Currently DVD players are becoming standard devices on computer systems. They allow a user to play CD-ROMs as well as DVDs. But in order to play DVDs, the DVD must be decoded by software on the computer before it can be played.
A decoder performs three functions:
It unlocks the CSS copy protection applied to the video files on a DVD movie disc.
It decodes the MPEG2 formatting applied to video content, and,
It displays the video through a viewer program installed in Windows.
Developing and certifying a DVD decoder requires that additional licensing and royalty fees be paid to the various patentholders of DVD technology. This is why DVD decoders are not available as "free" software. Usually when you buy a DVD player for a computer it comes with DVD decoder software, but if yah bought a second-hand computer or purchased a refurbished computer and it didnt come with decoder software, what are your options then???
Although there isnt a standalone DVD decoder that is free, there is a free solution. VLC is a highly portable multimedia player for various audio and video formats (MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, DivX, mp3, ogg,) as well as DVDs, VCDs, and various streaming protocols. It can also be used as a server to stream in unicast or multicast in IPv4 or IPv6 on a high-bandwidth network.
The VLC media player does not need a decoder to play DVDs, so its the best free solution for using a computer DVD player with no DVD decoder software.
What are the disadvantages of using VLC???
You'll only be able to use the media player to play your DVDs, if yah have other media players that will player DVD's including the Windows Media Player, the InterActual player, or others, then you'll want to purchase a DVD decoder to allow these other players to work.
If yah want to use Windows Media player to play DVDs, I recommend purchasing InterVideo's DVDXPack. Its a cool package that instantly adds DVD playback to Windows Media Player in Windows XP. Installs the same theater-quality video and audio decoders proven by over 45 million users of WinDVD - the world's leading software DVD player!!!
A decoder performs three functions:
It unlocks the CSS copy protection applied to the video files on a DVD movie disc.
It decodes the MPEG2 formatting applied to video content, and,
It displays the video through a viewer program installed in Windows.
Developing and certifying a DVD decoder requires that additional licensing and royalty fees be paid to the various patentholders of DVD technology. This is why DVD decoders are not available as "free" software. Usually when you buy a DVD player for a computer it comes with DVD decoder software, but if yah bought a second-hand computer or purchased a refurbished computer and it didnt come with decoder software, what are your options then???
Although there isnt a standalone DVD decoder that is free, there is a free solution. VLC is a highly portable multimedia player for various audio and video formats (MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, DivX, mp3, ogg,) as well as DVDs, VCDs, and various streaming protocols. It can also be used as a server to stream in unicast or multicast in IPv4 or IPv6 on a high-bandwidth network.
The VLC media player does not need a decoder to play DVDs, so its the best free solution for using a computer DVD player with no DVD decoder software.
What are the disadvantages of using VLC???
You'll only be able to use the media player to play your DVDs, if yah have other media players that will player DVD's including the Windows Media Player, the InterActual player, or others, then you'll want to purchase a DVD decoder to allow these other players to work.
If yah want to use Windows Media player to play DVDs, I recommend purchasing InterVideo's DVDXPack. Its a cool package that instantly adds DVD playback to Windows Media Player in Windows XP. Installs the same theater-quality video and audio decoders proven by over 45 million users of WinDVD - the world's leading software DVD player!!!
