CNET Editors' review
Windows Essentials Media Codec Pack provides a set of software codecs for viewing and listening to many forms of media in Windows Media Player. While this program merely enhances a media player, it does a fine job of accommodating many different and unusual types of videos and music.
The program's interface is simple to operate, since it maintains the classic media player layout. Its commands are easy to understand and navigate. This codec pack makes it a bit difficult to measure any improvements to Windows Media Player since it's not a player itself but rather a set of add-ons to your current audiovisual software. However, it adds the capability to watch and listen to a bevy of file formats, from DVDs and CDs to video files downloaded from the Internet. Everything played well, and we never found any glitches during our testing. Using this as a basis, we'd say the program was pretty successful. It also offered an interesting subtitle database feature that lets you input subtitles on programs. This wasn't as necessary for DVDs, which normally come with their own subtitles, but it's a thoughtful and useful addition. While we had a difficult time gauging just what this collection of codecs adds to the original media player, we were confident we could watch or listen to practically anything after downloading and installing it.
Windows Essentials Media Codec Pack is freeware. It lets you view many different media types on your player, and we recommend it.
Publisher's Description
From MediaCodec:
Windows Essentials Codec Pack is a collection of audio and video DirectShow codecs and filters. With Windows Essentials Codec Pack you should be able to play 99% of all movies and music files that you download off the Internet, stay up to date with the latest codecs with the Audio/Video Codec Update Service, and eliminate the many conflicts and errors caused by using multiple codecs to decode the same file types. Windows Essentials Codec Pack is designed as a user-friendly near complete solution for all your video and audio needs, with it you can play audio CDs, DVDs, (S)VCDs, and XCDs on the fly, and it adds support for 3GP, AAC, AC3, APE, AVI, DivX, 3ivx, DAT, h.264, x264, Nero Digital, DTS, FLV, FLAC, HD-MOV, MPEG-1/2, M4A, MP3, MP4, MO3, MOD, MKV, OFR, TTA, OGG/OGM, S3M, Vorbis, VOB, XviD, XM, WV, and UMX formats so you could play any video/audio file with your favorite DirectShow media player or with the (included) Media Player Classic.
What's new in this version: Version 4.0 contains major updates and bug fixes.
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All versions:
3.5 starsout of 522 votes
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Current version:
1.9 starsout of 20 votes
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My rating:
Write review
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"SPYWARE! Do NOT Download/install!"
Version: Windows Essentials Media Codec Pack 4.0
Pros
This program contains added crapware/spyware, DO NOT INSTALL!
Cons
This program contains added crapware/spyware, DO NOT INSTALL!
Summary
I always do the custom install option because a lot of free programs try to install other programs or change your internet homepage. I turned off all of those things, but this program still installed DealPly on my computer a few other things. Cnet needs to remove programs that try to pull this kind of stuff.
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"Good package (...) but (...)"
Version: Windows Essentials Media Codec Pack 4.0
Pros
Good package, diversified and useful...
Cons
...but it has applications of user monitoring.
Summary
High codec quality, low privacy after install. Do not recommend.
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"Windows Essentials Media Codec Pack: malicious software"
Version: Windows Essentials Media Codec Pack 4.0
Pros
I don't know. Never installed.
Cons
16 out of 42 antivirus at VirusTotal flagged it as malicious (adware, trojan, virus).
Summary
This was supposed to be a "CNET Secure Download".
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"Babylon Search Virus comes down with WEMCP v4"
Version: Windows Essentials Media Codec Pack 4.0
Pros
Great video quality.
Cons
Do not download and install Windows Essential Media Codec Pack v4. I found (3/31/2012) that it brought along a virus even after being screened by CNET. It installed a Babylon Search engine that wouldn't go away .. until (this morning 4/2/2012) I deleted Window Internet Explorer first and then Firefox and Google together and reinstalled them. It set and reset itself as the home page (even after setting it to default pages). For two hours today, Babylon Search has not reappeared.
Summary
Babylon Search Virus comes down with WEMCP v4, do beware of installing it.
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"Comodo AntiVirus flagged as malicious"
Version: Windows Essentials Media Codec Pack 4.0
Pros
I cannot list any pros because Comodo AntiVirus flagged as malicious
Cons
Cannot write a review. Comodo AntiVirus flagged this program as malicious.
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"Since I already have WINDOWS XP-PROF.? I LOVE IT!"
Version: Windows Essentials Media Codec Pack 4.0
Pros
I can listen to ANY radio station all day and all night, ANY genre of music sound SO much better than regular radio.
PLUS? Music is in HD!
It also offered an interesting subtitle database feature that lets you input subtitles on programs, pretty cool.Cons
I can't seem to get ALOHA JOE Hawaiian Radio show back.
THAT one was by far, my favorite station.Summary
I LOVE the program, you can keep all the Pandora and other internet radio stations, am keeping THIS one. Stays right in my START-UP menu, as I use it everyday. My DVD's and CD's play without a hitch, am VERY happy about that, especially when I want to COPY my music selections to the Library or blanks to play in my car.
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"Can't use product due to antivirus program rejection."
Version: Windows Essentials Media Codec Pack 4.0
Pros
None at this stage.
Cons
ESET antivirus software won't permit downloading this product.
Summary
I can't comment until I obtain a copy that my antivirus software approves.
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"Doesn't run .FLV files"
Version: Windows Essentials Media Codec Pack 4.0
Pros
Lots of codecs in one free package
Cons
Doesn't run the one file type I wanted it for, even though .FLV was listed as one of the codecs supported.
Summary
Could be good, was a "miss" for my purposes.
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"Many extra add ons included"
Version: Windows Essentials Media Codec Pack 4.0
Pros
I actually never used it. Can't say.... It didn't seem to play the file I hoped it would.
Cons
It installed with a number of additional browser toolbars, buttons and other add ons, to opt out of these you have to choose advanced instillation. These messed up my browsers and additionally my virus program is flagging the software as possibly malicious, probably because of these.
Summary
I uninstalled this promptly, but I think the toolbar is still lingering in Google Chrome. I disabled it, but that isn't the same as uninstalling, is it?
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"Never got past the first part of install."
Version: Windows Essentials Media Codec Pack 4.0
Pros
Wouldn't know. Never installed.
Cons
Comodo popped up and said that the installer contained adware and gave me the option to kill the program. Sending the file to VirusTotal came up with two engines that saw it as adware. Even if it ISN'T adware, using code/tactics that are similar is enough to make me bug off. Went to K-lite instead.
Summary
Won't touch with a 10-foot 10-bit pole.
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