Author: Marvman
Date Created:  05.01.2011
 

On the web there are plenty videos packed/stored with the rar file compressor (7-Zip, winrar etc.) Those kind of "video files" can also be played directly with MediaPortal.

To play the rar files seamless in MediaPortal, it needs a so called DirectShow filter. RARFileSource is such a filter and have to be used for our purpose.

Limitations

• The video file within the rar file MUST be stored NOT compressed (most videos are just stored)
• Not all video formats are supported by the filter (example: iso/img)

Download

• original source from OctaneSnail (developer of the filter)
• a further development of Team MediaPortal

Installation

To install this DirectShow filter you have to do these simple steps.

1. unpack the filter
2. register the RARFileSource.ax
   1. open the command shell (cmd.exe) with admin rights
   2. type regsvr32 [PATH]\RARFileSource.ax ([PATH] is the path of the folder where the RARFileSource.ax is stored)
   3. Now a dialog should come up, that the register was successful
3. add the *.rar extension in MediaPortal Configuration (video->video extensions ->insert "rar"->add