Vista Media Center

Is there any better Media Center software out there that runs on Windows (I like Linux but have paid for Vista already and want it to play Windows Games as well). I want it to play music, video and view pictures. I can't seem to get Windows Media Player to play normal DVD's as the picture is garbled with coloured squares masking the picture (I wonder if it has anything to do with missing codec's that you have to purchase seperatly or if it's because I'm playing it through the HDMI cable?).

Any suggestions :)

Try this Main Page - CCCP

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Originally Posted by burtie

Try this Main Page - CCCP

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Cheers for the link. The problem I'm having sounds like one of the issues they list in the troubleshooting guide. I'll give it ago tonight after work.

Vista Home Premium and Ultimate (ie the ones with Media Center) come with the codecs necessary to view ordinary DVDs. I've used them myself and in the past I know in most instances they work fine.

Are you sure it isn't a different problem? Graphics drivers? Dodgy disk? Original disk?

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Originally Posted by this_is_gav

Vista Home Premium and Ultimate (ie the ones with Media Center) come with the codecs necessary to view ordinary DVDs. I've used them myself and in the past I know in most instances they work fine.

Are you sure it isn't a different problem? Graphics drivers? Dodgy disk? Original disk?

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I thought it would be a bit strange if Media Center couldn't play DVD's out the box. The DVD is original and the PC is brand new. I might see if updating the graphics drivers works. It's a 780G chipset so I'm assuming it's still the normal ATI drivers I install for it?

Yeah, I presume the 780G drivers are included in the driver package now. If your card's recognised and Catalyst Control Center is installed, then everything should be on that's necessary.

Did you try both Media Player and Media Center (your original post only states Media Player, while the title WMC)? What about something like Media Player Classic?

For the record, pre-Vista no Microsoft OS had DVD codecs installed - MCE 2005 included - due to licensing issues.

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Originally Posted by this_is_gav

Yeah, I presume the 780G drivers are included in the driver package now. If your card's recognised and Catalyst Control Center is installed, then everything should be on that's necessary.

Did you try both Media Player and Media Center (your original post only states Media Player, while the title WMC)? What about something like Media Player Classic?

For the record, pre-Vista no Microsoft OS had DVD codecs installed - MCE 2005 included - due to licensing issues.

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Sorry when it comes to Media Center I haven't got a clue (I'm trying to feel my way around and learn whats what). I just tried Media Center as I thought that Media Center just incorporated Media Player (I didn't think the 2 were different). I will try to update the drivers and give both a go tonight.

Bit crackers about pre vista MC not being able to play DVD's (what would be the point in having it?).

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Originally Posted by slypie

Bit crackers about pre vista MC not being able to play DVD's (what would be the point in having it?).

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There's plenty of alternatives. I can think of 2 free ones (Dscaler and FFDShow). It wasn't a case of them not wanting to include one, it's that they couldn't because of licensing (I don't know the specifics of why though).