If you are attempting to play videos on your computer, or have played alot of videos, then certainly you have already run into "codec" issues. Codec's are basically decompressors (codecs are normally free downloads) meaning that your video is compressed to make it as small as possible and the codec is needed to help view this. Now there are many codecs, there is not just one codec for AVI, or one for MPEG and WMV. For example, an mpeg can have many different internal compression types, and codecs are needed for each different compression type. DIVX is also a very popular video type, and you will need to install their codec, if you do not have it you should install it now (or install their free player which installs it too) as that will save you alot of problems. I have found that WMV is almost always compatible and rarely ever has a viewing problem. WMV files are from Microsoft and I think they really got it right when they created their video format, as they rarely get codec issues and have very good quality on the video. Windows media player also has an option to "automatically download" codecs when it cannot find it, which is a great feature. I suggest turning this on, open your WMPlayer and go to Tools-Options-Player. Then check the box that states Download codecs automatically". I would also check the "once a month option, I don't see any reason to check for downloads more often then that. You should also find and download the DIVX codec, as this one is also needed and WMP will not download this codec. Once you check this option on your media player, many of your codec problems will be long gone as this will download them when they are not found, and these are free of course.

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