Media Player Classic

Q:	How can I see which codecs and DirectShow filters MPC is using to play the my file?
A:	In the menu, click on 'Play', then on 'Filters'.

No video is displayed when playing a DVD in Media Player Classic

If you haven't got a MPEG-2 decoder installed, you should enable the internal MPEG-2 decoder in Media Player Classic.

MPC Options -> Internal Filters -> Transform Filters

Q:	Media Player Classic freezes for a while when I open the File menu
A:	MPC Options -> Player -> Hide CD-ROMs Menu

"Media Player Classic could not render some of the pins in the graph" errors

This usually means that there is a filter missing that is needed to decode one of the streams in the file. The error message should show some information about the required format, but this information is very cryptic. Below you can find some of the values that the error might show you, together with the format that belongs to it.

majortype: MEDIATYPE_Audio {73647561-0000-0010-8000-00AA00389B71}
subtype: Unknown GUID Name {726D6173-0000-0010-8000-00AA00389B71}
formattype: FORMAT_WaveFormatEx {05589F81-C356-11CE-BF01-00AA0055595A}

The format above is AMR audio. To play this you need to enable AMR in ffdshow audio decoder.

majortype: MEDIATYPE_Video {73646976-0000-0010-8000-00AA-00389B71}
subtype: Unknown GUID Name {31535046-0000-0010-8000-00AA00389B71}
foramttype: Format_VideoInfo {05589F80-C356-11CE-BF01-00AA0055595A}

The format above if FPS1 video. To play this you need Fraps. Or enable FPS1 in ffdshow video decoder configuration.

majortype: MEDIATYPE_Stream {E436EB83-524F-11CE-9F53-0020AF0BA770}
subtype: MEDIASUBTYPE_MPEG1System {E436EB84-524F-11CE-9F53-0020AF0BA770}
formattype: TIME_FORMAT_NONE {00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000}

The format above is MPEG-1. Try enabling the internal MPEG PS/TS/PVA source filter and MPEG-1 decoder in Media Player Classic. See Options -> Internal Filters -> Transform Filters.

majortype: MEDIATYPE_Stream {E436EB83-524F-11CE-9F53-0020AF0BA770}
subtype: MEDIASUBTYPE_Avi {E436EB88-524F-11CE-9F53-0020AF0BA770}
formattype: TIME_FORMAT_NONE {00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000}

The types above usually mean that you are trying to play an incomplete AVI file or a non-standard compliant AVI file. The default AVI splitter of Windows has difficulty to handle incomplete files. Enable the internal AVI splitter in Media Player Classic. See Options -> Internal Filters -> Source Filters.

majortype: MEDIATYPE_Audio {73647561-0000-0010-8000-00AA00389B71}
subtype: Unknown GUID Name {34616D69-0000-0010-8000-00AA00389B71}

The format above is IMA4 audio. Enable IMA ADPCM in ffdshow audio decoder.

majortype: MEDIATYPE_Audio {73647561-0000-0010-8000-00AA00389B71}
subtype: Unknown GUID Name {00006771-0000-0010-8000-00AA00389B71}
formattype: FORMAT_WaveFormatEx {05589F81-C356-11CE-BF01-00AA0055595A}

The format above is Ogg Vorbis audio. Enable Vorbis in ffdshow audio decoder.

majortype: MEDIATYPE_Stream {E436EB83-524F-11CE-9F53-0020AF0BA770}
subtype: Unknown GUID Name {57428EC6-C2B2-44A2-AA9C-28F0B6A5C48E}
formattype: TIME_FORMAT_NONE {00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000}

The format above is RealMedia. You need to install Real Alternative or the K-Lite Mega Codec Pack. If you have already got that installed, then you need to make the following adjustment in Media Player Classic:
MPC Options -> Formats -> Scroll down to RealMedia file. Behind it you'll see the word DirectShow. Click on that and change it to RealMedia.

majortype: MEDIATYPE_Audio {73647561-0000-0010-8000-00AA00389B71}
subtype: Unknown GUID Name {736F7774-0000-0010-8000-00AA00389B71}
formattype: FORMAT_WaveFormatEx {05589F81-C356-11CE-BF01-00AA0055595A}

The format above is TWOS audio. There is no DirectShow decoder for this audio format. You should however be able to play this file in Media Player Classic if you install QuickTime (or QTA or QT Lite).

I have installed DC-DSP, but it doesn't seem to work when using Media Player Classic

You need to disable the internal audio switcher of Media Player Classic.

Options > Internal Filters > Audio Switcher

An ActiveMovie window appears when opening a DVD with Media Player Classic

Enable the internal MPEG-2 decoder in Media Player Classic.

Options -> Internal Filters -> Transform Filters

Media Player Classic gives a black screen on the TV-out

Change the output renderer. You can do that in Options -> Playback -> Output

Try the different renderers until you find one that works for you. Restart the player each time you change the renderer.

The 'Save Image' and 'Save Thumbnails' functions in Media Player Classic give an error

Media Player Classic gives error: GetCurrentImage failed, hr = 8000ffff

The solution is to change the output renderer. The renderer in Media Player Classic is set to Overlay Mixer by default, since that is the most compatible renderer. However, saving images or taking screenshots is not possible with Overlay.

You can change the renderer in MPC Options -> Playback -> Output -> DirectShow Video.

Media Player Classic freezes when trying to play a DVD

Make sure that your DVD drive is set at the correct region, and that the region of your DVD drive matches that of the DVD.

You can edit the region settings of your DVD drive here: Start -> Settings -> Control Panel -> System -> Hardware -> Device Manager -> DVD/CD-ROM drives

Media Player Classic can only play DVDs on Windows 2000/XP/2003/Vista.

Some files that contain unicode characters give a "Failed to render file" error in Media Player Classic

This may happen with for example the following filetypes: .rm .amr .3gp

The solution is to change the name of the file so that it only contains letters and numbers. Remove all non ASCII characters.

Playback is not smooth (it stutters) even though the CPU usage is low

In some rare cases Overlay Mixer in combination with YV12 colorspace output causes the video to stutter. Probably due to a bug in the graphics drivers.

Solutions:

Change the video renderer that is used by Media Player Classic:
Options -> Playback -> Output -> DirectShow Video
Force RGB32 output in ffdshow:
ffdshow video decoder -> Output ->
Deselect all colorspaces (YV12, etc) except RGB32. Enable "High quality YV12 to RGB conversion".

QuickTime files from the GameTrailers website play very choppy

This happens if Haali MP4 splitter gets used to play the file.

Solutions:

Enable the internal MP4/MOV splitter in Media Player Classic.
MPC Options -> Internal Filters
Install QuickTime (or QTA or QT Lite). That way MPC will use the QuickTime framework for playing .mov files.
Select Gabest MP4 splitter for .mov during installation of KLCP.

Q:	Some .mov files play without sound
A:	The solution is to install QuickTime (or QTA or QT Lite). That way MPC will use the QuickTime framework for playing .mov files.

Q:	How do I exit from the special Direct3D Fullscreen mode in MPC-HC?
A:	The context menu and most of the keyboard shortcuts do not work in Direct3D mode. The only way to exit Direct3D fullscreen is to press Ctrl+C. This will also stop playback.

Q:	Opening .asx or .wax streams gives a "Failed to render file" error.
A:	Media Player Classic does not properly support these types of streams. Use Windows Media Player for these files.

What is the difference between .mov and .hdmov?

The only difference is how Media Player Classic will play the file. Media Player Classic will use the QuickTime framework to play .mov files (and .qt and .amr files). This generally works very well and it will also play some files that can not be played properly otherwise. The only downside is that QuickTime has a relatively slow decoder for H.264 video. That video format is commonly used for movie trailers. Fortunely, .mov files that contain H.264 can also be played using DirectShow filters. The K-Lite Codec Pack contains efficient DirectShow decoding filters for H.264 video. Media Player Classic will use DirectShow filters to play your file if you rename the .mov file to .hdmov (or .mp4). If QuickTime is not installed, then MPC will automatically fall back to using DirectShow for .mov files.

Playback of QuickTime or RealMedia video is very pixelated

This can be fixed by changing the rendering method.

MPC options -> Playback -> Output

Select either the DirectX 7 or DirectX 9 mode for QuickTime and RealMedia. At least one of the two should give proper playback.

I can't repeat (or stop and play again) RealMedia files in Media Player Classic

This is a 'bug' (or limitation) in Media Player Classic.

The only way to replay the file is to re-open the file.

Some .rm files cause Media Player Classic to crash

Solutions:

Change the name of the file so that it only contains letters and numbers. Remove all non ASCII characters.
Rename the file from .rm to .rmvb

I suddenly can no longer play .ram files in Media Player Classic. I get a "cannot render the file" error.

Media Player Classic options -> Player -> Formats

Scroll down to "Real Media File". Behind it you should see "RealMedia". If you see "DirectShow", then click on it and change it to "RealMedia".

I get a "DVD: Macrovision Failed" error when trying to play a DVD

This may happen if you have are using Haali video renderer. Solution is to change the video renderer in MPC options.

MPC options -> Playback -> Output

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