Play a DVD video

[JackRnl]

I'm new to 'DVD on PC' so please don't be embarred aboutmy question.

I want to play 'Gone in 60 seconds' on a PC,but although trying on 3 PCs it didn't play.
A messagebopx tells me that a codec is missing. I'musing Win2K SP4 prof. english and different DVDrom players
Somewhere I read something abouyt about FlaskMPeg and this movie, but I don't understand what I need to do.

Thanks in advance

[setarip]

Do you have an actual DVD, or a compressed version of the movie on a CD?

[JackRnl]

I do have a DVDvideo on disc bought in a shop.
BTW I have Microsoft Media Player 9 installed

[The Edge]

Your basicly gonna need a DVD player installed.
Windows does not have one as standard.

Find a dvd 'player' program. Did one come with your PC/Laptop?

Bren

[JackRnl]

It was a 'bulk' DVDrom (without any software).

Do I need to BUY a DVDplayer, or do GOOD freeware DVDplayers exists?

[setarip]

Go to:

http://www.digital-digest.com/dvd/downloads/playback.html

[Thingy]

Try Moonlights mpeg2 filter at http://www.elecard.com

[JackRnl]

Thanks all for the answers!

A lot of info and I don't know if I took a good solution, but after trying quite a number of packages suggested and/or found on the sites you all pointed me to, I found ViPlay (http://viplay.cjb.net/)
This (freeware!) DVD player looks like Winamp (I consider this to be a bonus) and in their forum I found I had to install the 'coda codec pack' (http://jdoe.host.sk/) and after allowing ViPlay to associate itself with .IFO and .VOB files it worked!
After installing ViPlay I also tried DvdPlay (part of Win2K) again and that works now as well,so I guess the codec pack must be installed to be to use DvdPlay . This raises the question WHY I need to install that codec pack? Doesn't have MS have such a pack available (maybe downloadeable from its site) as it seems strange (to say the least) that MS includes a program to play DVDs but not the codecs it needs (as shown in the messagebox before I installed the codec pack). The second question of course is if this 'coda codec pack' is the preferred one to use or if another one has turned out to be better (faster / better quality / capable of handdling more filetypes etc.)

Anyway : thanks to everybody for pointing me into the right direction : it is clear to me I have to learn a lot ....

[setarip]

"Thanks all for the answers!"

My (Our) pleasure ;>}


"I guess the codec pack must be installed to be to use DvdPlay"

That's correct. Most users are unaware of DVDPLAY.EXE. It's actually a cute little "bare bones" player with one benefit that, until recently, wasn't available with commercial software DVD players - the ability to playback (as DVD, not just as individual .VOBs) a DVD from your hard drive ;>}

"Doesn't have MS have such a pack available"

As far as I know, intentionally NOT...

(By the way, now that you have the proper codecs installed, you might want to download and examine another free player - DSPlayer. It plays DVDs, DVDs from hard drives, and other video formats as well)

[JackRnl]

One last question in thisthread:

Somewhere I read WMP64 (MPLAYER2.EXE, present on Win2K) should be able to play DVDs. I tried opening the IFO file,but it failed. But after opening a VOBfile (although I had to select it using 'all files') it played. So I wonder if MPLAYER2.EXE could be used for DVDs and if it is possible to do the usual things:
a) start playing when a DVD has been put into the DVDrom
b) associate it with VOB files (I presume this is possible by using 'Folder Options | File Types') and show VOB-files as a mediatype in the FileOpen dialog
c) associate IFO files to it and make them work

Probably this has been asked before (but I couldn't find it)

[BoF]

you should try Media Player Classic:

http://www.gabest.org/

[setarip]

"Somewhere I read WMP64 (MPLAYER2.EXE, present on Win2K) should be able to play DVDs"

Yes it can, but be advised that the minimal DVD controls it provides will irk you. Using DVDPLAY.EXE is a far more sensible solution. Be that as it may, for further information, go to:

http://www.digital-digest.com/supportfaq/mod.php?menu=80000&mod=userpage&page_id=39&PHPSESSID=cdc8f50b8151d7b547cb1c574e0eae68