Notice I didn't say "what's the best...............".

I'm currently using WinDVD V7. I realize it is one of the more popular, if not the most popular DVD players out there, BUT I has just come to my attention
everytime you start the program, it creates three cookies buried in that damn 'Documents & Settings' folder!

I don't know if they are sent anywhere, but the fact is I find that unacceptable. That brings me here to ask;
What DVD player software do you use and why and have you treid anything else?

BTW, this is SD DVD, NOT HD/BluRay.

My personal favorite is PowerDVD version 4 (ancient and very friendly). Many folks really like the various incarnations of Media Player Classic.

I have used that in the past. Is it still current?

I've been using ASUSXP DVD player for a few years now it came with an old
Asus TI4200 video card I bought a long time ago. I haven't had the need to
use anything else so far so guess I'll keep using it until I'm forced to move on
to another player software somewhere in the future.

VLC player is one of the best players available currently.

It's free, and it can run also as a portable software (i.e. non installation, but running simply from any folder you like, also an USB pendrive)

I too use an old (v4 or 5, never looked) PowerDVD as well as VLC.

I use CyberLink Dvd Suite! Has eagle sharpness and color that is awasome for my 1900x1200 Plasma screen on my laptop!!

I use PowerDVD. Mine is the latest version and it does fine for me.

I have a friend who uses the Nvidia PureVideo decoder and it does a good job too. There are three versions, but I don't remember which one he has.

I've tried VLC, older versions of WinDVD and Media Player Classic, and they work. The only one I can remember off the top of my head that I had problems with was Nero Showtime. I wouldn't recommend it at all.

I like WinDVD

You are not a orphan with Nero ShowTime lots of people are having or had problens with it.

I just use ffdshow + Windows Media Player (heh) or GOM Player. But I mostly use MPUI + MPlayer watch most of the video files

ffdshow + Media Player Classic for me too.

PowerDVD for me.
Version 4 dated 2003.
Runs like a charm.
Art:

VLC for me. It's simple, it's free and it's powerful

I looked at the current version of PowerDVD and at either 50 or 90MB (depending on the version), it's way to bloated. "Power" is the correct word here.

I trying Zoom Player, but I get an error that "No audio decoder is selected" even though I have chosen the onboard nVideo audio (nForce2 chipset).

I am also looking at VLC, but the number of options is astronomical to say the least. Navigation the Registry appears easier.

I agree with the MOD here I use and like WinDVD but also I do have VLC just for those hard to play files so it's best to have more then one in case the other refuses to play properly...oh yeah I do also have nero ultra 6 suite as well .. so I keep my option open on players...and test which works best on my hardware and software setup...

How do you stop it from creating cookies evey time you open it??
Cookies to play a DVD??

Looking here for the different versions; what's the difference between V4 & V5 since they are around the same size??
http://www.oldversion.com/program.php?n=powerdvd

(I love the size difference with V6 & 7. See what I mean about "bloated" software?)

I have WinDVD 8 but following where you said it placed cookies could you be more specific as which directory or folder it is in? I looked when I start WinDVD 8 but don't see any cookies there?? Are you sure when you installed that you didn't forget to uncheck the box to send usage anonymous to Intervideo site???

Yes I did uncheck that.
Like most programs (that use this folder) it's hidden in that damn Documents & Settings folder, buried way deep.

Look here; (or subsistute your username for Admin.)

Everytime it starts, three cookies are placed.

I believe Power DVD does a similar thing, that's where it stores bookmarks and resume information.

videobruce, have you tried GOM Player yet? It's free and offers great features & clean GUI:

http://www.gomplayer.com/download.html

Never heard of it. That site is awfully slow.

I use Power DVD 7, Windows Media Player 9, Nero Showtime, and Virtual CD 9 interchangeably depending on what my mood is.

i would say between Media Player Classic (lighter on resources vs KMPlayer but dont do nearly as much either) and The KMPlayer (overall better than Media Player Classic but dont load up as quick) your pretty much covered ... lately my video player of choice though overall is KMPlayer as everything "just works" although i noticed on some home videos i recorded on a home dvd recorder you generally cant skip forward in the videos to where you want and i noticed it wont play some of my .rmvb files.

i think players like PowerDVD and WinDVD are pretty much not worth using anymore since you can get FREE players that are generally just as good if not better in most cases.

p.s. VLC aint bad but the main reason i think KMplayer is MUCH better is cause on x264 (.mkv) files it has issues skipping forward with the slider bar vs kmplayer which has no problems.... plus KMplayer supports alot of video formats without needing additional codecs installed ... i also hear good things about GOM Player but my guess is GOM Player and KMPlayer are roughly the same one way or the other.

speaking of gom player im going to download it and give it a try

As before you get what you pay for and paid version have more support in tech and customer responses...as free you have to wait until the author updates or responds back to feedback when they can......I still use WinDVD 8 for my majority of watching DVDs but I still have nero 6, VLC, WMP 11, Quicktime, etc to play other files that WinDVD doesn't play...so I don't limit my options as I have paid and free version on my system...Also WinDVD only is for DVD playing not avi or mkv or other file extensions....as it wasn't made for those files...but I like the interface and clean GUI of WinDVD....