[alecmg]

Do you know how Media Player Classic solved the same problem?

I definitely remember the struggle with codec packs, then a breth of fresh air when ffmpeg codecs would solve most formats, and then just like that forgetting all codec issues by using MPC.

[icebraining]

Media Player Classic usually came in the same installer as a bundle of codecs (like K-Lite), so you likely installed the two at once, but the model is still different from VLC, in that the codecs get independently installed into the system media framework, not embedded in the player.

[aepiepaey]

You used to need separate codecs for MPC, but for a long time now it (at least MPC-HC) ships with LAV Splitters and LAV Filters, removing that need.