Dealing with Vista codec problems
One of the major criticisms of Microsoft Vista has been the fact that it can be extremely difficult to ensure that every multimedia file type can be played via the inbuilt Windows Media Player or Media Centre.
This problem stems from the fact that Microsoft do not own licenses for the many other codecs used when people compress multimedia content. This has become an increasingly problematic situation as the Internet has become the preferred vehicle for transporting large media files. In this situation, the files will be compressed using advanced codecs and cutting edge compression techniques. If your Vista install lacks the correct codec to decompress the file, then you will in all likelihood only hear sound and see no video, or vice versa. Luckily there are two ways in which you can overcome these codec problems with Microsoft Vista.
The slickest way to ensure that you can play every multimedia file type which is currently available is to install the Vista Codec Pack. This is a third-party application that has been produced by a Vista enthusiast, and packages every current codec and compression algorithm into one simple install. Once you have installed the Vista Codec Pack you will be able to play every file type within either Windows Media Player or Media Centre. The only downside of using the Vista Codec Pack is that you may find you need to refresh your thumbnails to ensure that every video file displays a thumbnail correctly in the folder view. The Vista Codec Pack comes with an application which allows the user to click codec settings, and adjust them for performance and quality.
For those people who prefer not to install a low-level codec pack which could cause problems in the future, then there is a single software application available which can play every known type of audio and video file. This application is named VideoLAN or VLC, and is a freely downloadable, extremely lightweight, and feature rich media player. For many people, VLC is considered a must have Windows application, and one that can solve every single Vista codec problem. VLC is also available for Windows XP, and is the only media player which solves every single window XP codec problem.
If you are experiencing codec problems within Windows Vista, then either of these two solutions outlined above offer you a simple and effective way to solve them.
