Installing Codecs without install Windows Media Player

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Vitiran - 30 May 2008 21:05 GMT

My hosting company uses Microsoft Windows Server 2008 in a shared environment
and does not want to install WMP.

However, I have a some software (Video Shot Maker) which extracts the first
frame of an .mpg, .avi or .wmv that I would like to use.

I receive error messages stating that the codecs are missing (at least
that's what the software support tells me). What do I tell the hosting
company to install (like codec files) that would allow me to use the software?

I'm not a Windows Server 2008 or Codec expert (If you can't tell).

Thanks.

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Neil Smith [MVP Digital Media] - 30 May 2008 22:46 GMT

>My hosting company uses Microsoft Windows Server 2008 in a shared environment
>and does not want to install WMP.
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
>
>I'm not a Windows Server 2008 or Codec expert (If you can't tell).

Unfortunately their site notes "If you plan to use VideoShotMaker to
create ASP applications on a shared hosting service, please make sure
that your hosting service supports it" and it sounds like yours
doesn't.

Getting the "right" codecs can be a tricky business, and I don't know
of many shared hosting providers who'll let you install random
software which may destabilise their server if installed wrongly.

WMP will probably be installed on the WS2008 unless they're using some
WS core derivative, but that doesn't get you anywhere without the
matching windows media foundation or DirectX DMOs.

The thing is - all those AVIs your users will upload ? Each one could
require any one of dozens of codecs to be sure of decoding, and there
will always be an oddball AVI which you haven't got a codec for (and
may not even be available for Win2008)

If you're still stuck, we use FrameShots where I work, which seems a
little more self contained - it has a command line interface you can
feed by calling the exe http://www.frame-shots.com/ and was recently
updated to suport Flash Video and MPEG4 content - even then, you may
require FFDShow and FLVSplitter to process FLV content.

HTH
Cheers - Neil

------------------------------------------------
Digital Media MVP : 2004-2008
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/mvpfaqs

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Vitiran - 30 May 2008 23:49 GMT

I read through Frame Shots and it also requires DirectX which my hosting
company will not install. If they would install DirectX, Video Shot Maker
would start working as well (according to the software support).

The hosting company said that they would install the codecs if I tell them
specifically which ones. If they're willing to do that, I don't mind giving
them a huge list. I just don't have a clue what to tell them.

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zachd [MSFT] - 30 May 2008 22:56 GMT

You would primarily want to install the Desktop Experience on the server to
install Client components such as the codecs. You could try to backdoor
into the equation using the Windows Media Encoder install, but I don't know
how well this would work for you.

Signature

Speaking for myself only.
See http://zachd.com/pss/pss.html for some helpful WMP info.
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
--

> My hosting company uses Microsoft Windows Server 2008 in a shared
> environment
[quoted text clipped - 12 lines]
>
> Thanks.

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