I used to watch DVD with InterVideo WinDVD4 on my old computer (hp compaq nx7010 of 2005), I loved it, easy to make capture, good ergonomy, it was perfect! I loved the computer too, very accurate colours and good pictures...
Since March of this year, I've a new computer (hp 6730b) and here the problems begins... lower quality picture compared to the previous one, Window 7 instead of XP, etc... and no program InterVideo WinDVD was on it. Therefore, I've kept on using my old compaq with WinDVD4 for watching films and make captures till few weeks ago.
Unfortunately, since few weeks this computer has random disfunctionment in my home (start,run and stop, re-start, run and stop...all the time!) i brung it to a Computer maintenance specialist ... but it works perfectly at his home! and it seems it's not a matter of power supply... the guy didn't find what's going on! ...so I'm very unhappy because I can't work my films with it anymore!

Therefore, I must use the new computer. I've uploaded new version InterVideo WinDVD10 (as it seems impossible to get the older version 4) , but it's much less efficient for capture function than WinDVD4! ... the version put on my computer was a trial version, but I'm not sure to want to pay for this new version.

So! is there any one of you who could lead me for the choice of good DVD reader programm, with a good efficient capture function?

Thank's for your help!

Jean-Marc

I use Media Player Classic for all my capturing. http://mpc-hc.sourceforge.net/
It is free. Capturing is easy (you can define the key shortcut) and it can pause and step frame by frame.

Sometimes it is buggy certain videos, and it cannot frame-step backward on DVDs, but overall I like it.

I agree. Media Player Classic is where it's at.

You could also install Win XP on your new computer, since Win 7 is mostly cosmetic changes and heavier on the resources.

If your computer switches off randomly it may be because your processor is overheating. Sometimes the ventilator will gather too much dust and can't cool down enough. Just a guess...

No, Vista/Seven have lots of heavy changes in kernel, media handling, etc.
For example, having MPC-HC decoding HD video using the GPU instead of the CPU works fine in Vista, but I could not get it working on XP.

They made mistakes in Vista, some things are heavier for nothing, but there are also many changes. Like there were in XP SP2 compared to original XP, or in XP compared to 2000. You do not notice such changes when you upgrade, but when later you have to make things on an older PC which still runs the previous Windows version, then you notice that there were new/improved things in the new Windows

MPC, above indicated, and VLC Media Player, also for free

http://www.videolan.org/

But for 'heavy' downloads (mkv files, from 4 to 8 Gb or more) I use KM player but I think the capture program of this is less efficient.

P.S.:sixcyl, I've sent you a pm about The Graduate that I've just upgraded with HD captures. Can I edit your comments in that movie just to change your thumbnails for the same and exactly ones but now in HD quality?

Vilero , no pb , you can do the swap of all my comments and pictures.

Thank's for all my dears... I'm going to try all these programms as soon as possible. I let you know my experience with them...

Chicomarx, the pb of switch-off randomly of my old computer is probably something else, otherwise it should work fine for a while when the machine is cold after few hours of stop! ... in another hand, a crazy fact is that the computer works fine outside my home, ....before it was the contrary! unfortunately nobody has been able yet to understand what's going on