DVD decoder

[xxx]

I am looking for a Freeware DVD Decoder so that I can play DVDs on my PC. I have searched CNET and found some. However, they carry the warning about adware and spyware. Question: Do any of you know of a DVD decoder which does not have adware or spyware and is free, or are DVD decoders all commercial software packages? Thanks is advance for any help.

[Jimbob1989]

-{ Quote: "I am looking for a Freeware DVD Decoder so that I can play DVDs on my PC. I have searched CNET and found some. However, they carry the warning about adware and spyware. Question: Do any of you know of a DVD decoder which does not have adware or spyware and is free, or are DVD decoders all commercial software packages? Thanks is advance for any help." }-

I'm assuming that by decoder, you mean programs which copy the DVD and create a video on your pc, which you then do not require the disk to watch, which is most likely breaking copyright laws. If on the other hand, you just mean DVD playing software, then that is another case.

Jimbob

[xxx]

Hello Jimbob,

Thanks for your reply. You second assumption is correct. If I put a DVD into my PC I am given a choice of which player to use. The players I have need the DVD decoder so that they can play the DVD. I am looking to play it with the players that I have. However, if it is necessary for me to download another DVD player that has the decoder included, I would be interested to know which player. It may even be a better player than the standard ones I have already. Nevertheless, we return to my original preference of no adware/spyware and if possible freeware! Once again I can get a decoder from CNET but it has the adware spyware problems.

For those who would understably feel that the disc with the DVD driive, would contain all the software that is required to play DVDs, I have to explain that no such disc of software was provided when I purchased my PC. The software was on the hard drive and lost when I had to reistall Windows.

Does anyone have any ideas please? Thanks.

[bigc73542]

Windows media player 10 plays dvd's just fine and it is a free download

[xxx]

Hello bigc73542,

When I put a DVD into my PC and choose Windows media player 10, a message is shown which tells me that "Windows Media Player cannot play the DVD because a compatible DVD decoder is not installed on your computer.". If you can play DVDs on your computer with Windows MP10, what decoder do you have that I do not? Is it freeware and free from adware and spyware.

Thanks for your reply bigc73542. Can anyone think of a solution to this please?

[NICK ADSL UK]

Hi :)
As BigC States there is no need for any additional codac for the playing of DVDs"s in the windows media player. Unless you are trying to play a very rare type of dvd

Regards

[xxx]

Hello Nick,

This is interesting. When I check Windows MP10 options, I do not have the DVD tab that is shown in your reply. The tabs that read "Plugins, Privacy, Security, File Types, DVD and Network, the DVD tab is not shown. I have checked for updates and I have the most recent version. Strange, I think! I do not know how to post a picture of the option box in reply to yours. Therefore once again you have something on your computer that I do not have on mine. This may well explain why my Windows MP10 will not play my DVD. Do any of you know why?

Does anyone know of any other player that will play DVDs? Thanks again.

[bigc73542]

In WMP 10 just make sure the box is checked --see screen shot

[bigc73542]

-{ Quote: "Hello Nick,

This is interesting. When I check Windows MP10 options, I do not have the DVD tab that is shown in your reply. The tabs that read "Plugins, Privacy, Security, File Types, DVD and Network, the DVD tab is not shown. I have checked for updates and I have the most recent version. Strange, I think! I do not know how to post a picture of the option box in reply to yours. Therefore once again you have something on your computer that I do not have on mine. This may well explain why my Windows MP10 will not play my DVD. Do any of you know why?

Does anyone know of any other player that will play DVDs? Thanks again." }-


You do have a dvd rom installed on your computer?

[xxx]

Hello Bigc,

Firstly, I have played DVDs in the past before I reinstalled Windows and lost the DVD player that was on the hard drive when I purchased my PC. So I must have a DVD rom installed if it is required to play DVDs. One again, from my message above, I do not have the DVD player discs. They were not supplied when I purchased my PC. Everything was just on the hard drive. Secondly, like the DVD tab in options, I do not have the DVD option in file types. As far as my Windos MP10 is concerned, unlike yours, I do not have DVD. Is there a way to solve this, even though I have the most recent version of Windows MP10?

I repeat, in case others know of any other player. Are there any other players that play DVDs?

Thanks for your reply Bigc.

[Cochise]

Mmmmm!..I've got Media 10...DVD Player...File Type....and DVD options and the ability to set the Defaults to English UK, but the Apply button stays greyed out, and when I attempt to play a DVD I get the Message...'Windows Media Player has encountered a problem and needs to close'??...Bummer.. ;D



Cochise, 8)

[XXX]

Hello Cochise,

Do you playe DVDs on your PC? Others can use Windows MP10. At least us two can not. If you do play DVDs on your PC, which player or DVD decoder do you use? Is your decoder freeware and adware/spyware free?

Thanks for your reply.

[divedog]

-{ Quote: "

Does anyone know of any other player that will play DVDs? Thanks again." }-

I think Winamp works well.
http://www.download.com/Winamp-Full/3000-2167_4-10353664.html?tag=lst-0-3
Or Real Player.
http://www.download.com/RealPlayer/3000-2139_4-10255189.html
Not sure why WMP won't work for you. If one of the above players dosen't work for you I would assume there is some other issue.

[NICK ADSL UK]

Hi :)
Well i am unsure of why the windows media player wont play your DVDs. However jet Audio 6 Basic which is freeware plays DVDs very well indeed. It is a largish download but well worth you giving it a try
http://www.jetaudio.com/download/

Regards

[xxx]

Hello Drivedog,

Realplayer gives similar reply as WMP10 regarding DVD decoder software. Winamp is not one of the players which is shown by Windows as an option when I load a DVD into my PC. When I run Winamp it will not allow me the option of playing my DVD.

Thus, I am now looking for DVD software, be it a decoder the only thing I can find on CNET has the spyware/adware warnings. I would have downloaded them by know and tried them but, I do not want spyware or adware on my computer. Therefore, what DVD freeware which is spyware/adware free is available. Is DVD software, decoders or otherwise all commercial packages? When I reinstalled Windows did I not only lose my DVD player, but did I also lose my DVD software? As a DVD player is DVD software, what other - if any - software is there?

Thank for your help. Who out there knows the answer?

[bigc73542]

You might go to the computer manafactures home page and download the latest DVD rom drivers for you system. That might be your problem if they didn't reload when you reinstalled windows. expecially since WMP and realplayer both give the same error message.

bigc

[xxx]

Hello Nick and Bigc,

Thanks for your replies. I have downloaded and run Jetaudio. It gives the same decoder problem. Thus, as per Bigc, I am now looking for DVD drivers. My DVD drive is a LG make. I will probably have to take the side of my PC to get a model number. I have had a look at the LG DVD web page but have not found any drivers. Still looking.

[CrazyM]

"You can use Windows Media Player 10 to listen to CDs and play DVDs on your computer.

Note: To play DVDs using the Player, you must have a DVD-ROM drive and a software or hardware DVD decoder installed on your computer. By default, Windows does not include a DVD decoder. For more information about DVD decoders, see the DVD Decoder Plug-ins Web page (http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/mp10/getmore/plugins.aspx#DVDDecoder)."

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/knowledgecenter/howto/play_cds_and_dvds_how_to.aspx

Regards,

CrazyM

[xxx]

Hello Bigc & Crazym,

Firstly to Bigc, I have checked my DVD drive and I have the most recent driver version. This does not come as a suprise to me. My PC does not have any trouble reading my drive - the hardware -, it has trouble with the DVD disc - the software -. I can open the disc and look at the folders and files. If I did not have the correct disc driver, the computer would not be able to operate the hardware drive. What I can not do is run the files. That is, play the software. For this, as Crazym correctly states, I need a DVD decoder as well as a DVD player. I now have many DVD players, but no decoder!

Secondly to Crazym, when I tried to use Windows MP10 it gave me the decoder error and directed me to its web page which you have shown in your reply. That is how this all started. All the decoders on that web page are commercial packages. I looked on CNET and found freeware, but they all have adware and spyware. However, thanks for replying. It is better than being ignored.

So, where does this leave us. Or should I say leave me? Sadly, right back at the begining. Does anyone out there, know of a DVD decoder which is freeware and does not have adware and spyware, or are all DVD decoders commercial packages? This leads me to suspect just how many of you are using DVD players which have decoders with adware and/or spyware. For the rest of you that do not have a decoder with adware or spyware, I bet you paid for it. Who out there can prove me wrong? Thanks.

[NICK ADSL UK]

Hi :)
Sorry for this confusion. Now lets start again windows does not come with a decoder to play DVDs"s that is correct. But jet Audio 6 Basic does so does real player. Also this free DVDs player with codac cliprex from Holland. I would have a look at there website to see if this meets your requirement's. Meanwhile a member here may have this software and be able to give a better insight into it"s capabilities. If this should fail to work then i would suspect you have something else going on within your system. Like you have used up the region zone more then 5 times which is all you are allowed to do. If this was the case then your DVD drive would never play anything?
http://www.cliprex.com/

Regards

[AnthonyG]

If it were me i would suggest to download the free trial of windvd and try to see if that plays the DVDs fine (then you will know if that is a software problem or a hardware problem)

here is the url to the download
http://www.intervideo.com/jsp/WinDVD_Profile.jsp

But i have to say windvd is by far and away the best out there. Powerdvd is good to but i get much better noticable sound and visual quality with windvd that what i do with powerDVD (but it might just be my setup though)

But its worth considering getting IMO.

Hope this is some help

[Cochise]

Hi xxx,
Like I said in #11....I can't play DVDs either....I just get the error message as stated....

That 'Intervideo' doodad wants money.....I think xxx is looking (Like me) for a Freebie without any baggage.... ;D


Cochise, 8)

[xxx]

Hello Nick & Anthony,

Firstly to Nick, The region on my DVD drive have never been changed, let alone more than five times. Thus, that can be ruled out. The Cliprex player/s can be found on CNET and carry adware/spyware. These are some of the players/decoders I said I found on CNET.

Secondly to Anthony, I do not have a hardware drive problem. I can open files from a DVD in my DVD drive and look at them. IE view DVD photos. What I can not do is play a DVD film with any of the now many DVD player I have, because I do not have a DVD decoder.

Crazym is right when he says you need a decoder as well as a player. That is why the many players I now have are all saying, in there own way 'get a decoder and we will play your DVD'. They - the DVD players - don't mind if it has adware or spyware on it. I do. I need a decoder. If I did not, Crazym and all my DVD players would be wrong and they are not. I suspect the 'price' of a 'free' decoder is adware/spyware. If you don't want adware/spyware you have got to pay for the decoder. Unless of course, anyone out there know different. If so, prove me wrong.

[NICK ADSL UK]

Hi again :)
You could give this a try which is freeware Zoom Player v4.03
It comes as a complete package with all codacs
http://www.inmatrix.com/files/zoomplayer_download.shtml

Regards

[Cochise]

After looking at all the Options it appears there are no Freebies, only Trials and Commercial....right?...


Cochise, 8)

[xxx]

Hello Nick & Cochise,

You could we be right Cochise and the trials could have adware and spyware. As I said free in price means not free from adware or spyware. I suspect you pay one way or another. However at this stage I have not fully checked Nick's suggestion of 'inmatrix''. If I'm honest, I have to say, that if it works, I feel it will have adware or spyware. Thanks for both of your replies.

Does anyone know if 'inmatrix' has adware or spyware?

[NICK ADSL UK]

I believe it is free of ad ware and spy ware. Here is a good article regarding 'inmatrix'

regards
http://www.winplanet.com/article/2536-.htm

[xxx]

Hello Nick,

Thank you for your reply regarding 'inmatrix'. I have read the artical and found it interesting. I have had a look at their web page and downloaded the player. It would not allow me to play a DVD. When I load a DVD into my PC the inmatrix player is not one of the players provided as a option. I checked the FAQ pages of the web site and found the following information. "Zoom Player is a smart DVD playback interface, it does NOT contain the Audio and Video filters required for decoding and decryption of DVD data. These components come with all major DVD playback software...". The filters they refer to are decoders, which has already been stated, are required to play a DVD on a DVD player. Thus, I have one more player and still no decoder.

It would appear that much more is known about DVD players, than is known about decoders. Many know how they got there player, but they do not know how or where they got the decoder. It is though it just happens, except on my computer.

How is it that others of you download a player and play DVDs and I download a player and do not? I don't have a decoder. Where do you 'others' get your decoders? If it is included with your player, why is it not included in my downloaded players?

[NICK ADSL UK]

Hi again :)
I am very sorry to have not been able to help you and despite making numerous inquires have drawn a blank. I myself have never downloaded any codacs so all i can think of it that the codac of which you are after has come bundled in a piece of software that i use like Nero for example. I will continue to make some further inquiries and if i get any joy will let you know

Best regards

[Firecat]

What about the Elecard MPEG-2 decoder? Does it work?

[xxx]

Hellow Nick and Firecat,

Firstly to Nick, thank you for your persistence. I suspect that a DVD decoder is supplied in comercial software, when it is supplied with the DVD hardware - drive-. If you use a player, other than any supplied by the commercial software, then the other player still uses the commercial decoder on your system. When I did a complete reinstall of windows and wiped by HD clean, I lost the commercial DVD software. I was not supplied with any software discs. The software was just on the HD. Thus, I can not reinstall the DVD software - decoder -. Therefore, you probably can use players to play DVDs because you have commercial software for your DVD drive on your system. If you or others do not have commercial software installed and can still play DVDs, then I do not understand why DVDs will not play on the same player installed on my PC.

Secondly to Firecat, the 'Elecard MPEG-2' is commercial and may well work because it is 'commercial' software. I have been looking for a DVD decoder that if possible is freeware and also free from adware and spyware. However, until someone is able to prove me wrong, I suspect that my reply to Nick above is correct. You pay for a DVD decoder or you have a decoder with adware and or spyware. If you or any others know I'm wrong, I would be pleased to hear from you to explain. Thank you both for your replies.

[NukeTheWhales!]

I am having the exact same problem. just buy one of the codecs off of the windows media site, and save yourself from a headache. There are no free and clear decoders out there. Unless you know of a 1337 h4x0r who can write the program for you... :)

[xxx]

Hello NukeTheWhales,

If I'm to be honest, I was begining to think the same. Whilst I do not wish you any troubles, as you have experienced the same decoder problem, it does explain that it may not be just something I have, or have not done. In addition it is a help to know that it is not my PC, that is not working correctly. I expect to have a word with my local PC shop, about any DVD drive software they may have, which could solve the problem. I am considering this because of the service and help they have provided in the past. Thanks for your reply and let's both hope that others may still find something we don't know. It may not be too late!