Comments

Rob Franks wrote on 3/15/2010, 4:46 AM
Less is often more when it comes to this stuff and AFAIK windows7 doesn't need any codec pack. WMP for example plays a rather huge number of codecs all by itself.

People often install these things for no other reason than just because they're there.... and then some weeks later they're complaining that SCS has dropped the ball because their Vegas is doing weird things.

If you need to load a specific codec to do a job then install that one alone.... but not a whole "codec pack"
JJKizak wrote on 3/15/2010, 5:24 AM
I remember with Vista 64 bit had to purchase the "AVI" codec pac as Windows no longer supplies it for free. I think it was the AVI pac with many of the old codecs. Vegas wouldn't work without it.
JJK
richard-amirault wrote on 3/15/2010, 6:21 AM
I remember with Vista 64 bit had to purchase the "AVI" codec pac as Windows no longer supplies it for free. I think it was the AVI pac with many of the old codecs. Vegas wouldn't work without it.

???? I bought a new i7 with Vista 64 and I installed and ran Vegas Movie Studio 8 and Vegas Pro 8.1 and Vegas Pro 9 with no problems.
ritsmer wrote on 3/15/2010, 7:31 AM
Have Win 7 64 bit too.
Only codec I had to install was the codec coming with Quicktime (as far as I remember it was for some .mp4 video from newer cameras)

My personal opinion is that there could be some problems with that codec, because very often, when I put more than just a few .mp4 files onto the Vegas Timeline then bad things happen.
So when I used that camera I just converted (Proxy Stream 15b) all the clips to the final delivery format (which was mpeg2) - which again was easy to edit and rendered lightning fast because of Vegas' smart render feature.
bStro wrote on 3/15/2010, 9:51 AM
If your concern is being able to open and work with multiple (and not natively supported) codecs in Vegas, download and install ffdshow. It gets the job done without littering your system with a multitude of codecs that will ultimately confuse Vegas (and other apps as well).

Edit: Guess I'm behind the times. There is a new kid in town called ffdshow tryouts you may want to have a look at instead. I haven't used it yet, so I can't vouch for it.

Rob
musicvid10 wrote on 3/15/2010, 10:17 AM
I am personally against installing any codec "packages" on my system. Even ffdshow was hard to uninstall completely except by a system rollback. It didn't enable me to open the files I wanted, either.

I prefer to take a "rifle" rather than a "shotgun" approach; find the codec I need rather than installing a bunch I don't need.

Some of the problems reported with various codec packs include registering outdated versions, replacing system codecs, buggy releases, crashes, unable to uninstall, phoning home, trojans and viruses,
LReavis wrote on 3/15/2010, 11:37 AM
after I installed ffdshow a couple of years ago, I no longer could create flash files with Camtasia Studio. Nor was I able to properly uninstall it - the tech rep for Camtasia recommended that I rename one or more of th ffdshow files; then Camtasia again worked.
JohnnyRoy wrote on 3/15/2010, 12:30 PM
Installing a "codec pak" is like taking every pill in your medicine cabinet just in case you might get sick! More often than not... that's what actually makes you sick.

Never install "codec paks" on a video editing workstation. These are really best used for media servers that encounter all sorts of strange codecs. As others have said, they will confuse more applications then they actually work in. Only install the codecs that you absolutely need on the NLE workstation.

~jr
Laurence wrote on 3/15/2010, 2:17 PM
I just installed a codec pack a few days ago. I just noticed yesterday that I can no longer smart-render in Vegas. I'll bet you anything that the smart-rendering ability will come back after I roll back my system.
musicvid10 wrote on 3/15/2010, 2:36 PM
I'll bet you anything that the smart-rendering ability will come back after I roll back my system.

Yes, except after you roll back, you may have to re-install Vegas to register the right .dll's again. That was my (unpleasant) experience, anyway.
John_Cline wrote on 3/15/2010, 2:48 PM
As you can see, we are all in pretty much total agreement that installing a codec pack is a really, really, bad idea. Don't do it... put your mouse down... STEP AWAY FROM THE INSTALL BUTTON.
JJKizak wrote on 3/15/2010, 3:13 PM
Sorry, it was the Indeo codec for XP. I was close though---in the same Universe.
JJK
musicvid10 wrote on 3/15/2010, 10:09 PM
I was close though---in the same Universe.

Yes, same universe, but an entirely different quadrant . . .
Live long and prosper.
FilmingPhotoGuy wrote on 3/15/2010, 10:59 PM
Rob Franks say's "People often install these things just because they are there:"

That's me. I wasn't sure if they are a good thing or not. On my previous installation I installed a few CODEC packs and could play just about anything the Internet thru at me.

Now I know, thanks for the advice.