CODECS.COM Articles: Latest Codec Guides and Media News

GuideAug 24, 202617,642 views7 min read

Is DTS Better Than AAC? Why That Is the Wrong Question

Why DTS and AAC are not really rivals, and what to do when your TV refuses to play a DTS track.

GuideAug 20, 20261,852 views6 min read

How to Play MKV Files on Windows 11 (and Why Some Refuse)

Windows opens MKV on its own, so when one refuses to play the fault is a track inside it - here is how to find which one and fix it.

GuideAug 19, 202610 comments650,233 views8 min read

How to Register and Unregister DLL and AX Codec Filter Files

The one command that installs a DirectShow filter on Windows, plus the elevation and 64-bit rules that stop it working.

GuideAug 19, 2026267,844 views7 min read

What Is a Codec? The Plain-English Guide

What a codec actually is, why everything you watch is compressed, and whether you still need to install any.

GuideAug 18, 202616,228 views7 min read

Codecs vs Containers: Why Your Video File Won't Play

A plain-English guide to the difference between codecs and containers, and how to work out which one is stopping your file from playing.

NewsAug 18, 20263,229 views7 min read

Copilot Just Took 3.3 GB of Your Windows 10 Drive Without Asking

A Copilot app that installs itself and claims over 3 GB, explained in plain terms, with the removal steps and the settings that keep it away.

NewsAug 18, 20261,987 views4 min read

ChatGPT Atlas Is Gone - Here Is What to Use Instead

OpenAI retired the ChatGPT Atlas browser on 9 August 2026, and here is what happened to your bookmarks and which browser to move to.

GuideAug 18, 20269,675 views6 min read

Best LAME MP3 Settings for Music, Podcasts and Audiobooks

One table of LAME VBR settings for music, podcasts and audiobooks, and where to enter them in LameXP, winLAME, Audacity and CDex.

GuideAug 18, 20261 comment25,310 views5 min read

FLAC Explained: Play, Convert and Archive Lossless Audio

The lossless format explained in plain terms, with the players that handle FLAC out of the box and the free encoders worth using to build an archive.

GuideAug 18, 20268,134 views7 min read

How to Burn an ISO to DVD With ImgBurn

The five steps that burn an ISO to disc correctly in ImgBurn, plus the write speed setting that quietly causes most failed discs.

GuideAug 17, 20261 comment59,779 views7 min read

MPC-BE vs MPC-HC in 2026: Which One Should You Install?

A 2026 comparison of MPC-BE and MPC-HC, two actively maintained free Windows players, and which one suits your files.

GuideAug 17, 20267,534 views6 min read

Is Nero Still Worth It? The Free Tools and What Beats Them

Nero hands out four free programs and sells the rest, so here is which ones are worth installing and which free rival does the same job better.

GuideAug 17, 202648,036 views7 min read

Convert Audio with foobar2000 - FLAC to MP3 and More

Both foobar2000 conversion routes - Quick Convert for a fast one-off, the full Converter for folder structure and presets, plus the encoders MP3 output needs.

GuideAug 17, 20261 comment32,187 views7 min read

How to Play FLAC Files in Windows Media Player

Which Windows versions play FLAC in Media Player without a codec, which ones need one, and how to fix a library that files every album under Unknown Artist.