse button. Let's walk through the installation steps a little. We will click on the Next button everywhere and focus only on some settings. At the "Installation Mode" step, select "Normal mode" - installation of codecs in normal mode, which does not require additional knowledge and settings from you.

On the "File Associations" page you need to select which player the association will be made with, i.e. through which player will you automatically open the selected ones on next step file formats. Can choose Media Player Classic, which is included in the k-lite codec pack or leave the regular one Windows Media Player.

Since the ultimate goal is to install codecs, the remaining installation items, which do not play a very important role, can, in principle, be skipped by pressing the Next button. Upon completion of all installations, press the "Install" button to begin the installation.

The K-Lite codec pack also includes 2 useful utilities: MediaInfo and Codec Tweak Tool.

Codec Tweak tool- This utility manages the package. Through it, you can update the codec package itself, as well as correct errors that may arise when working with audio and video files. To check for updates, select the “KLCP update check” item, and in order to correct errors, click the “Fixes” button.

MediaInfo- a utility that allows you to find out information on video and audio files. Simply select the file by clicking on the special line.

And we get information about the file. Perhaps it will be very useful for you.

You can find these utilities on your computer by searching in the Start menu. Open the menu and type the name of the required utility in the line.

You don't need to expect anything more from installing codecs. The principle works here - set it and forget it.

If you still have questions or have difficulties installing codecs, then below you can watch a video lesson on the topic of this lesson.

In this lesson we will look at how to search for drivers by hardware id or device code.

In this new computer tutorial, I'll tell you how to quickly turn off Windows update 7.

Regardless of the version of Windows, the problem is the same: to watch a movie you need codecs that are not included in the operating system. Therefore, the package, on the one hand, needs no introduction: many users download it immediately after Windows installations to improve support for popular media formats in one fell swoop.

On the other hand, rarely does anyone bother to study the contents of this package (the principle “if only everything works”) works, although there are reasons for this. Thus, K-Lite includes utilities that can be used to diagnose and solve specific problems related to the operation of codecs.

In addition, K-Lite not only adds broad support for media formats, but also allows complete control over the processing process. At the installation stage, you can select necessary components, as well as specify your preferred filters and decoders. From them correct settings The quality of playback and processing speed depend.

All these points will be touched upon in this review.

Key benefits of K-Lite Codec Pack

K-Lite Codec Pack has many strengths, we will limit ourselves to listing the key points:

Internal component compatibility

The K-Lite distribution is always tested for compatibility by specialists. At self-installation codecs, it’s easy to end up in a “Codec hell” situation, since many filters don’t get along with each other. To eliminate conflicts, you need to look for the cause of the “evil” and use special utilities to remove one or another component.

Good compatibility with Windows

Apart from the aforementioned lack of conflicts, the package is easy to completely remove from the system without leaving a trace. During installation, K-Lite checks for other codecs on the system and suggests using them during installation, among other options. Also at the installation stage, a search is made for faulty codecs and it is proposed to fix them.

Flexible setup

There are 5 package options available for download with different configurations; 3 installation modes and profiles are also offered.

For each multimedia format, you can select the appropriate decoder from the available options; by default, K-Lite selects the most optimal one. For Windows users 7 and 8 a special Preferred Filter Tweaker utility is provided for Windows 7 and 8 to configure preferred codecs bypassing the OS.

Regular updates

The user does not need to monitor the update of each audio or video codec or other components: K-Lite always contains the latest versions.

K-Lite builds

There are 6 package options available on the download page:

• Basic - provides support for the most famous multimedia formats: AVI, MKV, MP4, OGM, FLV. Minimum set that does not include a video player. It will be optimal if you prefer to use another player, and a minimum set of codecs is sufficient for playback.
• Standard - also includes media player Player Classic HomeCinema, DVD MPEG-2 decoder (opens up more options when playing DVDs), MediaInfo Lite utility, which displays detailed information about the media file.
• Full - compared to the standard version, this includes madVR - a high-quality renderer, the GraphStudioNext diagnostic utility and additional DirectShow filters.
• Mega - contains ACM and VFW codecs, DirectShow filters, additional utilities. During installation, you will be offered a video player to choose from: Media Player Classic HomeCinema or Media Player Classic Regular. You can read about the differences between them below.
• 64-bit build - recommended for installing over the 32-bit version if you plan to play videos in a 64-bit environment. It is worth emphasizing that this package will be in addition to, and not in replacement of, the above options, since not all applications support 64-bit codecs.

There is another way to view information on assemblies, available on the K-Lite package website in the form of comparison tables: and. Essentially, if you are interested in a specific function or format, then there is no need to compare anything.

Installation

Three installation modes are possible - simple, normal and advanced, depending on which the number of settings for the components included in the package changes.

The next step is to select an installation profile. It affects not only the number of components, but also the preferred settings. For example, “LAV for everything” implies that video decoding will be done using LAV Video whenever possible. “Lot of stuff” - installation of the maximum number of components.

You cannot install multiple codecs or filters to play the same format, as this would inevitably cause conflict. The “Use system default” option means that the installer has already detected a codec that is not part of K-Lite: for example, included in the OS or installed previously.

The last step (“Hardware Acceleration”) is settings for hardware video acceleration. It is highly advisable to read the small reference document describing the settings (the “Help” button at the bottom of the window).

So, according to the help, on a fast processor we set the standard settings (“Use software decoding”), on NVIDIA video cards- CUVID or LAV DXVA2, on AMD - LAV DXVA2, when using the Media Player Classic HomeCinema player - DXVA decoder.

K-Lite Composition

The codec package includes:

• DirectShow splitters
• DirectShow video decoding filters
• DirectShow audio decoding filters
• DirectShow audio parsers
• DirectShow subtitle filter
• other codecs and filters
• Media Player Classic / HomeCinema player and additional utilities

In order to “decipher” this list, it is necessary to clarify the meaning of some terms (see below). The work of the splitter, filters and parsers can be more clearly displayed by the GraphStudioNext program, which is included in K-Lite. For example, the easiest way is to open any media file using the “File - Render Media File...” command. The file processing process will be demonstrated in the diagram.

DirectShow is a framework from Microsoft that runs on Windows and is an environment for playing audio and video formats and input/output to devices. Some formats are supported natively by DirectShow, and the list changes with each version of Windows. On this moment DirectShow is being replaced by the Media Foundation framework, which is integrated into Windows 7 and Windows 8.

Splitters(English “source filters”, literally - source filters) audio and video are separated from the container for further processing by decoders. You need to understand that the playback file is a container that is often mistakenly called a video format.

Decoding filters DirectShow video and audio, or transform filters, add support additional formats files that can be played by any video player.

An example of filters is the popular ffdshow decoder, which works based on open libraries. It allows you to play Xvid, DivX and H.264 - which is probably the majority of cases you have to deal with. ffdshow includes filters (not to be confused with DirectShow filters) that allow you to control playback in real time: apply filters, change sizes, colors, etc.

The developers of K-Lite directly advise choosing the LAV decoder due to its greater performance and stability, and ffdshow - only if extra functionality is needed.

Along with LAV Video, included in all packages, other filters are optional and can be replaced.

Similarly, audio filters decode audio formats separated from the container by a splitter. These include the popular AC3Filter library, which adds support for AC3 and DTS along with tools for configuring multi-channel audio.

Task parser- output the signal to the device after it is decoded.

Media Player Classic

Of course, when installing K-Lite, almost any player (GOM Player, LightAlloy, Zoom Player, etc.) will work with the required formats. However, in the case of K-Lite, it is still preferable to use Media Player Classic, which is not included only in the Basic assembly. This video player is best optimized for this package; moreover, it is included in K-Lite in a modified form.

There are two players: Media Player Classic Home Cinema and Media Player Classic Regular, which is an offshoot of the Home Cinema project. Despite the fact that they are based on the same platform, there are differences.

Regarding the Classic Regular player, we can only say that it is less functional in comparison with Home Cinema. To get acquainted with it, you need to install the Mega assembly and during installation specify Media Player Classic Regular as your preferred player.

Other nice additions to Media Player Home Cinema include: image output on multiple monitors, H.264 hardware decoding, support for multiple subtitle formats, localization, including Russian. The original Home Cinema distribution, which can be downloaded from, already includes decoders (so the player can work standalone, without installing K-Lite). The description of K-Lite states that the codecs built into the player have been replaced with more efficient ones - those that are available to choose from when installing K-Lite.

Utilities

After installing K-Lite, there is a need to fine-tune codecs. Find auxiliary utilities you can in the directory with the installed K-Lite package, Tools folder.

Codec Tweak Tool

Basic K-Lite settings collected in the Codec Tweak Tool shell. In the settings, you can remove broken codecs and filters (which were installed incorrectly or left traces in the registry), re-register filters, reset settings to their original ones, generate a log from the contents of the package, sometimes this is required for diagnostics.

The most interesting section is “Configuration”; the settings of all installed filters (audio, video, source filters (splitters)) are collected here. In principle, it is not difficult to do the same thing through the video player parameters, but this would not be the most convenient way.

Codec and Filter Management allows you to activate and deactivate unnecessary filters and codecs, including those included in the OS. Additionally, similar to installing K-Lite, you can specify your preferred splitters for each format.

Preferred Filter Tweaker for Windows 7 and 8

Windows 7 and Windows 8 users should pay attention to the Win7DSFilterTweaker utility. Its necessity is manifested in the fact that these operating systems have their own audio and video decoding system - Media Foundation. The built-in capabilities of this framework cannot be overridden by third-party filters without making changes to the registry. This is, in fact, what this utility is intended for. With its help, you can not only specify your preferred decoders, but also disable unused ones, even deactivating Media Foundation.

MediaInfo

A utility with which you can find out detailed information about a file: bitrate, resolution, container, audio and video formats, compression. Technical data will be useful if you need to reconfigure filters or install a missing codec. This program built into Media Player Classic and available as the “Mediainfo” tab, “Properties” item in the context menu.

GraphStudioNext

A very informative utility for analyzing audio and media files. After processing the content, GraphStudioNext diagrams the processing the file goes through before being output to the screen and dynamics. This all depends on the specific codec configuration in the package. Therefore, GraphStudioNext will be useful for diagnostics when problems arise with file playback. In addition, each component in the diagram is clickable and opens the codec or splitter settings.

VobSubStrip

Editing subtitles in IDX format - you can remove unnecessary streams from the list and resave.

If you have any problems with playing movies and video clips on your computer, you can solve them using the K-Lite Codec Pack, which is distributed in several versions: Basic, Standard, Full and Mega. In this guide, we will walk through the installation process of K-Lite Codec Pack Mega, which includes components from all other packages.

Step 1. Installer

Launch the browser and go to the K-Lite Codec Pack Mega page. Click on the link to download the distribution:

Download and launch the distribution.

Step 2. Preparation

At the very beginning you will be asked to indicate the installation type. Choose Advanced and press the button Next:

Step 3: Path and Components

Select all components in the options Player, if they are suddenly not marked in advance. If you have a 64-bit OS installed, then you can leave the checkbox x64, and if 32-bit - x86. Click on Next:

You will then be prompted to create a K-Lite Codec Pack folder in the Start menu for quick access. To cancel an action, check the checkbox Don't create a Start Menu folder. Click Next:

On the next screen, leave all settings at their defaults:

Optionally, you can add player shortcuts Media Player Classic and K-Lite settings on the desktop and taskbar:

Scroll down and disable options Show configuration tips And Show optional offer. Click Next:

Step 4. Language pack

In the window that appears, enable the option language packs Install language files, if it is suddenly not active, and click on Next:

Step 5. Hardware acceleration

Leave the default settings for the H.264 codec and click Next:

The developers recommend changing these settings only if you are an experienced user and understand what these options are responsible for, which you can read about in more detail in the help (Help key in the lower left corner).

Step 6: Language Settings

Further as the main language ( Primary language) leave Russian ( Russian) or change at our discretion, and as a secondary language ( Secondary language) we are offered English ( English). It can also be changed if desired:

The lower options allow you to configure the output of subtitles. For example, if we select the 2nd checkbox, then subtitles will be displayed by default if the language of the audio track does not match the main one ( Primary language). Leave this option and click Next:

Step 7. Finish

Here we can select those players for which the K-Lite Codec Pack settings will be active. Select your favorite video players, focusing on the bit depth of your OS (x86 - 32-bit, and x64 - 64-bit), and click Next:

In the new window, click on the button All videos and click on Next:

If your settings for video file extensions are reset, and all audio formats are selected instead, click on the button None and choose again All videos.

You will then be asked to specify the types of video preview extensions that will be displayed in the standard Explorer. Leave everything as default and click Next:

Click Install and wait until the installation of all components is completed:

When the installation is complete, click on the button Finish:

Installing a codec package is one of the first steps after reinstalling the system. Without codecs it is almost impossible to work on a computer - neither listen to music, nor watch a movie, nor mobile phone reset the roller. At the same time, few people have a correct idea of ​​how a computer turns a file into a picture on the display. When video does not play on the screen of a laptop or home PC, many people look for the reason in codecs and, without hesitation, install some standard package. But the term “codec package” itself is much broader and is not limited to just a set of decoders. Let's take a closer look at this issue using the example of the popular K-Lite Codec Pack.

The days when you had to independently search for codecs on the Internet and install them one by one to watch video files are long gone. Playing many video formats is supported by the operating system by default, and to view all other files it is customary to install codec packages. Win7 codecs, Windows 7 Codec Pack, XP Codec Pack, CCCP - these and many other freely available packages can be easily found on the Internet. They differ, for the most part, slightly, since almost all of them are based on the ffdshow decoder library. Despite all the variety of codec packages, K-Lite Codec Pack has been the most popular for many years.

Most users install this application in order to have no problems playing video files downloaded from the Internet. However, the K-Lite Codec Pack includes not only video playback tools, but also various additional utilities that may be useful to movie and music lovers. In this article we will talk about what components are included in the K-Lite Codec Pack and how to make the right choice between them.

First of all, let’s make a reservation that this set of codecs comes in several editions, so what tools you can find after installing it depends on which version was installed. There are only four editions: Basic, Standard, Full and Mega. For users who actively watch video but do not encode, the Full edition is best suited, which includes a full set of tools for playing audio and video files. The Basic and Standard versions have a limited set of codecs and differ from each other mainly in that the standard edition includes the Media Player Classic media player. As for the most complete edition - Mega - it includes additional tools for video encoding, as well as ripping DVD/BD discs.

However, choosing a certain edition does not mean that all the tools included in it will be installed. K-Lite Codec Pack has a very thoughtful installer that allows you to choose which components you want to install.

You can trust one of the preset profiles or go through the list of components and make a manual selection. The latter can be a difficult task, because in addition to checkboxes that enable or disable this or that component, the installation wizard also contains radio buttons for choosing between several similar tools. Thus, the K-Lite Codec Pack includes a number of codecs and other tools that perform the same task. A reasonable question arises: why? Sometimes this is due to the fact that there are several similar designs, and it is impossible to say which one is better. How well codecs and other tools work depends on many factors - the configuration, the version of the OS used and other factors.

Sometimes you can even find two versions of the same component in the K-Lite Codec Pack. This is done primarily for those users who prefer time-tested releases and do not want to try new versions that may contain errors. For example, Media Player Classic comes in two editions: Classic, which has not been updated since 2007, and Home Cinema, which supports DXVA technology and is optimized for watching HD video. But even for Media Player Classic Home Cinema you can find two versions at once - the latest, as well as an earlier one, which has proven itself to be stable.

One of the features of the K-Lite Codec Pack installer is to check the system for installed components previous versions. If they are detected, the installer automatically removes them before starting the installation. This is done to minimize incompatibility errors, and also simply to ensure that there is as little "garbage" in the system as possible.

The main component of the K-Lite Codec Pack are decoders for viewing video files. For Windows 7 users, the problem of finding the right codecs is much less acute than for those who still use Windows XP. This is due to the fact that the latest version of the operating system by default contains Microsoft codecs designed for playing the most common audio and video formats. However, firstly, not all files can be played using integrated codecs, and secondly, for many formats there are alternative decoders that are superior to the standard ones in many respects.

⇡ ffdshow decoder library

As mentioned above, K-Lite Codec Pack is based on the ffdshow decoder library. It is a set of separate components for decoding audio and video files, as well as post-processing filters. What's good about ffdshow? The fact that all components that are part of the library are tested for compatibility with each other, and this minimizes the likelihood of errors. When installed, K-Lite Codec Pack offers the use of ffdshow to play almost all formats. The only exception is DVD playback - here, to avoid problems, a built-in Microsoft decoder is offered by default.

Preference is given to ffdshow when choosing decoders for sound playback. The filter library is proposed to be used for decoding sound in films (AC3 and AAC formats), as well as for processing the LPCM format, which is used on many DVDs and Blu-ray. Alternatively, you can select AC3 Filter. As for MP3, ffdshow, of course, supports this popular format. Even if you uncheck the box next to its name, such files will still be played, since MP3 support is available in Windows.

The ffdshow library is familiar to many users because of the red icon that appears in the system tray when playing files using it. ffdshow works with many players and other applications that play video and audio files. For example, if you assign hotkeys to perform various video operations in the decoder library settings, they will work in all supported programs. The ffdshow settings also provide the ability to exclude the use of the library in a specific application. If a program is blacklisted by ffdshow, then when opening a video file in it, the system will use other available decoders.

Another good thing about ffdshow is that it has a convenient GUI, working with which you can easily select the decoder used for each container. These can be either codecs included in ffdshow or third-party ones.

The ffdshow library is not only codecs, but also post-processing filters that can be applied to the video stream. The name of the filters is due to the fact that they are applied after the main video processing is performed, that is, its decoding. You can quickly apply them by clicking on the ffdshow icon, and for fine tuning You will need to go to the parameters window. When you select new settings, all changes are displayed in real time. If you have multiple filters applied, it is worth keeping in mind that the order in which they are added matters.

Post-processing filters may not be available if you are decoding using a codec that is not included with ffdshow, as not all decoders support adding filters.

⇡ Audio parsers and video splitters

Despite the fact that the K-Lite Codec Pack is called a codec package, it also includes other important components, without which video playback is impossible. These are, first of all, audio parsers and video splitters. Their names are different, but the purpose is the same, only parsers work with audio files, and splitters work with video files. These components are designed to separate a media stream into separate components (sound, video, subtitles). When you launch a video file in the player, the program transmits information to the splitter or parser, which splits it into components, after which it accesses the necessary codecs.

K-Lite Codec Pack allows you to select different splitters to handle different containers. In most cases, Haali is used by default, although, for example, AVI files are offered to be processed built-in Windows means. This is explained primarily by the fact that when using alternative splitters there is a possibility of compatibility problems. On the other hand, using standard means It is impossible to play Matroska (MKV) files and some others.

Many people love the Haali video splitter for having some nice additions, including, for example, switching audio tracks in a file by clicking on the icon in the system tray.

LAV splitters are relatively new - the first public version was released about a year ago, and the latest version is currently numbered 0.30. In the latest release of the K-Lite Codec Pack (version 7.5), it was LAV Splitter that replaced the outdated Gabest filters. Among other things, LAV Splitter provides support for playback FLV files and Blu-Ray.

⇡ Subtitle processing engine, Haali Video Renderer and VFW/ACM codecs

The K-Lite Codec Pack also has the option to install the Direct Vob Sub subtitle engine. The decision as to whether you need to install it depends on which player you will be using to play DVDs. Some players, such as Media Player Classic, already have an integrated subtitle processing engine, so there is no point in installing it.

A special feature in the K-Lite Codec Pack installation wizard is Haali Video Renderer, a video rendering engine that is positioned as an alternative to VMR9 (the standard Windows renderer that is part of DirectX). The main difference between Haali Video Renderer and VMR9 is more fast work, which is achieved by using a different method of image scaling.

When installing the most complete editions of the K-Lite Codec Pack, it is also offered to install a whole set of VFW (Video for Windows) and ACM (Audio Compression Manager) codecs designed to work with the corresponding technologies. These codecs are useful for editing videos in some programs (for example, Virtual Dub), as well as for ripping discs, so if you do neither of these, there is no need to install them.

⇡ Utilities Codec Tweak Tool, Media Info Lite and Win7 DS Filter Tweaker

The K-Lite Codec Pack also includes many additional utilities. The most popular of them are Codec Tweak Tool, Media Info Lite and Win7DS Filter Tweaker.

The Codec Tweak Tool program is designed to manage installed codecs. The utility displays a list of all available decoders, makes it possible to disable some of them, as well as identify components that have problems and offers to correct errors. In particular, using the Codec Tweak Tool you can fix a common error due to which the sound does not work in some applications.

Another one useful feature Codec Tweak Tool - backup all settings of K-Lite Codec Pack components. Having such a copy is indispensable for those users who often experiment with the settings of codecs, players and other tools for working with media files. Backup copy, created by Codec Tweak Tool, contains settings for all the most important components: Media Player Classic, ffdshow, Haali Media Splitter, AC 3 Filter, Direct Vob Sub, Xvid.

The Codec Tweak Tool also lets you change thumbnail options for media files in Explorer. This feature can be useful when working on netbooks, where automatic generation of thumbnails for all video files can cause lag. It’s convenient that the program has a quick recovery option system settings.

Although installing the K-Lite Codec Pack solves the problem of playing most media files, in some cases problems may still occur. Using the Media Info Lite utility, you can easily determine which codecs are compressed problematic files. In addition, the program displays information about the file such as resolution, bitrate, duration. Data can be saved as text file. Media Info Lite integrates into context menu Explorer, so to get information about a file, you don’t even need to first launch the program.

Win7 DS Filter Tweaker is a utility designed to change the default decoders used in Windows 7 when working with Windows Media Player and Media Center. If when watching videos in alternative players in Windows 7, alternative codecs can be used, then when opening files in Windows Media Player and Media Center, the system uses only built-in tools. Settings can only be changed by manually making changes to system registry. Win7 DS Filter Tweaker allows you to forcibly change the used H.264, xVid, DivX decoders without accessing the registry editor.

Win7 DS Filter Tweaker also allows you to disable the use of the Media Foundation multimedia framework, which Microsoft is positioning as an upcoming replacement for Direct Show. You can work with Win7DS Filter Tweaker without any worries - any changes made can be easily undone.

The developers of K-Lite Codec Pack also took care of those who decide to remove the codec pack from the system, preferring another product. After launching the uninstaller, all system video playback settings changed using Win7 DS Filter Tweaker are checked and the option to rollback appears.

⇡ Conclusion

K-Lite Codec Pack is designed in such a way that with default settings, file playback causes as few problems as possible. That is why most users do not bother reading the names of its components and manually selecting settings during the installation process. If everything works perfectly, then no one thinks about why this is happening. Questions begin when a black screen appears instead of a video, when the player closes spontaneously, and so on. Many of these issues can be resolved by installing the latest K-Lite Codec Pack, changing playback options in ffdshow settings, or using the Codec Tweak Tool.

Tweet

K-Lite Codec Pack is a collection of DirectShow filters and VFW/ACM codecs. They are needed to view and create audio and video files.

The software gets rid of the error that the video format is not supported, installs a player and allows you to encode video and audio using various codecs.

What are codecs

Any information on a computer, including text, photographs, video and sound, can be written as a sequence of zeros and ones. The text can be written down in a very compact form (the entire text part of Wikipedia can fit on a flash drive), while graphics, sound, and especially video take up hundreds or even tens of thousands times more.

Codecs are programs and devices for storing information in digital form(in any format), as well as for compression all this data. All codecs can be divided into two conditional types:

• Lossless compression data (in the so-called lossless-formats). Algorithms similar to those used by archivers when compressing files are used. Video frames encoded in this way will perfectly match the original ones, and will take up less space on your hard drive.
• Lossy audio and video compression ( lossy formats). The most typical example is MP3 music files. Codecs that compress into lossy formats throw out “extra” sounds and image details. Due to the loss of some information that a person most likely will not notice, as well as due to lossless compression algorithms, the file size is smaller than lossless. Lossy encoding has one significant disadvantage: you can overdo it with compression, resulting in files with terrible sound and poor picture.

Among amateurs high-quality sound The debate continues about how best to store music - in lossless or lossy formats. On the one hand, lossless compression allows you to achieve one hundred percent compliance with the original, on the other hand, such an audio library will take up too much space. For videos and photos, the storage problem is also relevant. For example, over the years of its existence, the YouTube video site has changed the codecs with which video stored on servers is compressed several times. As a result, we can now watch video of acceptable quality in 4K resolution, which was impossible to do before, since 4K video simply would not have enough space. hard drives servers.

Types of codecs

There are several types of codecs. Different collections include different types, K-Lite has them all.

DirectShow filters- modern codec format and more. They are divided into three subspecies. Eat capture filters, which are responsible for receiving data from a file with video, music, and even from physical devices like video cameras. Conversion filters allow you to decode and recode data, apply effects, and so on. Rendering (visualization) filters can display video and sound on the screen, speakers, other devices and save to a file.

All DirectShow filters work in a chain, which allows experienced users to organize automatic video processing. For example, you can take a picture from surveillance cameras, display them on different screens, simultaneously adjusting the brightness and contrast on some, take sound from separately connected microphones and save it all into one file with multiple tracks.

VFW standard codecs(Video for Windows). An older codec format that appeared in 16-bit Windows versions before the appearance of the 95th. They are simpler than DirectShow filters and more limited in capabilities - they cannot be used in a chain. Most often, VFW codecs are needed by video editors to open and save (compress) files.

ACM (Audio Compression Manager) codecs. Same legacy standard as VFW, but for audio. Using these codecs, you can open and compress files into MP3, OGG, AAC, etc. formats.

Codecs can be installed on the system so that all programs can use them, or they can be used in separate software. Codecs can also be a separate program. The most typical example is an encoder. You can't watch a video with it, but you can easily convert it to another format. Such programs are not included in codec packs, because The purpose of the packs is to ensure that multimedia files can be opened in any program.

Codec packs are no longer needed to watch videos.

The problem of playing files is no longer as pressing as it was in the days of Windows 98/2000/ME/XP. Operating Windows systems 7/8/10 already contain the necessary components, and if they are not there, there are always players with built-in codecs. Such as powerful

But there are still tasks where codec packs are useful: video editing And working with archived video and sound recordings, where files can be of very different formats

There are less popular codec collections:

• CCCP: Combined Community Codec Pack (discontinued)
• Kawaii Codec Pack (development stopped in 2015)
• Codec Pack All-In-1 ( latest version came out back in 2006)

K-Lite Codec Pack is the most popular collection of codecs and the most useful because it contains not only codecs for opening video and audio, but also for compression, as well as several useful programs and player. K-Lite is regularly updated, new versions are released, while the authors of alternative packs abandon their work.

There are also two universal DirectShow codecs that solve the same problem without installing codecs from different developers - FFDShow(development stopped, included in the “megaversion” of the K-light pack) and LAVfilters(included in any K-Lite versions codec pack).

K-Lite Codec Pack

Where to download K-Lite

All versions are suitable for Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, 8.1 and 10, both 32 and 64 bit.

There are four variants of the K-Lite Codec package:

1.Basic contains everything you need to play all common video file formats. Simply put, with it you will open AVI, MKV, MP4, OGM and FLV. This option is for those who like a small package with no bells and whistles. It's small, but it solves most problems with opening video files. The universal Lav Video codec is used for playback.

2.Standard contains several additional functions compared to the basic version. But the most important thing is that it has a built-in simple and convenient Media Player Classic player. The DirectShow madVR filter is also built-in, which in conjunction with Media Player Classic gives best quality pictures compared to the system filter (when the picture is stretched, the result is b O better clarity).

3. Included Full(full) DirectShow filters have been added compared to the standard version, including the popular universal ffdshow filter. It has not been developed for a long time, unlike LAV Video, but it supports more formats and is able to replace more codecs. Also included in the full version is the GraphStudioNext program. This is a powerful tool for codec and filter developers, which is included in the codec pack so that the user can see which system components are used to open a particular multimedia file.

4. Mega-option is the most complete K-Lite collection. Option for working with video. It contains standards codecs VFW And ACM For video and audio encoding and editing.

What to choose during installation

At the beginning of the installation, you can select a mode: Normal or Advanced. The difference is that in Advanced mode a step for selecting components (“Select components”) will appear. All other sections of the installer will be identical in both modes.

Installation Preferences section

At the very beginning of the installation, the installer will ask several questions.

Preferred video/audio player- which player to prefer for opening multimedia.

Preferred video/audio decoder- which decoder to prefer (leave LAV video decoder, description will be below).

Create file associations- open files in the selected player.

Install MPC-HC as a secondary player- if another is selected, install Media Player Classic anyway.

Install codecs only for MPC-HC- install codecs only for Media Player Classic (some will still be installed as system codecs for everyone).

Amount of components to install- options for a set of codecs, the middle point is optimal. In Advanced mode, you can refine the set at the component selection step.

Install VFW codecs for video encoding- install codecs for encoding, i.e. creating videos.

Install only 64-bit components- install only 64-bit codecs, 32-bit programs will not see them.

Select Components Section

If you bet Basic or Standard, at this step you can click the “Next” button. There are few components, there is nothing to choose from.

IN Full And Mega There are significantly more codecs. Most likely, you know what you are doing if you choose these versions, but for those who are curious, I will tell you in more detail what is in them.

Right at the beginning of the installation, you can choose whether to install only codecs for playback, whether to install a player, or select your own set (Custom Selection item).

Let's go through all the points.

MPC-HC is a Media Player Classic player. Functional player with many useful options. There are two versions to choose from, the difference is in the bit depth. It’s better to choose only one that matches the bitness of your Windows. Perhaps in the future the authors of the pack will switch to another player, because the development of Media Player Classic seems to have stopped in July 2017.

In chapter DirectShow video decoding filters there are modern codecs for video playback in any players, including standard Media Player and Windows 10 Video Player. The choice is given:

1. Filter LAV Video- standard for Basic and Standart versions of the pack, it supports H.264, H.265/HEVC, MPEG-4, MPEG-2, VC-1, WMV and several other less popular formats. This best choice, because the project is actively developing, all errors found are quickly eliminated and, in general, the codec decodes popular formats without problems.
2. Filter ffdshow- the decoder is currently outdated, its development has been discontinued. Supports H.264, MPEG-4, MPEG-2, VC-1 and others. The decoder has one interesting opportunity: in the ffdshow settings you can enable image processing, making it brighter, increasing sharpness, turning it sideways, and so on. If your player does not have filters, but you need them, then video decoding via ffdshow will help you.
3. Xvid- for (de)coding MPEG-4 files. You can choose if for some reason you are not satisfied with LAV and ffdshow, but you can leave the above codecs for processing other formats.
4. Microsoft- the item is needed so that the selected format is still decoded by the codecs built into Windows.

Component selection options affect not so much the choice of what to install, but how codecs should behave. If the package version contains LAV Video and ffdshow, they will be installed in any case, they will simply not be used for formats where a different codec is selected.

Chapter DirectShow audio decoding filters contains codecs for sound playback.

1. LAV Audio- the same as LAV Video, a modern universal DirectShow filter. Supports AC3, DTS, E-AC3, MLP, LPCM, TrueHD, AAC, FLAG, OGG Vorbis, MP1, MP2, MP3, WMA, etc. formats.
2. ffdshow also present in the list, it can play AC3, DTS, E-AC3, MLP, LPCM, TrueHD, AAC, FLAG, OGG Vorbis, MP1, MP2, MP3 and, importantly, uncompressed PCM audio (.wav files). As with video, filters can be applied to audio.
3. AC3Filter- for decoding AC3, DTS, E-AC3, TrueHD, LPCM, AAC and MPEG. This DirectShow filter holds the record for the number of audio processing settings. You can amplify the sound, compress dynamic range, adjust the delay of individual audio tracks (necessary if the speakers are at different distances so that the sound waves reach the listener at the same time), carry out mixing in real time... There are a lot of possibilities and most of them are not needed by the average user.

IN DirectShow source filters You can select video source filters. They are needed not for decoding codecs, but for opening containers - files, inside of which there will be video with sound. For example, extensions AVI files, MP4, MKV are talking about different containers.

1. LAV Splitter- for AVI, MP4, Matroska (MKV), MPEG-TS (MTS), MPEG-PS (PS) and others. When you select LAV Splitter as the standard source filter, you will be able to change audio tracks on the fly in any player via the LAV Splitter icon in the tray.
2. Haali Media Splitter- a once popular filter, it was used to turn on subtitles in unsupported players and switch audio tracks. Now it has been replaced by LAV Splitter as more functional.
3. DC-Bass Source Mod- needed to support OptimFROG files (.ofr .ofs extension) and open tracker music (.it .mo3 .mtm .s3m .umx .xm).

In chapter DirectShow subtitle filter there is only one point DirectVobSub. This filter will allow you to automatically connect subtitles from video files of the same name. It is not relevant now, because popular players already support subtitles stored both inside video files and external ones with the .srt extension.

Chapter Other Filters includes two DirectShow visualization filters for displaying images in players.

1. MadVR- a very powerful filter that allows you to qualitatively scale the image and, what is important, make the frame change smooth.
2. Haali Video Renderer- a filter whose development has long been discontinued, does not really work, it is unclear why it was included in the K-Lite Codec Pack.

IN VFW video codecs There are codecs of the Video for Windows standard. If you use old video editing software or VirtualDub, then you need them.

1. ffdshow VFW interface- VFW part for ffdshow, which I mentioned above. Allows you to save in FFV1, HuffYUV, DV and MJPEG.
2. Xvid- a free compatible alternative to the once popular DivX (MPEG-4).
3. x264VFW- for encoding video in the H.264 format, which is the next evolutionary step after MPEG-4.
4. huffyuv- lossless codec for encoding and decoding video files of the same format.
5. Lagarith- modified huffyuv, compresses stronger, no data loss either.

ACM Audio Codecs needed for audio compression.

1. MP3 (LAME) is a popular MP3 codec for audio compression in programs such as VirtualDub. It will only be installed if there are no other MP3 codecs in the system.
2. AC3ACM- for AC3 format. AC3 has two features: there can be many audio tracks and the technology is protected by patents. Because of this, many players on phones do not support the AC3 format. IN Windows players There are no problems with this.

In chapter Tools there are utilities.

1. Codec Tweak Tool- a program for reconfiguring codecs and resetting their settings. In it you can replace LAV with ffdshow without reinstalling the K-Lite Codec Pack.
2. MediaInfo Lite- for display detailed information about codecs inside multimedia files.
3. GraphStudioNext- very much powerful utility for developers of DirectShow filters. In the K-Lite Codec Pack, it is most likely included because of the function of viewing which filters are used when opening a particular file.
4. Haali Muxer- a utility for packaging individual audio and video files into Matroska containers (.mkv).
5. VobSubStrip- a tool for solving a specific task: extracting subtitles for a specific language from files in .idx and .sub formats.
6. FourCC Changer- a program that changes the label about the codec used in video files. This is useful if the required codec is not used when opening a video file.

IN Explorer shell extensions Windows Explorer extensions are located.

1. Icaros ThumbnailProvider allows you to see the contents of video files in popular formats in thumbnail view.
2. Icaros PropertyHandler allows you to view the width, height, frame rate, duration in the properties of files with extensions .flv, .mkv, .ogm, .rmvb, .webm, .ape, .flac, .mka, .mpc, .ofr, .opus, .spx , .tak, .tta, .wv.

IN Miscellaneous there are two options - Detect broken codecs And Detect broken DirectShow filters, which include checking codecs and DS filters already installed in the system. If something is wrong with them (damaged or missing files and entries in Windows registry), they can be deleted. The same function is available in Codec Tweak Tool.

Additional Tasks and Options Section

In the next step, the installer will clarify several settings.

Their number will differ depending on your choice in the previous step. Most of the settings are clear based on their names; I’ll tell you only about the most important ones:

Reset all settings to their defaults- reset all codec settings. Useful if you update the codec pack from old version or an alternative one has been installed.

Windows Media Player: register supported file formats- standard Windows player Media will open formats supported by installed codecs.

Optimized preferred decoders settings: The installer will adjust the system codec settings to optimal values, according to the authors of K-Lite Codec Pack. You can later change them manually using the Codec Tweak Tool.

Add to Explorer context menu- in the menu by right click mouse, a new “MediaInfo” item will appear to easily open video and music files in the MediaInfo program.

Hardware acceleration section

Here you configure hardware acceleration of video decoding. This is important for watching high definition movies.

You can select the decoding method (universal and problem-free - DXVA2 copy-back), and also enable acceleration only in the Media Player Classic player (item “Only use hardware acceleration in combination with MPC-HC”).

MPC-HC configuration section

Appears when you select Media Player Classic.

An important option here is the choice of video renderer (“Video renderer”). If you bet madVR, choose it, otherwise the optimal one will be Enhanced Video Renderer (Custom Presenter).

Preferred language(s) for audio and subtitles section

Here you can set your selection preferences soundtrack. The settings in the screenshot below are the most universal for a Russian-speaking user.

If there is a Russian track in the video, it will be included. If not, then English and subtitles in Russian (if available).

File associations section

Allows you to specify which player to use to open audio and video files.

Due to the peculiarities of assigning file associations in Windows 10, this step may not affect the choice and you will have to assign programs manually through Control Panel - Default Applications.

Depending on the checked boxes, additional steps will appear where you can select in detail the associations of the program with file types.

Audio Configuration Section

After installation

Restart your computer, otherwise some codecs will not work correctly.

If you need to change any codec or filter settings, there will be a K-Lite Codec Pack folder in the Start menu with shortcuts to settings and utilities.