Need DVD decoder for Vista

[mowermanEd]

I'm running Vista Business 32 bit, Athlon 64 3200+, 3G RAM. I have WMP 11 installed and cannot get it to play a DVD. Upon inserting the DVD a box appears saying that I don't have a compatable DVD decoder installed. Geez, I thought WMP was supposed to play everything. I don't watch DVD's on my computer but when I backup DVD's and burn them, I like to test them using WMP before putting them away. It saves me a trip out to the family room to test them on the big screen. Where and how can I get this DVD decoder?

[FulciLives]

If you look in the TOOLS section under CODECS you will see several free MPEG-1/MPEG-2 decoders available for download.

For AC-3 audio you will need the "AC3 Filter" and should probably also install the "AC3 ACM Decompressor" as well.

As for what free MPEG-1/MPEG-2 decoder to get ... I'm not sure ... I counted at least 3 or 4 choices. I really don't know which one is the "best".

Another option is the "VLC media player" which is a media player that has codecs of it's own buil-in including (I think) MPEG-1/MPEG-2 support. If you create an ISO file for DVD burning you can open the ISO file with VLC and it will play it back which makes it great for testing before you do the actual burning.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[dragon_1]

HM i think FFDshow would also the trick, as ppl say it is the swiss army knife of decoders

[mowermanEd]

Thanks guys. VLC Media Player works for me so that's all that I need. It still pisses me off
the M$, in their infinate wisdom, chose to disable DVD playing in Vista Business and "will offer it for sale" at a later time. The Home Premium version can play DVD's and costs less than Business version, go figure.

[mslaga]

This is no different than any other version of windows in the past. Microsoft only provides the DVD decoder (first time actually) in Vista Home Premium and Ultimate. They have always relied on third parties to provide DVD decoders.