A codec compresses or decompresses media files such as songs or videos. Windows Media Player and other apps use codecs to play and create media files. A codec can consist of two parts: an encoder that compresses the media file (encoding) and a decoder that decompresses the file (decoding).

This tool is used to collect info about devices to help troubleshoot problems with DirectX sound and video. A support person might ask for this info, or you might post it in a forum when you ask for help. In Windows, select Start and enter dxdiag into the search box on the taskbar. Select dxdiag from the results.

DirectX is a set of components in Windows that allows software, primarily and especially games, to work directly with your video and audio hardware. Games that use DirectX can use multimedia accelerator features built-in to your hardware more efficiently which improves your overall multimedia experience. Check which version of DirectX is installed.

To check which version of DirectX is on your PC using the DirectX Diagnostic Tool, select the Start button and type dxdiag in the search box, then press Enter. In the DirectX Diagnostic Tool, select the System tab, then check the DirectX version number under System Information .

To properly play video (and even music files), Windows Media Player required an appropriate codec. Codecs are small programs that encode digital signals in a file or data and decode. Only in this way, the player can interpret the streams as a music or film and play correctly.

The Movies & TV app can play most DRM-free videos that have a file extension in this list. If a file with one of these file extensions won’t play, it might be using an unsupported codec. .3g2.

Find answers to commonly asked questions about video, photo, and audio content using the Media Player app on your Xbox console.

Windows Media Player 12 has built-in support for many popular audio and video formats. Sync music, videos, and photos, or stream media to your devices so you can enjoy your library anywhere, at home or on the road. For info about the latest version for your system, see Get Windows Media Player.

DirectX is a suite of multimedia technologies required by many Windows games. If your PC doesn't have the right version of DirectX installed (the product box should tell you which one you need), your game might not work properly. Follow these steps to use the DirectX Diagnostic Tool to check your DirectX version:

This error is associated with Windows Media Player and usually occurs when there's an issue with the media file you're trying to play or with the Windows Media Player itself. To resolve this, Update Windows Media Player: Get the latest version of Windows Media player by updating windows.