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Aug 18, 2026
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MPC Raw Video Splitter is a free open-source DirectShow filter from the MPC-BE project that lets Windows media players open raw video streams with no container around them, including H.264, HEVC, VVC, AV1, MPEG and Y4M files.
MPC Raw Video Splitter is a small free filter that lets Windows media players open raw video streams - files that hold the video and nothing else, with no container wrapped around them.
It comes from the MPC-BE project, is open source under the GPL, and the current build is 1.9.1.19 at 725KB.
One thing to be clear about first: it is a splitter, not a decoder.
That means it unpacks the stream and hands it to whatever decoder you already have installed. If you have never installed one, install LAV Filters alongside it and the pair will cover almost everything.
The Files This Actually Opens
A raw stream is what comes out of an encoder or a capture chip before anything wraps it in MP4 or MKV. There are no timestamps, no index and often no file extension worth trusting, which is why most players refuse them.
| Stream type | Usual extensions | Where files like this come from |
|---|---|---|
| H.264 / AVC | .h264, .264 | Encoder output, IP cameras, capture chips |
| HEVC / H.265 | .hevc, .265 | x265 and hardware encoder output, drone and action-cam dumps |
| H.266 / VVC | .vvc, .266 | Test encodes and early VVC tooling |
| MPEG-1 and MPEG-2 video | .m1v, .m2v, .mpv | DVD and broadcast workflows, demuxed discs |
| MPEG-4 Visual | .m4v elementary streams | Older encoders and phone hardware |
| VC-1 | .vc1 | Blu-ray and Windows Media era encodes |
| AV1 | .obu | AV1 encoder output before packaging |
| IVF | .ivf | VP8, VP9 and AV1 test clips |
| Y4M (YUV4MPEG2) | .y4m | Uncompressed frames written by FFmpeg, AviSynth and encoder pipelines |
The Y4M row is the only genuinely uncompressed one, and it works because a Y4M file states its own width, height and frame rate in a short text header. Mono, 4:2:0, 4:1:1, 4:2:2, 4:4:4 and 10-bit 4:2:0 are all read.
The CCTV and DVR Case
One group of files deserves its own mention, because nothing else on the site covers them. Several Chinese DVR brands export recordings as an H.264 stream hidden behind a short proprietary header, and every normal player rejects the result.
This filter detects three of those layouts - Polyvision PVDR, LTV-DVR and the 264DV variant - skips the header and finds the first real frame. If you have been handed security footage that no player will touch, this is the cheapest thing to try before converting anything.
What It Will Not Open
The tell is a file with no header at all. A bare .yuv, .rgb or NV12 dump is nothing but pixel values, with no record of the width, height, frame rate or colour layout anywhere inside it.
No filter can guess those, so no DirectShow player will ever open one on its own. You have to supply the numbers yourself, which is a job for FFmpeg on the command line, telling it the size and pixel format before it can convert the file into something playable.
It also will not help with camera footage that is already in a container, or with anything DRM-protected. If you are unsure what your file actually contains, our Codec Finder will tell you before you install anything.
Installing It and What to Pair It With
Run the installer and restart your player. The filter registers itself with Windows, sits above the default handlers in priority, and needs no configuration.
It slots into MPC-BE most naturally, since that is where it comes from, but any DirectShow player will use it - MPC-HC included.
For playback quality, MPC Video Renderer handles the display side with GPU acceleration. If you would rather install one package and stop thinking about it, K-Lite Codec Pack covers decoders, splitters and renderers together.
The rest of the same family is worth knowing about, because they solve the same class of problem for other file types. AVI Splitter repairs broken and part-downloaded AVI files, and Matroska Splitter does the MKV side.
CDXA Reader covers burnt SVCD and XCD discs, and DirectVobSub adds external subtitle rendering to any of it.
For hardware-level format support rather than filters, the HEVC Video Extension and the AV1 Codec add HEVC and AV1 to Windows apps that use Media Foundation instead of DirectShow.
Already running a codec pack? Check before you install. This filter ships inside some bundles, and the full per-filter list is on the X Codec Pack filter reference.
The Other Meaning of RAW
Worth separating, because the same word covers two unrelated things. Raw video streams are compressed video with no container, while camera RAW is unprocessed sensor data from a stills camera - CR2, NEF, ARW, DNG.
This filter does nothing for the second kind. For those you want the Canon RAW Codec or the Adobe DNG Codec.
Our guide to Understanding RAW Image Formats covers the photography side properly, including what CR2, NEF and ARW files are and how to process them.
Camera-native raw video is a third thing again, and Apple ProRes RAW for Windows is what handles that on this platform. If the distinction between codecs and containers is what is tripping you up, how codecs and containers fit together explains it without jargon.
Quick questions
What is a raw video file?
It is the video stream on its own, with no container around it to hold timing, an index or an audio track. Encoders and capture hardware produce these before anything wraps them in MP4 or MKV.
Do I still need a codec after installing this?
Yes. This filter only unpacks the stream and passes it on, so a decoder such as LAV Filters or a codec pack has to be present for anything to appear on screen.
Why will my .yuv file still not open?
Because a bare YUV or RGB dump carries no header, so nothing can know its width, height or frame rate. Convert it with FFmpeg, supplying those values yourself, and the result will play anywhere.
Does it handle H.266 and AV1?
Yes to both. It recognises H.266/VVC streams and AV1 OBU streams, as well as AV1, VP8 and VP9 inside IVF files.
Do I need it if I already have a codec pack?
Possibly not, since some packs include it. Check your installed filters first, and only add it if raw streams still fail to open.
Is it safe to install?
It is open source under the GPL and comes from the MPC-BE project, so the code is public and the download is a 724KB filter with no bundled extras.
There is more of this kind of thing in the rest of the Video Codecs category if you are still hunting for the right piece.
Download MPC Raw Video Splitter 1.9.1.19 and see whether it opens your file, or write the first review if it does - nobody has reviewed it yet.
