DVD playback problem encoder?

[mikehende]

Having problems when playing dvd's, they won't show in either Nero or WMP but shows in VLC although the sound and video is choppy, I am being told that I need an mpeg2decoder, will this solve my problem? If so, can anyone recommend a good "free" one? The only one I can find that might work is ffdshow, is this good?

[anonymez]

but shows in VLC although the sound and video is choppy

PC specs?

If so, can anyone recommend a good "free" one?

dscaler5, freeware. and last i checked, the fastest without dxva

[mikehende]

Hey, how's it going? The pc is a P4 2.4ghz 512ram, I will look into the software you've mentioned, thanks.

[anonymez]

hi mike,

The pc is a P4 2.4ghz 512ram

then dscaler is unlikely to help, not a decoder problem. it's gotta be the onboard intel graphics

[mikehende]

Why does the video show at all with VLC and not any other softwares? And any fixes?

[anonymez]

VLC has internal filters, it'll play DVDs regardless of your codec situation. nero or wmp should "work" after installing dscaler5 if you don't have an mpeg2 decoder already

[mikehende]

Ill try the descaler 5 tomrow and get back to you, thanks.

[mikehende]

Strangest thing, installed the Dscaler5 but can't find the icon anywhere, I chose the option to install a desktop icon but nothing shows there or in the start menu folder as indicated?

Next, I did a search on this pc for "mpeg2 decoder" and this file

mpeg2decoder.ax

shows in the C:\windows\system32 folder, does this mean that there is an mpeg2 decoder already on this pc? If so, then why would the Dscaler work when this doesn't?

[mikehende]

So what's the real problem here, do I need to buy an mpeg2 decoder or is the problem something else?

[anonymez]

mikehende, please observe rule #14, do not bump posts

as mentioned in post #4, dscaler or installing any codec was not going to help the situation since VLC had troubles as well, it was only suggested cause you asked for a free mpeg2 decoder.

for how long has this been happening? my advice is get some dedicated graphics and then a clean install-- got an AGP slot?

[mikehende]

mikehende, please observe rule #14, do not bump posts

for how long has this been happening? my advice is get some dedicated graphics and then a clean install-- got an AGP slot?

I don't purposely "bump" posts, what I do is report any progress as I go along which is why you will see more than one post in succession, it is not done necessarily to solicit answers

No AGP slot unfortunately and can't pinpoint when this started happening but considering that this pc in question is only 2 years old, it can't be that it needs an updated graphics card only to show a DVD, can it? I can still show DVD'S on my old Dell PII.

[anonymez]

i would expect a 2 year old PC to have a motherboard with a PCI-E slot, or at least AGP. guess PCI is the only way. you could try disabling hardware acceleration in powerdvd or overlays in VLC, or trying different versions of graphics drivers.

I don't purposely "bump" posts

i'm sure you don't, however post #9 breaches rule #14

[mikehende]

Strangest thing, loaded Powerdvd on the kid's pc and both drives show dvd's perfectly with this software but not with VLC, WMP or Nero, any ideas why?

[anonymez]

probably using VMR7; did it work after disabling overlays in VLC?

[mikehende]

did it work after disabling overlays in VLC?

Don't know, didn't try this, I will try doing this tomorow to see if it will play fine in VLC and get back to you