MPC and SVCD/DVD

[Culvin]

Is there a way to play SVCDs and DVDs in MPC without having to install a software DVD player (kind of like Quicktime and Real alternative)?

If not, or if a software DVD player is better for SVCDs and DVDs, what would you guys recommend? I've heard that WinDVD, PowerDVD, and DVD Station are all pretty good.

Thanks.

[Tuning]

MPC works with SVCD and DVD too. It has a internal MPEG-2 decoder, that accomplishes this task. But audio part(ac3/DTS) is not built in. So you have to use audio filters.( For ac3, use ac3 filter[http://ac3filter.sf.net] ):) .
By the way Quicktime alternative and real alernative are used only for its own original type decoding, nothing related to DVDs.

Regarding other players, they are good too. But commercial. MPC is a freeware as everyone know. If you still not satisfied, then use any s/w player that you have interest.

[Culvin]

So MPC plays SVCDs and DVDs natively, but without sound? And the audio filters you linked me to will add sound?

I'll be getting some SVCDs and DVDs soon, so I'm trying to get my computer set up to run them.

[gabest]

ac3filter is needed for dvds only, svcd has mpeg audio what the built-in MAD based decoder can handle.

[Culvin]

I'll probably go ahead and try to play my SVCDs and DVDs with MPC since it already has the internal MPEG2 decoder and it's my player of choice for all other formats. A couple questions though:

1 (sound): Is AC3 needed for sound on all DVDs? I went ahead and got AC3Filter. Since I'm using a stereo setup, I don't need a DTS codec right? I believe it's only for 5.1 sound (not even 4.1)?

2 (video): If I install an external mpeg2 codec, or WinDVD/PowerDVD, will I have problems with conflicts when trying to play mpeg2 on MPC?

Thanks again!

[Tuning]

Hi again,

1. Most DVDs now are constituting ac3 track, even if there is a seperate DTS track. So it would be easy to use ac3filter for all these DVDs. As you have stereo system, you can configure no:of speakers used by ac3filter by using ac3filter's controlpanel config shortcut. Set to 2/0 stereo.
For DTS playback via MPC you need to install winDVD and gabest's <ac3/DTS> filter found on download page.

2. I don't know exactly, what happens if all of them are installed in your system. I have tried WinDVD and MPC and found no problem. :o .

You can open *ifo directly in MPC to watch DVDs as you do in other commercial software players.