Consensus on DVD Player Codec?

**peker** · 05-19-2004, 12:53 AM

Hello, all. I've done the searching, and understand that I need a DVD codec installed in order to watch DVD movies using Mediaplayer. Is there a consensus on the best/easiest/most stable to install? Strangely, I installed the PowerDVD demo, figuring that would drop the codecs needed in, but it was no go. The DVDs play fine in PowerDVD, but not in Mediaplayer. My log file says no valid codec found. I installed a couple of other players that allegedly have codecs to no avail.

Would installing DVDXCopy install the necessary codec?

Thanks,

Paul

**peker** · 05-19-2004, 08:03 AM

Is there any chance that having WMP9 installed will somehow conflict with the WMP version in MediaEngine? After trying everything known to man and beast last night, I tried to play a DVD using WMP9, and it gave a fatal error, closing the program. I can play DVDs just fine in WMP9 on my non-carputer machine.

Perhaps I've got a conflict between WMP9 and the older version that runs in MediaEngine? Any thoughts, anyone?

Thanks,

Paul

**Altimat** · 05-19-2004, 08:44 PM

DVDXCopy kills WMP9 with DVDs and causes the shutdown problem you describe.

**peker** · 05-19-2004, 09:27 PM

Thanks! I won't install it, then. I'm thinking I have some sort of conflict between MediaEngine's WMP and WMP9. I'll figure it out.

**frodobaggins** · 05-19-2004, 10:42 PM

Media Engine doesn't play dvds with WMP9.
It uses the mswebdvd control.

As far as I remember. CarComp or PhatB can confirm or deny.

Frodo

**peker** · 05-20-2004, 08:04 AM

Thanks, Frodo! I solved it last night. If anyone cares:

I looked at the detailed info coming out of the Windows error (the type of error where they want you to send them the information), and it didn't like a file called "claud_trial.ax." I did some searching, and it turns out that is a file installed by the demo version of PowerDVD I had hurriedly dumped onto the system in my attempt to drop in a codec. Even after uninstalling the demo, the file remained.

On my desktop machine I have a full version of PowerDVD installed, and in there, the file is called simply "claud.ax." So, I went into the registry on my carputer, changed all references from claud_trial.ax to claud.ax, and copied over claud.ax from my desktop. Lo and behold, all was well.

My guess is that is Cyberlink's way of preventing folks from doing exactly what I tried: to install their demo simply for the codec. What I need to do now, to be fully legit, is to pick up another copy of PowerDVD and install it on my carputer.

Thanks, everyone, for your suggestions!

Paul