Quite a few questions about this, here's the story:
If you wish to play back MPEG-2 in Media Player, a Directshow MPEG-2 filter must be installed on the playback computer. This is why you may be able to play MPEG-2 on your (Vegas) computer, and your friends may not be able to play the same file on their computer (they probably have no MPEG-2 decoder for Media Player).
Further:
Our old Ligos encoder was based on Directshow filters and that's why you can play MPEG-2 in Media Player on any machine with Vegas 2.0x installed.
Our new Main Concept encoder (as used in Vegas 3) does not use DirectShow, so if you have never installed Vegas 2 or any other app that uses Directshow MPEG-2 filters, you will not be able to see MPEG-2 in Media Player.
Question #1: Why doesn't Microsoft include an MPEG-2 decoder with Media Player?
Answer: MPEG-2 has a number of patent holders who charge fees now for encoding and who may charge additional fees in the future for both MPEG-2 encoding and decoding. MS wants no part of that- they could be hit up retroactively for millions of dollars as a result of ongoing litigation
Question #2: Will Sonic Foundry release a Directshow MPEG-2 decoder for Media Player?
Answer: We are working towards this goal now- there are a few legal and technical issues that need to be resolved but we hope to provide a Directshow MPEG-2 decoder for Media Player in the near future. Please note that this will be for use with installed SF MPEG applications only- you won't be able to email the decoder to everybody you know.
Question #3: Where can I get a Directshow MPEG-2 decoder for Media Player today?
Answer: Extensive information about this can be found at: http://www.vcdhelp.com/plaympg.htm.
Sonic Foundry endorses none of these solutions.
Question #4: What should I use MPEG-2 for?
Answer: MPEG-2 is best suited for burning to SVCD and DVD. MPEG-2 is not a great choice for delievering video clips over the web since most users will not have a decoder.
If you wish to play back MPEG-2 in Media Player, a Directshow MPEG-2 filter must be installed on the playback computer. This is why you may be able to play MPEG-2 on your (Vegas) computer, and your friends may not be able to play the same file on their computer (they probably have no MPEG-2 decoder for Media Player).
Further:
Our old Ligos encoder was based on Directshow filters and that's why you can play MPEG-2 in Media Player on any machine with Vegas 2.0x installed.
Our new Main Concept encoder (as used in Vegas 3) does not use DirectShow, so if you have never installed Vegas 2 or any other app that uses Directshow MPEG-2 filters, you will not be able to see MPEG-2 in Media Player.
Question #1: Why doesn't Microsoft include an MPEG-2 decoder with Media Player?
Answer: MPEG-2 has a number of patent holders who charge fees now for encoding and who may charge additional fees in the future for both MPEG-2 encoding and decoding. MS wants no part of that- they could be hit up retroactively for millions of dollars as a result of ongoing litigation
Question #2: Will Sonic Foundry release a Directshow MPEG-2 decoder for Media Player?
Answer: We are working towards this goal now- there are a few legal and technical issues that need to be resolved but we hope to provide a Directshow MPEG-2 decoder for Media Player in the near future. Please note that this will be for use with installed SF MPEG applications only- you won't be able to email the decoder to everybody you know.
Question #3: Where can I get a Directshow MPEG-2 decoder for Media Player today?
Answer: Extensive information about this can be found at: http://www.vcdhelp.com/plaympg.htm.
Sonic Foundry endorses none of these solutions.
Question #4: What should I use MPEG-2 for?
Answer: MPEG-2 is best suited for burning to SVCD and DVD. MPEG-2 is not a great choice for delievering video clips over the web since most users will not have a decoder.