DVD Codec

[Shwing]

I just received a new slightly used laptop running XP. I want to be able to watch DVD's on it but it doesn't have the DVD Codec to play them. this is odd as other laptops I've had never had an issue with palying movies. Where do I get a DVD Codec (free)???

[mullo]

Do you need the player or codec? For the codecs try nimo codec pack or all codec pack..... Both free.

[jpways]

I have to agree, if you just have a CD drive on your laptop no codex is going to make a DVD play, because a CD drive has no way to read the multiple layers on a DVD disc. If you have a DVD-ROM or DVD-RW drive in your laptop, you shouldn't need any additional software to play the disc, Media Player should be able to play the DVD (Similarly if you're trying to play a Blu-Ray it won't work on any drive that isn't a Blu-Ray disc player, which unless you've purchased your computer in the last year or two and chose the Blu-Ray upgrade, since it's still not a standard option on laptops).

[orangezero]

You could get both with a program called videolan, or otherwise known as vlc. Sometimes it isn't perfect with dvd folder structure, but it almost always plays them and it is free and simple to install.

[Shwing]

thanks for the responses. I tried Videolan but had problems. I could get the movie to play but it was all pixelated and unwatchable- tried a few different discs...

??

[DragonLensmanWV]

thanks for the responses. I tried Videolan but had problems. I could get the movie to play but it was all pixelated and unwatchable- tried a few different discs...

??

Your hardware might not be up to the job. You do have a DVD drive, right?

[Shwing]

Hiya guys, Wayne

:-}

It's purchased from a locate college as it was being fazed out, but was never used- I know peeps...

However, it has a DVD/ CD-ROM drive (working properly according to 'properties') by Compal: a TSB24H1

I've tried the usual, such as 'troubleshooter' in 'properties' no joy. I can get a 'digital' copy installed and to play, but not directly from the
DVD player...

I'm not a novice, but I can't figure this out...

[DragonLensmanWV]

Hiya guys, Wayne

:-}

It's purchased from a locate college as it was being fazed out, but was never used- I know peeps...

However, it has a DVD/ CD-ROM drive (working properly according to 'properties') by Compal: a TSB24H1

I've tried the usual, such as 'troubleshooter' in 'properties' no joy. I can get a 'digital' copy installed and to play, but not directly from the
DVD player...

I'm not a novice, but I can't figure this out...

Ok, try this.

Download and run this media codec pack.
http://download.cnet.com/Media-Playe...-10749065.html

download and install Divx
http://www.divx.com/en/win/7

and Xvid
http://www.xvid.org/

Download and install CCleaner.
http://download.cnet.com/ccleaner/?tag=mncol

analyze and run the clean tool, then the registry cleaner.

Defragment your drive (overnight is best unless you have a 3rd party defragmenter like PerfectDisk, which is way faster than the built-in defragmenter)

Reboot, then try playing the DVD.

That should get Media Player to play the DVDs, or you can try a third-party free DVD player like this.
http://download.cnet.com/AV-DVD-Play...html?tag=mncol

Good luck!

If that doesn't work, you likely have a bad DVD drive.

[ontop]

I believe the DVD drive of his(her) laptop is very good. A lot of people do not know that
Microsoft Media player can not play a DVD disk directly.
It need the codec called cyberlink that can play the DVD. But it is not provided with Media player by Microsoft because there is license fee. Microsoft does not provide codec software.
A lot of laptop producers bought the cyberlink license and provide with the laptop that alomost all customers don't know that. They believe their Media Player can play DVD without codec.
My suggestion is download vlc that can play back DVD.
http://www.videolan.org/mirror-geo.p....0.3-win32.exe


Good luck!

Jason

http://www.medcyber.ca

[orangezero]

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

I do not think most software handle DVDs all that properly typically. I've always had better luck playing DVDs in videolan by clicking on the individual files rather than going through the dvd menus.

media player classic is also supposed to work with dvds.

Shouldn't need xvid, divx, or anything else mentioned above to play dvd discs.. ccleaner can cause problems for people who don't know what they are doing.

[Shwing]

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

THAT nailed it! Works perfectly.

Thanks all!

Ian

[frankingmachine4u]

Hello, i use MPC star. You will be able to watch movies and listen to your favorite music in any format. No hassle plus its totally fee.

[Geirskogul]

No, you need the Combined Community Codec Pack (www.cccp-project.net). Does everything. EVERYTHING. More codecs than VLC and all are tuned to play nice with each other.