Setting up Media PC

Got Windows 7 going and Media Center. Installed Cyberlink PowerDVD 10 OEM Blu Ray edition.

Now installing DVD Decrypter and HandBrake.

Ripped successfully, and converted to MP4/AC3 using HandBrake.

After installing AC3Filter, Media Player plays the file. Media Player Classic Home Theatre installed, and confirms that audio is AC3. But still won't play in Media Center - just flickers screen and comes back to the menu.

Media Player Classic Home Theatre wants very latest DirectX 10 End User Runtime - so installed from Microsoft. Still no difference in Media Center, but MPCHT runs without an error dialog now.

Should install Media Player Vis's from Microsoft, or Twisted Pixel gets good reviews.

Used HandBrake to encode an mp4 with (downmixed) AAC and AC3 sound - original one I did was AC3 only, maybe that's it. Yup, now that mp4 plays using "Normal" preset in HandBrake. Shouldn't have removed the AAC audio track!

Installed 'ffdshow tryout', a free codec package. Interestingly it allows to set the priority of its codec for DirectShow, and to see stats of its operation. But no stats appear in video OR sound sections when trying to or actually playing videos.

Can apparently use DirectShow Filter Manager to set the 'merit' of each codec, a problem which is well described here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DirectShow#Codec_hell. Also GSpot for identifying what is actually in a file, and thus what codecs are required.