Since multimedia files require special packages called codecs to play, you might run into a few problems with your favorite media player now and then. AVIcodec wants to help you by telling you exactly which of those codecs you need, allowing you to then view any video and listen to any track.
Installation & Requirements
The installation could not be any quicker if you wanted it to. There is a single “Next” button, after which the application installs lightning fast and launches itself immediately. The program should run in pretty much every version of Windows due to its low requirements.
Interface
The fact that the program aims at simplicity is glaringly obvious since the installation and the interface is no different. There are two single tabs to the whole program but information is aplenty for those that seek it.
The first tab is reserved for your multimedia files with full support for dragging and dropping your files and even entire folders inside the interface. Files and folders are analyzed immediately and you can view their codecs by clicking on them from the list. Although most of the information there will be useless to the average Joe, there is also a “web” button on the right side that will immediately take you over to the specific codec’s webpage where you can easily download and install the codecs you need in order to run the file perfectly.
The second tab is far more technical and will only serve the more tech oriented people out there as it just gives you long lists of your installed codecs and other filters that multimedia files use. Most of the information in there is accurate and depends completely on your computer’s configuration. There are a couple of things that casual users can take advantage of from that tab of course. The first is the “Export List” function as the exported file can be given to more advanced users for help. The second one is the State of the codecs that will tell you whether they are enabled or not with the option to enable and disable them on the spot.
There are some weird design choices littered across the program but they are not that important. For example, changing the columns in the Options menu will reset any changes you have made to their size or placement, for example. The real downside of the program is that it does not support a lot of file formats like .mp4 which is growing in popularity amongst internet communities.
The interface is also not very intuitive at times, although there are a lot of hidden little tricks that are quite nice. For example, double clicking on a media file will launch it with your default program. Moreover, scrolling over pretty much everything will give you information about that specific feature which is pretty neat.
Pros
-Lightning fast installation
-Very low on resources
-Easy to use
-Tons of information
Cons
-Outdated interface
-Alternates between simplicity and vastly complex technical information
-Limited file formats supported
Conclusion
If you do not use a media player that does not provide built-in codec support, you will get a lot of AVIcodec’s ability to analyze tons of files at once. The audience for this product is definitely niche but if you belong in it, it is definitely worth a try.
