OT: need simple free DVD playing software

Post by **admin** » 06 Apr 2008 20:45

I just need to check the film format of a DVD. On the DVD package it says "2.35:1 anamorphic version enhanced for widescreen TVs", BUT on the (16:9) TV the left and right margins of the original image are clearly cropped. Now I want to know if the information is already cropped on the DVD, or if I made any mistaake setting up the TV or the DVD-player.

So, does anybody know a small free foolproof software, that allows to me to check what's really on the DVD?

Thanks,
Don

jacky · Post by **jacky** » 06 Apr 2008 20:55

hmm... I can't say for sure, but I would imagine that VLC would play it using whatever ratio it is (although I believe it lets you change it at will, too), no?

Post by **admin** » 06 Apr 2008 21:00

jacky wrote:hmm... I can't say for sure, but I would imagine that VLC would play it using whatever ratio it is (although I believe it lets you change it at will, too), no?

This?
http://www.videolan.org/vlc/

jacky · Post by **jacky** » 06 Apr 2008 21:22

admin wrote:
jacky wrote:hmm... I can't say for sure, but I would imagine that VLC would play it using whatever ratio it is (although I believe it lets you change it at will, too), no?
This?
http://www.videolan.org/vlc/

Yes! Don't tell me you don't know VLC, it's a reference when it comes to media (video) player ! (Although I do use Media Player Classic as a default player, but I have & use VLC as well, of course).

Post by **admin** » 06 Apr 2008 21:27

jacky wrote:
admin wrote:
jacky wrote:hmm... I can't say for sure, but I would imagine that VLC would play it using whatever ratio it is (although I believe it lets you change it at will, too), no?
This?
http://www.videolan.org/vlc/
Yes! Don't tell me you don't know VLC, it's a reference when it comes to media (video) player ! (Although I do use Media Player Classic as a default player, but I have & use VLC as well, of course).

Yep, never heard of it. Never heard of any DVD soft. Never needed any.

But the VLC did the job, so thanks! Now I know: the DVD is okay! The images are complete and perfectly 2.35:1. Now I have to find out why my so-called widescreen TV does not handle it. Or could it be the DVD-player?

BTW, VLC grabbed all my media extensions.

I don't find the interface where to manually decide about the associations... is there any???

jacky · Post by **jacky** » 06 Apr 2008 22:12

admin wrote:BTW, VLC grabbed all my media extensions. I don't find the interface where to manually decide about the associations... is there any???

hmm, I don't know.

I think it's something you can choose during the installation process, so I don't think there's an option to add/remove them from VLC itself...

Post by **admin** » 07 Apr 2008 08:31

jacky wrote:
admin wrote:BTW, VLC grabbed all my media extensions. I don't find the interface where to manually decide about the associations... is there any???
hmm, I don't know. I think it's something you can choose during the installation process, so I don't think there's an option to add/remove them from VLC itself...

Yep, I think so, too. Also the interface is quite ugly and buggy: I crashed it 2 times within the first 3 minutes. Reference software...

... luckily I had set a system restore point before install.

Post by **j_c_hallgren** » 07 Apr 2008 09:00

I've had varying luck with VLC also...the main problem I've had is that it won't play audio on some streaming video...it just plays a second or so and then stops...

jacky · Post by **jacky** » 07 Apr 2008 10:38

admin wrote:Yep, I think so, too. Also the interface is quite ugly and buggy: I crashed it 2 times within the first 3 minutes. Reference software... ... luckily I had set a system restore point before install.

Ugly... well, yeah, maybe. Quite honestly it's fine by me, because what I focus on more is how it plays my files, I couldn't care less about cool 3D designs like in most media player outthere. I never really understood that. Like how all audio player needs to have great skin support & all, while whenever I have my audio player running, it is to play music; so about 99.9% of the time, it's hidden. Really, I couldn't care less about the GUI as long as it's clean and easy to work with (and on that matter, I might like MPC a little more, but VLC is good)

Crash... never crashed on me!

Post by **admin** » 07 Apr 2008 11:21

jacky wrote:
admin wrote:Yep, I think so, too. Also the interface is quite ugly and buggy: I crashed it 2 times within the first 3 minutes. Reference software... ... luckily I had set a system restore point before install.
Ugly... well, yeah, maybe. Quite honestly it's fine by me, because what I focus on more is how it plays my files, I couldn't care less about cool 3D designs like in most media player outthere. I never really understood that. Like how all audio player needs to have great skin support & all, while whenever I have my audio player running, it is to play music; so about 99.9% of the time, it's hidden. Really, I couldn't care less about the GUI as long as it's clean and easy to work with (and on that matter, I might like MPC a little more, but VLC is good)

Crash... never crashed on me!

No, no ... I was not thinking about 3D-skins -- I totally agree with you here. I rather mean how the buttons are arranged, and how the GUI flickers, and is slow sometimes, and has non-standard ways to present things. It looks like careless work.

Also I did not find a simple "Properties" sheet for the current movie (showing the length, the format etc).

jacky · Post by **jacky** » 07 Apr 2008 11:46

admin wrote:No, no ... I was not thinking about 3D-skins -- I totally agree with you here. I rather mean how the buttons are arranged, and how the GUI flickers, and is slow sometimes, and has non-standard ways to present things. It looks like careless work.

Also I did not find a simple "Properties" sheet for the current movie (showing the length, the format etc).

GUI... well, I don't know, feels quite standard to me. Although it is true that on some occasions things not not be where you would expect them to be. I'm also thinking it might be because it's a soft that exists on Windows, MacOS, and Linux, and not all of those OS might have the same standards.

Anyways, View|Stream & Media Info should get you duration, frame rate, resolution, etc although only when playing (or paused), not stopped.

Post by **admin** » 07 Apr 2008 11:52

jacky wrote:
admin wrote:No, no ... I was not thinking about 3D-skins -- I totally agree with you here. I rather mean how the buttons are arranged, and how the GUI flickers, and is slow sometimes, and has non-standard ways to present things. It looks like careless work.

Also I did not find a simple "Properties" sheet for the current movie (showing the length, the format etc).
GUI... well, I don't know, feels quite standard to me. Although it is true that on some occasions things not not be where you would expect them to be. I'm also thinking it might be because it's a soft that exists on Windows, MacOS, and Linux, and not all of those OS might have the same standards.

Anyways, View|Stream & Media Info should get you duration, frame rate, resolution, etc although only when playing (or paused), not stopped.

Thanks!

Post by **admin** » 07 Apr 2008 15:20

I'm still having my problem.

I know now that 2.35:1 format is on the DVD, but I can't get it on the TV. It seems to be auto-cropped to 1.85:1. Hey, I don't mind big black bars on top and bottom! But I mind when my movie is cropped at the sides.

What can I do?

PS: I have a 16:9 wide screen TV, which I bought for only one reason: To see movies uncropped!