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Windows: Still using Video for Windows?

Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2008 5:51 pm
by Danny
Are you really still using VfW for decoding video files? That API is really, really, REALLY old (invented 1992 for Windows 3.1 - Internet Explorer wasn't even invented back then!) and might not even be part of the next Windows version. So wouldn't it be better and the best opportunity to switch over to Direct Show? Or something else like FFMGEG, which is os-independent as well. I don't have a clue how much work that would cause, though.

I'm also asking because i always have to deactivate my MPEG4 support for VfW in FFDShow.

TBH, even as a user i'd rather renounce on video support (on windows) completely, before dragging VfW all along with it again - the old fucker... ;)

Re: Windows: Still using Video for Windows?

Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2008 7:20 pm
by xnview
I don't use Vfw, but use the phonon API which use DirectShow

Re: Windows: Still using Video for Windows?

Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2008 8:19 pm
by Danny
xnview wrote:I don't use Vfw, but the phonon API which uses DirectShow
That's strange. The thumbnail creation still reacts on changes made to my VfW codecs. Namely: if i disable the DivX VfW codec i don't get any thumbnails for those files in XNView MP anymore. In Windows Explorer they still show up btw.

They still play in Media Player Classic as well, so the Direct Show Decoder must still be working.

Edit:
Ok, so i've just checked it in a clean WindowsXP install in a Virtual Machine and it worked either way. So it may even be a codec issue on my PC here. It would be good if anyone else could test for this.