DVD decoder for XP pro?

[Three Lefts]

I have a fairly new PC (Dell Inspiron 9400) running XP pro. I recently
bought a DVD for my grandkids entitled Noodlebug. I was planning on
playing it on my laptop.

I put the DVD in the drive and was surprised that it did not start
right up.

I opened up My Computer and right-clicked on the DVD icon (drive D
and selected the play option . I got a message saying "Windows Media
Player cannot play the DVD because a compatible DVD decoder is not
installed on my computer". When I click on the Help button I am taken
to this Microsoft web page:

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/wi...fffffff&version=11.0.5721.5230&userlocale=409

There, I am told that I may need to purchase a compatible DVD decoder
(or MPEG-2 decoder) and offered a link to a place where I can buy one:

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/player/plugins.aspx#DVDDecoder

There I am offered a number of choices. One of then is Roxio. I have
been using a copy of Roxio that came with the Dell machine to burn
DVDs and CDs. I started it up and it recognized the DVD, but when I
click on the Video button, the only option I get is Upgrade.

So, it looks like XP Pro does not come with software that can play
this DVD. If I look at the contents of teh DVD, I see a bunch of files
with filetypes of .BUP, .IFO, and .VOB, 76 in all.

It's annoying that XP Pro doesn't have even a a simple player
installed.

So if I am going to have to buy more software, I would prefer not to
give it to Bill G. Can anyone recommend anything? Should I upgrade my
copy of Roxio? I don't need anything too fancy. Reliable is good. Need
not be free.

Thanks

 

[Tony]

You need one of the later versions of divx pro (a codec). Just download it and don't worry about trying to register it the pro version is
for encoding as well as decoding. Do a search for divx pro and install it then the dvd thing will play. Also you may consider using
"power dvd deluxe" from a warez site. very, very good for playing dvd's. So install divx pro and use power dvd deluxe from a warez site.

 

[Poster Matt]

You need one of the later versions of divx pro (a codec). Just download it and don't worry about trying to register it the pro version is
for encoding as well as decoding. Do a search for divx pro and install it then the dvd thing will play. Also you may consider using
"power dvd deluxe" from a warez site. very, very good for playing dvd's. So install divx pro and use power dvd deluxe from a warez site.

Tony is not quite right, I'm 98% sure that divx will not decode a
commercially encrypted DVD (EG. a movie on DVD that you've bought). I'm
fairly sure (if Tony says so) that divx includes a MPEG2 decoder that
will play non-commercially encrypted DVDs, just not the commercial ones.

I was astounded to find the same thing as Three Lefts when installing
XP, commercial DVD decoding is an amazing omission for XP. When I
mentioned it to my brother, a dedicated Mac user, he just laughed.

Personally I use an excellent bit of software called Intervideo WinDVD
Platinum 8.0 to play my commercially encoded DVDs. It is superior in my
opinion to Power DVD, which I used to use. However many users complain
WinDVD takes an age to load, which was true on my old not too powerful
PC (as much as 30-60 seconds!!), but is not true for my new v.speedy
machine on which it loads in about 5 seconds. If this is an issue for
you go for Power DVD, which is decent, if not then WinDVD which is
superior in my opinion.

As far as I know there are no free applications that will decode and
play commercially-encoded DVDs - this is because MPEG-2 encryption is a
proprietary standard and requires licensing from software developers.

ffdshow, a large collection of video and audio codecs, is a better bet
than divx, url below. It incorporates many video standards including
MPEG-2, divx, xvid, and many, many, more into a single install, and is
really a very good bit of freeware. It won't decode commercial DVDs
though, but will play pretty much anything else so is worthy of an
install regardless.

ffdshow:
http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=173941

If you require further help on this or similar issues I'll gladly help.
However videohelp, url below, is a wealth of info. tools, guides, etc.,
along with a very helpful and active forum.

http://www.videohelp.com/

HTH.

 

[spring]

think that how it accidentally worked on mine

i use VLC for most things and it plays dvds

put one in the other day and media player sprang into life much to my
suprise



You need one of the later versions of divx pro (a codec). Just download it
and don't worry about trying to register it the pro version is
for encoding as well as decoding. Do a search for divx pro and install it
then the dvd thing will play. Also you may consider using
"power dvd deluxe" from a warez site. very, very good for playing dvd's. So
install divx pro and use power dvd deluxe from a warez site.

 

[bertieboy]

You need one of the later versions of divx pro (a codec). Just download
it and don't worry about trying to register it the pro version is
for encoding as well as decoding. Do a search for divx pro and install
it then the dvd thing will play. Also you may consider using
"power dvd deluxe" from a warez site. very, very good for playing
dvd's. So install divx pro and use power dvd deluxe from a warez site.

Does using Divx require a Divx compatible DVD drive?

 

[spring]

no , just a standard dvd drive

there is no such thing as a divx drive - but there are mains dvd players
some of which are divx

You need one of the later versions of divx pro (a codec). Just download
it and don't worry about trying to register it the pro version is
for encoding as well as decoding. Do a search for divx pro and install
it then the dvd thing will play. Also you may consider using
"power dvd deluxe" from a warez site. very, very good for playing
dvd's. So install divx pro and use power dvd deluxe from a warez site.

Does using Divx require a Divx compatible DVD drive?

 

[bertieboy]

no , just a standard dvd drive

there is no such thing as a divx drive - but there are mains dvd players
some of which are divx
Does using Divx require a Divx compatible DVD drive?

So it is just a codec then? Thanks.

 

[spring]

yes - just a codec

http://www.divx.com/

the free download is what u want

they have other bits that you can pay for included but the codec is free

xvid is the open systems sort of equivelant - http://www.xvid.org/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xvid

this codec lark is a whole subject initself

http://www.free-codecs.com/download/K_Lite_Codec_Pack.htm

or if your into using a diff media player - try
http://www.videolan.org/vlc/

it copes with divx and most stuff on its own

and dvds

its about 9 meg

no , just a standard dvd drive

there is no such thing as a divx drive - but there are mains dvd players
some of which are divx
Does using Divx require a Divx compatible DVD drive?

So it is just a codec then? Thanks.