Windows 7 uses its own DirectShow filters for decoding several audio and video formats. Using third party filters instead of the native filters is not possible without making changes to the Windows Registry.

The Preferred Filter Tweaker application was designed to be a small tool that allows you to configure your preferred DirectShow filters with just a few mouse clicks. It is quick, easy, and changes can be always undone. If you for example prefer to use ffdshow or CoreAVC for decoding H.264 video then you can do so by using this tool.

This tool is particularly useful for the Microsoft players, such as Windows Media Player and Media Center. Certain advanced third party players, such as Media Player Classic, are capable of using third party filters without the need for this tool.

This tool can set the preferred filter for the following video formats:
H.264
MPEG-4 (Xvid/DivX/MP4V)
MPEG-2
VC-1
AAC
MP3
MP2

Currently supported third party filters (32-bit):
ffdshow
MPCVideoDec
CoreAVC H.264 decoder
Xvid MPEG-4 decoder
DivX H.264 decoder
DivX MPEG-4 decoder
DScaler5 MPEG-2 decoder
Gabest MPEG-2 decoder
Cyberlink H.264 decoder (PDVD 7/9)
Cyberlink MPEG-2 decoder (PDVD 7/8/9)
Cyberlink VC-1 decoder (patched with VC1Tweak: guid {394DFD1B-6F4C-4096-AA14-EF852B02595B})
ArcSoft H.264 decoder
ArcSoft MPEG-4 decoder
ArcSoft MPEG-2 decoder
ArcSoft VC-1 decoder (patched with VC1Tweak: guid {9DAD7B50-4432-4F48-AC60-B2B4E854454B})
MONOGRAM AAC decoder

Currently supported third party filters (64-bit):
ffdshow
MPCVideoDec
Xvid MPEG-4 decoder
Gabest MPEG-2 decoder

What's New in This Release: [ read full changelog ]

Currently supported third party filters (32-bit):
· ffdshow
· MPCVideoDec
· CoreAVC H.264 decoder
· Xvid MPEG-4 decoder
· DivX H.264 decoder
· DivX MPEG-4 decoder
· DiAVC H.264 decoder
· DScaler5 MPEG-2 decoder
· Gabest MPEG-2 decoder
· Cyberlink H.264 decoder (PDVD 7/8/9)
· Cyberlink MPEG-2 decoder (PDVD 7/8/9)
· Cyberlink VC-1 decoder (patched with VC1Tweak: guid {394DFD1B-6F4C-4096-AA14-EF852B02595B})
· ArcSoft H.264 decoder
· ArcSoft MPEG-4 decoder
· ArcSoft MPEG-2 decoder
· ArcSoft VC-1 decoder (patched with VC1Tweak: guid {9DAD7B50-4432-4F48-AC60-B2B4E854454B})
· MONOGRAM AAC decoder

Currently supported third party filters (64-bit):
· ffdshow
· MPCVideoDec
· Xvid MPEG-4 decoder
· Gabest MPEG-2 decoder