Need a Good Software DVD Player

[Coolguy_D]

I just bought a DVD player for my computer but it didn't come with any player software. If anyone could give me some recommendations for good software DVD players. I'm hoping to get a software player with dolby digital support. A free player would be better but i'll take any recommendations.

[bretnbutter]

I have used 4 software dvd decoder programs:PowerDVD 3.0, WinDVD 2000, DVD Express and SoftDVD Max.

Stay away from DVD Express since it can't decode some zone 1 DVD's, this by personal experience on 4 different computers. It is the best decoder for slow machines, for image quality. It has the least features.

SoftDVD Max needs more processing power than stated in the program box. For this one to work correctly you have to have a hardware assisted mpeg2 decoding. A plus is the Dolby decoding since its very good. The interfave is pretty but confusing.

WinDVD 2000, the interface is weird and decoding sometimes suffers.

PowerDVD 3.0 I recommend this program since it has the following plusses:
-Decoding is excellent (but if you don't have a hardware decoder, your processor has to be 550MHz or better)
-Dolby decoder, especially with multiple channels (4 or 6)
-Dual subtitle capability (you could see for example, frech and english at the same time on the screen...)
-Bookmarks
-Digital Zoom
etc.

[geofftate]

I concur: PowerDVD is the best. One caveat is that it doesn't play SVCDs in mpg form. You would have to burn them to SVCDs to play them. So you might also want to stash a copy of WinDVD or what-not to play mpegged SVCDs you might stumble upon on the Net. Not that I'VE ever downloaded such nonsense.

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Everywhere I see decay. Mechanized, sterilized visions in replay. I must release my rage.

[Blizzard]

I ordered Power DVD a few days ago, I was told it was the best, or one of the best.

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My main computer :

-AMD Athlon Thunderbird 1.4 Ghz 266 FSB w/ WBK38
-Abit KT7a mainboard
-Mosel 512 MB SDRAM PC-133
-Creative Geforce 2 PRO
-Creative Soundblaster Live! Player 1024
-Western Digital 30GB ATA-100 7200 RPM harddrive
-Eicon Diva ISDN card
-3com network card 3C905C-TX-M
-Pioneer DVD-ROM 16x/40x
-Sony floppydisk
-Hansol 19" monitor 920eF

Also :

-Labtec Speakers STD Edge-418
-Logitech Internet Keyboard
-Logitech Mouseman Wheel Optical

[phat boy]

gotta agree with everyone else here, Power DVD is the best. I've yet to find a free DVD player so it looks like you're gonna have to fork out a few more £££.

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"Our bombs are smarter than the average high
school student. At least they can find Kuwait."
--- A. Whitney Brown

[salehrules]

i got power dvd for free!
heh...

[geofftate]

no, you either STOLE it or it came OEM with your drive, in which case you paid for it. piracy is a crime, you bad bad boy. come here so i can spank you...

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Everywhere I see decay. Mechanized, sterilized visions in replay. I must release my rage.