Best software for playing DVDs?

People always claim that VLC Media Player and Windows Media Player are the gold standard for watching DVDs on a PC.

The latest versions of both programs are huge—over 100 MB just for the installation. Both of them.

What are you guys actually using to watch DVDs on your computer (besides Windows Media Player)?

I’m looking for something simple, lightweight, but still high quality. To me, those two programs feel like massive bloatware packed with features that 95% of people will never touch. They’ve honestly outgrown their original purpose of just playing a damn DVD.

Thanks!

I usually just bounce between VLC Media Player and GOM Player. If one gives me trouble, I just switch to the other.

Well, you’ve already got Windows Media Player installed, and honestly, it does a perfectly fine job. You just pop the DVD in and start watching. I tend to think it doesn't really matter which specific program you choose to use, as long as it gets the job done.

What difference does it make whether it's 100MB or 10MB? It only really matters if you're working with a 10GB hard drive.

I usually stick to GOM Player and iTunes, though I'll occasionally fire up Adobe Premiere Elements if I need to.

crimsonridge44 said:What difference does 100MB or 10MB make? It only matters if you're running on a 10GB hard drive.

Look, my point is I don't want an extra 100 MB of useless junk that serves zero purpose for watching a movie, especially when it might clash with something else I actually need on my PC.

I’m not interested in having a million random services spinning up in the background every single time I boot my computer. That kind of bloat is just annoying.

That's why whenever I install something, I never just click "recommended." I always go in and manually pick exactly what gets installed and what doesn't.

Simple as that.

If you want the absolute best way to watch anything, whether you're sitting at your PC or hooked up to your TV, you should just stick with VLC Media Player. As long as your computer is running smoothly, you won't have to mess around with extra codecs because this thing handles everything out of the box; it’s fast, lightweight, and incredibly efficient. There isn't even a formal installation process—you just drop the folder wherever you want, leave it there, and toss a shortcut onto your desktop. When you go to open a file and macOS asks which program you'd like to use, just check the box for this player and you're set for every video moving forward. One quick tip for the first time you launch it: right-click, head into Options, then Formats, and make sure you check the boxes for Video and DVD so it automatically handles discs when needed. Regarding VLC Media Player, honestly, it feels like overkill. Why would anyone need a 226MB program just to watch a DVD? Sure, the newer versions might have a few extra bells and whistles, but if your goal is simply to play a disc, this massive piece of software is unnecessary; just skip it entirely, even if someone offers it to you for free.👍
http://mpc-hc.sourceforge.net/

Windows Media Center

VLC portable:
http://portableapps.com/apps/music_video/vlc_portable

Works like a charm. You can just toss it on a thumb drive whenever you feel like it and take it anywhere.

I stick strictly to the VLC media player. It’s the only one I trust, and honestly, it hasn't let me down once... it just works better than everything else out there. The interface is straightforward, and getting subtitles synced up is actually effortless...