Did you ever try to play a video file, but failed to open it? Or have you played a file and have had sound but no video?  This might happen because you don’t have the right video codecs installed.

What is a codec?

One of the great problems when using video files in a digital format is the large amount of storage space these files require. This is what a codec is used for. The name is an acronym for compressor/decompressor, and that is exactly what this little piece of software does: compresses the information when the file is created, and then decompresses it to be displayed.

Unfortunately, there are many compressing algorithms available, and so, many codecs were created, each with it’s advantages and disadvantages. You have to install the right one to view a particular video.

How do I know what codecs I need?

So, you have the file, and can’t open it. But you have no idea what codec is missing.

It’s simple to find out. A small free utility called GSpot that you can download from the internet will tell you what codecs you need to play the file, if they are installed and lots of other informations about the video.

Right now, the most used formats are DivX and XVid, so you should have the latest versions of these two installed. There are also a number of codec packs available, which will automatically install a number of codecs on your system.  Some of the most common and most complete codec packs are K-Lite Codec Pack, XP Codec Pack or Ace Mega Codecs Pack.

You will also need an audio codec, the most used one right now is AC3 and is included with other audio codecs in the packs.

Where do I find it?

Most codecs are available for free on the internet and you can find them by doing a simple search on HitTastic.

Once you have a codec installed, you can use any video player to watch a movie that uses that codec. You will also be able to use the codec from within any program.  Meaning you can edit videos as well.

Tags | General, Windows Vista, Windows XP