Post by Derek L on Feb 17, 2007 8:17:30 GMT -6
Playing DVDs in Windows Vista.
You must purchase a codec to play DVDs in Windows Vista Home Basic?
In order to play DVDs using Windows Media Player, you need the correct codec. Codec is short for compressor/decompressor.
Vista Home Premium and Ultimate include a codec. With other Vista versions, you need to find one. People encountered this same problem in earlier versions of Windows.
As you noticed, vendors are happy to sell you a codec. But you’ll have to shell out $15 or $20.
Many manufacturers supply a DVD codec with their DVD drives. But Vista Enterprise requires a clean installation. So anything on the computer, including the codec, would have been erased. You could re-install the codec if you still have the DVD software. The manufacturer also may have the codec on its site. Both assume the codec works on Vista.
Additionally, you may find a free codec on the Internet. But this isn’t the most desirable route. You’ll come across sites that could install malware.
Microsoft advises against installing codecs that aren’t listed on WMPlugins.com. They could cause problems with Windows Media Player.
Perhaps the best solution is to download a program that has codecs built in. Players that handle DVDs include VLC Media Player and Media Player Classic. Both are free.
If you download one of these programs, you’ll have to use it to watch DVDs. But you might prefer that to spending money on a codec.
You must purchase a codec to play DVDs in Windows Vista Home Basic?
In order to play DVDs using Windows Media Player, you need the correct codec. Codec is short for compressor/decompressor.
Vista Home Premium and Ultimate include a codec. With other Vista versions, you need to find one. People encountered this same problem in earlier versions of Windows.
As you noticed, vendors are happy to sell you a codec. But you’ll have to shell out $15 or $20.
Many manufacturers supply a DVD codec with their DVD drives. But Vista Enterprise requires a clean installation. So anything on the computer, including the codec, would have been erased. You could re-install the codec if you still have the DVD software. The manufacturer also may have the codec on its site. Both assume the codec works on Vista.
Additionally, you may find a free codec on the Internet. But this isn’t the most desirable route. You’ll come across sites that could install malware.
Microsoft advises against installing codecs that aren’t listed on WMPlugins.com. They could cause problems with Windows Media Player.
Perhaps the best solution is to download a program that has codecs built in. Players that handle DVDs include VLC Media Player and Media Player Classic. Both are free.
If you download one of these programs, you’ll have to use it to watch DVDs. But you might prefer that to spending money on a codec.