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Playing DVDs on your PC

Discussion in 'DVD players' started by Neill, Sep 2, 2002.

  1. Neill

    Neill Member

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    I don't have a dvd drive yet but would like to play my dvds on my computer, can someone tell me what to do and download plz.
     
  2. Racemann

    Racemann Regular member

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    Most PC DVD players sold now come with free software that allows you to play back DVD's [hence it's called a software decoder].

    You just have to meet the minimum hardware requirements for DVD viewing. I find that my old 1998 PII 400 128mb system works just fine with a software decoder.

    If you wish, you can purchase [usually seperately but sometimes in a bundle] a add in card that decodes for you [a hardware decoder]. A hardware decoder will take the decoder burden off of the CPU and allows you to do other things while you watch DVD's.

    Personally I don't really think a hardware decoder is necessary unless you want to surf and watch DVD's simultaneously.
     
    Last edited: Sep 2, 2002
  3. VCDjunkie

    VCDjunkie Moderator Staff Member

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    Dude, he don't even have a DVD drive, he will not be able to use software or hardware decoding unless he has an optical drive that can read DVD discs.

    Neill, do yourself a favor and buy a DVD rom drive, they are not very expensive as you can see here:

    http://www.pricewatch.com
     
  4. Dela

    Dela Administrator Staff Member

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    You can't play dvds but you can play ripped dvds in vcd/svcd format.

    If you get someone to rip a dvd to vcd for you, download WinDVD. Click the open button, open the cd drive, open the MPEGAV folder and play the file in it. That is the movie. Hope I could Help.
     
  5. dRD

    dRD I hate titles Staff Member

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    But seriously, buy DVD-ROM drive and some good DVD software player such as WinDVD 4 or PowerDVD XP 4.0.
     
  6. Dela

    Dela Administrator Staff Member

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    Oh of coarse i'd agree. Im just given an alternative until he gets one, thats all
     
  7. dRD

    dRD I hate titles Staff Member

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    Yep, I agree. But coughing up $50 to buy a drive shouldn't be too difficult task if you actually own a computer already :)
     

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