How to Use FFDShow

By Dan Howard

FFDShow integrates seamlessly with Windows Media Player and other players.
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FFDShow is a free codec package that contains instructions for efficiently decoding and displaying a wide range of video and audio formats. FFDShow does not include a media player application; rather the package installs procedures that are used by your computer's existing media player to display media. You can designate which file formats should use FFDShow codecs during FFDShow installation.

Step 1

Open your Web browser and navigate to the FFDShow download page located at afterdawn.com/software/general/download_splash.cfm/ffdshow

Step 2

Click "Save File" to save the FFDShow EXE installation to your computer.

Step 3

Double-click the EXE file to start FFDShow installation. Doing so initiates an on-screen installation wizard.

Step 4

Select your language from the list and click "Next" until you reach the "Select Additional Tasks" menu. This menu displays all audio and video formats that you can use FFDShow to decode.

Step 5

Check the box next to each video and audio format that you would like your computer to process using the FFDShow codec package. Click "Next" to continue.

Step 6

Follow the on-screen instructions to complete installation of the FFDShow codec package. Once FFDShow installation is complete your computer will use FFDShow to process the file types that you specified when you open those files in a media player application.

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