Windows Media Player: how do I know what codec I am missing?

Hi,

There isn't a way to determine the codec used to compress a file with absolute certainty, but the following are your best options:

• To determine what codec was used with a specific file, play the file in the Player, if possible. While the file is playing, right-click the file in the library, and then click Properties. On the File tab, look at the Audio codec and Video codec sections.

• Use a non-Microsoft codec identification tool. Several are available on the Internet.

You might be able to tell the format of a file by looking at the file name extension (such as .wma, .wmv, .mp3, or .avi). However, there are limits to this approach. Many programs create files with custom file extensions. And it's possible for anyone to rename a file without changing the file's format. A file with the extension .mpg or .dvr-ms, for instance, is usually just an AVI file that has been compressed by using some version of an MPEG video codec.

Codecs: frequently asked questions

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/Codecs-frequently-asked-questions

How to Determine a Missing Codec

http://www.ehow.com/how_6883032_determine-missing-codec.html

K-Lite Codec Pack 8.0.8 (or newer)
http://www.codecguide.com/

CCCP - Free - also get the free insurgent tool
http://cccp-project.net/

FFDSHOW - free
http://sourceforge.net/projects/ffdshow/

Check here :

Plug-ins for Windows Media Player
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/player/plugins.aspx

How do I know which codecs I am missing? I am trying to watch a webinar, but once it downloads I get a message from my Windows Media Player saying "Windows Media Player cannot play the file because the required video codec is not installed on your computer".  I tried to download to 2 free updated codec packages, but I keep getting this same error. 

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/Codecs-frequently-asked-questions