Windows 10 Codec Pack 2.1.1 with MPC-HC fixed audio problems

[mike_mgoblue]

I was experience many audio problems with MKV and MP4 audio files.

The audio problems I was experienced varied from one media player to another. For example, many movies had audio problems in MPC-BE and VLC, but did not have audio problems with MPC-HC or Windows Media Player. Similarly, there were other movies that had audio problems with MPC-HC and Windows Media Player, but they did not have problems with MPC-BE and VLC.

Here are some specific examples:

1) MKV and MP4 of the DVD Black Sheep: The audio from the Front Left an Front Right speakers could be heart, but not the Center Channel. This problem occurred for all media players except Windows Media Player, which could play the MP4 version without a problem.

2) MKV and MP4 of the Blu-ray Annabelle Creation: The movie sounds "quiet" when watching in MPC-BE or VLC. For example, 56 minutes into the move, the little girls are talking and can barely be heard. However, when watched with MPC-HC, the audio sounded loud and clear.

3) MKV of the Blu-ray 10 Cloverfield Lane: The movie had no volume at all in any media player.

4) MKV and MP4 of the DVD Alice In Wonderland: This movie had audio that constantly changed in MPC-BE and VLC. This was not "random." The audio problems repeatedly occurred in the same spots. For example 14 minutes into the movie when those two wins are talking, their voices wold be become silent. Then their voices would be loud. Then the voice of Alice would completely disappear. In MPC-HC and Windows Media Player this did not happen.

5) MKV version of The Greatest Showman had severe problems with DTS sound in all media players. The center channel was significantly lower than the other channels, which mean voices were very difficult to hear. Loud music, but low voices.

Here is what I did to fix the problem. ... And I was stunned when the problem returned. ... But, I eventually fixed it again.

I downloaded the CCCP and K-Lite Codec packages. Those didn't fix the problems.

I then uninstalled all the video players and I uninstalled all the codec packages.

I then downloaded Windows 10 Codec package 2.1.1 that comes with a modified version of MPC-HC. ... This solved ALL of the audio problems. Both MPC-HC and Windows Media Player worked perfectly with all MKV and MP4 files. The problems I explain above disappeared. ... I thought things were fine at this point.

So, just for the heck of it, my plan was to re-download VLC and MPC-BE. ... I downloaded VLC, and then tried watching those movies. Unfortunately, ALL of the problems I described above returned! ... After downloading and installing VLC, the problems returned were once again occurring in VLC AND the modified version of MPC-HC and also Windows Media Player! ... It was as if downloading the new VLC 3.03 infected everything else so the audio problems existed again!

So, I once again uninstalled VLC and I uninstalled Windows 10 Codec 2.1.1. ... It was not possible to uninstall MPC-HC, because this modified version of MPC-HC is apparently a part of Windows 10 2.1.1.

I then downloaded Windows 10 Codec 2.1.1 again and the modified MPC-HC that is with it. Once again ALL of the audio problems were fixed when using this MPC-HC and Window Media Player (which now can play MKV files).

I am NOT going to make the mistake of trying to download VLC again. ... And I am not going to try downloading MPC-BE ... ... Simply having MPC-HC is enough for me. ... I'm not going to try to fix a wheel that is working properly.

The ONE problem I have found is that you cannot select this modified MPC-HC as your "Default" media player. ... The reason why is apparently because it is a part of Windows 10 Codec package 2.1.1 rather than being installed on its own. ... If you install MPC-HC on its own, the audio problems return just like they did with VLC. ...

You can right-click on the movie files and specifically select "Open With" and then choose "Another App" and select MPC-HC for "that type of" file. You actually may not be able to initially see this modified MPC-HC as a choice. The way to see MPC-HC and select MPC-HC is by looking in drive C (for your hard drive) then looking in the folder called "Windows," and then looking in the folder called "SysWOW64, and then looking on the folder "Codecs," and then clicking on "mpc-hc."

If anyone knows of a way to select mpc-hc as the "default" program, please let me know. I even tried Control Panel and couldn't do it that way either.

Anyways, this package called Windows 10 Codec 2.1.1 with the modified version of MPC-HC appears to solve all audio problems, but if you install other media players such as VLC the problems return. ... I still have Windows Media Player installed and the audio problems no longer exist. Both Windows Media Player and the modified version of MPC-HC that comes with Windows 10 Codec 2.1.1 both play MKV and MP4 files perfectly fine without those audio problems. ... But for some reason, when you add VLC the problems return.

I hope this helps people.

[mike_mgoblue]

BAD NEWS!

Shortly after writing the Post above, I tried watching 10 Cloverfield Lane in MKV with this new modified version of MPC-HC.

This was a movie I had previously SUCCESSFULLY watched in both the modified MPC-HC and Windows Media Player.

But now it has a message saying:

WARNING

MPC-HC could not render some of the pins in the graph, you may not have the needed codecs or filters installed on the system.

The following pin(s) failed to find a connection filter:
Audio Switcher: Out

LAV Splitter Source: Audio
LAVE Audio Decoder: Output
Audio Switcher: Out

Media Type 0:

----------------------------
Audio: PCM 192000hz 8ch 24576kbps

There is additional text that can be seen in the screenshot below

If anyone know why this is happen or how to fix it, please help out.

[mike_mgoblue]

UPDATE: I have learned "why" the screenshot above with the "LAV Splitter" appears. ... I have also learned what caused the audio problems to return.

In the Tray in the lower-right corner, when you right-click on "Codec Pack Tray Menu," there are three audio options. Those audio options are:

Set Audio output to stereo

Set Audio output to same as input (5.1 -> 5.1)

Set Audio output to Digital S/PDIF or HDMI

Here is what happens when you choose each option.

I you select "Set Audio output to stereo" you hear the audio perfectly on your computer and you see the video perfectly on your computer from both MPC-HC and Windows Media Player.

If you select "Set Audio output to same as input (5.1 -> 5.1)" you will see the video perfectly in MPC-HC and Windows Media Player. However, there are apparently some movies for some reason when you will not hear the sounds from the Center Channel. For example, when I tried watching the MKV and MP4 of the movie Black Sheep in 5.0 surround sound, I was not able to hear the Center Channel of sound, which contained most of the voices. I thought this meant all movies would not allow me to hear the Center Channels; however, this was not the case. Other movies that used voices from the Center Channel allowed the voices to be heard from the stereo speakers of my computer. Also, what happened next was very unusual. ... In the movie Black Sheep, when the sound was "initially" set to the default 5.0, you could not hear the sounds from the Center Channel, which includes the voices. When you change the sound format to 2.0, you can hear the voices. This makes sense, because only two speakers are available on my computer. But this is where it gets weird - when I switched back to 5.0, the sounds (including voices) could then be heard from the Center Channel!

When you select "Set Audio output to Digital S/PDIF or HDMI" the screenshot above about the "LAV Splitter" appears on movies that use DTS sound as the default sound format. You will not be able to watch the movie on your computer. When you try to watch movies that have Dolby Digital as the default sound format, the LAV Splitter message will not appear. In fact, in the movie Black Sheep the Center Channel sounds, including voices, play fine on the computer with MPC-HC and Windows Media Player when this is selected - even though they do not when it is not selected. ... This option is the one where checks are placed the boxes when you select "Open Codec Settings (Run as administrator)".

If anyone can explain this, I would very much appreciate it. There are some serious inconsistencies and problems. We really need a technology that is more universal and works without problems.