I am using Windows XP Pro, and trying to play a DVD with Windows Media Player.
The DVD is PAL encoded for all regions. After accepting the offer to play the
DVD with WMP, WMP opens with the error message:

Windows Media Player cannot play this DVD because a compatible DVD decoder is
not installed on your computer.

What decoder is required; can I download it; where?
Dave Gillingham
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To email me remove the .private from my email address.

How to Check if DVD Decoder Software is Installed...

By default, Windows XP does not come with compatible DVD decoder software
installed. To confirm if you have Windows XP-compatible DVD decoder
software
on your system:

Start | Run | Type: dvdupgrd /detect | Click OK |

A Windows dialog box will open with identifying information about the
installed software. If No decoders found is displayed, no decoder is
installed and you cannot play DVDs.

For example...
---------------------------
Detected DVD decoders
---------------------------
No decoders found
W2k Upgrade=no
Win9x Upgrade=no
LCID=0409
---------------------------

Supported Software MPEG-2 DVD Decoders in Windows Media Player for Windows
XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;[LN];306331

Then get out your credit card...

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In news:ii0pr11r1fri01meqavb21vlv2jif687b3@4ax.com,
Dave Gillingham <dewg@private.optusnet.com.au> hunted and pecked:
> I am using Windows XP Pro, and trying to play a DVD with Windows Media
> Player. The DVD is PAL encoded for all regions. After accepting the
> offer to play the DVD with WMP, WMP opens with the error message:
>
> Windows Media Player cannot play this DVD because a compatible DVD
> decoder is not installed on your computer.
>
> What decoder is required; can I download it; where?
> Dave Gillingham
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------
----
> To email me remove the .private from my email address.

Thanks, I'll follow that up. Don't like the credit card bit when I've already
purchased the os :-(

On Wed, 4 Jan 2006 20:04:05 -0700, "Wesley Vogel" <123WVogel955@comcast.net>
wrote:

>How to Check if DVD Decoder Software is Installed...
>
>By default, Windows XP does not come with compatible DVD decoder software
>installed. To confirm if you have Windows XP-compatible DVD decoder
>software
>on your system:
>
>Start | Run | Type: dvdupgrd /detect | Click OK |
>
>A Windows dialog box will open with identifying information about the
>installed software. If No decoders found is displayed, no decoder is
>installed and you cannot play DVDs.
>
>For example...
>---------------------------
>Detected DVD decoders
>---------------------------
>No decoders found
>W2k Upgrade=no
>Win9x Upgrade=no
>LCID=0409
>---------------------------
>
>Supported Software MPEG-2 DVD Decoders in Windows Media Player for Windows
>XP
>http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;[LN];306331
>
>Then get out your credit card...
Dave Gillingham
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To email me remove the .private from my email address.

Dave Gillingham wrote:

> Thanks, I'll follow that up. Don't like the credit card bit when I've
> already purchased the os :-(

Just an FYI - most operating systems do *not* come with DVD players as
part of the OS. So you certainly shouldn't feel you were entitled to
one when you purchased the operating system.

OEM machines (HP, Dell, Sony, etc.) come with a preinstalled operating
system *and* some preinstalled software (referred to as "bundled
software") and usually have a DVD player like WinDVD or PowerDVD. If
you have one of these computers, you will have received some way of
reinstalling this software.

If you just bought the operating system, then you need to get
non-operating system programs in the usual way - store, downloaded from
Internet, etc.

Malke
--
Elephant Boy Computers
www.elephantboycomputers.com
"Don't Panic!"
MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User

Dave Gillingham wrote:

> Thanks, I'll follow that up. Don't like the credit card bit when I've
> already purchased the os :-(

Just an FYI - most operating systems do *not* come with DVD players as
part of the OS. So you certainly shouldn't feel you were entitled to
one when you purchased the operating system.

OEM machines (HP, Dell, Sony, etc.) come with a preinstalled operating
system *and* some preinstalled software (referred to as "bundled
software") and usually have a DVD player like WinDVD or PowerDVD. If
you have one of these computers, you will have received some way of
reinstalling this software.

If you just bought the operating system, then you need to get
non-operating system programs in the usual way - store, downloaded from
Internet, etc.

Malke
--
Elephant Boy Computers
www.elephantboycomputers.com
"Don't Panic!"
MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User

My machine came with DVD decoder software, bundled by Gateway. It also came
with Windows 98 and when I upgraded to Windows XP, the DVD decoder software
didn't make the team. Not compatible with XP. So I left my credit card in
my billfold and do not watch DVDs on my machine. There was no way in heck
that Gateway was going to update my ancient DVD decoder software for free.

There are a couple of legitimate free DVD player programs out there, but I
can't remember any names and do not have any links. And I have not used any
so I can't recommend any. Maybe some one else will post.

Beware of free DVD player programs, many are chock full of spyware. I tried
one of those once and spent a whole afternoon getting rid of all the
scumware. What really browned me off was that the free DVD player program
did *not* even work. ;-)

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In news:i90qr1ps4dkaiohk5s82p6a5e9v7vfub1o@4ax.com,
Dave Gillingham <dewg@private.optusnet.com.au> hunted and pecked:
> Thanks, I'll follow that up. Don't like the credit card bit when I've
> already purchased the os :-(
>
> On Wed, 4 Jan 2006 20:04:05 -0700, "Wesley Vogel"
> <123WVogel955@comcast.net> wrote:
>
>> How to Check if DVD Decoder Software is Installed...
>>
>> By default, Windows XP does not come with compatible DVD decoder software
>> installed. To confirm if you have Windows XP-compatible DVD decoder
>> software
>> on your system:
>>
>> Start | Run | Type: dvdupgrd /detect | Click OK |
>>
>> A Windows dialog box will open with identifying information about the
>> installed software. If No decoders found is displayed, no decoder is
>> installed and you cannot play DVDs.
>>
>> For example...
>> ---------------------------
>> Detected DVD decoders
>> ---------------------------
>> No decoders found
>> W2k Upgrade=no
>> Win9x Upgrade=no
>> LCID=0409
>> ---------------------------
>>
>> Supported Software MPEG-2 DVD Decoders in Windows Media Player for
>> Windows XP
>> http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;[LN];306331
>>
>> Then get out your credit card...
> Dave Gillingham
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------
----
> To email me remove the .private from my email address.