The VLC player is good, but only insofar as it can actually read dvd's from different regions. For one disc I bought (a series called Murphy's Law from the UK), I had no trouble. Indeed, when I bought the third series from a used dvd outlet in Australia called RedeyeRecords, I didn't even have to change my region setting on my new Dell 1525.
But with this entire set of the series, I did have to change the region. And then I discovered this media player and I thought, I'm set, now I can buy all sorts of dvd's of UK series that they just won't sell for an American audience. Shows like Waking the Dead, for example.
Unfortunately, after the first disc, none of the others would play. The picture kept pixelating. I read on the VLC forum that it was because I needed to address the problem at the firmware level.
I reject that because I happen to know, from downloading a free trial of Divx Player that the problem can be addressed at the software level.
However, I have discovered that if I copy my dvd's to my computer using a program called DVD Decryptor, then I can then use VLC player to play the files on my computer. It is a little less convenient because I do have to copy them to my computer, and it doesn't play all the chapter's seamlessly: I have to then click on the next video file. But at least I can buy dvd's from all different regions, now, and not worry about not being able to watch them. And best of all, it is free.
Obviously, the problem with these programs is that they can be used to make illegal copies of dvd's and cd's, which is actually an unfortunate by-product. Really what's great, I think, about them is that they allow you to any region dvd and play them. Without spending money on a silly program.
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