DVD for viewing on tv?

[frenchman96]

Hi There

My first visit so hopefully I have chosen right forum?

I will try to keep question simple so answers dont confuse me more.

I have started receiving the odd DVD off a friend who downloads them, and he burns a copy for me. I can watch them on my laptop, but not on my TV DVD player/recorder so even as a beginner, that suggests that the file format is not the right one for my dvd player.

I am pretty sure that the file format is AVI when I receive them and I have copied them to my hard drive hoping to convert them, one to MPEG but still cant view them so I will list what progs I have to help you advise me.

My question is, what format do they have to be to view on my tv, and what is simplest way to convert them to that format.

PROGS
Toshiba Record Now.
WMP
Nero 6
DVDFlick (NCH Software Suite, Express Burn/Express Rip)
Prism Video Converter

[Baldrick]

Rent/buy them instead of downloading warez crap.