I love Media Player Classic in rendering Real Media and QT files but I can't seem
to find how to get it to play CD's (.cda files). When I choose File the Open CD
Rom option is grayed out. Am I missing a codec or something or is this option
not available yet on MPC?

In the Options / Formats section .cda files are checked and when I double-click
a .cda file MPC comes up. In the message box underneath MPC it says
"unable to render file."

I have MPC on an XP and a 98SE machine with the correct version for each, of course.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

I can play .cda files in Media Player Classic without problems.

Maybe Open CD Rom option is grayed out because you didn't insert the CD... Are you trying to play the files from CD?

Normally I use winamp as default audio player, but MPC does play CD audio as well.

The CDROM option will be greyed out if doesn't recognize drive, cd not inserted or it's not an audio CD. Don't forget some cds are hybrids containing data/audio.

Do you have any problems with your CDROM with other apps? Make sure it is recognized under System Properties/Hardware/Device Manager and you have proper sound card drivers and audio codecs installed.

Yes, agree
May i ask you, what kind of program does play your Audio CDs automatically?

And in MPC:
Go to menu "View / Options" then "Player -> Formats" and see here, what file extensions are associated with MPC. And tick "CD Audio Track".

Yes, CD's are inserted and I'm trying to play the files from the CD. Under
Formats CD audio IS checked. Both of my CD drives ARE recognized in
System Properties and this happens with all audio CD's. For some reason
MPC is not recognizing what I've done. I try to directly load a .cda file
from the File menu but then I get the message below, "failed to render file."

CD's are inserted and I've tried dozens of audio-only CD's. None of my CD rom
drives exhibit problems in other apps. The drives are recognized under System
Properties and my sound card drivers are working. I can play a CD from Media
Player 10 in XP and in 98 I can play one from either Media Player 9 or the old
standby CD Player. Would this be possible if I didn't have the proper codecs installed?

I just installed the latest builds of Quick Time Alt. and Real Alt. w/latest MPC
and CD's now play fine under XP. My 98 machine's another story, though.
CD Rom option in MPC remains grayed out. CD's will play in MP 9 and in the
old CD Player standby.

Just a note... there are diff versions of Media Player Classic v6.4.8.3.
one is for 98/ME, other is for WIN2000/Xp. Got right ones installed on the OSes?

When playing audio.. don't open CDA file directly.
Insert audiocd, run MPC
FiLE.. OPEN CDROM -> audiocd

Yep, got the correct version for 98. I've tried the bit of inserting an audio CD
then running MPC. MPC comes up but the CD Rom option is still grayed out.

My XP machine runs MPC fine and CD's play. ...only having probs on the 98 machine.

Thanks for the reply.

Great that works under XP

Well, I have MPC on a win98, and no problems so this bug's quite strange to me...
Do you have any codec pack(s) installed? And have a Winamp?

edit: now i've checked on win98 machine and yes, MPC has the bug with audio cds!

Sorry, can't offer any more suggestions. I haven't used WIN98 for over 5 years.

I assume you have WIN98 SE at least..fixed some bugs. Could always use old media player2 or cd player included with the O.S. Like chp mentioned, winamp (version 2.9x better suited since uses less resources) will work.

Well... and now i know the reason. MPC is not capable of playing Audio CDs under win9x/me...

See the following thread on MPC's project page:
http://sourceforge.net/forum/message.php?msg_id=2374019

Should use Winamp...

Thanks to everyone for all their help on this issue and the link to the other thread
as well. I use 98SE on an older machine in teaching my drumset students at a music store here in the D/FW area. I brought it home to do some work on it as well as installing MPC. Since it's only an old AMD K6-450 Win 98 is just fine. I use MIDI sequences, Band in a Box and CD's as well as the Amazing Slow Downer for them to play along with tracks they can't quite play up to tempo. The CD issue was no big deal and the old standby CD Player in 98 works fine when I'm not using
the Slow Downer.

Thanks to everyone again. This forum is great. I'll be checking it out more often for other info.