Good DVD software...?

[Simon Charles]

Just got a DVD drive for my computer; nothing extravagant, just an ordinary 16X reader. I'd like to know which software you'd recommend for playing DVDs. Something free, of course. Other qualities : being stripped down and minimalistic. No crappy, useless features or lousy interface that slows down execution.

[avatar_58]

If your video card supports hardware codecs, media player should work just fine. If not, I would suggest PowerDVD (but unfortunately its not free http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif )

I did a quick search for you http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

http://www.fwnetwork.com/description/dsplayer.html

http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=82303&package_id=84358

http://www.inmatrix.com/files/zoomplayer_beta.shtml

[Simon Charles]

avatar_58 said:
If your video card supports hardware codecs, media player should work just fine.



I have a GF5900 XT. Can't understand what you're saying about those codecs, but if you're talking about Windows Media Player, it doesn't work.

[avatar_58]

Simon Charles said:
I have a GF5900 XT. Can't understand what you're saying about those codecs, but if you're talking about Windows Media Player, it doesn't work.



Ah then I guess it doesn't. http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

Try the others I found.

[Simon Charles]

Well, since we've now established I have no codecs, a player would be useless http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif. But thanks anyway.

[avatar_58]

Simon Charles said:
Well, since we've now established I have no codecs, a player would be useless http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif. But thanks anyway.



The word I was looking for was decoder....sorry http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/doh.gif My ugly mistake...

EDIT_ Check for software decoders, some players have them built in. That dsplayer gives a link to get some.

[Simon Charles]

Either way, I don't have any. http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[avatar_58]

Try this I think it has a software decorder (means its built in)

http://www.videolan.org/vlc/

[Kevin Wolff]

Didn't your drive come with software?

Otherwise, not PowerDVD, I've found it to crash all the time unless you turn off hard acceleration (pointless). If your drive comes with that, you can just install it and use Windows Media Player, it'll pick up the decoder.

Otherwise...VLC is ok, too.

[Simon Charles]

Kevin Wolff said:
Didn't your drive come with software?



Nah, it's a used drive my cousin had lying around at home. He brought it as-is, no cables, nothing.

[Tedski]

You could try downloading the klite codec pack and installing that. It's free and comes with a media player as well. I believe you have to tick a check box for dvd stuff if you want it, when the install goes through. I don't hae a link off the top of my head, but there have been some posted elsewhere in this forum - and quite recently too. Once the codecs are installed, you may find that wmp will actually play your dvds - but there's no guarantees there tbh.

[TerminX]

Tedski said:
You could try downloading the klite codec pack and installing that. It's free and comes with a media player as well. I believe you have to tick a check box for dvd stuff if you want it, when the install goes through. I don't hae a link off the top of my head, but there have been some posted elsewhere in this forum - and quite recently too. Once the codecs are installed, you may find that wmp will actually play your dvds - but there's no guarantees there tbh.


Ugh. Installing a giant codec pack is just asking for trouble down the road.

Simon, try this (http://envision7.com/~rich/crap/DVD_Pack.msi).

[Bludd]

Kevin Wolff said:
Didn't your drive come with software?

Otherwise, not PowerDVD, I've found it to crash all the time unless you turn off hard acceleration (pointless). If your drive comes with that, you can just install it and use Windows Media Player, it'll pick up the decoder.

Otherwise...VLC is ok, too.



Turning off hardware acceleration isn't pointless. If you have a card that messes up color conversions in hardware due to crappy drivers or you want to enable saturation enhancing features like PowerDVD's Eaglevision. I'm doing the latter and my hardware doesn't need HW acceleration to play back DVDs without dropping frames.

[Tedski]

TerminX said:

Tedski said:
You could try downloading the klite codec pack and installing that. It's free and comes with a media player as well. I believe you have to tick a check box for dvd stuff if you want it, when the install goes through. I don't hae a link off the top of my head, but there have been some posted elsewhere in this forum - and quite recently too. Once the codecs are installed, you may find that wmp will actually play your dvds - but there's no guarantees there tbh.


Ugh. Installing a giant codec pack is just asking for trouble down the road.

Simon, try this (http://envision7.com/~rich/crap/DVD_Pack.msi).



I would tend to agree with you there tbh, but I have found that the klite codec pack really does work for me - and I do admit to having had problems with other codec packs in the past. The solution offered was pretty much made with being all-encompassing as well, as in saving any hassle in the near future with a lack of codecs.

[SgtFly]

I believe there is one called CliperX or something. I think they have a free DVD software player.

I can't vouch for how good it is though.