DVD Decoder?

[Carcharodon]

To make a long introductory story short, I reformatted my Alienware laptop when I really shouldn't have. Now the system isn't as awesome anymore, but I've gotten back most functionality.

However, I can't play DVD's anymore. I get the option of playing the DVD in WMP, and the player comes up (with chapters), but refuses to play the disc because I apparently lack a DVD Decoder.

I can't get one from Alienware's website, and their support people refuse to help me because the laptop was a gift from a friend, and I don't know the phone number he used to register the computer.

Is it easy to get a good DVD decoder for free? Or do I have to pay $20+ for a good, new decoder?

 

[Alistair]

Carchardon,

I'm assuming your usin' XP, since it doesn't have native DVD Decoder software. Anyways, there is a lot of options out there for you, to be honest.

Free:

1) VLC Player: Native DLL's so it's fast, but I've never really liked it, IMO. What's nice about this too, that it plays other files without much hassle.

2) AVS DVD Player: More streamlined to play DVD's straight out of the "box" so to speak. Never actually used it myself, tho.

Paid:

1) PowerDVD: Never used it, but I know it has ALOT of features.

2) WinDVD: Just know it by name, don't know anything about it, but I know it's well known as well.


Sorry it's not much, but since I can play native, there is no real need. Heck, you could try to find Codec's to see if you can play it. The other option is that it could be that you haven't set a region, for your player. You did this Device Manager on the DVD Drive.

G'Luck,
Ali