Manual Filters
Note, this feature has been deprecated and most of its functionality can be duplicated by using Smart Play.

DirectShow filters determine how audio/video is decoded. The filters are chained together to decode and display content. Certain filters load the media file, other filters split this data into Audio and Video streams while decoder filters decompress the data and provide Sound and Image to view and hear through Renderer filters.

Zoom Player supports 3 distinct modes of constructing a Graph for Media File playback.

The default "Disabled" setting is to let Smart Play (or Windows if smart play is disabled) decide the best method to play the file (this is the recommended setting).

The "Using Filter File" method insert filters of your choosing into the created Graph and let windows try to build the graph itself using the specified filters and any other filters it deems necessary. For information on how to create your own filters file, open "zplayer.filters" using any text editor.

The "Auto by Extension" manually defines the entire graph according to the loading file extension. The manual graph files can be found under the "MediaGraph" sub-dir within the Zoom Player folder. The "example_AVI.MediaGraph" file contains a 'how to build your own media graphs' tutorial . You shouldn't use Manual MediaGraph files unless you are absolutely sure of what you are doing, otherwise playback may not work properly.
If a MediaGraph file for a specific file extension doesn't exist, Zoom Player will let Smart Play (or Windows) choose how the file is played (same as "Disabled" option).

You can create a MediaGraph file for a specific Media file. Do this by using the same base name as the media file but with the ".MediaGraph" extension. Such a MediaGraph file is used even without the "Auto by Extension" toggle being enabled.

Filter Profiles
Zoom Player provides Filter Profiles to easily allow you to Configure, Register and Unregister DirectShow filters on your System. Profiles for common filters are included and you can easily add your own profiles by adding listings under the "ZoomPlayer\DSFilters" folder.

Merit Manager
The merit manager lists all DirectShow filters currently registered with Windows. It allows you to browse and unregister each filter.

The Merit point system determines how Windows (DirectShow) decides which filters to use when playing a Media File (Note, Smart Play overrides the merit system, so there's little need to edit a filter's merit). For example, if you have both the DIVX decoder and the FFDSHOW decoder installed, both will be vying to play the DIVX content. The filter assigned with the higher merit value is the filter used when a DIVX file is opened. By adjusting the merit values of filters, you can try resolving filter conflicts (where the wrong filter is loaded by default). Changing filter merits may not take affect until a system reboot (or logging out the current user).

Again, if you are using Smart Play, the filter merit system is ignored and there can be no filter conflicts (one of the major benefits of using Smart Play).