Search:

The K-Lite Codec Tweak Tool can generate a detailed list.

Solutions can be found here:
http://www.codecguide.com/faq.htm

There is an incompatibility between QuickTime and some nVidia drivers. Mostly with 8xxx series cards.

Could be buggy graphics drivers.

Change the video renderer in MPC: Options > Playback > Output

Try "safe mode (GDI only)" in QuickTime preferences.

That is definitely a problem with your graphics driver. Update your driver.

K-Lite Mega Codec Pack works great on Vista.

Adobe Flash plugin:
http://www.adobe.com/shockwave/download/download.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash

They are only unnecessary if you don't want to be able to play certain things. But anyhow, you can deselect everything you don't need during installation. Or even better use the Standard version of...

Simply deselect DirectVobSub in the K-Lite installer.

Those are likely glitches in the capturing of the TV broadcast.

Use the GSpot Codec Information tool to find out what codecs you need.

K-Lite is fully compatible with Windows Vista.

32-bit Vista: K-Lite Codec Pack
64-bit Vista: K-Lite Codec Pack 64-bit Add-on

There is currently no freeware to play such files.

Go to Media Player Classic options -> Formats. Scroll down to 'RealMedia file'. Behind it you'll see the word 'DirectShow'. Click on that and change it too 'RealMedia'.

that is a piece of crap

The videos on metacafe and a lot of other video sites use the Flash plugin. So it has nothing to do with codecs. The Flash plugin uses a lot of CPU power. That and buffering issues may make the video...

A better site:
http://www.codecguide.com/download_real.htm

Get the CoreAVC decoder.

Xvid is a free MPEG-4 codec.

You can find lots of encoding guides at http://www.doom9.org

Real Alternative

MP4 can contain only audio. But usually it contains both audio and video.

iTunes uses QuickTime to play video files. QuickTime does not have full support for the entire feature sets of H.264 and MPEG-4 ASP video.

Enable MP3 decoding in ffdshow. Then enable the 'volume' and 'mixer' filters in ffdshow audio decoder configuration.