WinDVD or PowerDVD?

[BGates2B]

I've been using Media Player 8 with a DVD plug-in to view DVD movies on my XP machine. The image quality is excellent but the sound is a bit "muted", but that may be because I have sound throught the IDE cable instead of a dedicated sound cable.

Would I be better off using a 3rd party decoder software? If so, is WinDVD better than PowerDVD?

Your help is appreciated.

System Specs:
Athlon 1.2 GHz
512 MB SDRAM
Hercules 32MB GeForce2MX 400
SoundBlaster Live
Pioneer DVD 500M
Viewsonic GT775 17" monitor


Intel = Ford
AMD = Chevy
Friends don't let friends drive Fords

 

[upec]

I have been using PowerDVD XP for a few month. It work great.

 

[FatBurger]

I have both, PowerDVD is better. The new version will resume movies where you left off, etc.

<font color=orange>Quarter</font color=orange> <font color=blue>Pounder</font color=blue> <font color=orange>Inside</font color=orange>
Don't step in the sarcasm!

 

[ejsmith2]

Yeah, another vote for PowerDvd. MicroDVD is nice, if you're looking for something really compact, but Power gives you more choices.

 

[lhgpoobaa]

yeah... power dvd is great, slightly free and has lots of options

i have had one curious bug though.
every movie ive watched was fine, except for devils advocate, which had an unusual jitter in it, all the way thru, most noticable if one watched the top of the screen, could see the screen jumping up and down one row of pixels.
when i converted it to divx it wasnt there.

apart from that. tizz fine

"I came, I saw, I overclocked", Julius 'Smokin CPU' Caesar

 

[BGates2B]

Thanks, looks like I'll be picking up a copy of PowerDVD XP.

Thanks again

Intel = Ford
AMD = Chevy
Friends don't let friends drive Fords

 

[agent]

Ok, which version does what? I saw three.
1. PowerDVD XP 4.0 Deluxe
2. PowerDVD XP 4.0 Standard
3. PowerDVD Player

What version does what? And do any of them do 5.1 surround? Thanks.

Always remember, you are unique...just like everyone else.

 

[tas]

From :
http://www.gocyberlink.com/english/pdf_files/data_sheets/PDVD_xp.pdf

· PowerDVD XP Deluxe (Available for Retail): This is a complete version of PowerDVD XP with all available video, audio and navigational features included.

· PowerDVD XP Standard (Available for Retail): This version offers all of PowerDVD XP features, but only Dolby Digital (multi-channel output), Dolby Headphone and Dolby Pro Logic II audio capabilities.

· PowerDVD Basic (Available for OEM only): This version offers all of PowerDVD XP features, but only 2-channel audio output (Dolby Digital, MPEG-Audio, LPCM). Additional audio features can be purchased.

Tom.