Almost all audio and video are encoded with special programs, which, with a slight loss of quality, can significantly reduce the overall file size. A codec is firmware that a computer uses to decode and play video or sound. Without codecs, the computer will not play at all or play incorrectly most of the multimedia files.
Instructions
Step 1
For convenience, the codecs are collected in packages that can be downloaded for free on the Internet. Each package has a certain common set of codecs and some additional programs that differ from package to package. Let's consider the installation of codecs using one of the most popular K-Lite Codec Packs as an example. First of all, you need to download this package from the Internet. It is absolutely free, so be careful not to enter your phone number or send SMS when downloading.
Step 2
After the download is complete, double-click on the program's shortcut. Before starting the installation, the system will display a warning that the application has an unknown publisher. Click the "Run" button and continue with the installation. If your computer is running Windows 7, it will ask for permission to make changes to the hard drive, click "Allow".
Step 3
In the next window, the installer will ask if you really want to install the codecs? Click the Next button to start the installation.
Step 4
Next, you will be asked to choose the type of installation: simple (simple, recommended for most users) or advanced (advanced, recommended for advanced users). If you need to select a special location for the installation of a program, change its name in the list of programs in the taskbar, or select a special installation profile, select the advanced installation type. Otherwise, select the simple installation and click Next.
Step 5
In the next window, the installer will offer to activate the hardware video decoding performance enhancement for Windows Media Player. The correct operation of the DXVA function is possible only on computers that support this type of hardware acceleration. In some cases, enabling this feature may cause problems with your computer. Enable acceleration only if you are sure that your computer supports DXVA, otherwise do not select anything and click "Next".
Step 6
Next, the installer will ask you to choose which player will play audio and video files by default. Select the first item if you will be using the Media Classic Player (installed along with the codecs) or select the second if you will be playing multimedia in standard Windows Media. If you do not use any of the listed players, after the installation is complete, you can return the associations to the player you need.
Step 7
In the next window, the program offers to select the types of files that will be played by default in the player of your choice. Select all video - selects all types of video files. Select all audio - selects all types of audio files. "Select none" - removes selection from all items. If you do not select anything, multimedia files will be played through the player that was used before the installation of the program. Check the box for the required file types and click Next.
Step 8
In the dialog that opens, you can select the file types for which the standard shortcuts will be replaced with the player's shortcuts. This is useful for visually identifying which application a file is associated with. You can manually select the types of multimedia files you know. You can also use the "Select Windows default" button. It will automatically select those files that the operating system considers multimedia by default. After selecting, press the Next button.
Step 9
In the next window, select the type of audio system and click "Next".
Step 10
After choosing the type of audio system, the program will offer along with the codec to install the home page, search bar and default search engine Yahoo !. If you do not want to change the settings of your internet browser, check the box “No thanks. I don’t want any of the above”and click“Next”. In the next window, click "Install".
Step 11
After finishing the installation process, click “Finish”. The codecs have been successfully installed on your computer, and now you can watch videos and listen to music of all common formats.
