# recommend me a good free DVD player download

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-good-free-dvd-player-download/468235>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [October 16, 2008, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-good-free-dvd-player-download/468235 "2008-10-16T17:40:09Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![batsto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b2d939/32.png) [@batsto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/batsto)\
**Post date:** [October 16, 2008, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-good-free-dvd-player-download/468235/1 "2008-10-16T17:40:09Z")

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I need a free player to watch a DVD on my PC. A free program that expires is fine, I really just need it for today. I tried PowerDVD–it installs, but all I get is a black screen when I try to watch a disc. My Windows Media player doesn’t have the correct codec apparently. Is there software somewhere that will let me watch a normal, store bought DVD on my PC just for today? I’m not having any luck-I found one that did work, but only fof ten minutes at which point it tries to get me to purchase the program.

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**Author:** ![Unsquare\_Dance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/b3f665/32.png) [@Unsquare\_Dance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unsquare_Dance)\
**Post date:** [October 16, 2008, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-good-free-dvd-player-download/468235/2 "2008-10-16T18:58:40Z")

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Download VLC media player.

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**Author:** ![batsto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b2d939/32.png) [@batsto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/batsto)\
**Post date:** [October 16, 2008, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-good-free-dvd-player-download/468235/3 "2008-10-16T19:20:19Z")

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We actually tried that one while we were waiting. It seems to be looking to open a vbo file, as opposed to an ifo file like the other one that worked was doing. If I select one of the vbo files to play, it just gives me an error.

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**Author:** ![Unsquare\_Dance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/b3f665/32.png) [@Unsquare\_Dance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unsquare_Dance)\
**Post date:** [October 16, 2008, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-good-free-dvd-player-download/468235/4 "2008-10-16T19:25:06Z")

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> [@batsto](#):
>
> We actually tried that one while we were waiting. It seems to be looking to open a vbo file, as opposed to an ifo file like the other one that worked was doing. If I select one of the vbo files to play, it just gives me an error.

Try the “open disc” option from the file menu, and select your DVD-ROM drive, and then open that. Trying to open individual files won’t work.

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**Author:** ![batsto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b2d939/32.png) [@batsto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/batsto)\
**Post date:** [October 16, 2008, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-good-free-dvd-player-download/468235/5 "2008-10-16T20:05:41Z")

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> [@Unsquare\_Dance](#):
>
> Try the “open disc” option from the file menu, and select your DVD-ROM drive, and then open that. Trying to open individual files won’t work.

Apparently I am an idiot. Of course that worked just fine…Thanks!