FFmpeg Windows: Is It Still Necessary?

In recent versions of the popular digital audio workstation, REAPER, users can now utilize Windows Media Foundation (WMF) for video encoding and decoding without needing to install FFMPEG. This is a significant development, especially for those using Windows 10 or 11, as WMF is built into these operating systems.

To verify whether you need to install FFMPEG, navigate to REAPER's Preferences menu and select the Video tab. Click on the Render window and look for the FFMPEG video decoder information. If it appears, then you likely don't require FFMPEG anymore.

However, if you still want to use FFMPEG, you can do so by extracting the ffmpeg-release-full-shared.7z file from the downloaded ZIP folder using 7-Zip or a similar compression tool. Once extracted, copy the DLL files and paste them into REAPER's UserPlugins folder.

For those who prefer not to install FFMPEG, there is an alternative VLC decoder available for playing back video in REAPER (64-bit). This option provides a convenient way to play back videos without needing to rely on FFMPEG.

It's worth noting that even with the availability of WMF, FFMPEG remains a popular and powerful tool for various audio and video operations. If you're interested in exploring its capabilities, you can download the latest version (4.4) from the official website.

In conclusion, while WMF provides an alternative solution for video encoding and decoding, FFMPEG is still a valuable tool for those who need more advanced features or want to maintain compatibility with older systems.

Ffmpeg windows