# InterVideo DVD question **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 24, 2004, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intervideo-dvd-question/270829 "2004-10-24T00:48:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lillith\_Fair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/bb73d2/32.png) [@Lillith\_Fair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lillith_Fair)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2004, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intervideo-dvd-question/270829/1 "2004-10-24T00:48:40Z")
I tried to do a search and it would not work for me…sorry if this is redundant. We bought a Dell laptop @ three years ago. About six months ago the DVD player part stopped working. In the meantime we bought more memory and reloaded everything. So all is working now except the DVD player part. When I try to get it to work it says “version testing date expired.” This makes no sense to me. We weren’t testing it–it came with the computer in the first place. Do you know if I can get this fixed or what? Should I download something? Should I call Dell? I don’t want to be on the phone or instant mesaging with them forwever. Naturally, I don’t want to pay much for getting this taken care of, but I am willing to buy something reasonable to make the DVD player work. We have a DVD player with the TV, but sometimes I want to watch something my husband does not want to watch so I could go elsewhere with my laptop. I am not allowed to use his laptop because it is his work laptop and I do not know his password. Thanks for any help! ---
**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:** [October 24, 2004, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intervideo-dvd-question/270829/2 "2004-10-24T01:04:23Z")
Do you have the original restore discs that came with the computer? You _may_ be able to reinstall the software. ---
**Author:** ![Dog80](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6bbea6/32.png) [@Dog80](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dog80)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2004, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intervideo-dvd-question/270829/3 "2004-10-24T01:54:53Z")
The WinDVD player was probably just a demo. Have you tried to play DVDs using the Windows Media Player? If that doesn’t work, then I’m afraid you’ll have to buy a new DVD player. ---
**Author:** ![1010011010](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/ea666f/32.png) [@1010011010](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/1010011010)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2004, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intervideo-dvd-question/270829/4 "2004-10-24T03:09:18Z")
WinDVD != InterVideo DVD InterVideo is a DVD decoder, and will (should) work with any software DVD player front-end. WinDVD is a software player. If you downloaded a new/free version of WinDVD from their website, it won’t work. The free players don’t come with the DVD decoder, and so will not work. The WinDVD disc that came with the laptop, though, does inclue the InterVideo decoder. I’d try **Dog80** ’s suggestion to see if you can play DVDs using some other video program. Winamp, WMP, Quicktime, and RealPlayer all have DVD support (though no decoder in their free versions, for the most part… ah, overpriced closed source technology.) ---
**Author:** ![1010011010](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/ea666f/32.png) [@1010011010](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/1010011010)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2004, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intervideo-dvd-question/270829/5 "2004-10-24T03:10:31Z")
Oh, and InterVideo also has a no-frills DVD player, too… it also doesn’t come with the decoder. Just so there’s no confusion.