How to play a DVD on a PC computer?

I have now bought UFO DVD's 1 2 3 4 (and Captain Scarlet and Harry
Potter), but to avoid having to get any more electronic clutter, is
there a computer program that I could use to play a DVD on a
computer's screen and audio?

"anthonyappleyard" wrote:
> I have now bought UFO DVD's 1 2 3 4 (and Captain Scarlet and Harry
> Potter), but to avoid having to get any more electronic clutter, is
> there a computer program that I could use to play a DVD on a
> computer's screen and audio?
>


Yes, there is - I use a program called Xine which is superb, and
free! Unfortunately, it only works on Linux machines :P

For Windows users there's a product called WinDVD, which (I've
just checked) costs $49.95 - details here:

http://www.intervideo.com/jsp/Products.jsp#Movie_Viewing

I think there's a free trial version, but it only provides five
minutes of playback per DVD and expires completely after 30 days.

There may be one on your PC already - - for example my VAIO came
with a media player that would handle DVDs until I removed all
the Microsoft nonsense.


James

>> I have now bought UFO DVD's 1 2 3 4 (and Captain Scarlet and Harry
>> Potter), but to avoid having to get any more electronic clutter, is
>> there a computer program that I could use to play a DVD on a
>> computer's screen and audio?

Does your computer have a DVD-ROM drive? :-)

Marc

--- In SHADO@y..., "Marc Martin" <marc@u...> wrote:
> Does your computer have a DVD-ROM drive? :-)

It has a CD-ROM drive that can write to CD-ROM's also. It runs a sort
of CD-ROM software called UDA. WOuld it read DVD's also?

If I play a DVD on a PC, and in the usual way on a television, how
does the quality compare?

I bought a device to play television on a PC (I wanted to do some
screen-capturing: it was in a movie of H.G.Wells's "Journey from the
Earth to the Moon" where they used old-type hardhat diving suits as
spacesuits!), and on the PC the picture showed but the sound part of
the program could not find my PC's speakers and I got no sound. In
the end I bought a TV cable splitter and played the movie on my PC
and on my TV both at the same time. My PC has no internal speakers
but only external speakers, and at other times (e.g. when running
batzanim.jpg) they behave correctly. Given that that happened, what
is the risk that a WinDVD would show only the pictures and not the
sound on my PC?

>> Does your computer have a DVD-ROM drive? :-)
>
>It has a CD-ROM drive that can write to CD-ROM's also. It runs a sort
>of CD-ROM software called UDA. WOuld it read DVD's also?

No, I don't think so. Sounds like you have a CD-RW drive.
You need a DVD drive to play a DVD!

Marc

I use PowerDVD and it works GREAT.
Steve Christensen

> > I have now bought UFO DVD's 1 2 3 4 (and Captain Scarlet and Harry
> > Potter), but to avoid having to get any more electronic clutter, is
> > there a computer program that I could use to play a DVD on a
> > computer's screen and audio?

--- In SHADO@y..., "Steve Christensen" <christensensteve@h...> wrote:
> I use PowerDVD and it works GREAT.

How does it act with:-?
(1) Different regions.
(2) The encryption or funny codes put into some movies to try to
prevent copying.

There are firmware upgrades that you can use that will turn the DVD drive
into region free. However the UFO DVD will play on all regions.
Steve Christensen

CONTENTS DELETED

One additional caveat: The DVD-ROM box will probably list Two different sets
of minimum requirements for it to work - the lower set of requirements is
for the DVD to act as a CD-ROM, the second (higher) set is the requirements
to run the DVD movie software. Generally, the minimum requirements are a
P2-500 or higher, 216 meg RAM, lots of free harddrive space.
But the presentation from a DVD-ROM is great and the DVD-ROM will play
home-cut DVD's as well. (The standards for home-cut DVD's isn't too good yet
and many won't play in regular DVD players.)

Deborah

-----Original Message-----
From: Hemmings, R.K. [mailto:[hidden email]]
Sent: Thursday, May 23, 2002 6:25 AM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: RE: [SHADO] Re: How to play a DVD on a PC computer?


Anthony,

> It has a CD-ROM drive that can write to CD-ROM's also. It runs a sort
> of CD-ROM software called UDA. WOuld it read DVD's also?

Nope - need a DVD-ROM drive. Approx £35. As far as DVD playback
software goes, WinDVD or PowerDVD - I prefer the latter.
There are no free s/w DVD players as a licence fee is required
for any kind of mpeg2 decoder, software or hardware.
Before you buy a DVD-ROM drive, check that 'hacked' firmware
(search keywords: RPC1 [region-free] RPC2 [region-locked]) is
available for that exact model. Here is as good a place as any:
http://www.firmware.fr.st/

> If I play a DVD on a PC, and in the usual way on a television, how
> does the quality compare?

As PC monitors have a much higher resolution than a TV set,
it will look better on your PC, although you'll probably find
it's uncomfortable to watch a 2 hour movie!..

> I bought a device to play television on a PC (I wanted to do some
> screen-capturing: it was in a movie of H.G.Wells's "Journey from the
> Earth to the Moon" where they used old-type hardhat diving suits as
> spacesuits!), and on the PC the picture showed but the sound part of
> the program could not find my PC's speakers and I got no sound.

TV tuner cards have a separate audio output which needs connecting
to your soundcards' line-in connector (you may also have to un-mute
the line-in using the soundcards' mixer). Your tuner card should
have included this cable (typically a 6 inch long stereo 3.5mmm jack
to jack plug).

> In
> the end I bought a TV cable splitter and played the movie on my PC
> and on my TV both at the same time. My PC has no internal speakers
> but only external speakers, and at other times (e.g. when running
> batzanim.jpg) they behave correctly. Given that that happened, what
> is the risk that a WinDVD would show only the pictures and not the
> sound on my PC?

If media player gives sound when playing mpegs, avis etc, then the
DVD player software *will* work fine.

If you want more information, email me directly with make/model of
soundcard, TV tuner card, Operating System and I'll give you precise
details of how to connect them successfully.

HTH
--
Rob



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