Installing, uninstalling or updating codecs is easy! Installing K-Lite Codec Pack Installing k lite codec pack

Codec is a program for co diating and Dec oding (packing and unpacking) video and audio streams. The average user needs codecs to play compressed video or audio formats on a computer. The fact is that most modern formats, such as mp3, mp4, use compression. And when installing a clean operating system, most compressed formats are not supported. Therefore, in order for playback to be possible, you need to install a codec. Most codecs slightly reduce quality to significantly reduce file size. But there are also lossless codecs - those that compress the file without loss of quality.

K-Lite Codec Pack - what is it?

K-Lite Codec Pack is a set of the most popular and sought-after codecs in one bottle. By installing this package you can watch almost any video and play any audio formats.

Benefits of K-Lite Codec Pack

• The maximum set of codecs in one installer.
• Regular updates.
• The package includes one of best players Media Player Classic - convenient, light and fast.
• It comes in different configurations - Basic, Standart, Full and Mega (from the minimum set of codecs to the maximum).

Disadvantages of K-Lite Codec Pack

Sponsored software may be included in the installation package. If you install a codec package without looking, you can install something unnecessary. Read below to learn how to avoid this.

How to download K-Lite Codec Pack

Now let’s talk about how to download the K-Lite Codec Pack correctly so that you download it and not something else by mistake.

1. Go to the official website:

http://www.codecguide.com/download_kl.htm

2. Click Download Mega:

How to install K-Lite Codec Pack without unnecessary programs

1. Run the downloaded file:

Click Yes in the User Account Control window:

2. Slowly click Next. If you see a window with a Decline button, click Decline!

Just like here:

And here:

A familiar situation: you installed a clean, fresh Windows on your computer, downloaded the drivers, got comfortable, looking forward to watching an interesting movie, but it doesn’t play? The same thing happens with music: the driver is set to sound, but there is silence in the headphones. Where can glitches come from if the system is completely new? Let me tell you a secret: this is not the problem at all and can be solved very simply.

The cause of the problem is the lack of codecs - small but extremely important programs that are used to decode (and reverse encode) compressed digital audio and video of certain formats. Today we’ll talk about how to install and update codecs in Windows so that we can listen and watch everything we want.

When should you install codecs?

Is it necessary to install codecs on the computer immediately after Windows installations and drivers? For some, yes, but for others, no. The fact is that codecs for many common video and audio formats are present in the system initially. And if you have no problems opening the desired content, you can leave everything as is.

If, when you try to play a video or music recording you see the message " An error occurred while opening one or more files" or " The file cannot be opened", installing the missing codec will correct the situation.

The bulk of audio and video codecs are universal, that is, they can interact with different applications. For example, it is enough to install the codec into the system once MPEG Layer III, and that's all music players will be able to normally play audio content in the format mp3.

There are codecs that are used by a single program. Usually they are installed in Windows along with it, but in some cases the mission of searching and installing the missing components is assigned to the user.

There are also situations when a multimedia file of a certain type is played only in one application, and the others do not recognize it, although they should. The reason again lies in the lack of the required codec in the system. It’s just that the program that reads this file has a codec inside itself, and “competitors” have no way to get to it.

Where can I get the necessary codecs?

There are only two main sources for replenishing the stock of Windows codecs:

• Official websites of the developers of the compression standard for a specific data type. This is a suitable option when the system lacks one or two rarely used codecs.
• Batch builds of all major video and audio codecs. This option is more suitable when the computer does not recognize many file formats.

The most popular source of the second type is batch assembly K-Lite Codec Pack. More precisely, it is an application that not only installs, but also monitors codec updates and automatically downloads them as they are released.

K-Lite Codec Pack is free. The latest releases, available on the official website, contain components for 32- and 64-bit systems and support all versions of Windows, from XP to Windows 10. In addition, the packages (except for the minimal basic one) include a universal media player for playing video and music files.

Today, 4 releases of the application are available on the Russian-language resource K-Lite Codec Pack:

• Basic – a basic package that includes only the most commonly used codecs.
• Standard is a regular package that is enough to play most common multimedia files.
• Full – a complete package of audio and video codecs with additional tools.
• Mega – the maximum package with additional tools.

How to install K-Lite Codec Pack

The application supports several installation methods - from automatic to manual, where the user can configure almost every parameter.

Let's consider installing the basic K-Lite Codec Pack in Expert (manual) mode, since it allows you to load only the necessary components into the system and configure them according to your preferences.

Mode " Expert"select in the first window of the installation program.

Next, the installer prompts you to specify decoders for video and audio and preferred player applications for playing movies and music. And also - express your consent to link multimedia files to these applications (create associations).

Next we determine the installation location of the program.

The fourth step is to select the required assembly components. Don't mark anything you don't plan to use.

After selecting components, the program offers to configure their configuration.

Then - the hardware acceleration method.

At the eighth stage, we select one of the versions of Windows Media Player that will be used.

Specify the file types that will open in Windows Media Player by default.

We determine the configuration of the playback device.

Mark the file extensions for which a thumbnail will be created in Windows Explorer.

Check the selected settings and click " Install" to start installing codecs.

If you do not understand the essence of any parameter, leave it as default or follow the program's recommendations.

The selection of options in other K-Lite Codec Packs is somewhat more extensive, but the differences are not so global that they need to be discussed separately. We were faced with the task of installing codecs into the system, and we successfully completed it, and very few additional functions were needed.

For Windows to start using the installed codecs according to your preferences, simply restart your computer.

Do you turn on a movie, but the player gives an error? Or does the video play, but without sound? Do not rush to panic and think that there is something wrong with the computer - it simply does not have the necessary codecs. The problem is easily fixable! Below you will find detailed and clear instructions on installing video and audio encoders and learn several valuable life hacks for working with multimedia.

Why are codecs needed?

It is possible that the term “codec” is not familiar to you, and it is not surprising - the user does not need this information to enjoy video or audio. However, when playback errors occur and the system requires you to install something, knowledge will clearly be useful.

Speaking in simple language, codec is a small encryption program that is included in any operating system. Not only computers, but also cameras, phones and other devices are equipped with such software. Their key task is to encode data when writing and opening files. The quality of the result depends on how “quality” the codec encrypts and translates information.

Codecs are involved in encrypting and decrypting data when shooting and playing video.

Interesting fact! Modern cameras have the ability to shoot 60 or even 120 frames per second. Ideal for action shots, but other times you're simply capturing 60 identical frames. This means that in a minute of recording you will take 3600 frames, most of which are “extra”. Video codecs are built into the device's OS to find duplicates and erase them. This reduces the size of the video, making it suitable for viewing on small devices.

Quick Installation and Upgrade Guide

When purchasing a computer (or other device), you buy it with a set of decoders that will allow you to correctly play the most popular video and audio extensions. However, if you are trying to play a video or audio track in a non-standard format, you may need “extra” options.

If you are a Windows XP user, you can view the list of installed codecs by clicking on the “My Computer” shortcut and selecting “Properties”. Open the Hardware tab and go to the Device Manager section. In the line “Sound, game, video devices”, find the arrow and click on it. If you are a Windows 7, 8 or 10 user, launch Windows Media Player, hold down the ALT key and in the menu that appears, find the “About” item. Click on the hyperlink “Information about technical support» – and the browser will display a page listing codecs.

Immediately after clicking, a tab with a table of supported formats will open in the browser.

If the built-in options are not enough and the player asks new video codec to open - don’t get upset and don’t give up. Decoders can be easily found on the Internet and downloaded completely free of charge. Different formats require their own encoders; installing them one by one is not the best solution. It’s much easier to download a single package.

The most popular set is K-Lite Codec Pack. The package is good not only because of its impressive list of supported formats, but also because it works on all Windows versions, starting from XP and compatible with most media players. To install codecs on your PC, follow these step-by-step instructions.

☛ №1. Go to the official K-Lite Codec Pack website, go to the download page and select the product version. More than enough for most users Basic versions(the Mega option is needed only for those who require the finest settings of the media player), so feel free to click on Download.

Download a basic set of codecs on the K-Lite Codec Pack website

☛ №2. After downloading, run the distribution. In some cases, especially on new versions of Windows, the system may issue a warning (see picture). There is no danger in the set of decoders, especially those downloaded from the official resource, so click "Do it anyway".

☛ №3. Follow the prompts of the Installation Wizard. The standard installation parameters are set by default, the boxes are checked and you don’t need to change anything. Click Next until you reach the language selection window for audio and subtitles. Check that the primary language is Russian.

Make Russian the default language

☛ №4. Afterwards the Wizard will offer to mark video and audio decoders for loading. You can uncheck those that are already selected. If you don't need audio decoders, click Select none, and then - Select all videos.

Uncheck the boxes only when you are sure which codec you already have installed

☛ №5. When the final installation window appears, all you have to do is click the button Install and wait for the process to complete. Click Finish- and you're done!

Follow the prompts of the Installation Wizard, and the codecs will be ready to download in a couple of minutes

Now you can easily enjoy any media files!

The technology is constantly being improved, new formats and new encoding requirements appear. However, you don't have to worry, as updating codecs on Windows 7 and other versions of the system is very simple. All that is required is to periodically install the latest version of the package on top of the previous one.

Alternative way to solve the problem

Another way to forget about format incompatibility is to install an editor that supports the conversion function. Such software will not only allow you to change the extension and codec, but also significantly - correct colors and lighting, cut out unnecessary things, add effects.

"VideoMONTAZH" supports both popular and more rare extensions. You can work with both short clips downloaded from the Internet and bulky movies downloaded from DVDs. To change the codec, you need to add a video to the slide bar, go to the tab "Create" and select the appropriate conversion option from those offered.

Choose a new, more popular video format

In addition, using the video editor, you can:

• glue together several passages, regardless of their extensions;
• shorten the duration of a track, change the playback speed;
• adjust tone and color balance;
• improve the image using built-in effects;
• add captions, photographs or clipart on top;
• replace or add sound.

The editor will allow you to quickly improve your video

At the end, you have complete control over the quality of the result. Moreover, the software allows you to easily burn video to a DVD, upload it to the Internet, or save it for viewing on mobile devices.

Now you know how to install codecs quickly and for free. However, you will get much more if you decide. This life hack will allow you not to track updates to software packages and always have access to view any files. In addition, you will be able to transform and create bright videos, because “VideoMONTAZH” includes all the necessary tools.

Regardless of the version of Windows, the problem is the same: to watch a movie you need codecs that are not included in the operating system. Therefore, the package, on the one hand, needs no introduction: many users download it immediately after installing Windows in order to improve support for popular multimedia formats in one fell swoop.

On the other hand, rarely does anyone bother to study the contents of this package(the principle “if only everything works”) works, although there are reasons for this. Thus, K-Lite includes utilities that can be used to diagnose and solve specific problems related to the operation of codecs.

In addition, K-Lite not only adds broad support for media formats, but also allows complete control over the processing process. During the installation phase, you can select the components you need, as well as specify your preferred filters and decoders. From them correct settings The quality of playback and processing speed depend.

All these points will be touched upon in this review.

Key benefits of K-Lite Codec Pack

K-Lite Codec Pack has many strengths, we will limit ourselves to listing the key points:

Internal component compatibility

The K-Lite distribution is always tested for compatibility by specialists. At self-installation codecs, it’s easy to end up in a “Codec hell” situation, since many filters don’t get along with each other. To eliminate conflicts, you need to look for the cause of the “evil” and use special utilities to remove one or another component.

Good compatibility with Windows

Apart from the aforementioned lack of conflicts, the package is easy to completely remove from the system without leaving a trace. During installation, K-Lite checks for other codecs on the system and suggests using them during installation, among other options. Also at the installation stage, a search is made for faulty codecs and it is proposed to fix them.

Flexible setup

There are 5 package options available for download with different configurations; 3 installation modes and profiles are also offered.

For each multimedia format, you can select the appropriate decoder from the available options; by default, K-Lite selects the most optimal one. For Windows 7 and 8 users special utility Preferred Filter Tweaker for Windows 7 and 8 to configure preferred codecs bypassing the OS.

Regular updates

The user does not need to monitor the update of each audio or video codec or other components: K-Lite always contains the latest versions.

K-Lite builds

There are 6 package options available on the download page:

• Basic - provides support for the most famous multimedia formats: AVI, MKV, MP4, OGM, FLV. Minimum set that does not include a video player. It will be optimal if you prefer to use another player, and a minimum set of codecs is sufficient for playback.
• Standard - also includes Media Player Classic HomeCinema, DVD MPEG-2 decoder (opens up more options when playing DVDs), MediaInfo Lite utility, which displays detailed information about the media file.
• Full - compared to the standard version, this includes madVR - a high-quality renderer, the GraphStudioNext diagnostic utility and additional DirectShow filters.
• Mega - contains ACM and VFW codecs, DirectShow filters, additional utilities. During installation, you will be offered a video player to choose from: Media Player Classic HomeCinema or Media Player Classic Regular. You can read about the differences between them below.
• 64-bit build - recommended for installing over the 32-bit version if you plan to play videos in a 64-bit environment. It is worth emphasizing that this package will be in addition to, and not in replacement of, the above options, since not all applications support 64-bit codecs.

There is another way to view information on assemblies, available on the K-Lite package website in the form of comparison tables: and. Essentially, if you are interested in a specific function or format, then there is no need to compare anything.

Installation

Three installation modes are possible - simple, normal and advanced, depending on which the number of settings for the components included in the package changes.

The next step is to select an installation profile. It affects not only the number of components, but also the preferred settings. For example, “LAV for everything” implies that video decoding will be done using LAV Video whenever possible. “Lot of stuff” - installation of the maximum number of components.

You cannot install multiple codecs or filters to play the same format, as this would inevitably cause a conflict. The “Use system default” option means that the installer has already detected a codec that is not part of K-Lite: for example, included in the OS or installed previously.

On last step(“Hardware Acceleration”) - hardware video acceleration settings. It is highly advisable to read the small reference document describing the settings (the “Help” button at the bottom of the window).

So, according to the help, on a fast processor we set standard settings(“Use software decoding”), on NVIDIA video cards- CUVID or LAV DXVA2, on AMD - LAV DXVA2, when using the Media Player Classic HomeCinema player - DXVA decoder.

K-Lite Composition

The codec package includes:

• DirectShow splitters
• DirectShow video decoding filters
• DirectShow audio decoding filters
• DirectShow audio parsers
• DirectShow subtitle filter
• other codecs and filters
• Media Player Classic / HomeCinema player and additional utilities

In order to “decipher” this list, it is necessary to clarify the meaning of some terms (see below). The work of the splitter, filters and parsers can be more clearly displayed by the GraphStudioNext program, which is included in K-Lite. For example, the easiest way is to open any media file using the “File - Render Media File...” command. The file processing process will be demonstrated in the diagram.

DirectShow is a framework from Microsoft that runs on Windows and is an environment for playing audio and video formats and input/output to devices. Some formats are supported natively by DirectShow; the list changes with each version of Windows. On this moment DirectShow is being replaced by the Media Foundation framework, which is integrated into Windows 7 and Windows 8.

Splitters(English “source filters”, literally - source filters) audio and video are separated from the container for further processing by decoders. You need to understand that the playback file is a container that is often mistakenly called a video format.

Decoding filters DirectShow video and audio, or conversion filters, add support for additional file formats that can be played by any video player.

An example of filters is the popular ffdshow decoder, which works based on open libraries. It allows you to play Xvid, DivX and H.264 - which is probably the majority of cases you have to deal with. ffdshow includes filters (not to be confused with DirectShow filters) that allow you to control playback in real time: apply filters, change sizes, colors, etc.

The developers of K-Lite directly advise choosing the LAV decoder due to its greater performance and stability, and ffdshow - only if extra functionality is needed.

Along with LAV Video, included in all packages, other filters are optional and can be replaced.

Similarly, audio filters decode audio formats separated from the container by a splitter. These include the popular AC3Filter library, which adds support for AC3 and DTS along with tools for tuning multi-channel audio.

Task parser- output the signal to the device after it is decoded.

Media Player Classic

Of course, when installing K-Lite, almost any player (GOM Player, LightAlloy, Zoom Player, etc.) will work with the required formats. However, in the case of K-Lite, it is still preferable to use Media Player Classic, which is not included only in the Basic assembly. This video player is best optimized for this package; moreover, it is included in K-Lite in a modified form.

There are two players: Media Player Classic Home Cinema and Media Player Classic Regular, which is an offshoot of the Home Cinema project. Despite the fact that they are based on the same platform, there are differences.

Regarding the Classic Regular player, we can only say that it is less functional in comparison with Home Cinema. To get acquainted with it, you need to install the Mega assembly and during installation specify Media Player Classic Regular as your preferred player.

Other nice additions to Media Player Home Cinema include: image output on multiple monitors, H.264 hardware decoding, support for multiple subtitle formats, localization, including Russian. The original Home Cinema distribution, which can be downloaded from, already includes decoders (so the player can work standalone, without installing K-Lite). The description of K-Lite states that the codecs built into the player have been replaced with more efficient ones - those that are available to choose from when installing K-Lite.

Utilities

After installing K-Lite, there is a need to fine-tune codecs. You can find auxiliary utilities in the directory with installed package K-Lite, Tools folder.

Codec Tweak Tool

Basic K-Lite settings collected in the Codec Tweak Tool shell. In the settings, you can remove broken codecs and filters (which were installed incorrectly or left traces in the registry), re-register filters, reset settings to their original ones, generate a log from the contents of the package, sometimes this is required for diagnostics.

The most interesting section is “Configuration”, the settings of all installed filters(audio, video, source filters (splitters)). In principle, it is not difficult to do the same thing through the video player parameters, but this would not be the most convenient way.

Codec and Filter Management allows you to activate and deactivate unnecessary filters and codecs, including those included in the OS. Additionally, similar to installing K-Lite, you can specify your preferred splitters for each format.

Preferred Filter Tweaker for Windows 7 and 8

Windows 7 and Windows 8 users should pay attention to the Win7DSFilterTweaker utility. Its necessity is manifested in the fact that these operating systems have their own audio and video decoding system - Media Foundation. The built-in capabilities of this framework cannot be overridden by third-party filters without making changes to the registry. This is, in fact, what this utility is intended for. With its help, you can not only specify your preferred decoders, but also disable unused ones, even deactivating Media Foundation.

MediaInfo

A utility with which you can find out detailed information about a file: bitrate, resolution, container, audio and video formats, compression. Technical data will be useful if you need to reconfigure filters or install a missing codec. This program built into Media Player Classic and available as the “Mediainfo” tab, “Properties” item in the context menu.

GraphStudioNext

A very informative utility for analyzing audio and media files. After processing the content, GraphStudioNext diagrams the processing the file goes through before being output to the screen and dynamics. This all depends on the specific codec configuration in the package. Therefore, GraphStudioNext will be useful for diagnostics when problems arise with file playback. In addition, each component in the diagram is clickable and opens the codec or splitter settings.

VobSubStrip

Editing subtitles in IDX format - you can remove unnecessary streams from the list and resave.

Tweet

K-Lite Codec Pack is a collection of DirectShow filters and VFW/ACM codecs. They are needed to view and create audio and video files.

The software gets rid of the error that the video format is not supported, installs a player and allows you to encode video and audio using various codecs.

What are codecs

Any information on a computer, including text, photographs, video and sound, can be written as a sequence of zeros and ones. The text can be written down in a very compact form (the entire text part of Wikipedia can fit on a flash drive), while graphics, sound, and especially video take up hundreds or even tens of thousands times more.

Codecs are programs and devices for storing information in digital form (in some format), as well as for compression all this data. All codecs can be divided into two conditional types:

• Lossless compression data (in the so-called lossless-formats). Algorithms similar to those used by archivers when compressing files are used. Video frames encoded in this way will perfectly match the original ones, and will take up less space on your hard drive.
• Lossy audio and video compression ( lossy formats). The most typical example is MP3 music files. Codecs that compress into lossy formats throw out “extra” sounds and image details. Due to the loss of some information that a person most likely will not notice, as well as due to lossless compression algorithms, the file size is smaller than lossless. Lossy encoding has one significant disadvantage: you can overdo it with compression, resulting in files with terrible sound and poor picture.

Among amateurs high-quality sound The debate continues about how best to store music - in lossless or lossy formats. On the one hand, lossless compression allows you to achieve one hundred percent compliance with the original, on the other hand, such an audio library will take up too much space. For videos and photos, the storage problem is also relevant. For example, over the years of its existence, the YouTube video site has changed the codecs with which video stored on servers is compressed several times. As a result, we can now watch video of acceptable quality in 4K resolution, which was impossible to do before, since 4K video simply would not have enough space. hard drives servers.

Types of codecs

There are several types of codecs. Included in various collections different types, K-Lite has them all.

DirectShow filters- modern codec format and more. They are divided into three subspecies. Eat capture filters, which are responsible for receiving data from a file with video, music, and even from physical devices like video cameras. Conversion filters allow you to decode and recode data, apply effects, and so on. Rendering (visualization) filters can display video and sound on the screen, speakers, other devices and save to a file.

All DirectShow filters work in a chain, which allows experienced users to organize automatic video processing. For example, you can take a picture from surveillance cameras, display them on different screens, simultaneously adjusting the brightness and contrast on some, take sound from separately connected microphones and save it all into one file with multiple tracks.

VFW standard codecs(Video for Windows). An older codec format that appeared in 16-bit versions of Windows before the advent of 95. They are simpler than DirectShow filters and more limited in capabilities - they cannot be used in a chain. Most often, VFW codecs are needed by video editors to open and save (compress) files.

ACM (Audio Compression Manager) codecs. Same legacy standard as VFW, but for audio. Using these codecs, you can open and compress files into MP3, OGG, AAC, etc. formats.

Codecs can be installed on the system so that all programs can use them, or they can be used in separate software. Codecs can also be a separate program. The most typical example is an encoder. You can't watch a video with it, but you can easily convert it to another format. Such programs are not included in codec packs, because The purpose of the packs is to ensure that multimedia files can be opened in any program.

Codec packs are no longer needed to watch videos.

The problem of playing files is no longer as relevant as it was in the past. Windows times 98/2000/ME/XP. Operating Windows systems 7/8/10 already contain the necessary components, and if they are not there, there are always players with built-in codecs. Such as powerful

But there are still tasks where codec packs are useful: video editing And working with archived video and sound recordings, where files can be of very different formats

There are less popular codec collections:

• CCCP: Combined Community Codec Pack (discontinued)
• Kawaii Codec Pack (development stopped in 2015)
• Codec Pack All-In-1 ( latest version came out back in 2006)

K-Lite Codec Pack is the most popular collection of codecs and the most useful, because it contains not only codecs for opening video and audio, but also for compression, as well as several useful programs and a player.

K-Lite is regularly updated, new versions are released, while the authors of alternative packs abandon their work. There are also two universal DirectShow codecs that solve the same problem without installing codecs from different developers - FFDShow (development stopped, included in the “megaversion” of the K-light pack) and(included in any K-Lite versions codec pack).

K-Lite Codec Pack

Where to download K-Lite

All versions are suitable for Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, 8.1 and 10, both 32 and 64 bit.

There are four variants of the K-Lite Codec package:

1.Basic contains everything you need to play all common video file formats. Simply put, with it you will open AVI, MKV, MP4, OGM and FLV. This option is for those who like a small package with no bells and whistles. It's small, but it solves most problems with opening video files. The universal Lav Video codec is used for playback.

2.Standard contains several additional functions compared to the basic version. But the most important thing is that it has a built-in simple and convenient Media Player Classic player. The DirectShow madVR filter is also built-in, which in conjunction with Media Player Classic gives best quality pictures compared to the system filter (when the picture is stretched, the result is b O better clarity).

3. Included Full(full) DirectShow filters have been added compared to the standard version, including the popular universal ffdshow filter. It has not been developed for a long time, unlike LAV Video, but it supports more formats and is able to replace more codecs. Also included in the full version is the GraphStudioNext program. This is a powerful tool for codec and filter developers, which is included in the codec pack so that the user can see which system components are used to open a particular multimedia file.

4. Mega-option is the most complete K-Lite collection. Option for working with video. It contains standards codecs VFW And ACM For video and audio encoding and editing.

What to choose during installation

At the beginning of the installation, you can select a mode: Normal or Advanced. The difference is that in Advanced mode a step for selecting components (“Select components”) will appear. All other sections of the installer will be identical in both modes.

Installation Preferences section

At the very beginning of the installation, the installer will ask several questions.

Preferred video/audio player- which player to prefer for opening multimedia.

Preferred video/audio decoder- which decoder to prefer (leave LAV video decoder, description will be below).

Create file associations- open files in the selected player.

Install MPC-HC as a secondary player- if another is selected, install Media Player Classic anyway.

Install codecs only for MPC-HC- install codecs only for Media Player Classic (some will still be installed as system codecs for everyone).

Amount of components to install- options for a set of codecs, the middle point is optimal. In Advanced mode, you can refine the set at the component selection step.

Install VFW codecs for video encoding- install codecs for encoding, i.e. creating videos.

Install only 64-bit components- install only 64-bit codecs, 32-bit programs will not see them.

Select Components section

If you bet Basic or Standard, at this step you can click the “Next” button. There are few components, there is nothing to choose from.

IN Full And Mega There are significantly more codecs. Most likely, you know what you are doing if you choose these versions, but for those who are curious, I will tell you in more detail what is in them.

Right at the beginning of the installation, you can choose whether to install only codecs for playback, whether to install a player, or select your own set (Custom Selection item).

Let's go through all the points.

MPC-HC is a Media Player Classic player. Functional player with many useful options. There are two versions to choose from, the difference is in the bit depth. It’s better to choose only one that matches the bitness of your Windows. Perhaps in the future the authors of the pack will switch to another player, because the development of Media Player Classic seems to have stopped in July 2017.

In chapter DirectShow video decoding filters there are modern codecs for video playback in any players, including standard Media Player and Windows 10 Video Player. The choice is given:

1. Filter LAV Video- standard for Basic and Standart versions of the pack, it supports H.264, H.265/HEVC, MPEG-4, MPEG-2, VC-1, WMV and several other less popular formats. This best choice, because the project is actively developing, all errors found are quickly eliminated and, in general, the codec decodes popular formats without problems.
2. Filter ffdshow- the decoder is currently outdated, its development has been discontinued. Supports H.264, MPEG-4, MPEG-2, VC-1 and others. The decoder has one interesting opportunity: in the ffdshow settings you can enable image processing, making it brighter, increasing sharpness, turning it sideways, and so on. If your player does not have filters, but you need them, then video decoding via ffdshow will help you.
3. Xvid- for (de)coding MPEG-4 files. You can choose if for some reason you are not satisfied with LAV and ffdshow, but you can leave the above codecs for processing other formats.
4. Microsoft- the item is needed so that the selected format is still decoded by the codecs built into Windows.

Component selection options affect not so much the choice of what to install, but how codecs should behave. If the package version contains LAV Video and ffdshow, they will be installed in any case, they will simply not be used for formats where a different codec is selected.

Chapter DirectShow audio decoding filters contains codecs for sound playback.

1. LAV Audio- the same as LAV Video, a modern universal DirectShow filter. Supports AC3, DTS, E-AC3, MLP, LPCM, TrueHD, AAC, FLAG, OGG Vorbis, MP1, MP2, MP3, WMA, etc. formats.
2. ffdshow also present in the list, it can play AC3, DTS, E-AC3, MLP, LPCM, TrueHD, AAC, FLAG, OGG Vorbis, MP1, MP2, MP3 and, importantly, uncompressed PCM audio (.wav files). As with video, filters can be applied to audio.
3. AC3Filter- for decoding AC3, DTS, E-AC3, TrueHD, LPCM, AAC and MPEG. This DirectShow filter holds the record for the number of audio processing settings. You can amplify the sound, compress dynamic range, adjust the delay of individual audio tracks (needed if the speakers are on at different distances, so that sound waves reach the listener at the same time), carry out mixing in real time... There are a lot of possibilities and most of them are not needed by the average user.

IN DirectShow source filters You can select video source filters. They are needed not for decoding codecs, but for opening containers - files, inside of which there will be video with sound. For example, extensions AVI files, MP4, MKV are talking about different containers.

1. LAV Splitter- for AVI, MP4, Matroska (MKV), MPEG-TS (MTS), MPEG-PS (PS) and others. When you select LAV Splitter as the standard source filter, you will be able to change audio tracks on the fly in any player via the LAV Splitter icon in the tray.
2. Haali Media Splitter- a once popular filter, it was used to turn on subtitles in unsupported players and switch audio tracks. Now it has been replaced by LAV Splitter as more functional.
3. DC-Bass Source Mod- needed to support OptimFROG files (.ofr .ofs extension) and open tracker music (.it .mo3 .mtm .s3m .umx .xm).

In chapter DirectShow subtitle filter there is only one point DirectVobSub. This filter will allow you to automatically connect subtitles from video files of the same name. It is not relevant now, because popular players already support subtitles stored both inside video files and external ones with the .srt extension.

Chapter Other Filters includes two DirectShow visualization filters for displaying images in players.

1. MadVR- a very powerful filter that allows you to qualitatively scale the image and, what is important, make the frame change smooth.
2. Haali Video Renderer- a filter whose development has long been discontinued, does not really work, it is unclear why it was included in the K-Lite Codec Pack.

IN VFW video codecs There are codecs of the Video for Windows standard. If you use old video editing software or VirtualDub, then you need them.

1. ffdshow VFW interface- VFW part for ffdshow, which I mentioned above. Allows you to save in FFV1, HuffYUV, DV and MJPEG.
2. Xvid- a free compatible alternative to the once popular DivX (MPEG-4).
3. x264VFW- for encoding video in the H.264 format, which is the next evolutionary step after MPEG-4.
4. huffyuv- lossless codec for encoding and decoding video files of the same format.
5. Lagarith- modified huffyuv, compresses stronger, no data loss either.

ACM Audio Codecs needed for audio compression.

1. MP3 (LAME) is a popular MP3 codec for audio compression in programs such as VirtualDub. It will only be installed if there are no other MP3 codecs in the system.
2. AC3ACM- for AC3 format. AC3 has two features: there can be many audio tracks and the technology is protected by patents. Because of this, many players on phones do not support the AC3 format. There are no problems with this in Windows players.

In chapter Tools there are utilities.

1. Codec Tweak Tool- a program for reconfiguring codecs and resetting their settings. In it you can replace LAV with ffdshow without reinstalling the K-Lite Codec Pack.
2. MediaInfo Lite- for display detailed information about codecs inside multimedia files.
3. GraphStudioNext- very much powerful utility for developers of DirectShow filters. In the K-Lite Codec Pack, it is most likely included because of the function of viewing which filters are used when opening a particular file.
4. Haali Muxer- a utility for packaging individual audio and video files into Matroska containers (.mkv).
5. VobSubStrip- a tool for solving a specific task: extracting subtitles for a specific language from files in .idx and .sub formats.
6. FourCC Changer- a program that changes the label about the codec used in video files. This is useful if the required codec is not used when opening a video file.

IN Explorer shell extensions Windows Explorer extensions are located.

1. Icaros ThumbnailProvider allows you to see the contents of video files in popular formats in thumbnail view.
2. Icaros PropertyHandler allows you to view the width, height, frame rate, duration in the properties of files with extensions .flv, .mkv, .ogm, .rmvb, .webm, .ape, .flac, .mka, .mpc, .ofr, .opus, .spx , .tak, .tta, .wv.

IN Miscellaneous there are two options - Detect broken codes And Detect broken DirectShow filters, which include checking codecs and DS filters already installed in the system. If something is wrong with them (damaged or missing files and entries in Windows registry), they can be deleted. The same function is available in Codec Tweak Tool.

Additional Tasks and Options Section

In the next step, the installer will clarify several settings.

Their number will differ depending on your choice in the previous step. Most of the settings are clear based on their names; I’ll tell you only about the most important ones:

Reset all settings to their defaults- reset all codec settings. Useful if you update the codec pack from old version or an alternative one has been installed.

Windows Media Player: register supported file formats- standard Windows player Media will open formats supported by installed codecs.

Optimized preferred decoders settings: The installer will adjust the system codec settings to optimal values, according to the authors of K-Lite Codec Pack. You can later change them manually using the Codec Tweak Tool.

Add to Explorer context menu - in the menu by right click mouse, a new “MediaInfo” item will appear to easily open video and music files in the MediaInfo program.

Hardware acceleration section

Here it is configured hardware acceleration video decoding. This is important for watching high definition movies.

You can select the decoding method (universal and problem-free - DXVA2 copy-back), and also enable acceleration only in the Media Player Classic player (item “Only use hardware acceleration in combination with MPC-HC”).

MPC-HC configuration section

Appears when you select Media Player Classic.

An important option here is the choice of video renderer (“Video renderer”). If you bet madVR, choose it, otherwise the optimal one will be Enhanced Video Renderer (Custom Presenter).

Preferred language(s) for audio and subtitles section

Here you can set your preferences for choosing an audio track. The settings in the screenshot below are the most universal for a Russian-speaking user.

If there is a Russian track in the video, it will be included. If not, then English and subtitles in Russian (if available).

File associations section

Allows you to specify which player to use to open audio and video files.

Due to the peculiarities of assigning file associations in Windows 10, this step may not affect the choice and you will have to assign programs manually through Control Panel - Default Applications.

Depending on the checked boxes, additional steps will appear where you can select in detail the associations of the program with file types.

Audio Configuration Section

After installation

Restart your computer, otherwise some codecs will not work correctly.

If you need to change any codec or filter settings, there will be a K-Lite Codec Pack folder in the Start menu with shortcuts to settings and utilities.