Need help solving "No Windows 2000 compatable DVD decoder installed.."

[mlke]

Hi,

I've installed Windows and drivers on an IBM laptop without using the recovery discs. When I try to play a DVD I get the error:

"There is no Windows 2000 compatable DVD decoder installed on this system. A DVD decoder device or decoder software is required to play movies........"

Do I just need to install any DVD software like PowerDVD? or do I need special drivers for this unit?

I've seen this problem on other computers before but just never taken time to resolve it. Now it's important that I do so.

If it is just software can you recommend the best? and any free downloads?

Thank you,

 

[jdunderhill]

Hi

Yes you will need to download a DVD Player (SoftwareDecoder) Im assuming you can actually see the files on the DVD disk when it is read from your DVD Drive

Theres is a good free DVD Player at Tucows = R DVD Player

http://www.tucows.com/preview/333745.html

I used it in the past and it was very good

Thanks

Jamie

 

[mlke]

I get the following error when running R DVD Player:

"Run-time error '-2147217415 (80040ff9)':
To use the DVD player, you need to install either a software DVD decoder,or a hardware DVD decoder."

Is there something else I can use or is this hardware specific?

 

[hdingman]

MPEG-2 is proprietary, the freeware decoders don't have it because they have to pay royalty. Buy a player, or check if there's one included on your DVD. Many DVDs have a player on the disc that you can install to play the DVD on your computer.

Howard

 

[duane123]

You might try and download the Elecard MPEG2 player. I was able to get this to play an MPEG2 file on an older Win 2000 setup that also gave me the "no decoder" available message. You can find at

http://www.digital-digest.com/dvd/downloads/elecard_mpeg2.html

, or purchase the latest version at Moonlight site (

http://www.moonlight.co.il/cons_player.php)

duane

 

[megzy1]

windows media player says i have no dvd decoder, how may i find a compatable decoder for my xp system that is free