Setting Up Codecs For Windows 7

Although Windows 7 provides wider support for multimedia files, including H.264, XviD, DIVX and AAC, Windows Media Player 12 has some bugs, such as jittery DVD sound. For satisfying multimedia experience in Windows 7, one needs to take some steps to set up additional codecs. Though ffdshow is a comprehensive codec package, I am going to use alternative codecs other than ffdshow.

1. Go to C:\Windows\System32 and rename msmpeg2adec.dll and msmpeg2vdec.dll. Alternatively, run Win7DSFilterTweaker and check both Disable Microsoft DTV-DVD Audio decoder and Disable Microsoft DTV-DVD Video decoder.
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. Install DirectShow FilterPack (DSFP.zip) which only contains DirectShow source filters and splitters, but no codecs. Unpack the package (DSFP-3.32.exe) into C:\Program Files. Start the Command Prompt (cmd.exe) as administrator and run the batch file DSFP_inst.bat.
   
   

   cd "C:\Program Files\DirectShow FilterPack"
   DSFP_inst.bat

   
   
   
3. Install XviD codec.
   
   
4. Install AC3filter which allows Media Player to play AC3 and DTS sound.
   
   
5. Install DirectShow filters for Ogg Vorbis, Speex, Theora and FLAC from xiph.org.
   
   
6. Obtain CLVsd.ax from the Web and run the following command in an elevated Command Prompt.
   
   

   regsvr32 CLVsd.ax

   
   

   CLVsd.ax can be obtained this way:

   
   
   • Download PowerDVD from filehippo.
     
   • Right-click the installer (CyberLink.1705(Trial)_DVD100510-04.exe) and open it with 7-zip.
     
   • Right-click data1.cab and choose Open Inside.
     
   • Extract the file _64A6CC87C2FD46EDBDBCC13164131D6A (1,086,832 bytes) to C:\Windows\System32 folder.
     
   • Rename _64A6CC87C2FD46EDBDBCC13164131D6A as CLVsd.ax.
     
   • Run "regsvr32 CLVsd.ax" as administrator.
     
   
   
   
7. Open the registry editor (regedit) and navigate to HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Media Center\Decoder and find the entry PreferredMPEG2VideoDecoderCLSID. Double-click the entry and enter {516F1EFA-42F4-436E-801C-B752EB9343EB} (UUID for Cyberlink decoder). You can verify the CLSID with Radlight Filter Manager (DSFM.exe) that was installed by DirectShow FilterPack above.
   
   
8. Download the DirectVobSub filter, also known as VSfilter. Copy VSFilter.dll to C:\Windows\System32 and run the following command:
   
   

   regsvr32 VSFilter.dll