MPEG-2 decoder with my xps

i just bought a xps get-2

i tried to watch a dvd but when i loaded the dvd i got a message: "windows media player can not play this dvd because a compatible dvd decoder is not installed on your computer"

i have a sony dvd drive and i installed the sonic dvd software. i spoke to dell and they couldn't help me. hardware sent me to software and software wanted to charge me. i looked on dell's site for some kind of driver and i didn't seem to get it with my cd's.
part of it is, i don't even know what it is that i'm looking for. i see some sites wanting to sell me software but i don't understand even what i need to make an informed decision.

i have and installed nero and i have sonic which are both cd/dvd burners, copiers etc thinking this might solve my problem.

i can't imagine dell sent me a dvd player with out the decoder to play it. i went to sony's site but couldn't find much on it.

if anyone of you can help me out on this i would appreciate it.
thanks

 

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

 

Any MPEG2 codec will work. I've read that if you install the demo version of PowerDVD and later un-install it, the Codecs still stay in the system. But personally, I'd recommend buying PowerDVD, it's probably one of the best, if not THE best DVD software in the market.

-Vb-

 

You need to request the CyberLink PowerDVD from Dell. I don't know why they didn't help with this issue, but the PowerDVD is the standard decoder for Dell Inspirons/XPS Gen 2.

You could use something else, but I'm like VB...i prefer PowerDVD.
SG

 

yea..i agree 2...i prefer PowerDVD as well

 

Thanks for the help.
i called dell and asked for the power DVD and they are sending it out to me.
i just wish i didn't have to call 2-3 times and speak to different people at dell in order to get anything resolved. dell didn't have a clue what i needed the first time i called on this issue. it seemed hard to believe dell would send me a dvd player and i couldn't play it.
i take some responsibility because i reinstalled win xp and partitioned my hard drive.(thanks to southerngirl for that help)
dell is sending me a survey so perhaps i'll be able to get this message to them.
again, i appreciate your help otherwise i wouldn't have known to go back to dell or see on my packing slip that it said cyberlink power dvd which was the piece that i needed.

 

hi guys
I have a Dell Optiplex GX270/ P4/ Win2000..
I think I hv played DVDs before but suddenly WMP didnt play it..Real plyr played the audio off the DVD!!
then I installed some freeware codec and realpyr played it but didnt work well w/ FFWd..
WMP didnt recognize drive E:;
I am not happy with Interactual player..Intervideo is not freeware..and WInDVD for HP doesnt install in dell.
Should I ask Dell for it or any freeware available..?

thanks a ton

 

nbguest, you can get some freeware video players, although I haven't tried them. Winamp would be a start. You can also get some free codecs by searching the net ( http://www.codec-download.com/). Here's a cool site for checking to see if you have some particular codecs: http://codeccorner.com/

You can also check out this site for windows media player plugins:
http://www.wmplugins.com/

have fun