Tutorials > Play RAR files

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#401164 by Metroid (Power User) at 2005-10-03 23:11:24 (7 years ago) - [Report]

Ok. This is it. You always wonder how to "play" RAR files without extract the movie. Because you dont have enough space to decompress, because you dont want to decompress the file, etc.

First at all, make sure that you have all the codecs to play any movie. If you dont know if you have all the codecs and you dont want waste time, just download one of the so called codec packs (Like K-LiteCodecPack, etc)

You will need:
the player (MPlayer, required,FREEWARE/Open Source/GPL v2)
WinRAR (required/installed)
Codecs (installed)
SFV checker (optional)

Here is your solution:

Download the player
You can get the player from two places:
here (Preferred, it has the last compiled version, and it has the smaller version (1) (if you are out of space, every byte counts) but its slow)
or here (doesnt have the last compiled version, has the 'big' one (2) but its the 'official')

Install the player
I think that you will not have any troubles to do this part

I just recommend to deselect all the associations, except the Start Menu Shotcuts (just in case that you have another player you likes)
Just one note, to avoid any trouble in the future use the default directory to install.

Play the RAR file
Once you have this player installed go to its directory that you will see a .bat file.
This is the file that you will use to play RARed movies. The file is named as: "play_rar.bat".
and it contains this:

Quote:

"C:\Program Files\WinRAR\unrar.exe" p -inul "%1" | "C:\Program Files\MPlayer\mplayer_cygwin.exe" -

As you can see it have the default directory, thats why I said above to avoid 'troubles'.
If you have installed MPlayer on another folder just edit the .bat file with the right path.
In case that you edit the file if see a look a little closer you will see a '-' (without the qoutes). This is (very important) and you dont have to miss that character. If you forget that '-' the player wont work.
The only thing that is left is play the file. (before you do this remember to check the rar files with any SFV checker)

Open your explorer

Go to the movie directory

Right click on the rar file (or the .000 file)

Open with...

Choose Program...

Browse

Go where the .bat file is.

Enjoy!

Notes:
(1)Standard MinGW build
(2)release compiled for Windows libavcodec, FAAD, XviD, Matroska and Ogg support

Tutorial by Metroid (here on TorrentBytes)
Thanks to Szécsi Gábor (aka Deje) (MPlayer Starter Frontend) and negge to send me the Kolla.pa.dina.RARade file

)

#401210 by unknown[58833] at 2005-10-03 23:42:29 (7 years ago) - [Report]

Very interesting

Thanks for posting :thumbsup:

#401215 by unknown[46624] at 2005-10-03 23:43:26 (7 years ago) - [Report]

for those of you using a *nix or *bsd you can use fifo's too

you need rar or unrar, mplayer or vlc installed on your box

in your terminal (with bash running here) type in

<# rar l rarfile.rar

it will print out some information on what is inside this rar file. also the name of the movie.. let's call it movie.avi
now we make a fifo called that name and extract it into it.

<# mkfifo movie.avi # rar x rarfile.rar movie.avi

rar will ask you if you want to overwrite the file since it is our fifo you can say yes. after that rar will start extracting but then does nothing but wait. now you can use your favourite movie player and open the movi.avi fifo and watch the movie.
in the end you can terminate the rar process wir ctrl-c if it's still running and delete the fifo.

but actually with mplayer you can use the method explained by metroid too
<# rar p -inul rarfile.rar | mplayer -
this also works throu ssh if you have your rared movies somewhere on a box in your basement
<# ssh box.in.basement.com rar p -inul rarfile.rar | mplayer -

thanks metroid for the tutorial and for inspiring me to post my knowledge too

#401287 by zxspectrum Donor

('8-bit power') at 2005-10-04 00:57:23 (7 years ago) - [Report]

I've been using VLC media player till now and never had to install any codec packs (to play rar files). Is this a better option?

#401336 by Metroid (Power User) at 2005-10-04 01:43:27 (7 years ago) - [Report]

zxspectrum wrote:

I've been using VLC media player till now and never had to install any codec packs (to play rar files). Is this a better option?

VLC never work for me playing rar files... And as I said in my 1st post, you needs the codecs installed. If you have all the codecs, then you dont needs to install anything. (I recommend, if you dont have any idea what you have installed, install a codec pack)

#401337 by unknown[39506] at 2005-10-04 01:43:45 (7 years ago) - [Report]

Well zxspectrum, No not a better option.

I fail to see why the person thinks you need to install codecs. As Mplayer just as VideoLan installs all the codecs you need and more(Windows). So there would be no difference using any other of these programs. Actully installing the codec packs when you already have a superior program such as Mplayer or Videolan will probably cause more harm then good. Example: conflicting Xvid codecs might cause stuff like laggy picture or explorer.exe crashes.

#401364 by zxspectrum Donor

('8-bit power') at 2005-10-04 02:18:58 (7 years ago) - [Report]

From what I was told, VLC doesn't add codecs to the system directory. It has all necessary codecs built-in. And it can play any media file inside a rar, unless the rar is compressed (which is against the scene rules).

If Mplayer can play compressed rar files, I'll definitely gonna use it :yes:

#401370 by unknown[39506] at 2005-10-04 02:33:00 (7 years ago) - [Report]

Ofcourse i am not saying that either VideoLan or Mplayer add codecs to the system directory. I was merly pointing out that these codec packs often can become more a pain in the butt then helping you.

I didn't say you said that. Sorry that I didn't express myself correctly. I agree with you. Some experienced users, like Metroid, will uncheck the problematic codecs before installing a codec pack, but unfortunately most users will install everything, including 'bad' codecs, and then the problems come. :-/

But let's go back to his original intention: to play rar files. I'm going to try the Mplayer, but I will not install any extra codec in my system.

Last edited by zxspectrum at 2005-10-04 05:24:54

#401545 by unknown[7680] at 2005-10-04 07:43:36 (7 years ago) - [Report]

Does it just start playing right away? How does this work?

#401569 by unknown[89414] at 2005-10-04 08:34:23 (7 years ago) - [Report]

ah sweet

#401756 by negge (Power User) at 2005-10-04 12:55:50 (7 years ago) - [Report]

Moridin wrote:

MPC (what you call Mplayer) doesn't install any codec on it's own, it has built-in codecs for MPEG files but if you want to watch an XviD file you need to install a codec for it. But VideoLAN uses it's own codecs. Although I don't recommend using codec packs, if you don't know how to install a codec you shouldn't be downloading movies at all, it's a must-know for everyone who watches movies on their computer.

Great guide by the way, I see you got it all working well :yes:

#401833 by unknown[86152] at 2005-10-04 13:58:20 (7 years ago) - [Report]

About playing rar-files with VLC:
I've tried to drag a .rar-file directly into vlc (a dvdr release). It works, but it hacks between the rarfiles. So i made a BAT-file, just as metroid:
< "C:\Program Files\WinRAR\Rar.exe" p -inul %1 | "C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\vlc.exe" -
Note the "-" in the end, it's important.
With this batch, it runs smoothly. Note that you cannot move in the movie, like rewind and so on.
Also, u can place this bat-file on the desktop, and just drag any rar-files into it.
It's nice

#402011 by Metroid (Power User) at 2005-10-04 16:48:59 (7 years ago) - [Report]

zxspectrum wrote:

If Mplayer can play compressed rar files, I'll definitely gonna use it :yes:

Can play any type of compressed rar files... Doesnt matters if its solid/with authenticity/best compresion/etc. There are no limits

Last edited by Metroid at 2005-10-05 03:11:43

#402033 by unknown[39506] at 2005-10-04 17:12:10 (7 years ago) - [Report]

negge wrote:

Moridin wrote:

Mplayer what i call Mplayer because its named Mplayer is just like VideoLan uses its own codecs(if you get it from the offical webpage). Basicly i would not say that either VideoLan or Mplayer is a better or worse option. But VideoLan has a GUI in windows and Mplayer does not, so if you want your GUI use VideoLan.

Altough i don't want to get off topic. I was not talking about installing codecs. The problem is actully removing codecs. For example uninstalling a codec pack wont do much good. You still must clean up your windows directory for all the files that is left.

And yes great guide, sorry for straying off topic.

#402608 by zxspectrum Donor

('8-bit power') at 2005-10-04 23:30:14 (7 years ago) - [Report]

Thanks for the guide Metroid :yes:

#402984 by unknown[30033] at 2005-10-05 07:42:44 (7 years ago) - [Report]

Moridin wrote:

well, Mplayer can have a gui. you just need a frontend which creates a gui for the Mplayer. for ex. hxxp://www-user.tu-chemnitz.de/~mfie/index.php?software=mpui. it uses an older version of Mplayer but you can also dl the newest version and just copy and paste into the correct folder of the frontend.

nice guide Metroid

[edit] but i must say this. codec packs usually do more harm than good (causing conflicts as such). installing only the codecs that are needed individually is usually the better the way to go, IMHO. and VLC is one powerful piece of software. basically plays anything you shoot at its way. and for playing rars, its as easy as drag and drop. (drag any rar into VLC and voila)

#403106 by unknown[51971] at 2005-10-05 11:23:47 (7 years ago) - [Report]

Nice, but it still feels like a cheap hack.

#403218 by negge (Power User) at 2005-10-05 13:11:31 (7 years ago) - [Report]

No no no no! MPlayer can't play AVI files without the proper codecs, don't you think I've tried? At least not MPC, which is what I'm talking about, but that's the same thing isn't it? Sorry if I'm wrong.

#403389 by unknown[50698] at 2005-10-05 15:09:08 (7 years ago) - [Report]

negge wrote:

MPC = Media Player Classic, not MPlayer..

Real MPlayer

#408223 by negge (Power User) at 2005-10-08 15:35:05 (7 years ago) - [Report]

drnkrd wrote:

negge wrote:

MPC = Media Player Classic, not MPlayer..

Real MPlayer

Sorry dude.

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