Webuser Forums: FREE DVD decoder for Media player 10

What is a DVD decoder?
This is a piece of software that can convert encoded DVDs (such as copy protected commercial films) into viewable video. It might be a plug in for a media player like Windows Media Player, which allows you to watch DVDs on your PC. Or it might be a piece of software designed to remove the copy protection from DVDs so they can be copied.

Can I get a free DVD decoder?
Plugins are freely available for most media players to allow DVDs to be played on your computer. If you're having trouble watching DVDs on your PC, try downloading and installing VLC Media Player. If that doesn't work you may need special drivers called codecs - you can get the ones you need in the K-Lite Mega Codec Pack. It's available for free all over the web - try your favourite download site or www.codecguide.com/download_mega.htm.

If you want to remove the copy protection from DVDs there are a number of helpful guides at www.videohelp.com/dvdbackup.

Are there legal issues?
There's no reason why you shouldn't be able to watch DVDs on your computer, in the same way as you can watch a DVD on any DVD player. However, it's illegal to make copies of DVDs that you don't own the copyright of, without the permission of the copyright holder. So if you haven't videoed the content of the DVD yourself, or don't have the express permission of the person who did (or who owns the rights), making a copy will almost certainly be illegal in the UK.

Read our Instant Expert guide to video file formats including MPEG, H.264, DivX, WMV, AVI and QuickTime..

We also show you how to convert video files from one format to another and how to turn Windows Media Player into a more fully featured DVD player.