Comment Feed for Channel 9 - Top 15 Essential Apps & Codecs post Windows 7 Install http://ecn.channel9.msdn.com/o9/previewImages/85/on10_1080ca5c-08e2-4ab9-9d55-04552876239e.jpg Channel 9 - Top 15 Essential Apps & Codecs post Windows 7 Install So you've just installed the new Windows 7 Beta (build 7000). You've created your user profile, logged in for the first time and installed any missing drivers. What next?Here's the list of apps and codecs I install within the first 30 minutes.00. Windows Update - technically not an install but I run it first. Everytime.01. Windows Live Essentials suite - FREEIncludes Windows Live Messenger, Photo Gallery, Writer & Mail. Also includes Silverlight02. Live Mesh - FREEAll my files are synced across my various machines with Live Mesh. I also take full advantage of the 5GB of cloud storage03. WinRAR - Shareware (US$29)My favorite compression and archiving tool. Supports basically any archive format you throw at it including ISO and Linux archives04. AVG Free Anti-Virus - FREELight weight, free anti-virus protection. Does require updates to be manually installed though05. Firefox (plus Flash & DownThemAll) - FREEIE8 is my default browser however it is still in beta and there are a few web sites out there that render better in Firefox. DownThemAll is an amazing download utility that dramatically speeds up download times06. VLC Media Player - FREEBasically a Quicktime replacement as VLC can playback most *.MOV files07. Xvid Codec - FREE*Update* Windows Media Player 12 (found in the Windows 7 beta) natively supports Xvid, Divx and MP4 codecs however if (like me) you have a couple of videos in your collection that don't play correctly try installing the Xvid codec. For decoding Xvid, Divx and MP4 video files in Windows Media Player08. AC3 Filter - FREE*Update* As above - you may not need this codec but if you find you're not getting any sound when plating back a video file it might an AC3/DTS issue. Audio filter that enables Windows Media Player to playback movies with AC3 and DTS audio tracks09. ImgBurn - FREE*Update* Windows 7 burns ISO images natively so this tool is mainly used for creating ISO images. Great CD/DVD burning and ISO creation utility10. Easy CD-DA Extractor - 30 Day Free Trial (US$37)*Update* I primarily use Easy CD-DA Extractor for converting from one file format to the other ie. lossless to MP3 and for the odd CD that WMP12 is unable to rip for me."The Swiss Army Knife of Digital Audio" pretty much sums up Easy CD-DA Extractor. I still buy physical CD's from real music stores,... how crazy is that!! Easy CD-DA Extractor allows me to back-up my discs and convert to MP3 for storage on my Windows Home Server11. Paint.NET - FREE*Update* The new Paint application in Windows 7 is a great update but if you need to work with some basic layers or some more advanced features then Paint.NET is a great tool.Simple yet powerful free Photoshop alternative. Not quite as comprehensive as GIMP but does the basics and does them well12. SharePod - FREEiTunes alternative for transferring tracks on (and off) ipods13. Skype (version 4.0 Beta 3) - FREEI think we all know what Skype is14. FileZilla - FREELight weight, free FTP Utility. Supports file resume15. Microsoft Office 2007 - 60 Day Free Trial (from US$80)Outlook, Word, Excel and Powerpoint are my essentials although Windows Live Mail is a great alternative if you don't need the complexity of OutlookWhat have I missed? What other apps & codecs do you install during the first 30 minutes after an OS rebuild?Check out Larry's Top 10 Fresh Machine Installs for more. en Sun, 19 May 2013 17:09:21 GMT Sun, 19 May 2013 17:09:21 GMT Rev9 Re: Top 15 Essential Apps & Codecs post Windows 7 Install posted by BasP

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Blogs/NicFill/Top-15-Essential-Apps--Codecs-post-Windows-7-Install#c633676553430000000 Thu, 15 Jan 2009 22:29:03 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Blogs/NicFill/Top-15-Essential-Apps--Codecs-post-Windows-7-Install#c633676553430000000 BasP Re: Top 15 Essential Apps & Codecs post Windows 7 Install posted by BasP

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Blogs/NicFill/Top-15-Essential-Apps--Codecs-post-Windows-7-Install#c633676553430000000 Thu, 15 Jan 2009 22:29:03 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Blogs/NicFill/Top-15-Essential-Apps--Codecs-post-Windows-7-Install#c633676553430000000 BasP Re: Top 15 Essential Apps & Codecs post Windows 7 Install

posted by dhan

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Blogs/NicFill/Top-15-Essential-Apps--Codecs-post-Windows-7-Install#c633676557570000000 Thu, 15 Jan 2009 22:35:57 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Blogs/NicFill/Top-15-Essential-Apps--Codecs-post-Windows-7-Install#c633676557570000000 dhan Re: Top 15 Essential Apps & Codecs post Windows 7 Install

posted by dhan

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Blogs/NicFill/Top-15-Essential-Apps--Codecs-post-Windows-7-Install#c633676557570000000 Thu, 15 Jan 2009 22:35:57 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Blogs/NicFill/Top-15-Essential-Apps--Codecs-post-Windows-7-Install#c633676557570000000 dhan Re: Top 15 Essential Apps & Codecs post Windows 7 Install posted by Brandon LeBlanc

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Blogs/NicFill/Top-15-Essential-Apps--Codecs-post-Windows-7-Install#c633676571660000000 Thu, 15 Jan 2009 22:59:26 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Blogs/NicFill/Top-15-Essential-Apps--Codecs-post-Windows-7-Install#c633676571660000000 Brandon LeBlanc Re: Top 15 Essential Apps & Codecs post Windows 7 Install posted by Brandon LeBlanc

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Blogs/NicFill/Top-15-Essential-Apps--Codecs-post-Windows-7-Install#c633676571660000000 Thu, 15 Jan 2009 22:59:26 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Blogs/NicFill/Top-15-Essential-Apps--Codecs-post-Windows-7-Install#c633676571660000000 Brandon LeBlanc Re: Top 15 Essential Apps & Codecs post Windows 7 Install
@Brandon LeBlanc - Yep - should have pointed out ImgBurn is for primarily CREATING ISO's as Win 7 can natively burn them now which is awesome.

@axelriet - Never heard of it but will give it a try Smiley

@dhan & deathseeker - Yep you're both correct however I had a few videos in my collection that wouldn't play corrently until I installed the Xvid and AC3 codecs. Perhaps it's just an idiocyncracy of the Win 7 beta build or maybe I did something wrong.... The majority of people wont need to install the codecs though - I'll update the post with this info

@BasP - Easy CD-DA Extractor is basically my backup for WMP or the tool I use when I want to convert from one format to another. I rip my CD's in lossless and then convert to MP3 (and other formats) for playback on my portable devices. 

posted by nic

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Blogs/NicFill/Top-15-Essential-Apps--Codecs-post-Windows-7-Install#c633676577370000000 Thu, 15 Jan 2009 23:08:57 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Blogs/NicFill/Top-15-Essential-Apps--Codecs-post-Windows-7-Install#c633676577370000000 nic Re: Top 15 Essential Apps & Codecs post Windows 7 Install Post updated with more clarification - I might need to re-work the ordering though,... hmm,...

Thanks everyone for your comments - Keep em coming Smiley

posted by nic

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Blogs/NicFill/Top-15-Essential-Apps--Codecs-post-Windows-7-Install#c633676588130000000 Thu, 15 Jan 2009 23:26:53 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Blogs/NicFill/Top-15-Essential-Apps--Codecs-post-Windows-7-Install#c633676588130000000 nic Re: Top 15 Essential Apps & Codecs post Windows 7 Install this codec or that codec? Every Windows user in the world need only install ffdshow and never think about it again. If for whatever reason you can't play nice with VLC then ffdshow is the way to go. Every codec under the sun is in there and it's lightweight and spyware/adware/nagware/crapware/shareware-free. And for HTPC setups, it even has a plethora of processing filters to make everything look as good as it can on an HDTV.

posted by kevo777

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Blogs/NicFill/Top-15-Essential-Apps--Codecs-post-Windows-7-Install#c633676748520000000 Fri, 16 Jan 2009 03:54:12 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Blogs/NicFill/Top-15-Essential-Apps--Codecs-post-Windows-7-Install#c633676748520000000 kevo777 Re: Top 15 Essential Apps & Codecs post Windows 7 Install this codec or that codec? Every Windows user in the world need only install ffdshow and never think about it again. If for whatever reason you can't play nice with VLC then ffdshow is the way to go. Every codec under the sun is in there and it's lightweight and spyware/adware/nagware/crapware/shareware-free. And for HTPC setups, it even has a plethora of processing filters to make everything look as good as it can on an HDTV.

posted by kevo777

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Blogs/NicFill/Top-15-Essential-Apps--Codecs-post-Windows-7-Install#c633676748520000000 Fri, 16 Jan 2009 03:54:12 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Blogs/NicFill/Top-15-Essential-Apps--Codecs-post-Windows-7-Install#c633676748520000000 kevo777 Re: Top 15 Essential Apps & Codecs post Windows 7 Install VPC08
SwarmPlayer
Steam
TrueCrypt

Just in general, I figure those are what lots of power-users would install.

posted by Lloyd_Humph

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Blogs/NicFill/Top-15-Essential-Apps--Codecs-post-Windows-7-Install#c633677086550000000 Fri, 16 Jan 2009 13:17:35 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Blogs/NicFill/Top-15-Essential-Apps--Codecs-post-Windows-7-Install#c633677086550000000 Lloyd_Humph Re: Top 15 Essential Apps & Codecs post Windows 7 Install VPC08
SwarmPlayer
Steam
TrueCrypt

Just in general, I figure those are what lots of power-users would install.

posted by Lloyd_Humph

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Blogs/NicFill/Top-15-Essential-Apps--Codecs-post-Windows-7-Install#c633677086550000000 Fri, 16 Jan 2009 13:17:35 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Blogs/NicFill/Top-15-Essential-Apps--Codecs-post-Windows-7-Install#c633677086550000000 Lloyd_Humph Re: Top 15 Essential Apps & Codecs post Windows 7 Install
WMP 12 doesn't play .MOV files? Strange. I thought WMP 11 already did this...

posted by quikboy

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Blogs/NicFill/Top-15-Essential-Apps--Codecs-post-Windows-7-Install#c633677439500000000 Fri, 16 Jan 2009 23:05:50 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Blogs/NicFill/Top-15-Essential-Apps--Codecs-post-Windows-7-Install#c633677439500000000 quikboy Re: Top 15 Essential Apps & Codecs post Windows 7 Install
WMP 12 doesn't play .MOV files? Strange. I thought WMP 11 already did this...

posted by quikboy

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Blogs/NicFill/Top-15-Essential-Apps--Codecs-post-Windows-7-Install#c633677439500000000 Fri, 16 Jan 2009 23:05:50 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Blogs/NicFill/Top-15-Essential-Apps--Codecs-post-Windows-7-Install#c633677439500000000 quikboy Re: Top 15 Essential Apps & Codecs post Windows 7 Install but I've been using WinRAR for years and it

@quikboy - WMP12 does play .MOV files natively but if (like I did) you run into a file that doesn't play properly,.. VLC is a good alternative. For vast majority of people wont need VLC or the Xvid or AC3 codecs as these formats are all supported in Windows 7

posted by nic

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Blogs/NicFill/Top-15-Essential-Apps--Codecs-post-Windows-7-Install#c633677477850000000 Sat, 17 Jan 2009 00:09:45 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Blogs/NicFill/Top-15-Essential-Apps--Codecs-post-Windows-7-Install#c633677477850000000 nic Re: Top 15 Essential Apps & Codecs post Windows 7 Install posted by nico

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Blogs/NicFill/Top-15-Essential-Apps--Codecs-post-Windows-7-Install#c633679658840000000 Mon, 19 Jan 2009 12:44:44 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Blogs/NicFill/Top-15-Essential-Apps--Codecs-post-Windows-7-Install#c633679658840000000 nico Re: Top 15 Essential Apps & Codecs post Windows 7 Install posted by nico

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Blogs/NicFill/Top-15-Essential-Apps--Codecs-post-Windows-7-Install#c633679658840000000 Mon, 19 Jan 2009 12:44:44 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Blogs/NicFill/Top-15-Essential-Apps--Codecs-post-Windows-7-Install#c633679658840000000 nico Re: Top 15 Essential Apps & Codecs post Windows 7 Install
@angrykeyboarder nice list - some apps on their I'm not familiar with; xnView, foobar2000,.. will check them out. I'm sticking to my guns with WinRAR though,... I'm a creature of habit Smiley

@googleman - I'll be interviewing the Win 7 video codec dev team next week - should be an interesting piece; keep your eyes and ears on Channel 10

posted by nic

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Blogs/NicFill/Top-15-Essential-Apps--Codecs-post-Windows-7-Install#c633680106520000000 Tue, 20 Jan 2009 01:10:52 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Blogs/NicFill/Top-15-Essential-Apps--Codecs-post-Windows-7-Install#c633680106520000000 nic Re: Top 15 Essential Apps & Codecs post Windows 7 Install posted by saqib

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Blogs/NicFill/Top-15-Essential-Apps--Codecs-post-Windows-7-Install#c634228408010000000 Sat, 16 Oct 2010 15:46:41 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Blogs/NicFill/Top-15-Essential-Apps--Codecs-post-Windows-7-Install#c634228408010000000 saqib Re: Top 15 Essential Apps & Codecs post Windows 7 Install posted by xuc

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Blogs/NicFill/Top-15-Essential-Apps--Codecs-post-Windows-7-Install#c634252072610000000 Sat, 13 Nov 2010 01:07:41 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Blogs/NicFill/Top-15-Essential-Apps--Codecs-post-Windows-7-Install#c634252072610000000 xuc