Vista - Codec Trouble

Here's one for the Media Centre gurus - I got a .mkv file (a hi-def version of The Thing, as you ask) and I have got my Matroska codecs in place etc. So when I come to play the film, the picture is great, but I've got John Carpenter and Kurt Russell chatting away and I can't get rid of this commentary track. Also, I can't play the film in Media Player at all. Download the CCCP pack etc, and arrive at a situation where I can play the movie in WMP - with the right soundtrack, but not in Media Centre. After a lot more fooling around am back to no WMP playback, MC playback but only commentary soundtrack. Any ideas? Anyone?

I'm not familiar with thos codec but generally installing codec packs is a bad idea.

Usually best to install the one codec you need then uninstall when you are done.

For you I would recommend SUPER video converter, I believe it is still free. convert the video to a codec of something you know works eg mpeg2 or WMV

Vista 64? If so, are you using 64 bit codecs? I think, and I emphasize think, that WMP will run 32 bit codecs, and Media center will not. I might be mistaken, but I had a similar problem until I installed 64bit codec pack.

Here's a link to the one and only codec pack I use. It works for most of the stuff I download.

FileForum | K-Lite Codec Pack 64-bit

I agree that codec packs are not the best thing in the world, but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do. Basically, you don't want tons of codecs installed.

If your not 64bit, I don't know what to tell you except for not to use the link I provided.

Paul

Well...from past experiences installing massive numbers codecs is asking for lots of troubles. Especially since those codec installers actually let you just install the ones you need.

Thanks for your inputs, guys, and I know what you mean about codec packs. I would prefer to get all the codecs I need through Windows Update, say, whereby at least you would have some kind of QA in place. I've always found the Matroska codec to be pretty good and to work well, but I think the trouble is almost certainly in the order in which the various decs were installed etc etc and also the fact that I bungled the sacrifice and invocation in the sunken temple of Kirok

Ach, Herr Doktor Baron!! Of course - there are two Windows Media Players in x64, aren't there? The 32- and the 64-bit version. By default, Media Centre uses the 64-bit version. It seems that the 64- and 32-bit Matroska codecs cannot co-exist, which I had assumed they would. But they don't. Well, no-one said Life is just. It's just Life.