Picassa displays .mp4s sideways and small after K-Lite Codec installation

I've used Picasa to view .jpg and .MP4 files for years with no problems, but noticed in January that it wasn't finding and importing all my new .MP4 files. So I installed k-lite codec, version 16.6.5 (full). Next time I fired up Picasa, it began (apparently) re-importing all my .mp4s (there are hundreds of them). Now when I open them in Picasa they are rotated 90 degrees counter-clockwise. How can I fix this?

Next problem: I downloaded wzdu53.exe to update to k-lite version 16.8.7. It seemed to be installing the new version but then a window opened with Winzip Driver Updater asking to update 20 other drivers (k-lite is not on this list). I closed that window because I never want to change a bunch of things at the same time - if something goes wrong how do you know which Poodle peed on the rug? But when the Winzip window closed the wzdu53.exe window was gone and the update, apparently, did not "take."

Here is my Codec Tweak Tool Log:

Codec Tweak Tool | Log file | Generated at 2022-03-06 16:06:45

##### System Information #####

OS: Windows 10 Home (10.00.19044) (x64)
CPU name: Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-6500U CPU @ 2.50GHz
CPU details: 2592 MHz | 4 core(s) | Family 6 Model 78 Stepping 3
Memory: 8064 MB
Screen size: 1920x1080 (32bits) (60Hz) (125%)
GPU: Intel(R) HD Graphics 520
VendorID: 8086, DeviceID: 1916, SubSys: f8221179
GPU memory: 1024 MB
GPU driver: igdumdim64.dll (Version 27.20.100.9416) (3-24-2021)
Audio device: Realtek High Definition Audio
VendorID: 10ec, DeviceID: 0235, SubSys: 1179f823
Audio driver: RTKVHD64.sys (Version 6.0.1.7885) (7-19-2016)

##### K-Lite Codec Pack #####

KLCP version: 16.6.5
KLCP type: full

Speaker conf: 2.0

MPC renderer: EVR CP
MPC subs: ISR
MPC audio: Internal Audio Renderer
MPC decoder: h264=DXVA2N hevc=DXVA2N vp9=DXVA2N vc1=0 mpeg2=0

##### Decoder Settings #####

LAV Video:
H264=DXVA2CB HEVC=DXVA2CB VP9=DXVA2CB VC1=0 MPEG2=1 MPEG4=1 WMV3=0

LAV Audio:
MP3=1 AC3=1 DTS=1 DTSHD=1 EAC3=1 TRUEHD=1 AAC=1 Vorbis=1 LPCM=1 WMA=0

##### DirectShow Filters (32-bit) #####

(A total of 72 filters, 0 shown, 72 hidden)

##### DirectShow Filters (64-bit) #####

(A total of 72 filters, 0 shown, 72 hidden)

##### ICM Class Manager (32-bit) #####

(A total of 2 filters, 0 shown, 2 hidden)

##### ICM Class Manager (64-bit) #####

(A total of 2 filters, 0 shown, 2 hidden)

##### Default source filters (32-bit) #####

(A total of 56 default source filters, 0 shown, 56 hidden)

##### Default source filters (64-bit) #####

(A total of 56 default source filters, 0 shown, 56 hidden)

##### ACM and VFW Codecs (32-bit) #####

(A total of 14 codecs, 0 shown, 14 hidden)

##### ACM and VFW Codecs (64-bit) #####

(A total of 13 codecs, 0 shown, 13 hidden)

That is not an updater for K-Lite. You must have clicked on an advertisement. The name and size of the genuine installer is mentioned on the download page.

Are those MP4 files coming from a phone? Those may be recorded in landscape mode and contain rotation metadata for the player. Picasa probably does not support rotation.

There is nothing I can do to help you. Problem is in Picasa, and that is no longer being developed.

You can use the player that is included with K-Lite to play your videos.

You can try QuickTime. Picasa can use that.
https://filehippo.com/download_quicktime_alternative/

But only for old videos. It does not support newer ones that use HEVC video codec.

Admin wrote:That is not an updater for K-Lite. You must have clicked on an advertisement. The name and size of the genuine installer is mentioned on the download page.

Are those MP4 files coming from a phone? Those may be recorded in landscape mode and contain rotation metadata for the player. Picasa probably does not support rotation.

The wzdu53.exe was downloaded from the Codec Tweak Tool. I'll look elsewhere as you suggested.

Yes, the .mp4s are created on an Android phone. But Picasa rotated them correctly until the K-Lite codec was installed. The same .mp4s that Picasa used to display correctly now are not rotated correctly. The .mp4 files and their metadata has not changed, and Picasa has not changed. So something about how the codec passes rotation instructions must have changed in a way that Picasa does not understand.

In trying to solve one problem I created another. Not sure I want to, but if I uninstall K-Lite will things revert to the way they were? Is there a way to determine what programs Picasa was using to display .mp4s prior to K-Lite?

Thank you

Codec Tweak Tool links to a website. Not to such a download. It is not the real update installer.

Simply uninstall and test if Picasa is still able to open your MP4 files.

Hi. Was there any resolution to this? I've recently moved to a new laptop and after installing Picasa and k-lite basic codec pack my .MP4 file thumbnails look correct in Picasa but play rotated! I can rotate the playing file in Picasa but then the thumbnail in the Picasa folder is the wrong way around.

The thumbnails are correct looking in Windows Explorer and play correct orientation in Windows media player.

The same files are ok in Picasa on my old machine so can only think it is the codec pack which Picasa is misreading when orienting the file when playing.

I've also got Quicktime installed so that I can play my large number of old .mov files as they weren't showing in my new Picasa until I added Quicktime.


Thanks


Thanks

This is a bug in Picasa. It does not seem to use rotation metadata when using DirectShow for decoding.

I can not help you. K-Lite is NOT doing anything wrong.

I'm sure k-lite isn't doing anything wrong buts it's odd that that is the only thing different between my old laptop and new - Windows version aside!

Looking on my old laptop, it seems I never installed k-lite so I may try uninstalling that and see if the MP4 files behave differently. I assume in my old setup that Quicktime v7 is enabling these to play in Picasa.

Quicktime has compatibility issues on Windows 10/11.

This older version may work better for you:
https://support.apple.com/en-us/106402

Just as an update. I uninstalled k-lite today and can confirm thankfully that Picasa is now displaying MP4 files at their correct orientation. MOV files from my old camera are also still playing so even if there maybe some compatibility issues, it looks like Quicktime is doing what I need it to do. I won't be using QuickTime as a player in its own right. Thanks

Then it must be preferring DirectShow over Quicktime when both available.

K-Lite also has option to only install the codecs for MPC-HC. In case you like that player.