Playing a DVD


If you have a DVD drive in your computer, it's a snap to use WMP to play DVD movies on your computer monitor.

Using Windows Media Player to Play DVDs

When you insert a DVD in your DVD drive, playback should start automatically. Your system should sense the presence of the DVD, launch Windows Media Player, and start playing the movie. (You can also initiate playback from within WMP by pulling down the Play menu and selecting DVD.)

As you can see in Figure 31.2, the picture from the DVD displays in WMP's video window. The individual tracks on the DVD are displayed in the Playlist area to the right of the screen, and information about the DVD (including the DVD cover) is displayed beneath the video window.

Figure 31.2. Watching a DVD movie with Windows Media Player.

graphics/31fig02.gif


Changing Display Size

You can watch your movie in WMP's video window, or you can view the DVD using your entire computer screen. Just click the Full Screen button (at the lower-right corner of the video window) or select View, Full Screen and the movie will enlarge to fill your entire screen. Press Esc to return to normal viewing mode.

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You have to be connected to the Internet for WMP to find and display this DVD information and cover art.


Navigating DVD Menus

Almost all DVDs come with their own built-in menus. These menus typically lead you to special features on the disc and allow you to select various playback options and jump to specific scenes.

To display the DVD's main menu, select View, DVD Features, Title Menu. To display the DVD's special features menu, pull down the View menu and select DVD Features, Top Menu. When the special features menu is displayed, you can click any of the options onscreen to jump to a particular feature.

Changing Audio Options

Many DVDs come with an English-language soundtrack, as well as soundtracks in other languages. Some DVDs come with different types of audio mono, Dolby Pro Logic surround, Dolby Digital 5.1 surround, and so on. Other DVDs come with commentary from the film's director or stars on a separate audio track.

You can select which audio track you listen to by selecting View, DVD Features, Audio and Language Tracks. This displays a list of available audio options. Select the track you want to listen to, and then settle back to enjoy the movie.

Playing in Slow Motion or Fast Motion

WMP provides a variety of special playback features. You can pause a still frame, advance frame-by-frame, or play the movie in slow or fast motion. To access these special playback features, select View, Now Playing Tools, DVD Controls. This displays a set of special controls in the Now Playing Tools area of the WMP window. Use these tools to vary the playback speed or pause the movie on a still frame.

Displaying Subtitles and Closed Captions

Many DVDs include subtitles in other languages. To turn on subtitles, select View, DVD Features, Subtitles and Captions, and then select which subtitles you want to view.

Other DVDs include closed captioning for the hearing impaired. You can view closed captions by selecting View, DVD Features, Subtitles and Captions, Closed Captions.

The Absolute Minimum

Here are the key points to remember from this chapter:

  • To play CDs and DVDS on your PC, you use a media player program such as Windows Media Player (WMP).

  • WMP's transport controls (pause, fast forward, and so on) are just like those on a CD or DVD player.

  • When WMP is connected to the Internet, it will automatically download information about the currently playing CD or DVD.

  • When you're playing an audio CD, you can minimize WMP by switching to Skin mode; when you're playing a DVD you can maximize the movie by switching to full-screen mode.




Absolute Beginner's Guide to Computer Basics
Absolute Beginners Guide to Computer Basics (2nd Edition)
ISBN: 0789731754
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2003
Pages: 253

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