Crummy Playback with Windows Media Player

[zakman]

Hi everyone,

Whenever I try playing a DVD or mpeg2 file on windows media player, it looks pretty crummy -- very pixelated, sometimes blotchy, etc. It's bad enough that I really doubt that most people experience such poor playback or MS would be doing something about it. Other movies I download from the web (like movie trailers) look fine. I have tried other players and some of them are ok, but I don't like their interfaces, and others don't work any better. Does anyone have any suggestions on troubleshooting this problem?

[jntaylor63]

Try Media player Classic.

1.) Low system use. (WMP is a system hog)

2.) Playback. (have the Codec, will play it. )

[redwudz]

I've never found one player that works the best for me with each format. I use VLC Media Player for odd files as it plays most anything. I use Zoom Player because it has lots and lots of configuration choices for MPEG and AVIs. I use PowerDVD because it works the best for me when playing DVDs. Media player classic is a good choice if you like Windows Media Player. (Though I don't know why anyone would. )

[Zisguy1]

This is a bit offtopic, but IMHO PowerDVD's picture quality sux... all it has going for it are the fancy audio plugins. Even Media Player Classic beats its display quality, and it's free. Nero Showtime definitely beats it, IMO.

[edDV]

WMP has no codec for MPeg2. It uses MPeg2 decoders that you load from other sources.

Most people get their MPeg2 codec with their DVD player/writer. So, don't blame WMP.

[zakman]

WMP has no codec for MPeg2. It uses MPeg2 decoders that you load from other sources.

Most people get their MPeg2 codec with their DVD player/writer. So, don't blame WMP.

So, is there a way to verify that this is a Codec problem? And if so, how do I tell WMP to use a different codec? And are there any free codecs that are any good for this?

[mats.hogberg]

Use PowerDVD or WinDVD for mpeg2 playback. WMP is the best alternative for - nothing. Possibly WMV/WMA.

/Mats

[edDV]

MPeg2 decoders and encoders require a payment of royalty to the patent holder. When you bought your DVD player or writer, the royalty was built in for the codec supplied. Each additional MPeg2 codec also requires payment per machine. Hence there are no free legal codecs except for some that were reverse engineered.*

This explains the current practice of MPeg2 encoders being sold as optional extras for applications like TMPGEnc, etc.

* these are usually the awful ones.

[zakman]

When you bought your DVD player or writer, the royalty was built in for the codec supplied.

Thanks edDv. I didn't realize the royalty thing. I have purchased quite a few different tools that play DVDs -- some work better than others. I think this means I might have more than one codec already installed on my machine. Maybe WMP is using one of those cheap ones. Is there a way for me to change which codec is being used by WMP?