The Windows 8 Codec Pack is an easy way to install all main stream codecs to play movie and music files downloaded from the internet or ripped from original discs. Installation is made simple with an easy install option and the most functional setting are automatically applied. Popular file types are set to play in Windows Media Player automatically, although the codecs will work in every player.

Files supported include .mkv (Matroska) .avi .bdmv (BlRay) .evo (HD-DVD) .mp4 .m4v .m4a .flv .webm .ogm .ogg .ts .ps .ac3 (Dolby Digital) .dts (Digital Theater Surround) .mpg .mpeg (MPEG2) .flac .ape (Monkey Audio) .aac (Advanced Audio Coding) .ofr (OptimFrog) .mpc (Musepack) .wv (WavPack) and many more Compression types supported include 10bit x264 (Hi10p), x264, h264, AVC, DivX, XviD, MJPEG (Morgan JPEG) MPEG4 and many more.

The package detects the best proof tested settings with additional options for CPU, GPU, iGPU, and DXVA compatibility. Broadcom Crystal HD hardware decoders can be detected and used for specific formats of the users own choosing. Audio options during install allow users to set output from basic 2.0 channel stereo, right up to 7.1 channel output. Digital audio S/PDIF / HDMI passthrough for home theatre systems can be set by the user to output Dolby Digital AC3, Dolby Digital Plus E-AC3, Dolby TrueHD, DTS, DTS-HD, even multichannel non-AC3/DTS audio (for example 5.1 channel FLAC) can be set to encode as AC3 and output to digital S/PDIF / HDMI. Included in the package are a number of encoder codec's, allowing users to encode files in formats such as DivX and XviD in a variety of encoding applications. 32-bit and

A codec settings application is included so that users can change settins to suite their needs and/or hardware changes
64-bit version of Windows Media Player are supported as well as most other players. The package supports 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows.

NOTE: Windows 8 requires the Media Center add on to play DVD's.