WMP 12 problems with mp3 worsening (KLCP)

Hey there,

My problem started more than a year ago (late 2013-early 2014). I started to have mp3s WMP couldn't play on its own anymore, which meant I had to install "Windows 7 Codec Pack". It all went fine for a while after that.
Then, being a gamer, I wanted to renew my components (actually, the only old components I kept were the PSU, HDDs and the case) so I installed Windows 7 again, this time on a SSD.
Then it actually got a step worse. I could no longer play the MP3s, even with "W7 Codec Pack" installed. I then had to rely on K-Lite Codec Pack, which makes a certain glitch sound before starting some of the mp3s.
I've pretty much accepted all this stuff as time went on, but yesterday I updated K-Lite Codec Pack to 11.2 from 10.5. Now it won't automatically start some mp3s. Even when pause/playing it does nothing. I have to go to WMP and click the playing bar somewhere so it starts. What kind of weird stuff is that?
Also, I'm pretty sure before it only used LAVsplitter, but now it alternates between that and FFDa decoder.

I'd like to know how I can make WMP play all my mp3s (with or without K-Lite, but preferably without the glitch sound) without me having to start them manually. I don't like using VLC & WMP Classic for my music (just for video).

I appreciate any help you can provide

First tip: never install any software that has your Windows version in its name. That is just a trick to get more downloads. Usually there are better products available.

There is a difference between a splitter and a decoder. A splitter read the file format and then gives the audio (and video if present) to a decoder. Not all decoders display a systray icon like FFdshow and LAV do. It was probably using the standard MP3 decoder from Microsoft when you didn't see a decoder icon.

By default WMP doesn't uses any of the codecs from the pack. It uses the Microsoft Media Foundation codecs. Since it uses DirectShow filters in your case, something is wrong with the Media Foundation stuff.

Codec Tweak Tool > MS Codec Tweaks > Media Foundation and MP3 decoder should not be disabled

Admin wrote:By default WMP doesn't uses any of the codecs from the pack. It uses the Microsoft Media Foundation codecs. Since it uses DirectShow filters in your case, something is wrong with the Media Foundation stuff.

Codec Tweak Tool > MS Codec Tweaks > Media Foundation and MP3 decoder should not be disabled

When I follow your instructions I see there are no options checked, so everything's enabled?

Yes, that means everything is enabled.

Try this:
Start > Accessoiries > Command Prompt (right-click and run as administrator)
Then run these commands:
regsvr32 c:\windows\syswow64\mfds.dll
regsvr32 c:\windows\syswow64\mp3dmod.dll

You can disable MP3 in LAV Splitter settings. If needed, also in ffdshow audio decoder and LAV audio decoder. Then it will use DirectShow filters from Microsoft instead. But ideally, the Media Foundation codecs are to be fixed.

Admin wrote:Yes, that means everything is enabled.

Try this:
Start > Accessoiries > Command Prompt (right-click and run as administrator)
Then run these commands:
regsvr32 c:\windows\syswow64\mfds.dll
regsvr32 c:\windows\syswow64\mp3dmod.dll

Don't really know what I did, but with both it said it was successful.

Admin wrote:You can disable MP3 in LAV Splitter settings. If needed, also in ffdshow audio decoder and LAV audio decoder. Then it will use DirectShow filters from Microsoft instead. But ideally, the Media Foundation codecs are to be fixed.

I turned off mp3 support in all 3 cases. The LAV audio decoder is somehow still being used. ffdshow audio decoder is not needed any more, I think, because LAV splitter takes over the ones that LAV audio can't support. Once I turn off LAV Splitter, A lot of the songs are not playable.
Maybe worth mentioning is that I have a 64-bit version? Still uses 32-bit WMP though, so I guess it also just uses the 32-bit version of K-lite (both versions are installed though)


And how can do I fix the Media Foundation codecs? (I have a sneaking suspicion of 'reinstall windows' )



Just for extra info, here's one Mediainfo for a mp3 using LAV Audio:

Mediainfo:

And this one is for a mp3 using LAV Splitter/ffdshow audio:

Mediainfo:

Oh yeah, I don't know if it helps, but I just remembered, my xbox360 also doesn't play a lot of them. I have my music library from WMP shared for my xbox.

The Microsoft splitter has some issues with parsing certain metadata (such as ID3 tags and coverart). Could you upload one (or even better a few) of the files that aren't working? Then I can check what triggers the problem and give instructions on how to make the files compatible.

You can upload to http://www.sendspace.com or a similar file hosting site.

Regarding the Media Foundation problem, you could try re-installing WMP.
Start > Control Panel > Programs > Turn Windows Feature on or off > Media Features > Disable all three items (WMP, Media Center, DVD maker)
Then reboot. Then enable WMP again (and the others if you need them).

These days it uses LAV Splitter for everything, tbh.. So I just added a few at random:
http://www.sendspace.com/filegroup/SEL92GJ1UWc1uS74SCkazPIAZpfMZUBK
("01 I Am The Best" is one of the few songs that doesn't use LAV Splitter, but LAV audio decoder)




Also, quick sidenote, circling back to the "Windows 7 Codec Pack". I always remove programs properly (via Control Panel) but for some reason this pack left some stuff behind because when I had to reinstall K-Lite, it detected the W7 Codec Pack was still installed (but it couldn't remove it because not all the files were present anymore)

Tried the 4 files. Only the "Bang Bang" one fails to play with the splitter from Microsoft (the DirectShow one). The good news is that it plays fine with Media Foundation.

You can fix playback of this file by removing its embedded cover image. You can do that with MP3Tag.
http://www.mp3tag.de/en/

It seems that "Windows 7 Codec Pack" has left behind an uninstall entry in the Windows Registry (amongst other things probably). You can remove that entry with CCleaner.

To prevent LAV Audio decoder from being used you also need to uncheck both MP2 and MP3 in its options. Does the glitch sound still occur after you disabled LAV Splitter?

None of these files give a glitch at the start here with LAV Splitter. The Caro Emerald one gives a glitch and some silence, but only with the Microsoft splitter (MPEG-I Stream Splitter). No issues with Media Foundation.

You can easily see which DirectShow filters are being used by opening the files with the GraphStudioNext tool from the pack.

Thank you so much ! I decided to reinstall the W7 codec pack to remove it properly again. Then I turned off the Windows Media Features to de-install them all. Installing CCleaner real quick to remove/repair (a lot of) registry files and then reactivating WMP. Now every song plays without K-Lite (I know, because I also removed it). Even the "Bang Bang Bang" plays for me.

If I want to install K-Lite again, I have to deselect MP2/MP3 support for each of the decoders, right?

No, the default settings of K-Lite should work now too. WMP will continue to use Media Foundation for MP3 playback, now that it has been fixed.