Topic: Media Player Classic now with FLV support

[Cobra951]

YAY!  Woohoo!  I've been accumulating FLV-format files since I figured out how to download them from sites that stream them.  But the quality of the standalone FLV players is abysmal.  Not one of them does the job without eating up a ton of CPU, and they all software-stretch the image, producing awful blockiness even at 2X.  Finally, Media Player Classic solved this problem for me completely.  The video plays as smoothly, is stretched as cleanly, and eats as little CPU as any video format.  The site says the last update was over a year ago, but I swear I've downloaded this more recently than that, with no working FLV support.  Whether it's my failure to look in the right place or a new development, I'm a happy guy.  For some quality test material, try some of the 640x480 vids at ign.com.

Edit: Internet Download Manager is one tool that will let you grab FLVs after you start streaming them.

[idolminds]

I've been running FLVs in MPC and VLC for a while now.


Hows that for some confusing abbreviation hell?

[Cobra951]

OK, this is not the first time I get too excited too fast.  The solution turned out to be hit or miss, and I think that it's all codec-related.  The Photosynth flv from the Seadragon thread will not play on anything but the dedicated FLV players.  Conversely, the FLVs that work on MPC also work on VLC.  My guess is that these use more standard codecs, and the videos which remain a pain in the ass must be using something exclusive to Flash.  Youtube videos play on anything, and so do the higher-res FLVs from ign.  (Haven't tried the low-res ones.)  So then the question becomes, can I get a separate codec for what's missing?  Tune in next week, same batty time & channel.

[Cobra951]

It must be next week already.

I updated VLC, and that plays all my FLVs fine, including the Photosynth one and Zero Punctuation's Bioshock review.  I was actually able to watch the Photosynth presentation in the correct aspect ratio for the first time, since you can force 16:9 (among others) with VLC.  Getting all FLVs to work with most media players (with DirectShow filters) seems to be a matter of updating ffdshow and making sure the FLV1 and FLV4 decoding are covered.   For WMP, an extra step is to install an FLV splitter.  This guide covers the details.  I'm happy with VLC for now.  I'll go the rest of the distance when I'm not so tired.  I hope I can get to sleep better tonight.

[Xessive]

Hmm I've been playing them in MPC for ages now (almost a year or so). I think it's just a matter of the codec. I use the K-Lite Codec pack, mainly coz it covers all the codecs I need in one simple package.

[Cobra951]

Yes, it covers everything.  I've been avoiding it because shotgun codec packs have been known to screw things up by allowing conflicting codecs to coexist.  This latest iteration of K-Lite is said to be reliable, though.  I may try setting a system restore point, and then install it.

[scottws]

Yes, it covers everything.  I've been avoiding it because shotgun codec packs have been known to screw things up by allowing conflicting codecs to coexist.  This latest iteration of K-Lite is said to be reliable, though.  I may try setting a system restore point, and then install it.

After the trouble I had in the past with the K-Lite codec pack that resulted in a full reformat and reinstallation of Windows, I am never installing another codec pack again.

[Cobra951]

I remember your experience.  It's what makes me the most cautious.  I looked at the latest K-Lite, and you can choose to install components individually now.  I'm still holding off, though.  As I said, VLC does the job very nicely, and it has no need of external codecs.