Mpeg files in WMP8

[hare]

Ok, this is a little problem I encountered after installing Windows XP together with the Tsunami Filter Pack on my machine:

Mpeg appear in WMP8 very small with a black border around them. This does not happen to all mpeg files...the problem is restricted to some.

I normally run WMP with the option Fit to window turned on, and changing this to 100% and even 200% makes the movie smaller. The picture also seems like it's kind of squeezed so that people appear thinner.

All I want is a picture that is stretchted to fit the window completely while still retaining the right proportion in both axes.

I don't know if this problem is related to Windows XP, WMP 8 or the Tsunami Filter Pack, but the problem persists after unistalling the filter pack.

All help appreciated.

PS. Any recommendations on good DivX/Mpeg/VCD players to download?

[techno]

I assume ur talking about MPEG2 files.

if so:

EVERY SINGLE MPEG2 codec works differently.

You install Ligos...vids play as they should be, u install fraunhofer, u will get borders and a/v synch. u install cyberlink, the vids have borders but plays fine, sometimes the vids play fine.

u install WinDVD - u just don't want to go there!

check it out.

Techno

[hare]

Solution...

Ok...I figured that wmp is not the program of choice if you want to watch movies...Now I downloaded BsPlayer and it works like a dream!

None of those troublesome borders. I can choose the aspect ratio I want, and I get information about the codecs in use (which is actually quite useful).

But is there a way of choosing which codec a player uses? I figure that a movie file can be played using different codecs, and I would like to specify which one to use...is this possible?

[techno]

nope. a codec is used to play the video that the video was originally encoded in with the codec.

u can't say that an MPEG1 file should use a DIVX codec to play it! if u want it to use a DIVX codec, u have to encode MPEG1 to DIVX and it becomes a DIVX file and when u play it, it will use the DIVX codec to play it

codec = COmpresser DECompresser

[hare]

Well...the thing is as this: I have downloaded both the BSplayer and the Tsunami Filter Pack. Some of my mpg files was garbled during playback. I took a look at the codecs in use and found the guilty one (Can't remember which one). Anyhow, I unistalled that codec and now it works just fine.

So, the way I'm looking at it is that several codecs can be used to play a certain movie file. Some are better than others and should be preferred. And the players seem to chose a codec automaticaly.