Hookling up a dvd player too your pc

Iv been looking into this, other than using that front pannel thing that comes with most audigy 2 cards now adays ( i dont know what its actualy called) i pritty much dont want to get that unless theirs an external version of that drive bay i can use. so im trying to look into other ways too hook up a dvd player to my pc, any ideas? iirc iv been told a tv out card might be the only way to go. but i want to look at all options