windows media player won't play dvd, codecd decoder ?

i can't play a dvd (a real movie not one burned by a dvd burner)) on my
computer everytime i put a disc in, the windows media player says dosen't have
the proper decoder to be able to play a dvd ?.

do i need to go somewhere to downloaded it ?.
is there a certain kind of decoder i need that has to be compatable with the
dvd rom drive im using ?

thank you
isish1ear

 

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;306318

Troubleshooting DVD Playback in Windows Media Player for Windows XP
View products that this article applies to.
This article was previously published under Q306318
SUMMARY
Windows Media Player support for DVD playback is dependent upon the presence
of a supported decoder, either hardware or software, and a supported DVD
drive. When these are present, Windows Media Player provides DVD features
and configuration options in the user interface.

The playback for DVD, which is provided by DirectShow, uses advanced
features of your video hardware, such as the Video Mixing Renderer (VMR).
MORE INFORMATION
Troubleshooting
To troubleshoot DVD playback:
Verify that a compliant decoder is installed: In Windows Media Player, on
the Tools menu, click Options to see if the DVD tab is available. If a
compatible decoder is not properly installed, the DVD tab will not be
available.

For instructions on verifying if a compliant decoder is installed, please
see article Q306331, which is listed at the end of the "More Information"
section of this article.
If you are unable to successfully play a DVD, try playing a different title
to make sure that the problem is not content specific.
If the problems continue, test in the player that was provided by the DVD
decoder (if one was included). If this combination does not work, Windows
Media Player will not work either. Further troubleshooting is not warranted
until the native player works properly with the decoder. Please contact the
decoder provider for more information.
After you verify that the native player works properly with the decoder, try
reinstalling the DVD decoder software as well as applying any necessary
patches.
Attempt to play other media that relies on DirectShow, such as playing a
..wmv file by using Mplayer2.exe. To start MPlayer2.exe, click Start, click
Run, type mplayer2, and then click OK.
Try reducing video hardware acceleration in Windows Media Player:


In Windows Media Player, on the Tools menu, click Options.
On the Performance tab, under Video Acceleration, move the slider closer to
None, then click OK.
If doing this enables you to play DVDs, it indicates that there is a problem
with your display adapter or driver. It may be possible to obtain an updated
driver from the display adapter manufacturer.
The next troubleshooting step is to reduce display settings:


In Control Panel, click Appearance and Themes, and then click Display in
Category View, or double-click Display in Classic View.
On the Settings tab, move the screen resolution slider to 800 X 600.
Select 16-bit for the color quality, and then click OK.
Some display drivers cannot support DVD playback at higher resolutions and
color depths. If this solution works, by using an updated driver, you may be
able to play the DVD at higher color depths and resolutions.
In general, failures can be anticipated as problems with the decoder
installed; However, the decoder may not be compatible with Windows XP, so
consult the manufacturer for compatibility and update information.

Please see the following Microsoft Windows hardware compatibility list for
approved DVD decoders:
http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/hcl/default.mspx
For additional information, click the article number below to view the
article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
306331 Supported Software MPEG-2 DVD Decoders in Windows Media Player for
Windows XP
The third-party products that are discussed in this article are manufactured
by companies that are independent of Microsoft. Microsoft makes no warranty,
implied or otherwise, regarding the performance or reliability of these
products.

 

i can't play a dvd (a real movie not one burned by a dvd burner)) on my

Basically, you MUST have a software DVD player (WinDVD, PowerDVD, etc., etc.)
installed. Installing such software normally installs MPEG2 codecs also
accessible to Media Player.


webpa