Get a Windows DVD player for free with Windows Media Player or VLC and our free tutorials

Configuring a Windows DVD player is not as difficult or expensive as many people think. Wouldn't it be nice to use your PC for watching DVD's? Won't it be great to have an extra player tucked away in the office or utility room that you can use whenever you need to? With the help of our handy guides, you can do just that.

For many Windows users, playing a DVD is as simple as inserting the disc and letting Windows Media Player open. If the DVD does not automatically start playing when inserted, simply open Windows Media Player and find the DVD in the library view, right click on it and choose "Play", as shown in the picture below:-

For more information on Windows Media Player, see our tutorials here.

DVD Playback on Windows XP (and basic editions of Windows Vista and Windows 7)

If you have tried to play DVD movies on your Windows XP PC before, you may well have seen this message:-

What does all that mean? Well, basically, Windows XP (and Windows Vista and Windows 7 Home Basic) only come with some of the software you need to play DVD movies. In order to successfully play a DVD movie on these editions of Windows XP, you will also need some DVD decoding software. That can mean purchasing a third party Windows DVD player such as Sonic Cineplayer or Power DVD, however there is a free alternative available too.

VLC Media player is a powerful free media player for Windows and other operating systems. One feature that has helped to make it extra popular is its ability to play DVD's, for free!

If neither Windows Media Player or VLC meet your needs, you will probably have to purchase one of the commercial DVD players listed below.

Other DVD playing software

As is usually the case with Windows software, there are plenty of alternatives when it comes to choosing DVD playback software. There are plenty of sites on the internet where you can learn all about the alternatives, but we thought we would share with you some of our favourites.

Cyberlink PowerDVD

A great all round Windows DVD player that is easy to use and to configure. Supports playback of high-def disks (with a compatible drive) as well as surround sound and power saving modes for laptops.

Sonic Cineplayer

This is a great Windows DVD player for anyone looking to get high quality DVD movie playback, at £19.99 it also offers good value for money.

Zoom Player and Nvidia Purevideo

This is the most complicated solution to configure but can produce fantastic results. Zoom Player is an all-round media player with more options and configuration settings than anyone knows what to do with. Purevideo is a special kind of DVD decoder produced by Nvidia, it gives stunning playback results and can make normal DVD's look almost like high definition DVD's! Purevideo only works on certain NVidia cards (check the website given in the link above for specific information).

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