Thus we have MPEG-1, MPEG-2 and MPEG-4. (there are many more, but these are for audio/video). 'Standards' mean that all software and hardware that attempt to play these files must adhere to their attributes. So all the familiar names like DivX, Xvid, DVD files, VCD files, 3GP, iPod files etc. all come under this broad MPEG classification.
MPEG-1 is for VCD-type video, and also defines how MP3s are made. (MP3 stands for MPEG-1 Layer 3, remember?) MPEG-2 is for Broadcast Audio Video and DVDs. Finally MPEG-4, our hero, has two main areas of concern. MPEG-4 part 2 defines methods used by codecs such as DivX, Xvid, Nero, and Quicktime 6, while MPEG-4 part 10 defines methods used for making iPod videos, Quicktime 7 and also HD DVD/Blu-ray.
Some additional gyaan: MPEG-4 part 10 is also termed AVC or H.264, so don't be confused. Basically another organization called ITU-T partnered MPEG to develop it together. The terms are identical, and involve the most modern and next-gen video coding techniques. Finally, the mobile format 3GP is also uses MPEG-4 compression, it's actually a container in itself, called .3GP
Now that we have covered the basics of video files, I'll discuss how to play and manipulate any video file.
Gearing Up
We need software, so as and when you encounter stuff just click on the names, I’ve uploaded them all in our download section. There are numerous software available, though I will cover only the most useful. Firstly you need to get the K-lite codec pack , which has most of the stuff you will ever need for digital video and audio stuff.
In the installation process, there will be an option for selecting components. Refer to the pics to see what options are best. Basically I use FFDshow for most of the formats decoding like DivX, Xvid, even AC3 (an audio format) Why? Because it's lighter on the CPU mainly.
There’s another new term. What is FFDshow? Well, it’s a killer open source software, which basically decodes (reads) several video formats, including DivX, XviD, WMV, MPEG-1 and MPEG-2 movies. It’s included in K-lite, so select it to decode most of the formats there.
Further on, check out this section called 'Select Additional Tasks', and scroll down to the video renderer section. Select VMR-9, and not the default overlay mixer. VMR-9 is a part of the familiar DirectX 9.0 and rest assured, this will improve the output quality of your video files.
Once K-lite is set up, you have media player classic, which is my personal favorite player. When all else fails, try playing your videos with MPC (media player classic). Another awesome open source player is the Video LANClient , now simply called VLC.
Hi Siddharth
