#  >  > Computers Can Be Fun >  >  > Computer News >  >  Question about Codecs

## Missismiggins

I have recently downloaded a couple of torrents (The latest michael Moore movie and today, The Invention of Lying.)

The files both download - they are about 700-800MB each, and take the usual time to download.

Once completed, when you try to play them, using VLC Media Player the movie begins, with the "Universal Studios' banner" but has " CODEC ERROR -USE WINDOWS MEDIA PLAYER: Aborting Video, redirecting to Microsoft codec download page. Then it hangs.

If you try to open it in Media Player, you get the message that media player cannot play this file, as the extension does not match the file format (It's AVI - Xvid DVD RIP)

Any ideas?

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## baldrick

its a scam

will be trying to use the codec scam to d/load some malware

read the comments at the torrent site before you d/load

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## Missismiggins

> its a scam
> 
> will be trying to use the codec scam to d/load some malware
> 
> read the comments at the torrent site before you d/load


Yes, true, the comments page said it was some sort of redirect...but what is the 800MB file I now have...is it playable?

By the way, my torrent misery seems to have ended by replacing the Billion Modem from TOT and the "defective" Dlink Router with a Belkin N150 - everything is flying now and no disconnects!

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## paranha

> Originally Posted by baldrick
> 
> 
> its a scam
> 
> will be trying to use the codec scam to d/load some malware
> 
> read the comments at the torrent site before you d/load
> 
> ...


 
Better discard it. It's rather better to wait for a while and try a new download on the same title

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## matsalleh

^
^
The 800 MB file you have you better delete,  next time do read the comments of the downloaders as that will give you a clue!

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## Loombucket

The windows media player cannot handle DIV-X, it thinks that it can, but it's rubbish. Vlc should be working ok with it. I suggest that you junk Vlc and then re-download it, install it and see if that works. Other than that, I suggest you need a pro.

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## Spin

Install the k-lite codec pack as well from here

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## Missismiggins

Thanks a lot guys, it does seem like a "bogus" file, same happens with the new michael moore movie too.

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## Camel Toe

Man, i got a huge virus once by clicking on that link.  Tell ya what, I am a member of a private club where you can download with confidence.  Lots of HD and BlueRays, all free but you must seed what you leech, meaning after it's downloaded you let it ride so other members can leech what you've downloaded.  You can play the film while it's being uploaded (leeched) but you can't cut and paste it till it's done uploading.  I get speeds way over 1 MB a second.

I've earned three member invites so far and got three more coming soon.  If you want one (I know we've never met) send me your email and I'll send you a free membership.

It's called IPTorrents.

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## Bogon

> read the comments at the torrent site before you d/load


Good advice.
The 1st thing I do before hitting the download button is to check out the comments.
Once you see the word FAKE/CAM or A5 V4 (audio/visual quality) then I go searching again.
I use GOM player and if a codec is ever needed it automatically downloads it for you. Never had a problem with it over the years and cannot recommend it enough.

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## baldrick

> and if a codec is ever needed it automatically downloads it for you.


this is a bad idea

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## Bogon

Could you give a brief explanation why it's bad to auto download from GOM player?
Thanks.

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## baldrick

Do you know where all codecs that GOM player downloads come from ?
are all the codecs downloaded by GOM player checked by the developers of GOM player ?

I ask as it used to be an attack vector for windows media player , you would play a file which would instruct WM player to download a codec from a URL which was not really a codec - and as WM player was actually a shell it was able to execute and infect via this method.

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## harrybarracuda

Yeah, it's much safer to download it manually.

 :rofl:

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## CharleyFarley

Balders, Is there a trick to playing 264 and MKV files on VLC or GOM, as when I try, the audio often goes quickly out of sync. The picture is wonderful of course but not the sound.

Spartacus,Blood and sand from EZTV is a good example.

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## Bogon

Cheers for the info baldrick
So this begs the question.
What player would you recommend for watching movies?
I currently use GOM, but am willing to try others.

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## Marmite the Dog

> What player would you recommend for watching movies?


VLC - Somehow it doesn't use codecs. Possibly

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## harrybarracuda

> VLC - Somehow it doesn't use codecs. P


It doesn't use *external* codecs. So you never see codec updates, but they must include them when they release new builds.

Added:

(From Wikipedia)




> Many of VLC's codecs  are provided by the libavcodec library from the FFmpeg  project, but it uses mainly its own muxer and demuxers. It also gained distinction  as the first player to support playback of encrypted DVDs on Linux by  using the libdvdcss DVD decryption library.

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## peterpan

> Balders, Is there a trick to playing 264 and MKV files on VLC or GOM, as when I try, the audio often goes quickly out of sync. The picture is wonderful of course but not the sound.
> 
> Spartacus,Blood and sand from EZTV is a good example.


Its the opposite for me Charley, Sound is great and perfectly synchronized but the Video, jerky and pixellated.
 So have to convert all MKV file to AVI befor I can watch them. Any solutions ?

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## harrybarracuda

Are you trying to play them on a PC? It really needs an awful lot of processor and top end video to do it.

Better to spend $99 on one of these:

The CinemaTube | Full 1080p HD Media Player | Full HD Media Player

I have thousands of TV series and movies on an external 2Tb, and from power up it's ready to scroll through them and play in 20-30 seconds.

I have Blu Rips in MKV format up to 20Gb in size and it plays them perfectly.

Best media player I've found at that price (and I've gone through a few looking for the perfect one!).

Network enabled as well so you can stream around your house, etc. (although I'm still working on that. I  keep buying kit from the US on Amazon and then have to go and source 220V Power adapters, although I think I have that one cracked now!).

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