DVD Player Program for Win98

[GamerMax5]

I need a DVD Player program for Windows 98? My CD-ROM reads DVDs but I don't have a player.

[Ideas Man]

You need a codec to play the DVDs. Once you get one of them, WMP will do the job. Or you could look into PowerDVD.

[GamerMax5]

Where can I get the codec?

[DaveBo]

In same boat.

I have Windows Media Player 9 on my Win98 HP laptop, but it's apparently missing the decoder for the Toshiba DVD-ROM, so the DVD related menu items don't even show up.

Is a "codec" the same as a "decoder"?

Do you know if PowerDVD comes with the necessary codec/decoders or will I still be dead in the water?

Any more recommendations on PowerDVD? And do you know if it requires internet access to register/activate it?
My laptop is not "internet aware", I'm trying to shelter it from the evils of this world.

Thanks, DaveBo

[DaveBo]

I downloaded the free 30-day trial version from
http://www.gocyberlink.com/english/p....jsp?ProdId=28

I'll give it a try tonight and report back tomorrow.

DaveBo

[Ideas Man]

Codec is short for Coder/Decoder.

Yes, Microsoft doesn't provide the necessary codec with Windows Media Player, due to the fact it's not free and I suppose anti-trust crap. If you install PowerDVD, it does provide the codec to play it. You can either play it in WMP or PowerDVD.

[DaveBo]

Well, I installed the 30-day free trial version on my Win98 laptop and it works well, so apparently it came with the necessary codec for my DVD-ROM (Toshiba SD-C2502).

WMP still doesn't see it, so I guess the codec isn't shared.

To buy & activate PowerDVD it looks like an internet connection is required.

DaveBo (I hate computers!)

[Ideas Man]

It is shared, just maybe not the trial version.