DVD Decoder

[Boxer]

CRAP! I got my DVD player working, now it says I need a DVD decoder...or an MPEG-2 decoder. Are these the same thing?

Can someone point me to a good freeware or shareware decoder so I can watch a movie.

Please.

[DSKYZD]

You might find a decent freeware player at CNET downloads:

http://www.download.com/sort/3120-20_4- ... ayer&ca=20

[maduko]

Are you trying to burn a video on to the DVD?

Or pull a video off a DVD?

[Boxer]

Neither. I was just wanted to play a damn movie.

I ended up today just freeing up that $15 that wanted out of my wallet, and downloaded a player that apparently includes all the decoders, etc....Cause now it works, albeit a little jerky....Don't like that.

The Windows media player didn't have the neccessary decoders to do anything challenging like play a movie.

[maduko]

Usually a drive will come bundled with some software including a DVD player app. My Pioneer drive came with a Nero CD that is pretty handy.

Typically that stuff is crippled software and pretty worthless. But it might be worth a look?

[Caol]

You may also wish to try VLC. It is a free (as in beer) multimedia player.

[Beemeridian]

7896

[hirsty]

+1 for VLC, it rocks & should be installed on all PCs and Macs as Job #1.

[Doug]

+1 more for vlc. There is a version for Mac and PC.
http://www.videolan.org/vlc/

[Boxer]

I downloaded VLC and installed it. It actually works better than the decoders I bought for $15 to get Windows Media Player to work with my DVD player.
However, there are two settings for DVD. One for the menu driven version and a "simple" version where everything just plays from the start without the menus. When I try to use the menu version, it gets all grumpy and the sound is slightly garbled..Then when I switch to the "simple" version all is well. Not bad for free, but still not working like it's supposed to. Maybe my sound card or video card...or both, are obsolete!
But at least now I can watch my "Lonesome Dove" DVD.

[Doug]

Sounds like maybe your computer hardware cant keep up. Try closing some programs, and uninstalling apps that are "resident" in memory once windows loads (like instant messenger type apps, or quicktime). Its possible you just need more memory as well.

[R4R&R]

I watch movies on my TV/DVD player. I use my computer for using up all of my free time on websites like this one. I don't watch too many movies!