Due to the advances in computer technology, viewing movies has become better than ever before. Digital video discs have brought entertainment to a whole new level of quality and durability. They are more durable than video tapes in that they are read by lasers, preventing the possibility of stretching, breaking, and distortion that often come with video tapes after excessive use. Likewise, there is never a reduction in quality because of the digital format (unless the disc is scratched). Because they are more compact (the size of compact discs), the players needed to play them can be more compact as well. Many players are the size of car stereos, enabling passengers in a car to pass the time on long trips with their favorite movies.
One of the more convenient ways to create, back up, or watch DVDs is on your home computer. With the great, and now more affordable, home computers making entertainment a top priority, many are optimized for video gaming and movie watching. Even if your PC or Mac is used more for word processing and number-crunching, it may well be suited for watching DVDs. Everything you need may already be installed on your system.
Some things you will need to look for when wanting to watch DVDs on your computer are a good sound card and video card (32-bit or better if possible), enough RAM memory (256 or better for smooth viewing), and a CD/DVD drive. If your computer had a CD/DVD drive factory installed, you can safely assume the computer will play your DVDs well because the appropriate software and memory would have accompanied it. Your computer may be referred to as a “multimedia” or “entertainment” computer.
If, however, your computer does not have a DVD player, you must purchase a CD/DVD drive and check your computer for the appropriate operating system, RAM memory, and hard drive space. One of the best ways to know what is needed is to read the box of your selected DVD drive and compare the “system requirements” listed against the configuration of your home computer.
When choosing a DVD drive for your computer, apart from making sure your computer is configured to support it, you will need to consider if you want an internal drive or an external drive. An internal drive will take installation, which may void your computer’s warranty unless you have it installed by a certified factory service center. Purchasing an external drive has advantages like multiple computer use and ease of installation. Typically, just plug it in to the USB port, plug it in to the wall, and install the accompanying software. The only real disadvantage is that it takes up desk space.
You will also want to figure out if you want a DVD player or a DVD player/recorder (“burner”). A recorder enables you to both watch DVDs and record, or burn, DVDs. A note of clarification here: a DVD/CD-R (RW) means you can watch DVDs, but can only record CDs. If you want to record DVDs you will need to purchase a CD-R/DVD-R (or RW) drive. The boxes will be clearly marked. A decent drive can be purchased for less than $200, depending on the features you desire.
Assuming you have a DVD drive, sufficient memory, and the appropriate software, viewing your DVDs on your computer is relatively simple. Some programs and operating systems practically run themselves. Once you put your disc into the drive, your computer may open the media player, read the disc and begin playing. That leaves you with only controlling the volume, image size, and scene selection. If your media player and your operating system are sufficient, your movie will run as smooth as it does on your home player.
Provided your media player is not the one you prefer, you may purchase a video player or you may download one of several free players from the internet. If you choose to keep several media players on your computer, you may choose one to be your default player. This means that when a CD or DVD is inserted into the disk drive, that player automatically opens to play it. If you would rather choose a different player for your DVD, all you need to do is click on the icon for that player.
Once the desired video player opens, click on “file” in the toolbar, then “open” the desired file from the DVD drive. Once the video is opened, it will appear in the window on the media player just like it would on a television screen. In addition, you will see the controls for the media player at the top or bottom of the video window. These will resemble the basic VCR or DVD player controls. These buttons will typically be play/pause, stop, rewind and fast forward. Just left-click on the button with the mouse cursor and it will be just like pressing the button on your home DVD player or VCR.
Most media players also have other options, such as a “full-screen” mode, which expands the movie image over the whole monitor. Your player may also have a graphic equalizer to adjust the sound of your favorite movie, along with a volume button to adjust the volume on the player without adjusting the computer volume. One of the great things about using your computer as a DVD player is that the newer computers make it possible for you to hook your computer to a television and/or stereo system with just a couple of cables. This means that your computer can act as a default DVD player for your home without sacrificing sound and picture quality.
Once your movie is on screen, you can use your mouse to click on the option you desire. For instance, in the main menu you can move your mouse cursor over the options to play the movie, select the scene, special features, etc. and click on that option to select it. Once your movie is in full screen mode, left-clicking will pause and play the movie, but right-clicking will open up options such as screen size, volume adjust, etc. without stopping the movie. Since every player is different, however, it will be difficult to go into more detail here, so it is best to refer to your media player’s help section.
On a final note, not every player works as well as it is designed to work, but you should have no problem finding a media player that works well for you, has good picture and sound quality, and is easy to use. As long as you make sure your computer hardware, operating system, and media player are compatible, the only question you have left to ask yourself is, “Which movie do I want to watch first?”
