K-Lite Codec Pack Features and Components - Complete Guide

K-Lite Codec Pack is a comprehensive collection of high-quality codecs, DirectShow filters, and essential media tools for Windows. This page provides a detailed overview of all features and components included in each variant of the codec pack. Whether you're choosing which variant to download or want to understand what each component does, this guide will help you make an informed decision.

Each variant of K-Lite Codec Pack is carefully curated to include only the best and most reliable components. All codecs and filters are selected based on quality, performance, compatibility, and stability. This ensures that you get the best possible media playback experience without unnecessary bloatware or potentially problematic components.

Standard Variant

The Standard variant is the recommended choice for most users. It includes:

Player:

Media Player Classic Home Cinema (MPC-HC)

DirectShow video filters:

LAV Video decoder

DirectShow audio filters:

LAV Audio decoder

DirectShow source filters:

LAV Splitter

DirectShow subtitle filters:

DirectVobSub (xy-VSFilter)

Other filters:

MPC Video Renderer

Tools:

Codec Tweak Tool
MediaInfo Lite

Shell extensions:

Icaros ThumbnailProvider
Icaros PropertyHandler

Full Variant

The Full variant includes everything from Standard, plus:

MadVR - An advanced video renderer with high quality upscaling algorithms
Plugin for 3D video decoding (H.264 MVC)

Mega Variant

The Mega variant includes everything from Full, plus:

VFW video codecs (for video encoding):

x264
XviD
Lagarith
Huffyuv

ACM audio codecs (for video encoding):

AC3ACM

Additional components:

Bass Audio Source
MPC Image Source
GraphStudioNext
ffdshow audio processor (optional)
ffdshow video processor (optional)

Basic Variant

The Basic variant contains only the most essential DirectShow filters. It does not include a player.