Playing the contents of a DVD requires a DVD player and some specific decrypting software that help to play a DVD. DVD-RW and DVD+RW discs can be read on most computers, through the DVD-ROM drives and DVD recorders. They can also be read through Consumer Electronics (CE).

Computers now contain DVD drives that usually come with one of the two types of Regional Playback Control (RPC) RPC-1 or RPC-2. The RPC is used to enforce DVD playing restrictions on users from regions across the world. It defines the geographical location where a specific DVD can be played. There are several popular DVD player software types. Most DVD player software is robust and can play DVD, VCD, or MPEG movies. Some software can also play all other video formats and multimedia files.

There are several important considerations for the DVD player software. First, it needs to be seen whether the software offers features to accommodate all types of DVD movies. These features could relate to the controlling of DVD content by parents, the ability to play movies from the computers hard drive, bookmark features, auto-resume playback, creation of playlists, the ability to play DVDs from other regions, and more.

The other value-added features that one needs to consider before buying the DVD player software are ability to pan and scan, digital zooming, ability to capture the image and so on.

The ease of use should be the next consideration. It needs to be seen whether the user control system is easy to use. The other considerations while selecting DVD player software is the ease of installation and setup, the video and audio quality, and the availability of help documentation.

DVD videos contain systems to restrict the DVD user through Macrovision, Content Scrambling System (CSS), disabled user operations (UOPs) and region codes. The use of CSS has resulted in several major problems. When attempts were made to bypass CCS by reverse engineering, it resulted in a legal battle in the US. Beyond the US, however, the anti-CSS software is widely used. The Internet today provides several software programs to view DVDs on a number of platforms.

DVD Audio discs employ similar copy prevention mechanisms. Known as Content Protection for Prerecorded Media (CPRM / CPPM), the mechanism is supported by DVD+RW Alliance and helps prevent the illegal use of DVDs.