Software for Playing DVDs

The free Windows Media Player 11 (download from Microsoft) will play DVD's and what I use for DVD's.

But, with a reformatted PC, did you properly install?  The correct and required install sequence is (1) Install Windows (2) Install chipset drivers (3) Install device drivers such as sound, video, etc.

Also, you will probably be missing some codecs (decoders) that are needed for playing DVD's even with a DVD player program.  Download and install the K-Lite Codec Pack as it will provide you with any codec ever needed.

I just reformatted my hard drive and now my DVD player does not recognize movies.  What Dell software is there that I can download to put back on my Dimension 3000 desktop?  Or is there some other free software so my daughter can watch her movies again?  Please help.   Thank you, Concerned Dad...

I don't think DVD player software is available free because there are royalties to pay to the patent holders. Your Dell probably came with DVD software; if you have the disc, you should be able to reinstall it.

Vista Home Premium and Vista Ultimate have DVD codecs bundled with Media Center. There are third-party applications like PowerDVD, but they're expensive.

The ONLY DVD player I have is Windows Media Player 11.  No special software is needed.  There are no royalties paid for playing a DVD.

The ONLY DVD player I have is Windows Media Player 11.  No special software is needed.  There are no royalties paid for playing a DVD.

Yes, there are royalties that must be paid by producers of DVD players, both software and hardware. With Vista Home Premium and Vista Ultimate, Microsoft decided to bundle a DVD plugin, but they did not do that with XP, Vista Home Basic or Vista Business. In those latter cases, the user can add DVD playback by either installing a third-party product like PowerDVD or purchasing a plug-in from Microsoft.

Per Microsoft: "If you're running Windows Vista Home Premium or Windows Vista Ultimate, DVD capabilities are included as part of the operating system. If you are running Windows Vista Home Basic, Windows Vista Business, or Windows Vista Enterprise, you can enhance your DVD playback experience by purchasing a DVD decoder pack or by upgrading to a more powerful edition of Windows Vista."

The user has XP, and DVD plugins can be bought from Microsoft's site for about $15.  

I downloaded Windows Media Player 11 to no avail.  Any other ideas except for going out and buying a software like PowerDVD?

I downloaded the Codec Pack, but the only problem is that there is not internet conected to her computer.  It needs an internet connection as part of the installation for some reason.

DVD Codec's are not free.

Plug-ins for Windows Media Player

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/player/plugins.aspx

Plug-ins are optional components that you can add to Windows Media Player to extend its functionality. For example, you can add audio, video, or rendering effects as well as DVD playback capabilities. To learn how to create plug-ins for Windows Media Player, see the Windows Media Player SDK.

DVD Decoder (MPEG-2 Decoder) Plug-ins

Windows Media Player becomes a full-featured DVD player when combined with a DVD decoder (MPEG-2 decoder) with features such as full-screen video playback controls, DVD chapter listings, and integrated cover art.

For Windows Vista

If you're running Windows Vista Home Premium or Windows Vista Ultimate, DVD capabilities are included as part of the operating system. If you are running Windows Vista Home Basic, Windows Vista Business, or Windows Vista Enterprise, you can enhance your DVD playback experience by purchasing a DVD decoder pack or by upgrading to a more powerful edition of Windows Vista.

CinePlayer DVD Decoder for Windows Vista Roxio's CinePlayer DVD Decoder Pack for Windows Vista is designed exclusively for Windows Media Player and delivers cinema-quality performance and superb audio clarity for DVD playback on your Windows Vista-based computer with support for both high-definition video and 5.1-channel Dolby Digital audio. File Size: 8 MB Created By: Sonic Solutions, Inc Requires: Windows Vista

Cyberlink PowerDVD SE for Windows Vista PowerDVD SE for Vista delivers the kind of outstanding performance you have come to expect from CyberLink, leader in DVD playback on the PC. Supporting high-definition video, 5.1-channel Dolby Digital audio, and DVD playback, PowerDVD SE for Windows Vista ensures the best possible quality for watching movies with Windows Media Player. File Size: 4.8 MB Created By: CyberLink Corporation Requires: Windows Vista

Upgrade your edition of Windows Vista If you want to take Windows Vista to the next level, you can upgrade to either Windows Vista Home Premium or Windows Vista Ultimate. DVD playback capabilities are included along with many other features. Compare versions.

For Windows XP

If you are running Windows XP, you can enhance your DVD playback experience by purchasing a DVD decoder pack. To find out if you already have a DVD decoder installed on your Windows XP–based computer and whether it is compatible with Windows Media Player, install and run the Windows XP Video Decoder Checkup Utility.

CinePlayer DVD Decoder for Windows XP Sonic CinePlayer DVD Decoder Pack is designed exclusively for Windows Media Player and delivers superior video quality with optimal system performance for your Windows XP-based computer. File Size: 8 MB Created By: Sonic Solutions, Inc Requires: Windows XP

Cyberlink PowerDVD SE for Windows XP Compatible with Windows Media Player 10 or later. Plays TV programs recorded using Microsoft Media Center. Plays DVDs with support for normal and wide-screen movies, Dolby audio soundtracks, and complete menu navigation. File Size: 13 MB Created By: CyberLink Corp Requires: Windows XP

DVD XPack for Windows XP The DVD XPack instantly adds DVD playback to Windows Media Player running on a Windows XP–based computer with the same theater-quality video and audio decoders proven by over 125 million users of WinDVD. File Size: 17 MB Created By: InterVideo, Inc Requires: Windows XP

NVIDIA DVD Decoder The NVIDIA DVD Decoder enables the industry's highest-quality DVD and MPEG-2 playback and rich surround-sound audio for all graphics processors running Windows Media Player and Windows XP Media Center Edition. When paired with a GeForce GPU, the NVIDIA DVD Decoder enables adaptive deinterlacing and high-quality filtering for the ultimate home theater experience. File Size: 10 MB Created By: NVIDIA Requires: Windows XP

I downloaded Windows Media Player 11 to no avail.  Any other ideas except for going out and buying a software like PowerDVD?

As I was saying, pay $15 for a Media Player 11-compatible plugin from Microsoft's site.

Or, you might be able to buy an older OEM copy of PowerDVD on eBay for about the same price.

I checked eBay, and there are numerous copies of PowerDVD available in the $15-including-shipping range.

One is for PowerDVD 7.3 Ultra, which supports Blu-ray.