software to "decode" a dvd on XP

[tab75-13]

Hi,

I usually don't post to this forum because I am a MAC user. (please hold the rocks). While my computer is making a visit to Apple, I have access to my spouse's laptop (I beleive it's a pentium III). When I inserted a dvd to play in it (it has recently received an upgrade from Wilndows Me to XP), neither the windows media player, nor real video's player could play the dvd, with the computer saying that it lacks the software to play the dvd. I know this computer's drive is supposed to be able to play a dvd. The PC laptop is a HP with I am pretty sure Pentium III chip. What software should I install (it should preferably be free) in order to get the DVD to play in the computer. BTW, the dvd was made in a Mac. It plays in a standalone player, so it should also play on this computer, right? Please let me know how lacking in my assessments I am. I usually ask these kinds of inane questions on the Mac forum; I hope you guys will be as nice as they are.

Thanks much,

Tab

[thecoalman]

You need a mpeg2 codec which comes with any DVD playing software....

Edit: that's a auto link not mine.

[DVDDave]

you need to install an app like power dvd, or win dvd.

[ZippyP.]

Media Player Classic gets good reviews and it's free.

[ZAPPER]

Just talking out of my er... Anyways if the laptop has a DVD drive, there should be some sort of player app onboard already. Check to see that all of the windows components or software titles are installed that may affect the drive. If there are none, then you can pick one from the left of this page under tools then video players. If you can play a store bought or commercial DVD and not a DVD-R/RW you have a little bit more trouble. My laptop wouldn't reconize a DVD-R for like the first three times that I put it in the drive, and now somehow it does without me changing anything. Go figure?

[tab75-13]

Guys,

Thanks for the advice. I downloaded the Media Player Classic and installed it. The DvD plays in it but choppily--it's a rented version of "Collateral," not a DVD-R. I think the reason that it's playing slowly because my machine is running slow now, burdened as it is by XP when it was designed for Me. I haven't tried the dvd-r in it yet, but I think the results would be the same, a hesitating play, almost as if the video is in slow motion. Not only do I have XP loaded onto the computer, MS Office has also been installed. I don't think there's a lot of room left on this machine, which I recall is only 10G in size. But I'll check on that.

Anyhow thank you again for being so forthcoming to a former PC user who's forgotten sort of what it feels like.
Thanks,

Tab

[ZAPPER]

The hardrive size shouldn't affect the playing from a DVD drive. 10BG makes me think that it is an older laptop with a slower chip thats all. You may be able to improve playback by closing background programs (if a laptop even lets many run) and tweaking some settings. Oh I don't know, maybe screen size, hardware acceleration, closing wireless connections, what have you.

Good Luck and enjoy the movie!

[tab75-13]

Yeah, the movie was awesome. missed half the dialog because it seems to be said under one's breath half the time; wish i had the old PB hndy so i could rip it, so i could watch it again.
I do have a wireless running on it continuosly, so you're probably right that's probably slowing things down a bit.

Michael Mann's the Man.
peace and thanks,

Tab.