# help me play my dvd, please.

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-play-my-dvd-please/337203>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [December 26, 2005, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-play-my-dvd-please/337203 "2005-12-26T01:04:15Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\
**Post date:** [December 26, 2005, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-play-my-dvd-please/337203/1 "2005-12-26T01:04:15Z")

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I got a Dell 2400 with windows XP. All I want to do now is play a store bought DVD. I don’t want to rip, burn, whatever, I just want to play it on my computer. I tried windows Media player and they said i needed a dvd decoder, referred me to Microsoft site, who referred me to another site to sell me a decoder.  
I don’t recall it being this complicated on my two older, smaller etc… computers. what can I do so as not to have to pay to watch my stupid movie?  
thanks,  
hh

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**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\
**Post date:** [December 26, 2005, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-play-my-dvd-please/337203/2 "2005-12-26T01:07:55Z")

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Try [Cliprex](http://www.cliprex.com/), a freeware DVD playback solution.

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**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\
**Post date:** [December 26, 2005, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-play-my-dvd-please/337203/3 "2005-12-26T01:09:12Z")

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[Media Player plugins](http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/mp10/getmore/plugins.aspx)

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**Author:** ![nivlac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/3bc359/32.png) [@nivlac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nivlac)\
**Post date:** [December 26, 2005, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-play-my-dvd-please/337203/4 "2005-12-26T01:12:45Z")

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If you’re using Dell, you should have a copy of InterVideo WinDVD. If not, have that installed so that you’d have the right codecs on your computer.

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**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\
**Post date:** [December 29, 2005, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-play-my-dvd-please/337203/5 "2005-12-29T15:11:05Z")

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thanks for info, but I went to intervideo etc. and they wanted something like 40 bucks, which i refuse to pay since i should have a working dvd on my computer, imho. any other ideas?  
my machine keeps telling me that it needs a disc with a format that it recognizes.  
thanks,  
hh

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**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\
**Post date:** [December 29, 2005, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-play-my-dvd-please/337203/6 "2005-12-29T15:13:49Z")

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also, installed cliprex and it gives the same message.  
The Media Player Plugins page just links me elsewhere to pay for some decoders, if i read it aright.