Looking for a free video player.....

[Tibia]

I'm running XP Home SP3 on a laptop. The graphics card is Mobile Intel(R) 965 Express Chipset, the processor is a 1.40 gigahertz Intel Core2 Duo. Runs Portal pretty well, for a performance reference.

I want something that will let me play DVDs from the disc, and possibly rip them to my library. Windows Media Player is telling me to buy some codec or something, I don't really understand. I used to be able to just pop in a disc and play it, but I'm now on my third hard drive, and I have no idea what program did that for me. Any recommendations on a reputable program that's easy to use?

 

[bassmasta]

http://www.videolan.org/vlc/
VLC plays just about anything.

 

[Tibia]

Hah! I love this forum. Post a question, and ten minutes later, I can watch NCIS at work. Thanks a ton!

 

[Joeyjoe9876]

I've been using VLC player since my copy of XP isn't activated

 

[Zero]

VLC, Media Player Classic, and Mplayer are all great. Personally, I've been using VLC + a WMP12 skin lately although I alternate between them all sometimes.

 

[jleemero]

Zero's got this one right.

VLC, the CCCP (Which includes Media Player Classic), both fantastic, and between the two, there shouldn't be a Dang thing you can't watch.
VLC can also rip DVDs, without too much work.
Though, I usually use DVD Shrink / Handbrake for that.

 

[J.D]

I'm running XP Home SP3 on a laptop. The graphics card is Mobile Intel(R) 965 Express Chipset, the processor is a 1.40 gigahertz Intel Core2 Duo. Runs Portal pretty well, for a performance reference.

THAT RUNS PORTAL!?

And VLC is fantastic, I use it to play my FLAC files.

 

[Tibia]

THAT RUNS PORTAL!?

If I don't do anything else except the game, and don't mind a bit of hangup at the start of each level. I tried TF2 on it, and it was like an acid trip.

 

[XCVG]

K-lite codec pack. Makes Windows Media Player play everything, including DVDs, FLVs, .mov, RealPlayer files, and a bunch of flax I've never heard of. Maybe I just like WMP too much, but I've never had any reason to switch.

 

[Tibia]

I tried the K-lite. It didn't fix it for me. I also had so many problems with WMP hanging up on my work computer that I switched that to WinAmp. Then, I found X-Files skins for WinAmp, so now that's what I use.

 

[Mako321]

K-lite codec pack. Makes Windows Media Player play everything, including DVDs, FLVs, .mov, RealPlayer files, and a bunch of flax I've never heard of. Maybe I just like WMP too much, but I've never had any reason to switch.

I like pressing the spacebar on my keyboard to pause things.