CyberLink PowerDVD alternative?

I recently bought a Lenovo y500. I've always owned a Dell desktop so this is a big change for me.
I must say I'm not impressed with windows 8!

For the first month I was able to watch videos with no problem but now CyberLink PowerDVD 13 is telling me that I have to buy it in order to watch movies on my laptop.

I've read about this program and haven't seen many positive things. Are there any good free alternatives that will allow me to watch videos on this laptop?
I've tried to watch DVD's with Windows Media Player but it won't allow me to select it even when I search for a program to view them with.

I using a Samsung slim portable DVD Writer to watch videos on.
(I don't know if that would make a difference)

Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks

 

VideoLAN VLC, which you can download from the download repository here at Majorgeeks, is the best free DVD viewer out there.

 

thank you so much brownizs ... I downloaded it and am about to try it out!!!

 

Hi me friend , welcome to MG's , you can also try these programmes :wave

http://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/potplayer.html
http://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/media_player_classic_home_cinema.html

 

I do not often watch movies on my computer but I have done so a few times since I bought my HP laptop about 6 months ago. Version 10 of CyberLink PowerDVD came with it and I can watch movies (from DVD) with it. I have encountered proddings to update to a paid version but I have not done so. Unless you have a later free/trial version that has changed in this regard, I suspect you were mislead into thinking you had to upgrade to the paid version in order to play movies. To play with the free version, you may need to decline and bypass a prompting to update to the paid version.

 

Thanks so much falconattack ... I downloaded the VCL media player and am very happy with it. Should I ever need another one I'll definitely look into the 2 links you provided

 

Thanks usafveteran.. my tv has a 20" screen and my new monitor is a Dell Ultrasharp 27" premier color monitor so I watch movies via my laptop now. :celebrate

I've tried to bypass the prompting but it won't allow me to...I realize I'm somewhat of a techno-tard so there might be a way, I just haven't found it.

 

I like VLC over any of the other media players. You can also stream RTSP from h.264 IP Security cameras through it.

 

Forgive my ignorance but what does this mean....you can also stream RTSP from h.264 IP Security cameras through it. :confused

I did mention that I'm a bit of a techno-tard

 

Yes, as I stated.

 

oh yes ... well that clears everything up lol

 

See this for an example in how to do RTSP streaming through VLC http://foscam.us/forum/how-to-use-rtsp-and-https-for-hd-cameras-t4926.html

 

thanks so much for posting the link .. now I get it