so my plan was to replace old DIVX+MP3 coded rips with new XVID+audiocopy ones. Everything seemed fine until I tried the vista media centre interface then i got " one or more codecs missing... cant play the file"

But outisde of the media centre interface, I can open the video file with windows media payer - it pauses to say acquiring codec...codec acquired.. then plays the clip OK.

but not being able to use the media centre interface is a show stopper.

anyone know of a fix ?

NB the codecs are all on the pc, because as I said the file will play in WMP & also in zoom player & VLC player.

the audio pass thru in this instance is AC3, I don't know if vista is unhappy with that or unhappy with XVid, until I do more testing :-(

well I googled an alleged fix for this issue but can't get it to work. the fix is said to be isntall ffdshow then something freeware called media control to hook into vista media center interface but I've installed & rebooted x2 & It won't work.

It doesn't help that ffdshow comes in lots & lots of versions but I tried a recent (feb 08) one.

so rephrasing the original question: what if any of FAb's generic options will make a video file that I can access & play via the media center video library.

I know already that vob passthru won't work & it seems xvid won't work either. don't want to use WMV unless there is really no alternative!

Basically no becoz Vista is a POS... (Visually Interesting Sh1t, Terrible Application)

I'd try FFDShow and AC3 Filter combo and use generic.xvid.avi.audiocopy.

I tried that. IT is OK ok for using WMP outside of the "media center experience" but does not work from within the remote control menus - it gives the missing codec (s) error.

also tried H264 - same result. looks like the only format that does work everywhere with no tweaking is DIVX +MP3 and that's the one option which fab does not offer :-(

from what I have read, vista will not talk to ffdshow when it is running the media center interface - hence the problem. Dunno why dixv works ok though, but it does

I sometimes get this in Windows Media Center when WMP will play it.
"Windows Media Center cannot detect a video DVD in the DVD-ROM drive.Insert a video DVD in the drive."
cybmole basically WMP has a path to the codec needed & WMC doesn't.If someone knows a way to setup the path so WMC could find the WMP codecs I would be interested in seeing it.
I think it's just one more example of Microsoft being more interested in copy protection than customer service.If Bill Gates had any balls he would tell the MPAA &RIAA OK I won't make Windows compatable with any DVD or CD format related to movies or music now try to market your product without Windows support.
Or if he had bigger ones he could just say go ahead & sue me I have a team of lawyers on staff just to keep it tied up forever.

i think I'll just take a 2 program approach - fab customise to make a small single title DVD on hard drive containing only the chapters that I want, then rip that single title to a single divx avi file with a different program.

cybmole wrote,
" i think I'll just take a 2 program approach "

sometimes it's best to take the "2 program approach" to git er done...
IMO, the the prob with all in one proggy's is they're "jack of all trades and masters of none" sorta speak....
Mostly I use Fab Platinum to rip and sometimes burn ( I prefer IMGBurn)...
For avi conversions I use FAVC,DVDFlick, CX2DVD(it's much faster),or AutoGK......
But whatever works right!.....JM2cents..