Which Video Decoder Do I Need For Media PLayer 10?

[John Gregory]

I can't believe how entangled I've become in DVD's, CD's, burning, ripping,
swearing. it's a world almost foreign to me. My question concerns video
decoders for Windows Media Player 10. I've been directed by Dell (assembler
of my machine) to a web page that lists 4; I don't know which to choose.
Listed here
(http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/mp10/getmore/plugins.aspx#DVDDecoder
) are 1) CinPlayer DVD Decoder, 2) DVD XPack for Windows XP, 3) Nvidia DVD
Decoder, and 4) PowerDVD SE for Windows XP



My video card is made by Nvidia but I don't have surround sound; just two
stereo speakers. Didn't think I'd ever need the other two. (Wrong again!)
But I can buy 'em if really necessary.



My questions are:



A) Which of these four should I download and install? It
looks like I have to buy these puppies. damn it. The only reason I have
Media Player 10 on my system is because a window popped up to tell me it was
available and recommended I download it. I thought it was just an upgrade
that would require little maintenance on my part. Little did I know I'd get
wrapped up into buying decoders to go with it. I don't even watch anything
on Player expect software instructions and video clippings occasionally
embedded in the news articles that get clipped by a service I use.

B) What's the optimum number I'd need to cover the most
bases and if more than the one in A above, what should be made default?

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

NVIDIA PureVideo Decoder - 30 Day Free Trial
http://www.nvidia.com/object/dvd_decoder.html

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows - Shell/User
Microsoft Community Newsgroups
news://msnews.microsoft.com/

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

:

| I can't believe how entangled I've become in DVD's, CD's, burning, ripping,
| swearing. it's a world almost foreign to me. My question concerns video
| decoders for Windows Media Player 10. I've been directed by Dell (assembler
| of my machine) to a web page that lists 4; I don't know which to choose.
| Listed here
| (http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/mp10/getmore/plugins.aspx#DVDDecoder
| ) are 1) CinPlayer DVD Decoder, 2) DVD XPack for Windows XP, 3) Nvidia DVD
| Decoder, and 4) PowerDVD SE for Windows XP
|
|
|
| My video card is made by Nvidia but I don't have surround sound; just two
| stereo speakers. Didn't think I'd ever need the other two. (Wrong again!)
| But I can buy 'em if really necessary.
|
|
|
| My questions are:
|
|
|
| A) Which of these four should I download and install? It
| looks like I have to buy these puppies. damn it. The only reason I have
| Media Player 10 on my system is because a window popped up to tell me it was
| available and recommended I download it. I thought it was just an upgrade
| that would require little maintenance on my part. Little did I know I'd get
| wrapped up into buying decoders to go with it. I don't even watch anything
| on Player expect software instructions and video clippings occasionally
| embedded in the news articles that get clipped by a service I use.
|
| B) What's the optimum number I'd need to cover the most
| bases and if more than the one in A above, what should be made default?

 

[John Gregory]

Thanks, Carey. Am I right to assume "things" won't work right unless I
install this driver? I seldom pull up media player by itself other than to
listen to the radio. Am I right in thinking I need the decoder 'cause some
of the news clippings will be video and they won't play without this NVIDIA
decoder?

 

[zachd [ms]]

No - the nVidia DVD decoder would *only* be needed for DVD content and not
for any other video content. Unless of course that other video content was
MPEG2. =)

--
(speaking for myself and doing this in my free time)
See http://zachd.com/pss/pss.html for some helpful WMP info.
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
Now Playing: "Morning Bell/Amnesiac" by "Radiohead" in WMP10.