DVD Playback in WinXP using Win Media Player

[PeteF]

I'm prettty sure that a clean install of Windows XP does not support
DVD video playback and you have to install DVD decoder software.
Is that correct?

See, most times when I do a clean install of WinXP and a DVD drive
is installed, there is usually a POWER DVD CD that needs to be installed
that enables the DVD drive to play DVD videos. I'm pretty sure that
this is required to get the Windows Media Player to play DVD video
but I'm not 100% sure.

Ok with all that said, and assumimg it's true, is there a FREE
version DVD decoder that can be downloded to get the Windows
Media player to play DVD videos?

---pete---

[dbarrow]

http://www.betanews.com/

Go to the downloads section and there are a couple codec packs that contain all of them.

MP should support standard format dvd.

[photolady]

If this is wmp 10 all you need are codecs to make it play dvd's. I use K-lite codecs as they are better than windows versions. You can get them from the link below:

http://www.k-litecodecpack.com/

[PeteF]

Thanks all!
---pete---

[RAK]

IF all you need are the proper codecs, your best bet would be the K-Lite Basic pack. I've experienced problems and conflicts with the Full and Mega packs in the past. If you don't need Media Player Classic or already have Real Alternative or Quicktime Alternative installed, the basic Pack should be enough. Funny, though; I never knew realized that WMP doesn't have DVD decoding installed. Seems kinda' silly.

[photolady]

WMP doesn't have DVD decoding because when it was first released, DVD viewing or burning wasn't that popular, perhaps that's the reason. And in XP the first WMP was version 9. ;)