A cry for help! Three weeks ago I bought a Gateway GT5676, quad core, 64
bit super duper machine. It has a DVD R/W 16X Flashlabel player.
Today, I tried (for the first time) to play a DVD movie. Audio works,
but I get nothing but little blue, green, red, yellow, etc boxes for the
video - very psychodelic. Tried a number of movies that play in my other
systems and got the same result. Changing resolution doesn't help.
Gateway tech support, after a lot of you know what, says I need a codec,
whatever that is. I searched for one, but became a bit confused, as
codec seems to refer to audio??? Before I lug this thing back to the
store, does anyone have a suggestion?


--
Tom Lynch

try downloading VLC media player (its free of cost). You can also try to
download power dvd but download just the trial version & don't use it.
Because it would go ahead & update the codec's automatically. If that
does not work then download the codec's from this website:
'http://www.free-codecs.com/K_Lite_Codec_Pack_download.htm'
(http://www.free-codecs.com/K_Lite_Co...k_download.htm)



Hope this helps !
'' (http://www.free-codecs.com/K_Lite_Co...k_download.htm)


--
tanuj_chadha

"Tom Lynch" wrote in message
...

A cry for help! Three weeks ago I bought a Gateway GT5676, quad core, 64
bit super duper machine. It has a DVD R/W 16X Flashlabel player.
Today, I tried (for the first time) to play a DVD movie. Audio works,
but I get nothing but little blue, green, red, yellow, etc boxes for the
video - very psychodelic. Tried a number of movies that play in my other
systems and got the same result. Changing resolution doesn't help.
Gateway tech support, after a lot of you know what, says I need a codec,
whatever that is. I searched for one, but became a bit confused, as
codec seems to refer to audio??? Before I lug this thing back to the
store, does anyone have a suggestion?


--
Tom Lynch


Take it back and have them fix it or replace it. There is no reason you
should be having this problem. I'm assuming you are running Vista on it and
if that's the case Windows Media Player should be able to play your DVDs.
The system should already have most of the codecs you will need, both
audio and video. If you don't like WMP you can try GOM Player, a free
program that includes most codecs you will need. If GOM Player doesn't have
the necessary codec it will usually find it for you.
Stay away from codec "packs". They contain many things you don't need
and will usually conflict with some of the codecs already on your system. If
you decide to install a codec pack, make a restore point before installing
and do a custom install, installing only the codec you need.
I have a special distaste for K-Lite because the bundled products in
the K-Lite Codec Pack are the products of other companies, not K-Lite.

C.B.


--
It is the responsibility and duty of everyone to help the underprivileged
and unfortunate among us.

Tom Lynch wrote:
A cry for help! Three weeks ago I bought a Gateway GT5676, quad core, 64
bit super duper machine. It has a DVD R/W 16X Flashlabel player.
Today, I tried (for the first time) to play a DVD movie. Audio works,
but I get nothing but little blue, green, red, yellow, etc boxes for the
video - very psychodelic. Tried a number of movies that play in my other
systems and got the same result. Changing resolution doesn't help.
Gateway tech support, after a lot of you know what, says I need a codec,
whatever that is. I searched for one, but became a bit confused, as
codec seems to refer to audio??? Before I lug this thing back to the
store, does anyone have a suggestion?




Tom, go with the suggestion to try VLC player.

Several legit videos I have won't play on Vista, says "Getting codec"
but never does and all I get is a "Visualization" with sound. VLC
however just "Plays" them.