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FREE 15 Best DVD Player Software for Windows PC in 2024
Digital Video Disc (DVD) technology is far from dead. If you still have a robust DVD collection, it’s easy to enjoy them on your computer using DVD player software.
The best DVD player software will let you play DVDs on your PC or on your TV through an HDMI hookup or screen casting. You’ll also get lots of extra features like media organization and support for digital video formats. Some options have the latest in video and audio enhancements to give you richer, more detailed colors with crisper, balanced sound for all your discs and videos.
Deciding which software to download can be confusing since there are so many options with completely different features.
This guide takes an in-depth look at the 15 best DVD player software you can download for free to help you choose the perfect one for your needs.
- Snapshot of Our Top 3 DVD Player Software
- How to Pick the Best DVD Player Software
- FREE 15 Best DVD Player Software for Windows PC
- Best DVD Player Software Comparison Chart
- How to Use DVD Player Software
- Download the Best DVD Player Software for Free
- DVD Player Software FAQ
Snapshot of Our Top 3 DVD Player Software
1. PowerDVD 22 - Best Overall DVD Player Software
Plays DVDs, 4K Blu-ray, and 8K video on your PC True Theater enhancements. You can also cast to your big-screen TV and use your smartphone as a remote. Detailed Review >
Download PowerDVD 22 today by clicking the link below and find out why we rated it number 1 on our list.
2. PotPlayer - Best for 3D
PotPlayer can play DVDs and Blu-rays and has support for various types of 3D glasses.
3. VLC Media Player - Best Playback Support
Free and open-source DVD player software that can play DVDs, supports a wide range of file formats and streams online content.
How to Pick the Best DVD Player Software
The following are important things to look for in software to play DVDs. Read our tips and tricks for choosing the best one for your needs below:
- Features
- Playback Quality
- Ease of Use
The number one thing to look for in DVD player software is features. In our list below, you’ll find options that simply play DVDs and some that do so much more. It all comes down to what your specific needs are.
Will you be using your software to watch Blu-rays? Some of the options don’t offer support for Blu-ray, and some that do can’t play Blu-ray menus or BD-Live. Will you be streaming online content? Do you prefer to watch DVDs on your TV and need a casting feature? Do you have a huge media library and need organizational features? Will you be playing music or organizing photos? These are all questions to ask before deciding choosing a software to download.
Some of the options on our list actually improve the quality of the DVDs and video files they play with upscaling features, while others can cause your computer to constantly freeze or lag. Scan reviews before picking DVD player software to make sure it provides excellent video and audio quality.
If you haven’t used software to play DVDs before, you’ll want to make sure the one you choose is beginner-friendly. And users of any skill level appreciate a clean, intuitive user interface. Look at screenshots online to see if you find the software attractive before you swipe right.
FREE 15 Best DVD Player Software for Windows PC
1. PowerDVD 22 - Best Overall DVD Player Software
Compatibility: Windows
TechRadar Rating: 5/5
Video Playback Quality: 5/5
Price: Free
*Premium versions available for $59.99 for Standard or $99.99 for Ultra
Key Features:
- Enhanced Blu-ray & DVD playback with patented TrueTheater technology
- All major formats supported
- Watch YouTube content offline and ad-free
- Seamless playback on PC, mobile & TV
Who It’s For
PowerDVD 22 is an all-in-one media player for Windows and is one of the best options for home theater use. If you are looking to play DVDs, 4K Blu-ray, or watch 8k videos, this DVD player software is for you. It offers support for an extensive range of media formats. You can play MP4, AVCHD 2.0, HDMI, MKV, AVI, and more. Disc-based video formats PowerDVD supports include DVD, Blu-Ray, and Ultra HD Blu-ray movie discs (including BD-Live, 360-degree, and VR video playback).
Why We Picked It
In addition to playing media from discs, you can use PowerDVD to stream cloud-based content. With TV media casting, a PowerDVD remote app, and high-quality audio playback, you can use PowerDVD as your home theater media center.
PowerDVD features a modern and user-friendly interface. It offers two interface options, TV Mode and PC Mode, and you can switch between them at any time. The TV Mode interface features a simplistic, horizontal menu that is easy to navigate using the CyberLink remote app. The remote app allows you to control PowerDVD throughout your home.
You can browse and play online video content via Vimeo, YouTube, and Facebook or add online content to your media gallery for easy access - no internet connection needed.
TrueTheater enhancements are among PowerDVD’s most valuable features. These image enhancements include HDR color, lighting, motion compensation, HD upscaling, noise reduction, and stabilization. The audio and video enhancement technologies enhance your media experience on PC and TV, and it optimizes the quality of your home videos and older disc content.
The TV casting feature lets you connect your PC wirelessly to your HDTV via Chromecast, Roku, Apple TV, or Fire TV. By installing and connecting the CyberLink remote app, you can play DVDs and content from your computer’s local storage while sitting on your couch.
Bottom Line
PowerDVD is by far the most feature-rich DVD player software on our list. It offers media organizational features including customizable thumbnails and poster walls, wide format support for online content and discs, casting features including a remote app, and enhancements to upscale your viewing experience. It offers all of this with a completely redesigned and user-friendly interface that even first-time users will have no trouble navigating. Try PowerDVD and you’ll see why it is the best software to play DVDs on the market.
Download PowerDVD 22 by clicking the link below and see for yourself why it is Guru99’s pick for the Best Free DVD Player Software for Windows.
2. PotPlayer - Best for 3D
Compatibility: Windows
G2 Rating: 4.6/5
Video Playback Quality: 4.8/5
Price: Free
- Adjust brightness, contrast, hue
- Supports various subtitle formats
- Bookmark favorite scenes
- 360-Degree VR support
Who It’s For
PotPlayer is DVD player software that provides the ultimate 3D experience. It supports various types of 3D glasses so you can watch 3D movies on your PC or 3D TV. In our test, we noticed excellent playback quality for both audio and video.
Why We Picked It
Enjoy DVDs and Blu-rays with different views such as side by side and top and bottom. Page flipping is also supported. This DVD player software is loaded with codecs and can play anything from large files to broken files.
Bottom Line
PotPlayer is fully customizable but has a slight learning curve for beginners. And unlike most of the other DVD player software on our list, it doesn’t support online video streaming.
3. VLC Media Player - Best for Video Files
Image from videoLAN
Compatibility: Windows, Mac, Linux
TechRadar Rating: 4.5/5
Video Playback Quality: 4.5/5
Price: Free
Key Features:
- Fast hardware decoding
- 360-Degree video support
- Increase video volume by 200%
- 8K resolution
Who It’s For
VLC Media Player is free and open-source DVD player software that is best for playing video files and streaming online content. You can play videos while they are still downloading and play zip files without unpacking them first. It also plays most streaming protocols and media devices including DVDs, CDs, VCDs, and webcams.
Why We Picked It
This DVD player software has customizable skins and filters for both audio and video. It comes with synchronous subtitles, plug-in support, and an album cover search function.
Bottom Line
VLC Media Player has wide format support but doesn’t play Blu-ray, which is a must for today’s standards. And unlike PowerDVD and GOM Player, VLC has a learning curve.
4. GOM Player - Best for Subtitles
Compatibility: Windows, Mac
G2 Rating: 4.6/5
Video Playback Quality: 4/5
Price: Free
*Premium version available for $25
Key Features:
- Customizable skins and logos
- Support for 14 languages
- VOB file player
- 360-degree VR support
Who It’s For
GOM Player is DVD player software for anyone who regularly watches videos with subtitles turned on. It supports every major subtitle format and will even search the web and sync subtitles for videos without a subtitle option. There is a dedicated subtitle button included in the control panel that allows you to turn subtitles off and on with the click of a button and adjust subtitle placement and size.
Why We Picked It
When we found a file format that was unsupported by GOM Player, we were able to easily search the built-in codec library to fill in the gaps. We were even able to play corrupted files by downloading the missing codecs. Other features included in this DVD player software are support for 8K video, a control panel to adjust brightness, contrast, and saturation, and adjustable playback speed including time jumps.
Bottom Line
The large codec library is handy, but a DVD player software like PowerDVD that already supports all major file formats is even better, as constantly looking up missing codecs can be time-consuming. We also found many users complained the software made their computers freeze or lag.
5. Vidmore Player - Best for Large Files
Compatibility: Windows, Mac
Softpedia Rating: 4/5
Video Playback Quality: 4.5/5
Price: Free
*Premium version available for $29.95/month or $59.95 for a lifetime license
Key Features:
- Support for ISO files
- Adjust screen size
- Take screenshots of videos
- Change the audio channel to Stereo, Reverse Stereo, Left or Right
Who It’s For
Vidmore Player is a media player for anyone who wants to play DVDs, Blu-rays, and large video files without stutter or lag. This DVD player software can handle large files because of its built-in converter. Vidmore reduces your media’s file-size without quality loss and plays it back in up to 4K.
Why We Picked It
The program offers advanced playback control, including subtitle adjustment, changing and disabling audio tracks, and adjusting the hue, brightness, and contrast of your video. You can also enjoy quick chapter navigation and make chapter adjustments.
Bottom Line
Vidmore is an excellent way to play DVDs and a wide range of video formats at high-quality. If you are looking for a simple media player, then it will more than suffice. However, if you need features such as streaming, screencasting, and media organization, then try our top choice, PowerDVD. The free version of Vidmore offers even fewer features.
6. KMPlayer - Best Playback Support
Compatibility: Windows
JustUseApp Rating: 4.3/5
Video Playback Quality: 4/5
Price: Free
Key Features:
- Audio and video playlists
- Video to GIF creator
- Slideshow creator
- Support for 24 languages
Who It’s For
KMPlayer is a free, feature-rich DVD player software for Windows. It includes support for any kind of video playback, including 3D, 360-degree VR, 4K, 8K, DVD, Blu-ray, and URL download. Control video and audio playback with hotkeys and intuitive controls.
Why We Picked It
This DVD player software includes noise-reduction, super high-speed mode, and casting with Chromecast. KMPlayer offers support for a variety of subtitle formats and built-in codecs.
Bottom Line
KMPlayer and AnyMP4 Blu-ray Player are both completely free software to play DVDs, but are opposites in features and functionality. While Leawo is lightweight and beginner-friendly, KMPlayer is heavy on system resources and has a steep learning curve. However, KMPlayer is packed with features compared to its bare-bones counterpart.
7. AnyMP4 Blu-ray Player - Best for Finding Favorites
Compatibility: Windows, Mac
G2 Rating: 4.3/5
Video Playback Quality: 4/5
Price: Free
*Premium version available for $31.20/month or $57.45 for a lifetime license
Key Features:
- Custom playback progress
- Take snapshots of playback
- Video control hotkeys
- GPU acceleration
Who It’s For
AnyMP4 Blu-ray Player automatically makes a playlist of your recent playback history, so you can find your favorite media quickly. You can even make a playlist of specific DVD and Blu-ray chapters. It can also play folders, ISO image files, and 4K/1080p HD videos.
Why We Picked It
This DVD player software can play any type of DVD from any region. You can also adjust hue, saturation, brightness, and gamma of video and change audio tracks with ease.
Bottom Line
AnyMP4 has great tools for DVD and Blu-ray playback and wide format support. However, it does not stack up in terms of features when compared to other DVD player software like PowerDVD and KMPlayer. We also found its free version was really more of a free trial and had few of the features found in the paid version.
8. Leawo Blu-ray Player - Best for CPU
Compatibility: Windows, Mac
TopTenReviews Rating: 4/5
Video Playback Quality: 4/5
Price: Free
*Premium version available for $44.95/year or $99.95 for a lifetime license
Key Features:
- Customizable skins and backgrounds
- Support for multiple languages
- Support for Dolby, AAC, TrueHD, DTSHD
- Audio player for music
Who It’s For
Leawo Blu-ray Player is a DVD player software that takes up very little CPU. It’s a great option for anyone who likes to work on the computer and play DVDs at the same time. In addition, there’s a Power Manager feature to help conserve battery life, with no change in video quality.
Why We Picked It
Another thing we liked about this DVD player software was the complete control we had over playback. When you play DVDs, you can adjust subtitles, watch full-screen, adjust volume, fast forward, rewind, choose the next or last scenes, and change video and audio settings. It includes a multi-angle feature for multicamera movies and virtual remote control.
Bottom Line
If you just need software to play DVDs and Blu-rays on your computer then Leawo Blu-ray Player is for you. It is simple to use, free, and takes the least amount of CPU of any DVD player software on our list. However, while options like PowerDVD are fully-featured media players, Leawo is not. It does not have any media organization features, won’t cast a video to your TV, lacks a simultaneous viewing feature, and won’t upscale your videos to HD.
9. Macgo Player - Best for Audio
Compatibility: Windows, Mac
TopTenReviews Rating: 3.5/5
Video Playback Quality: 4.5/5
Price: Free
*Premium version available for Mac only
Key Features:
- Hardware acceleration
- Music and photo support
- Ultra 4K HD
- Built-in and external subtitles
Who It’s For
Macgo Player is a DVD player software that enhances the audio quality of most media. Enhance audio with Macgo’s high-definition audio feature, as well as support for Dolby TrueHD, DTS 5.1, and DTS HD Master Audio.
Why We Picked It
We found the program to be lightweight on computer resources, fast, and lag-free, allowing us to switch between videos in no time at all. There are also simple adjustment tools for hue, brightness, saturation, and video speed.
Bottom Line
As its name would suggest, Macgo is better suited for Mac users. Only the free version of Macgo is available on Windows, which means no support for Blu-ray and a limited toolset. PC users would be better off with PowerDVD or PotPlayer.
10. ALLPlayer - Best for Parental Controls
Compatibility: Windows
Download.com Rating: 3.9/5
Video Playback Quality: 4/5
Price: Free
Key Features:
- Dual monitor support
- AVI Doctor repairs broken files
- Color settings
- Picture effects
Who It’s For
ALLPlayer is our top choice for parents since it is one of only a few DVD player software to offer parental controls. While watching a movie or show they deem inappropriate for kids, parents can simply press F10 and type a password. From then on, only people with the correct password can watch that video.
Why We Picked It
This DVD player software also stands out because of its excellent subtitle options. ALLPlayer automatically searches for matching subtitles or creates intelligent subtitles if none can be found. Subtitles are completely customizable and can be spoken aloud via speech synthesis.
Bottom Line.
ALLPlayer is a multimedia player that can play broken or obscure formats. In our test, it reminded us of GOM Player, with its subtitle options and ability to search for missing codecs to play almost any media. However, GOM Player ranks higher on our list because it can play Blu-ray discs.
11. 5KPlayer - Best for Streaming Radio
Compatibility: Windows, Mac
TrustPilot Rating: 3.2/5
Video Playback Quality: 4.5/5
Price: Free
Key Features:
- Support for 360-degree VR video
- Rotate video
- Subtitler
- DLNA casting
Who It’s For
5KPlayer is a DVD player software, video converter, and satellite radio. Users can play online radio from the recommended preset stations or paste their favorite station’s URL into the software. 5KPlayer detects and plays multi-channel surround sound, so you can listen to your music with perfect quality.
Why We Picked It
This DVD player software will also play Blu-ray discs and AVI, MP4, MKV, and MOV files on your computer’s local storage. As an HD video player, 5KPlayer supports high-quality video with resolutions that include 720p, 1080p, 4K, and 5K UHD. You can also download and play videos from websites, including Facebook, YouTube, and Dailymotion.
Using 5KPlayer, you can download videos in 4K Ultra HD. You can also convert videos into various audio file formats, including MP3 and AAC.
Bottom Line
Unlike PowerDVD, 5KPlayer doesn’t have a remote app. Instead, you will need to navigate the interface using your keyboard and mouse. Also, like many of the reviews we read, we found 5KPlayer difficult to uninstall from our PC. The software is constantly running and slowing down all other apps. Be sure to check reviews and make sure this issue is solved before downloading.
12. Kodi - Best for Organization
Compatibility: Windows, Mac, Linux
G2 Rating: 4.2/5
Video Playback Quality: 3.5/5
Price: Free
Key Features:
- Parental Controls
- Customizable skins
- Syncs to your Smart TV
- Cue sheets and tag reading support
Who It’s For
Kodi is a free and open-source DVD player software and entertainment hub. We like it for anyone who likes to store all of their media in one place, such as movies, podcasts, music, photos, and games. Organize your media into playlists by title, artist, or genre, and view posters, album covers, cast lists, show descriptions, watched tags, and much more.
Why We Picked It
This software does so much more than play DVDs. You can record and watch live TV, stream internet radio, and play games with built-in game controller support. The biggest draw we found for choosing Kodi is the vast library of add-ons that help you personalize your viewing experience.
Bottom Line
While Kodi can play DVDs, it is better used as a streaming service. If you are looking for DVD player software to simply play DVDs and Blu-ray discs, then try one of the other options on our list. It won’t play Blu-ray without an add-on, which can be complicated for beginners. It can also run slow due to all the added content. PowerDVD offers similar multi-media organizational features, but is a more user-friendly way to play DVDs.
13. Aiseesoft Blu-ray Player - Best for Playlists
Compatibility: Windows, Mac
Top Ten Reviews Rating: 3.5/5
Video Playback Quality: 4/5
Price: 30-Day free trial, then $31.20/month or $62.45 for a lifetime license
Key Features:
- HD Surround Sound
- Supports video screenshots
- 4K/HD player
Who It’s For
Aiseesoft Blu-ray Player is a good choice for anyone with thousands of songs and videos they need help sorting. This DVD player software uses AI technology to separate your favorite media and create playlists that will play in order automatically.
Why We Picked It
Play DVDs, Blu-rays, ISO files, MP3s, and almost any video format losslessly with Aiseesoft. It will also play Dolby TrueHD audio with zero quality loss. While this DVD player software doesn’t have any enhancement features, you can optimize your audio and video settings, and set audio/video/subtitle track options.
Bottom Line
Aiseesoft Blu-ray Player is for anyone who just wants to play DVDs and Blu-rays quickly and without quality loss. It is missing quite a few features found in other DVD player software on our list, such as upscaling, BD-Live support, and a virtual remote. It is also missing a free version, and instead offers a 30-day free trial.
14. Zoom Player - Best Customizable UI
Compatibility: Windows
G2 Rating: 3.9/5
Video Playback Quality: 3.5/5
Price: Free
*Premium version available for $39.95/year or $109.95 for a lifetime license
Key Features:
- 10-Band equalizer
- Color Control
- Manage playlists
- Bookmarks and Play History feature
Who It’s For
If you like to have total control over what you see on your screen, then Zoom Player is the DVD player software for you. It offers hundreds of options to customize both the look of the UI and the keyboard/mouse settings. The customization doesn’t end there, you can also adjust the video playback size, position, and aspect ratio, hide/restore every control, and flip easily through different modes of navigation.
Why We Picked It
With Zoom Player you can play DVDs, Blu-ray, and stream audio and video. It has a Media Scanner tool that will scan your PC for media and automatically add it to your library. The information stored for videos in the media library is extensive, including release date, cast, rating, run time, and much more.
Bottom Line
Zoom Player is an excellent tool for those passionate about their media libraries. However, the interface is overwhelming for beginners and the amount of choices that need to be made will frustrate those who just want a simple tool to play DVDs. We recommend PowerDVD as a user-friendly tool that also has customizable playback options and media organizational features.
15. DVD Player - FREE - Best for Beginners
Compatibility: Windows
Microsoft Apps Rating: 3.4/5
Video Playback Quality: 3.5/5
Price: Free
Key Features:
- Opens video disc folders
- Select video tracks and soundtracks
- Plays AVI, MPG, MPEG, MTS, and more
Who It’s For
DVD Player - FREE is a simple and easy-to-use DVD player software with a clean interface that is a good choice for beginners. If you need subtitles, you can easily download them externally and choose the subtitle track during playback.
Why We Picked It
This DVD player software can play Blu-ray, VCD, ISO files, and almost any digital video file, such as MP4, WMV, and MOV.
Bottom Line
DVD Player - FREE has the fewest features of any of the DVD player software on our list. However, the limited tools make it an easier choice for novices or users who want an uncomplicated solution for video playback.
Best DVD Player Software Comparison Chart
| Software | OS | Beginner-Friendly | Playback Quality Enhancements | Support for Blu-ray | Screencasting | Smart Remote |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PowerDVD 22 | Windows | Yes | TrueTheater enhancements including HDR color, lighting, motion compensation, HD upscaling, noise reduction, and stabilization. | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| PotPlayer | Windows | No | None | Yes, but not all formats | No | No |
| VLC Media Player | Windows, Mac, Linux | No | Audio/video filters, increase volume by 200% | No | No | No |
| GOM Player | Windows, Mac | Yes | None | No | No | No |
| Vidmore Player | Windows, Mac | Yes | None | No | No | No |
| KMPlayer | Windows | No | Noise reduction, high-speed mode | Yes | Yes | No |
| AnyMP4 Blu-ray Player | Windows, Mac | Yes | None | Yes | No | No |
| Leawo Blu-ray Player | Windows, Mac | Yes | None | Yes, but no BD Live support | No | Yes |
| Macgo Player | Windows, Mac | Yes | High-Definition audio enhancements | No | No | No |
| ALLPlayer | Windows | Yes | None | No | No | No |
| 5KPlayer | Windows, Mac | Yes | TrueTheater technology, Dolby amplifications | Yes | Yes | No |
| Kodi | Windows, Mac, Linux | No | None | Yes, with Add-On | No | Yes |
| Aiseesoft Blu-ray Player | Windows, Mac | Yes | None | Yes, but no BD Live support | No | No |
| Zoom Player | Windows | No | None | Yes | No | No |
| DVD Player - FREE | Windows | Yes | None | Yes | No | No |
PowerDVD 22
vs
OS
Windows
-
Beginner-Friendly
Yes
-
Playback Quality Enhancements
TrueTheater enhancements including HDR color, lighting, motion compensation, HD upscaling, noise reduction, and stabilization.
-
Support for Blu-ray
Yes
-
Screencasting
Yes
-
Smart Remote
Yes
-
How to Use DVD Player Software
Here are the steps for watching a DVD on your PC with PowerDVD 22.
Download it by clicking the link below and follow along.
Simply insert your disc into your PC, and your video will play automatically. If you already have a disc inserted, follow these steps.
- Open PowerDVD 22 and click Open DVD/Blu-ray Folder. Select the drive that contains your disc.
- Click Resume or Restart to begin playback.
- Use your keyboard to control the playback or download the PowerDVD free remote app on your mobile.
To learn more about playing DVDs with PowerDVD 22, click here.
Download the Best DVD Player Software for Free
Choosing the right software to play DVDs can be a challenge. Many different products are available, and each one differs in terms of file format support, disc playback functionality, and connectivity features.
PowerDVD 22 is a leading DVD player software for Windows that offers exceptional DVD and Blu-ray playback. PowerDVD’s TrueTheater enhancements go a long way towards improving your home cinema experience, especially when it comes to low-resolution content. PowerDVD 22 supports almost all file formats, and even comes with media management tools.
With this software, you get an extensive range of features that allow online streaming and casting to your existing entertainment systems. Add remote app navigation, and this software is your best option if you want to watch movies from your couch.
Download PowerDVD today by clicking the link below and find out why Top Ten Reviews highly recommends it “for upscaling and all-around features.”
DVD Player Software FAQ
1. What Features Should I Look for in DVD Player Software?
The top ten features you should look for in DVD Player Software are
- Video/Audio enhancements
- Beginner-Friendly
- Wide format support
- Online streaming
- Screencasting
- Subtitles
- 360-Degree VR and 3D support
- Blu-ray support including menus and BD Live
- Smart remote
- Media organization tools
If you’re looking for a DVD player software that checks all of these boxes, we recommend PowerDVD 22.
2. What is the Best Blu-ray Player Software?
PowerDVD is also our choice for the best Blu-ray player software. It supports all kinds of Blu-ray including Blu-ray menus and BD Live.
For more information on the best Blu-ray player software for Windows and Mac, click here.
3. What Software Do I Need to Play a DVD?
Any of the free DVD player software on our list will work to play DVDs. Just make sure you have a computer with a disc drive or an external disc drive.
4. Does Windows 10 Have a DVD Player Software?
No, Windows 10 does not come with built-in DVD player software. To play DVDs on Windows 10, you need to download a third-party software. See the article above to help choose the right software for your needs.
5. Is There a Free DVD Burning Software?
Yes. We recommend Power2Go as the best free DVD burning software. Power2Go is an easy-to-use, one-stop shop for CD, DVD, and Blu-ray disc burning, movie disc authoring, media conversion, and file backup/protection.
6. How Do I Install a DVD Software?
Click here, then click the Download Now button and follow the prompts on the screen to download DVD player software for free.
7. Are DVD Becoming Obsolete?
Technology is constantly changing, and DVDs could be headed the way of VHS and 8-tracks. However, they aren’t obsolete yet! Rental companies such as RedBox still use them, and new movies are still being released on DVD.
However, Warner Bros. claimed it has already started to phase out DVD releases, but this is a slow process. We recommend digitizing your DVD collection while software still exists to do so!
8. What Is the Best Format to Convert DVD to Digital?
For archiving DVDs, we recommend converting them to an ISO file. ISO will make an exact copy of your DVD, including the menus and subtitles. It will also be the same quality as your DVD. The downside to ISO is that the file size is very large.
For the best possible quality, rip your DVDs to MPEG-2 format. The quality is slightly better than with ISO because you lose all the DVD extras and only get the movie. The file size is also quite large with MPEG-2.
To reduce the file size of your DVD collection, try H.265 MP4. This is a great choice because it has very little quality loss and supports 4K and 8K video. The downsides to H.265 are that it requires a lot of computer power during compression, and it is not as common as H.264.
Finally, H.264 will give you a smaller file size (though not as small as H.265), and offers high-quality playback (though not as high-quality as ISO and MPEG-2). It is widely supported by most devices, including mobiles. It is probably the best choice all around for the easiest DVD playback.
9. Why Can't I Play DVDs on Windows 10?
Windows 7 was the last version to support playing movie DVDs with the built-in Windows Media Player. Windows 10 can read data DVDs, but movie DVDs will not play without installing DVD player software.
10. Do You Need Software for an External DVD Drive?
Yes, the external DVD drive simply takes the place of a built-in disc drive on your desktop. If your computer has a built-in media player, you will be able to play DVDs without additional software. However, if you want features such as casting, media organization, and audio/video enhancements, we recommend downloading free DVD player software.
Related Articles:
- Best Playback
- Setting Up a Home Theatre
- Best Media Player for Windows
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