How do I get WMP 11 to use ffdshow for DVDs in Vista?

[jakobkraft]

When I had XP Pro, all I had to do was make sure that 'MPEG2' was enabled under 'Codecs' and that 'DVD Decoding' was checked. If so, Windows Media Player 11 would use ffdshow for DVDs, as well as other videos.

But in Vista Ultimate, which I'm still learning about, Windows Media Player 11 does NOT use ffdshow to play DVDs-only videos (mpeg, avi, etc.), even though ffdshow is configured exactly as above, the way which had worked in XP Pro. Instead I get a message: "Windows Media Player cannot play DVD video. You might need to adjust your Windows display settings. Open display settings in Control Panel, and then try lowering your screen resolution and color quality settings." WTH?

I know - or highly suspect - that Vista Media Center shares (or decides?) the DVD playback codec for Windows Media Player 11, which is Microsoft's own codec. And I know about the Vista Media Center Decoder which enables you to select a different video encoder as the default. But ffdshow does not show up as an option, so that's not a solution....

Is there a solution that will enable ffdshow to take over DVD playback in Windows Media Player 11 in Vista Ultimate edition, 32-bit?
Thanks in advance:)

[jakobkraft]

No way to do this...?

[Ma-Xell]

WMP 11 uses its own decoders and i don't think it is possible to disable them(thanks to Microsoft).
Why don't you give Media Player Classic a try?:)

[jakobkraft]

I guess I have to. MPC is pretty cool, but I just miss the all-in-one functionality I had going with WMP11 in XP.

Thanks anyway...