Decoder for Windows Media Player
 

I have posted here before on this, but now I have a new question.

To begin, some time ago, my computer was in the shop being re-done, new motherboard, etc. Everything worked fine when I took it home.

Then I tried to play my Avatar DVD.

Up on the screen I was told I needed a decoder for Windows Media Player. Since I know there are other players, I downloaded various codecs for this or that. Nothing worked. I have something called VLC on my computer, but Avatar does not recognize this.

I can put other dvd's (cheap ones), but the thing plays choppy.

so I had gone back to computer guy, explained, and he said "no problem, bring it in and I'll put the decoder in".

The problem is I don't want to lug this big computer out of the house again, bring it back and hook it up again. I want to see if I can fix this myself.

So yesterday I decided to see what happens if I put Avatar in the dvd lightscribe rom drive.

It didn't even recognize that anything was in the drive.

I went to my computer and looked at 'E' and it was empty. Meaning, the dvd was in the drive but the computer is not reading this.

WHY??

I then took another dvd and put it in and a pop up thing appeared asking me "what player I want to use". I chose Windows Media, and I was promptly told "You need a video decoder for Windows Media Player".

I then took out the cheap dvd, put it back in and opened it up in VLC, and it played choppy.

So obviously I need a Windows Media Player decoder thing.

And what I want to know is why my computer does not read the Avatar dvd in the dvd drive?

It reads other dvds but not the Avatar. I used to read the Avatar but it played choppy, just like the cheaper dvds.

So, what is going on with my computer?

And, do you think if I go back to the computer guy, tell him I can' bring it in, ask him to give me some kind of decoder thing on a disc, he'll have one?

I mean, why can HE put a decoder thing on my computer, and I can'?'

What will he be doing that is different from what I'm doing?

When I go online, sure I can purchase a video decoder compatible with Windows media Player?

But why should i have to pay for something when it used to be installed on my computer?

I know this is a confusing post, but to sum it up.

Can I download a video decoder from the internet that is compatible with Windows Media Player FOR FREE?

Or is there some other video decoder that will let me play my Avatar dvd?

Thanks much

Melody

Okay, this is what I just did. I downloaded an all in one codec packet from the internet and installed it. That went just fine.

I put my Avatar DVD in the drive. It does not register. I went to my computer to see if it was reading anything in the dvd drive. IT DID NOT.

so I said "hm, why is this not registering in my dvd drive" Drive E, I believe it's called.

So I then put in another dvd, and THAT registered and all the options came up for me to choose how to open this dvd.

I chose "windows media player" because the codec packet said it was compatible with Windows media Player.

Well, it opened up just fine in Windows Media Player, it indicated that my dvd was playing, up on the screen it said "High School Musical"

But it did not play the dvd.

So I have 2 problems going on here.

I have codecs installed and raring to go. I put in Avatar, it does not register in my dvd rom drive. I put in another dvd, it registers (that there is indeed something in the dvd rom drive) but it doesn't play anything.

The guy at the computer store said "call me on the phone, we'll do a remote hosting (I know that this is), I'll go on the internet and find you a codec.

Well, that's exactly what I did myself. Went on the internet and found a codec all in one pack (isn't that what he is going to do)?

So before I do the remote hosting with him, or before I simply bring in my computer and let him do it manually (I really don't want to lug this thing over to his shop), can anyone help me decipher this codec thing and tell me why I cannot play dvds on my computer and why some dvds don't even register in my dvd rom drive.

Jo???? Anybody????

lol, thanks much

Melody

I've been doing jury duty stuff.
But I remember when we tried to figure this out before, and we got stumped....:o

If you let the computer guy work on it - give him the Avatar DVD so he can make sure it plays before giving everything back to you.

I can't think of anything else to try...

Oh, that's where you have been!!

Hope you put the bad guys away!!

I'm going to try and do the remote hosting thing with Ivan (the computer guy).

Will update.

melody

I really think this is a problem with the disc Avatar itself.

Type "Avatar DVD won't play on PC" into Google and see all the hits!

I think the DVD has anti-duplication code on it, that blocks PC playback.

Sony used to do that with their music CDs a while back so people could not put them on computer too. I think they were sued, and stopped doing that with music CD. But Avatar is Sony video, and I'd suspect them of it strongly.

I think you are 100% correct. Now here's my dilemma. Just called the guy Ivan to do a remote hosting (because he said he would search the internet to find a compatible decoder (codec) for my Windows Media Player). He can't do it now, someone is in the store and he said to call him back later.

So I said to myself "if he's going to go on the internet and download a compatible, why can I do the same thing?"

Did this last night. Did a search on "Compatible codecs for Windows Media Player, got something called a K-lite something or other, all in one codec.

Downloaded it, installed, it and wonder of wonders, when I inserted the High School Musical dvd, it was recognized in my E drive (this means my lightscribe dvd writer is working, right?), but....and here's a big but....when it came up in Widows Media Player, it played choppy, for example the movie moved frame by frame.

So while I was able to download and install a compatible codec for WMP, didn't get the good results I hoped for.

And if I open the same dvd in VLC, I get the same choppy thing.

I'm just wondering what the computer guy would do different than what I did?

All I want is to be able to play dvds like I used to before he re-formated the whole thing for me and installed a new motherboard. I asked him the other day "How come I could play dvd's before you fixed my computer?" and he said "because we re-formatted."

I know this might make perfect sense but I'm trying to understand this codec thing and it seems that there are codecs, and THEN THERE ARE CODECS.

If you were me, what codec would you download (forget Avatar), probably doesn't matter what I do to get that thing to play, I'm going to have to buy a dvd player and hook it up to my tv to play. It plays just fine on my little portable dvd player but I want to watch it BIG.

I have tried various cheap dvds in this dvd rom and I get choppy.

So before I have to lug this big thing in to Ivan, is there anything else I can do?

Much appreciated.

And I wish, that when people bought the Avatar DVD the people who made the DVD might have had the goodness to inform people that "this won't play on a PC"

lol
Melody

Go on Google and visit the forums on the first page with that key word string I suggested.

On one of the places, they suggest the updates to play DVDs well.

Okay, did that!!!! FASCINATING Reading. Not that I understood everything, but I did read that sometimes a dvd writer will not be able to read a dvd.

So it gave the option to download something called AnyDVD which I downloaded and installed.

I put in one of my purchased DVD's called Feast of All Saints. Wasn't recognized. Nothing happened.

THEN, I put in Avatar. A window popped up saying AnyDVD is reading the disc, please wait!!! So I waited.

then a BIG thing popped up saying "Your dvd doesn't work because (and it listed all these reasons one of which was:

your drive is a Region RPC2 locked drive and it went on to say "Scrambled sectors', etc."

Then SOMETHING ELSE HAPPENED.

Windows media Player popped up and started playing Avatar (I said to myself "oh, joy, I just might get to see this on my computer".

And it played CHOPPY. Hey, at least it played. That's a beginning, right?

I looked to the right where it tells you exactly what the DVD is.

And it said "Avatar 2 discs Blue Ray (with all the Chapters).

Now I looked at my Avatar disc (one disc). Nowhere on this disc does it say Blu Ray. And it plays in my regular little portable dvd player just fine.

So my first question is Why is it indicating that this is a blu ray? And is there anything I can do to stop the choppiness?

I'm at the point, where I don't care if I get to play this Avatar. I would like to play other dvds (but not choppy).

??????
lol lol lol

Melody

It is possible you have a pirated disc... they slip thru into the mainstream very commonly.

There is so much they do to those discs now... it is amazing that any of them work IMO.

The Blu Ray ones were defective from the get go. I think it is your disc.

This is one reason I read books and still use the library. I am not going to futz with Kindles and players, and what not....frustrating they all are!

Just to make sure, I put in a lens cleaner in the drive, and cleaned it.

Put back the Avatar. Still choppy.

Hey, I'm learning.

lol
Mel

What really confuses me is that it plays BEAUTIFULLY on my portable dvd player. I had company over once and they had never seen a portable dvd player, let alone Avatar. Well, the colors blew them away.

That's why I wanted to watch this on my computer. Big screen. etc.

Anyway, I have an UPDATE on all this nonsense.

Because I tried absolutely EVERYTHING I know to try, I just took a walk over to the computer guy. I started the conversation:

"Now it's agreed that BEFORE I brought my PC into your store, the dvd thing worked, right? he said Absolutely.

I then walked him through step by step what I did today. He said "and it plays the same way with ANY dvd that you put in?" I said "exactly, and it doesn't matter which player I use, whether it's windows media player, real player, vlc player, ANY PLAYER!!

He said "do you want to do the remote thing?"

I said 'you know, it's just easier if I unplug the whole thing, and bring it in and give it to you. He said "I'll do a diagnostic and we'll get to the bottom"

And he won't charge me because it worked BEFORE I brought it in to him.

So sometime this week, I shall unplug everything. I'm getting it all on my Flip, so when the times come to re-connect, I don't have to drive my crazy saying "Now where does this usb thing go, and where does the printer cable go"

I'm a visual gal. I like to SEE things in order to make them work or connect.

Anyway, thanks very much for all the input.

And I understand why you go to the library.

I only hope that with all this new digital phenomenon going on, that the Library itself doesn't become obsolete.

Take care

melody

Oh I'm going over to the Vitamin D forum to ask you a question on Vitamin D

oh it popped into my head earlier today!!

maybe just take the DVD to the computer guy and see if it plays on one of his computers normally??
before you unplug everything of yours..

Yeah, never thought of that. But they ALL play on my portable dvd player, and they played on my dvd rom thing BEFORE I took it into him.

But of course I had NEVER tested the Avatar one on my dvd rom because I never thought to do that. I got that a few months ago, and then my computer had to be fixed and when I got my computer bak from the repair place, then I tried playing it, THAT'S when I discovered Avatar was not recognized at all and the others skipped frame to frame, (like watching something in slow motion). She he told me 'you need a codec". So I downloaded a K-lite all in one codec package.

No change.

But your idea is a good one.

I'll bring them in later and have him test them. That just might indicate something.

Good idea.

Melody

You are a blooming genius. I took the two dvds which I know play on the portable dvd player. One is Katherine, one of those cheap dvds you get at a store in one of the $2.00 bins. The other one was Avatar (from Blockbuster).

I went to see Ivan, the computer guy. He put in Avatar. It WOULD NOT come up in VLC. I said "Try Windows Media Player". It finally came up. EXACTLY LIKE IT PLAYS ON MINE. With gargling sounds and slow playing.

Then he put in the dvd Katherine starring Art Carney. Played exactly the same way, gargling sounds, slow playing.

He looked at me and said "Well, we now know it's not your dvd rom drive. Look, these are playing the same way in dvd rom drive. This means these dvds are suited for DVD players and nothing else.

So I went hope and made a Flip video just so you can see exactly how these dvds play in my dvd Lightscribe drive thing.

The only solution I can think of is to buy a regular dvd player and hook it up to one of the TVs in my house.

Or.....and I should have asked Ivan this question.

Can he take out my Lightscribe DVD writer thing, and replace it with a dvd player dvd drive?

See, I have no idea if such a thing even exists. The only reason I am looking into this possibility is that I enjoy watching movies on the computer and in the past, while I'm not a big dvd user, I did watch maybe 2 or 3 on the computer.

But the computer is over 5 years old. Uses Windows XP. I'm not about to replace it because it suits our needs.

But it would be cool to know that if I ever wanted to, that Ivan could replace this dvd writer thing with a regular old dvd player. Can he do that?

Anyway, here's the video of how my dvds are playing in my Lightscribe DVD writer drive.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CGR0F5PeRc

thanks much

Melody

whoo hoo - I love to be called a genius LOL.:D

Ok - now I wonder if there is a way to hook up your regular DVD player to your monitor if you'd rather watch it on a larger monitor.
Is there extra connectors on the back of it?

With the right connectors / cable I can hook my laptop to my LCD TV.
most things are doable if you have the plugs/ cables available.

most plug and connectors are sized for the specific place they go into nowadays - usb only fits usb, antenna only fits antenna, HDMI only fits in HDMI etc.


or did I mention trying to copy the dvd on to your computer and try playing it that way?

It is legal to make a copy for your own use, only illegal if you sell copies or such.

Helpful hint....
 

Here is a little helpful hint for the next time you have to unplug everything...

I used fingernail polish on the cord and the plug in.... using different colors for each cord. Works great...don't have to worry about what cord goes where, just match the colors.

My dad used different colors of electrical tape for his computer.

Hope this helps...
:)
Abbie

I never laughed so hard. I've been doing nail polish on the back of my TVs, VCR,s cable boxes, EVERYTHING, for years. And I thought I invented this system. In my bedroom, I have two complete tv hookups. Separate tv's cable boxes, vcr's (we are not into the dvr thing yet) and I wouldn't because Alan WOULD NEVER learn how to use it, so for now, VCR is doing fine for us. We tape everything. Because I have two panasonic vcrs which share the same remote, how do you think I am able to use it on the right side and not have the remote change anything on the left side?

I'm Mcguyver, that's how. I took a big cardboard box and I cut it to fit over the right side. So when I want to record (I never watch tv using the right tv, it's only for taping), I simply put the box over the left side, and do the programming things and then take the box and cover the right side. It fits over everything, tv, vcr, cable box. Been doing this for 7 years or so. Never failed me yet.

But when I had to move eveything (to replace a tv or vcr), I said to myself, how the heck am I going to remember all these connections? I did the nail polish thing.

But for the computer? Did that too. Right now, my printer connection is pink on the back, the other connectors have their own color. But now that I have the FLIP, I'll just make a video, and hit play on the Flip when I want to reconnect anything on the computer.

I LOVE this Flip.

Anyway, back to decoding, etc.

Guess what Melody learned to do today.

DVD ripping.

I'm going to master it.

Oh, just so you know. The dvds play JUST FINE when they are copied to hard drive.

And I have a challenge for all of you.

Had a major problem with the screen today. Did the
Flip. I'm starting a thread on it.

Mel

Have you tried running it on your PC with appz like AnyDVD or XBMC?

I have a lightscribe that is notorious for incompatibility and both these programs allow my machine to play a lot more variety of discs.

Yeah, I have anydvd. What that did was UNLOCK the Avatar dvd and allowed me to view it. But as you saw on my youtube video, all the dvds that I play on pc play the same way. And all were scanned with anydvd software before opening up. I have K-lite decoder (which is supposed to be good), but even that didn't allow my dvd to play like it does on a dvd player.

I'm not going to go crazy doing this.

I'm learning how to dvd rip. I'm in the learning stages. All these 12 year olds on youtube who give the tutorials, well they talk exactly like, if they got out of the crib, they immediately knew how to use a PC. It's very frustrating to watch a youtube video and see a young kid talk about "avi files, and mpeg, and drag this, and open up in this format".

I just wish I could learn a bit more about dvd ripping. That's what I want to do. I own these DVDs and I should be able to watch them on whatever device I own.

I guess I'll just keep trying.

Melody

P.S. Oh Mrs. D, if you are viewing, I need your EXPERTISE on a diabetic question. I have a problem. Thanks much. I'm going to post on diabetes forum