No usable video from DVDs

Anyone! I have Windows Vista Home Premium, Service Pack 1, with WMP and
Media Center. All Windows patches are updated and the computer runs like a
charm. (2.3 GHz, 2 GB RAM, Dual Core CPU) Problem: when I insert a
commercial DVD and Windows Media Player starts it running, the video is
choppy with colored blocks -- unusable. The audio seems fine.

What is this? I thought Vista Home Prem could play DVDs just fine? I get
no error messages (like for CODECS or digital copyright stuff). I assume I
have the correct CODECS because of no error messages.

Any ideas? My other video -- Internet streaming, flash, and installed
Windows "how-to" movies play fine. Please advise. Thanks.

EW

Can you take a shot of screen with camera and post it somewhere?

"Lone Star" <ewyatt_del_me-@excite.com> pí¹e v diskusním pøíspìvku
news:gih76e$1uc$1@news.datemas.de...
> Anyone! I have Windows Vista Home Premium, Service Pack 1, with WMP and
> Media Center. All Windows patches are updated and the computer runs like
> a charm. (2.3 GHz, 2 GB RAM, Dual Core CPU) Problem: when I insert a
> commercial DVD and Windows Media Player starts it running, the video is
> choppy with colored blocks -- unusable. The audio seems fine.
>
> What is this? I thought Vista Home Prem could play DVDs just fine? I get
> no error messages (like for CODECS or digital copyright stuff). I assume
> I have the correct CODECS because of no error messages.
>
> Any ideas? My other video -- Internet streaming, flash, and installed
> Windows "how-to" movies play fine. Please advise. Thanks.
>
> EW
>
>

Is it OK if you play the DVD in Vista Media Center instead of using Media
Player?
"Lone Star" <ewyatt_del_me-@excite.com> wrote in message
news:gih76e$1uc$1@news.datemas.de...
> Anyone! I have Windows Vista Home Premium, Service Pack 1, with WMP and
> Media Center. All Windows patches are updated and the computer runs like
> a charm. (2.3 GHz, 2 GB RAM, Dual Core CPU) Problem: when I insert a
> commercial DVD and Windows Media Player starts it running, the video is
> choppy with colored blocks -- unusable. The audio seems fine.
>
> What is this? I thought Vista Home Prem could play DVDs just fine? I get
> no error messages (like for CODECS or digital copyright stuff). I assume
> I have the correct CODECS because of no error messages.
>
> Any ideas? My other video -- Internet streaming, flash, and installed
> Windows "how-to" movies play fine. Please advise. Thanks.
>
> EW
>
>

"Curious" <mailmenot@nomail.com> wrote in message
news:%23b8tasiYJHA.256@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
> Is it OK if you play the DVD in Vista Media Center instead of using Media
> Player?

No, it's exactly the same: blocky, colorful squares of "video" on both apps.
Is there any way, or location, where I can check my CODECS? Also, my video
card is an nVidia 7300 LE and seems to work fine. My "Windows Experience"
is 3.2. This is too weird! I've been a Windows user for over 20 years and
should be able to figure this out, but NOOOO!

As the other poster asked, I'll try to send a photo attachment of my screen,
but as I say, it's just a bunch of colored blocks that change as the video
scenes change. Thanks for your help.

EW

You can use the following utility to find out what decoder is being used in
your system.

http://mediacenterexpert.blogspot.co...r-utility.html


"Lone Star" <ewyatt_del_me-@excite.com> wrote in message
news:gihc2b$pm7$1@news.datemas.de...
>
> "Curious" <mailmenot@nomail.com> wrote in message
> news:%23b8tasiYJHA.256@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
>> Is it OK if you play the DVD in Vista Media Center instead of using Media
>> Player?
>
> No, it's exactly the same: blocky, colorful squares of "video" on both
> apps. Is there any way, or location, where I can check my CODECS? Also,
> my video card is an nVidia 7300 LE and seems to work fine. My "Windows
> Experience" is 3.2. This is too weird! I've been a Windows user for over
> 20 years and should be able to figure this out, but NOOOO!
>
> As the other poster asked, I'll try to send a photo attachment of my
> screen, but as I say, it's just a bunch of colored blocks that change as
> the video scenes change. Thanks for your help.
>
> EW
>
>

"Curious" <mailmenot@nomail.com> wrote in message
news:unqT2hjYJHA.4596@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
> You can use the following utility to find out what decoder is being used
> in your system.
>
> http://mediacenterexpert.blogspot.co...r-utility.html
>


Thanks. Will get back with you............