The VideoLAN Forums

I use W7 Media Player all the time on a HTPC. That is all this PC does. It has our tuners plugged into it, Media Player is always full screen, we control everything via the Media Center remote, and updates are turned off for it.

Media Center is not very good at displaying Captions, though (OK, it just doesn't do it unless you are watching a television show that has captions or watching a DVD). This show was difficult to understand the accents on, so I installed VLC 2.0.2.

After figuring out how to enable captions, I watched the show. It was good.

I go back into Media Center, browse to my videos, and see that my AVI files no longer display.

The only thing that changed was that I installed VLC.

From what I can tell, all AVIs no longer display.

In Media Center, the only codec I have ever used (ever needed) is the Haali Matroska Splitter (16-09-2011). To reapply the settings for this splitter, you simply uninstall it and reinstall it. I uninstalled it. Rebooted. Installed it. Rebooted. Still no AVIs display.

So, how do I tell VLC that I want to be able to see and play my AVI files in Media Center? Is there a Registry Setting I can apply or something?

Installing VLC makes only changing file association setting and web browser plugin setting on your PC. It doesn't change any directshow filter, any splitter, any codec.
Because VLC doesn't use external ones.

If you uninstall VLC, can WMP play AVIs?

I uninstalled VLC, but the AVI files still do not appear in Windows 7 Media Center.

Of course, this is unrelated to VLC.

What do you mean?

My system worked fine before installing VLC. I installed VLC, which changed something in my settings.

I'd like to know what VLC did so that I can undo it. Other online communities (i.e. Microsoft or Stack Overflow), obviously, are not going to be knowledgeable about what VLC does when it installs.

To me, this seems completely related to VLC.

Perhaps VLC took ownership of something that was previously registered to Microsoft's Media Player.

Perhaps VLC set a flag stating AVI files were all corrupt until it had a chance to review and test them (I know VLC has an option to repair any corrupt AVI it encounters).

There are a host of things VLC could do that someone unfamiliar with the product would not know how to guard against.

What do you mean?

Quite simple. You say:

I uninstalled VLC, but the AVI files still do not appear in Windows 7 Media Center.

Then, VLC is not related to your problem.

I disagree. W7 Media Center was able to view and play all AVI files fine before I installed VLC. Installing VLC changed something that prevented W7 Media Center's ability to recognize AVI files, and the uninstaller obviously did not revert my computer to all of its previous values.

A codec's registration process is not readily understood by the average person, and this complexity is compounded because one codec's settings may or may not work on another computer because of differences in hardware and architecture.

Because of this, the VCL installer should create a log file to record an old value on a computer (even if it is null) before changing or creating it, then make note of the new value.

If there were a way to compare old to new values on my computer using an installer log, I could likely locate what the VLC installer did that prevents W7 Media Center from displaying AVI files.

My hope, in coming to this community, was that someone would be knowledgeable enough with VLC to say, "Here is a list of things that VLC does whenever the Installer runs, and these are the changes that are the most likely culprits for your problem. Try looking into those."

I think they're trying to tell you VLC doesn't change any setting that relates to your problem. Have you tried reinstalling W7MC? Also iirc, if you have cccp/ffdshow/ffdmpeg/etc installed and reset options to default, it disassociates the bundled splitters/decoders from some kinds of avi.

But my point is that the only codec I had installed was Haali Matroska Splitter and everything was working fine in Win7 Media Center up until I installed VCL.

My only reason for installing VCL was because I was unable to watch captions on an AVI file that came with a caption text file (and the foreign accents were difficult to understand).

I am not sure that W7MC can be uninstalled without it destroying all of the recorded TV programs my family has, so this is about like saying, "Reformat your computer to fix what VCL went in and changed."

Do you see what I am saying?

Obviously, VCL changed something. Before, the only issue with W7MC was that I could not view the captions on my AVI file. I installed VCL, watched the show with the captions, and when it was over (approximately 2 hours later) I discovered that W7MC could no longer "see" the AVI files on the computer.

I did not even reboot anything.

I guess I just assumed with this being open source that someone on here really knew the INS and OUTS of VCL and would be able to hop right in here and say, "Yeah, here's what VCL changes on your system so it can play anything."

I assumed wrong, obviously.

I apologize for taking up everyone's time on here. Apparently the lesson here is if you like W7MC, do not install VCL, because there is no help if things go badly.

Type 'reinstall windows 7 media center' into your favorite search engine and go to the first or second link. The process takes about two seconds and it won't touch your video files.

If that doesn't work download/run GSpot or similar utility to see what splitter/decoder are supposed to be handling your AVIs. Also see if MPC/HC can play them.

VLC (not VCL) does not touch ANYTHING about DShow or VWF or MF, which are used by W7MC. Something else broke it, and not the normal VLC installer, who just registers extensions.

It could just be an odd coincidence.

I'll look into your info, Jeff, though I'm not going to install anything on the Media PC that isn't already on it. It does not even get updates!

Joe, I have to agree with you. I did essentially the same thing you did. I have many videos recorded on my droid and downloaded to my xp pc that i was using windows media player to play. I also wanted to install and use ispy software. in order to get that working I had to install vlc. All my previously wmp compatible videos are now mp4's and wmp in xp pro cannot play any of them. Certainly VLC changed something!

Thanks for chiming in, fellow "New Cone". I'm sure the "old-bies" on here want to know when something is going on outside of their circle.

I don't like installing these "all inclusive codec packs" that throw 5 to 10 different configurations at your PC with settings that work for most people, but that was what I had to do to get my PC running again after installing VLC.