Satsuki Decoder Pack: open any media file from any app with this nifty decoder pack
Description: Satsuki Decoder Pack auto-installs a collection of media decoders and filters on your system. It will allow you to view or open almost any media file or DVD using the enclosed Windows Media Player Classic or from within any other application. In order to avoid conflicts and clutter this pack does not include codecs, only decoders and filters.
Although I’ve often extolled the virtues of Media players such as The KM Player and VLC that support internal codecs and do not need codecs/filters to be installed system-wide, I have found that many situations will invariably require system-wide decoders. This is the case when you need to access the files in your media library by programs other than your all-internal-codecs media player, as in the following examples: you need to embed a video or media file inside a presentation software, you need to open a media file using video editing or conversion program, you want to generate thumbnails for your media files inside a media management or file management software (or even in explorer).
This is why I was recently looking into installing a so-called codec pack (such as CCCP, which is one of my favorites). However, what I also noticed was that there was a big difference between the media formats that I need my programs to be able to READ (i.e. pretty much all of them) and those that I need to WRITE. In the past year, for example, I have only encoded videos using the Xvid encoder as well as FLV, and aside from these I have very little use of any encoder on my system, as it will simply consume resources and clutter up my system all the time without having any practical use hardly ever. My guess is that 90% of PC users out there (if not more) are in the same situation.
This is where a software such as the Satsuki Decoder Pack is most helpful. What this is is a decoder pack that provides codecs and filters to allow your machine to read/view almost all media formats out there, but it does not install encoders that facilitate the process of encoding/writing files. This means that you will be able to view most every kind of media file, but will have to seek out and separately install any encoders when and if you need them. Here are more notes on this program:
- Supported formats: mpeg 4, real media, mp1, mp2, mp3, ac3, ape, ofr/ofs, flac, aac/mp4, ogg/ogm, mkv, dvd, xcd, wmv 7/8, vp6, mpc, XVD, h264, as well as flash (FLV, SWF).
- Quicktime support: is not included in the installer; if you need this you can install quicktime alternative (without the player) before or after the decoder pack.
- The Control Panel: you can use this (see screenshot above) in order to enable/disable filters, configure filters, backup settings, check for updates, or tweak file associations with the various players that you may have installed (although this latter function is less than user-friendly, in my opinion).
The verdict: if you need to have multiple apps accessing your media files this is a great option. Install this pack and know that you can pretty much view any media format from any app, and that the filters and encoders work together without conflict. You can then separately find and install any individual codecs that you need if you are going to be encoding media.
Satsuki Decoder Pack will install everything you need to play any media/video file and, unless it provides you with some specialized functionality, you could consider removing any other media player(s) from your machine. Overall a very nice tool that I recommended highly.
Version Tested: 4.0.0.0
Compatibility: Windows 2000, 2003, XP, Vista.
Go to the program page to download the latest version (approx 8.37 megs).
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how does this compare to the k-lite codec pack?
K-lite is a codec pack; i.e. contains decoders (to read) as well as encoders (to write). This is a decoder pack (read) only.
Having said that as codec packs both K-lite and CCCP are very good ones.
I am usually using (and advising) k-lite with “playback only” profile. Installs only decoders and MPC.
Personally I just use FFDShow along with Real Alternative and Qucktime Alternative. I don’t see the need for half the stuff codec packs install as how many people actually need encoders?
I use KM Player for watching videos with anyway and MediaMonkey for listening to/organising my music.
Err… codecs only affect your system when trying to encode/decode something, so having more (or less) encoders doesn’t have any effect as long as you’re not trying to encode.
Usually the mess that comes with codec packs is because there are several different codecs supporting the same formats, so you get a “competition” of which plays what. This doesn’t really change if you only have the decoding parts and not the encoding parts, since most of what happens (for regular home use) is decoding anyway.
The possible advantage of this decoder pack seem to be the configuration utility, that looks straight-forward and easy to use.
The fact that it doesn’t include encoders (I’m pretty sure FFDShow, for example, can do both, but let’s not be petty) isn’t a practical advantage.
hi samer, just a little “correction” satsuki contains also ff-vfw [yellow ffe icon in config dialog] which is great encoder that can be used for example in virtualdub. ff-vfw is very usefull as it contains advanced filters for processing video [delogo,denoise... - just as ffdshow] and also can encode to xvid/x264/other mpeg4
ps. perfect web, keep up the good work!
@Yaron - Yes but why fill your hard drive with stuff you’re not going to use not to mention any registry entries they are going to create.
And yes FFDShow can both encode and decode and has a very esy to use configuration gui.
Would this let ogm/mkv files streamed w/ tversity play properly on a 360 w/ other languages as an option?
@Anthony - If the file plays fine on your computer then Tversity should be able to transcode it into a WMV on the fly. Failing that use something like Super to convert the files to WMV and then they will stream using the media center built in to the 360.
There is some other good looking freeware on that site too. Wouldn’t mind if Samer tested All2dvd
@Carbonize:
Yaron’s point was in response to the article, which said “I have very little use of any encoder on my system, as it will simply consume resources and clutter up my system all the time”.
Though of course if you’re never going to use it, it’s better not to have it using space at all.
@x - Having re-read you’re probably right. But I still stand by my feelings that codec packs are pointless. This one seems even more so as it looks like it mainly just installs FFDShow.
Installing FFDShow will make most video work in Windows Media Player and if you then install something like KM Player or to a lesser degree GomPlayer then there should be nothing you cannot play at all.
DirectShow Filter Manager can be useful when sorting out those codecs that compete to use the same filetypes by priority.
http://404techsupport.wordpress.com/2008/01/12/directshow-filter-manager/
Is there any decoder which will help me see avchd video on my computer? I have tried playing it using my Canon Camcorder HF10 software and it is very jittery. Works great when I connect the camcorder directly to my TV.
As a mildly interested Brit I find it amusing that the Obama 08 ad on this site is colo(u)red and softened to not make him look african-american at all. Are his team that desparate to reach the red states that they’ll pretend he’s not as black as Jesse Jackson?
In my opinion he’s never looked much like a afro-american anyway. His features look more white and his colour is more ashen than black.
But then he’s a politician and it’s all about facades. I’ve been watching the campaign and they spend all their time putting down the oppositions plans whilst never mentioning their own.
Obama is a mulatto, so it should not be surprising how he looks. He looks, in my opinion, more “black” than “white,” but he seems, again, in my opinion, to identify primarily with his “whiteness.” And yes, he is a politician, and no better or worse than any other politician.
To get back on topic, I want to download this KM program, but went to their forum and after reading different posts there, am wondering about registry change issues discussed there. Seems some of the posts indicated it to be possible for KM to cause some kinds registry issues or problems; and being a novice at registry editing, I would like to know if any one who has used the program acquired any ill-effects as a result of downloading the KM software. Thank you.
Oops! Wrong thread! I reached this thread through a link posted at the at the KMPlayer software area of this site, and there is where I needed to pose my question. My apologies
hi! i’ve a really serious problem i need to play an old family video but my WMP makes an error with Intel IMA ADPCM (11) codec can help me?? i really need to play this video which is the best program i can download to solve this.
thanks!!