Quoting the FAQ:

I can't view the video file that I downloaded

Most probably your system hasn't got the right video codec installed for viewing the file. Most of the video files are encoded in Xvid or DivX (files with the extension .avi), some are in RealVideo format (extension .rm), some are in Quicktime format (*.mp4, *.mov). The codec/format is always specified in the description of the torrent.

-DivX/Xvid (.avi)
Download the codecs here: [DivX] [Xvid]
Install, and play the file in your favorite player (we recommend Media Player Classic) - everything should work out fine.

-RealMedia (.rm)
We recommend the Real Alternative player for these files . Contains Media Player Classic enabled to view RealMedia. You can, however, also use the ad-stuffed original version.

-QuickTime (.mp4, .mov)
We recommend the QuickTime Alternative player for these files. Contains Media Player Classic enabled to view QuickTime. You can, however, also use the original version.

If you install the DivX codecs, Quicktime Alternative and Real Alternative, you can conveniently view all formats in a single player - Media Player Classic.

Instead of downloading all of the individual players separately, just install the latest version of K-Lite Mega Codec Pack and you're set. It includes all of the codecs you would ever need in one easy install.

http://www.codecguide.com/

i'd suggest using VLC found here[/ur] for playing most types of video files, except for real media. it has the most commonly found codecs preinstalled.

I've installed DivX and Media Player Classic and neither are playing the videos.

have you tried VLC?

Another option is mplayer (movie player, not to be confused with Windows Media Player)

http://mplayerhq.hu/homepage/design7/info.html

It's a player mostly used in *nix systems (like linux), but it's also ported to windows, there are links to several windows installer packages by various people on the mplayer site. Like this one:

http://mplayer.sunset-utopia.homeip.net/

Here's a few pros and cons of mplayer that I feel should be mentioned.

positive:
* it uses it's own codecs (included in the windows installer package above), so no need to download any codecs
* it basicly plays everything playable; divx, mpeg, dvd, vcd, TV (if you have a TV-card), mp3, ogg, real media, wmv, cue/bin, and lots of formats you've never heard of ;P (At least I haven't yet come across any media that it couldn't play)
* it supports all kinds of subtitles without having to install any extra stuff.
* it will play incomplete avi files. If you supply the -idx option, it will construct an index for incomplete avi files so that seeking is also possible.
* it's open source (GPL license)

negative:
* by default, it does not have a GUI. There are some GUIs and front-ends that can be added though. Don't know how they are, as I don't use them.
* without a GUI, you have to use the keyboard for controls (volume, brightness, seeking etc...), or possibly with remote control if you happen to have an infrared receiver (the remote must be manually programmed).
* in the case of dvds, it doesn't support menu navigation, so you have to specify which title to play on the command line or through a front-end.

mplayer is a great player as well

I downloaded Loose Change, 4.19 GB, and now I can't figure out how to open it. It is an ISO file.

Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance.

If you got Daemon Tools - try to mount it in there. It's an image file of a DVD.

You can also burn it to a DVD by using open image-file or something like that in Nero or whatever.

For people that can't play videos. Download G-spot. It will tell you what codec the video is using, and whether you have it or not.

The Combined Community Codec Pack (CCCP) is another great codec pack for those who aren't interested in picking up each codec separately. I believe it comes packaged with Media Player Classic as well. http://www.cccp-project.net/.

I've been using it for a couple years now and I've had no trouble with playing any videos from .avi's to .mkv's.

NYC wrote:I downloaded Loose Change, 4.19 GB, and now I can't figure out how to open it. It is an ISO file.

Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance.

I would recommend PowerISO or UltraIso (both have free trials and it's simple enough to find cracks if you want to move to the full versions). With either of those programs you can simply open up the ISO file and extract the video file to your desktop and start watching.