Help!! On Widscreen DVD's

pcfan · 21 Mar 2006 at 13:08

Just setup my new Acer 19'' Widescreen TFT and i Can't play videos!!! Comes up with this message:

Windows Media Player cannot play DVD video. Open Display in Control Panel, and then lower your screen resolution and color quality settings. To view the DVD Troubleshooter, click More Information.

The default res is 1440 x 900 etc etc. What is wrong? Ta

BubbySoup · 21 Mar 2006 at 13:36

Erm, I've never used WMP to play DVD's.

Maybe a CODEC problem? Which one are you using?

pcfan · 21 Mar 2006 at 13:38

Not sure? Shouldn't Media player etc just play the dvd?

BubbySoup · 21 Mar 2006 at 13:49

You will need some sort of DVD decoder installed - I'm pretty sure WMP does not support DVD playback out of the box so to speak.

pcfan · 21 Mar 2006 at 14:07

Well, whenever i have put a dvd in the pc in the past it has played a dvd fine?

pcfan · 21 Mar 2006 at 14:35

Downloaded a file called VLC so will try that first.

pfk · 21 Mar 2006 at 14:40

As far as I know WMP does not support DVD playback out of the box, you need a DVD Decoder installed to play DVD's before they will work in WMP.

All I can really suggest is that you try using a different media player, have a look at the VLC Media Player:

http://www.videolan.org/vlc/

You also said that everything worked fine before without the new Acer AL1916W monitor. Have you tried plugging your old monitor back in to check whether the same thing happens?

EDIT: Nevermind, looks like you've already found VLC

pcfan · 21 Mar 2006 at 15:02

Why is it that, in the past, i have played dvd's in Media player without installing anything extra!

pcfan · 22 Mar 2006 at 08:00

Well guys, i downloaded a Codec and installed that. All ok now. Thanks for your replies and help. Ta

Caged · 22 Mar 2006 at 10:59

pcfan said:
Why is it that, in the past, i have played dvd's in Media player without installing anything extra!

You haven't, basically. If you install PowerDVD / some other player then WMP will play DVDs.

pcfan · 22 Mar 2006 at 14:20

I have never ever installed any other DVD program!

BubbySoup · 22 Mar 2006 at 15:22

pcfan said:
I have never ever installed any other DVD program!

Those damn pixies!

One of the many dangers of leaving your PC unattended.

pcfan · 22 Mar 2006 at 15:54

BubbySoup said:
Those damn pixies!

One of the many dangers of leaving your PC unattended.

They are kept locked up mate!! lol

lumocolor · 24 Mar 2006 at 01:19

Well WMP does NOT decode mpeg2 (DVD) out of the box...... FACT!

You need a third party mpeg2 decoder (windvd, powerdvd ..etc) before WMP will play DVD's (decode mpeg2)

Raymond Lin · 24 Mar 2006 at 01:29

Have you confused Divx and DVD?

pcfan · 24 Mar 2006 at 07:51

lumocolor said:
Well WMP does NOT decode mpeg2 (DVD) out of the box...... FACT!

You need a third party mpeg2 decoder (windvd, powerdvd ..etc) before WMP will play DVD's (decode mpeg2)

Always been able to play DVD's without 2nd party software in media player. Fact!

MadMatty · 24 Mar 2006 at 10:26

The Fact is you have never been able to play dvds without a third party codec. Installing WMP Classic doesnt count as its not a Microsoft distribution and comes with all sorts of codecs.

Installing Normal Microsoft versions of media player you have never been able to play dvds (The option simply isnt available) without somekind of codec from some app. Maybe Nero, powerdvd,windvd,atidvd,nvdvd,tv card drivers maybe.

Its possible your mixing up vcd with dvd (it does play vcd out of the box)which is easy to do ......I guess ....

pcfan · 24 Mar 2006 at 11:05

Well, all i know is that when i re-install XP and put a DVD in it plays!

Aruffell · 24 Mar 2006 at 11:46

Windows Media Player encountered an error while performing the requested action. Although this error can occur in a number of circumstances, it typically occurs when you try to synchronize a file that cannot be converted to the format required by the device.

In this scenario, the file you are trying to synchronize was encoded (compressed) by using an MPEG-2 codec and your device cannot play files in this format. Windows Media Player cannot convert the file from the MPEG-2 format to the required format because a compatible MPEG-2 decoder (also known as a DVD decoder) is not installed on your computer. To solve the problem, you must install a compatible decoder.

The following decoders are compatible with Windows Media Player 10:

* CyberLink PowerDVD
* NVIDIA NVDVD Decoder
* InterVideo WinDVD

Nuff said.

You can't play a DVD without a decoder such as power dvd/windvd/nvidia dvd decoder etc...

pcfan · 24 Mar 2006 at 11:50

Fair enough. All i am saying is that they play fine and i don't install anything different!