DVD-ROM won't play recently released movies

[MarioHebert]

Got a problem. My DVD-Rom won't play some movies that have been released in the past few months. This is a new external DVD-Rom drive (I was having the same problems with the internal one - besides, I needed a new one because the internal one won't write to disks anymore...). I have disabled the old DVD-Rom, restarted the comp, tried to play the movies that weren't playing and no luck. Upgraded Windows Media Player, still no go. The disks are unscratched and will play on other people's DVD players. This doesn't happen with all the movies I've rented so far (the recent ones that have come out in the past few months). I have returned them for replacements only to have the same problem. Been trying to find similiar topics of this nature but have had no luck. Let's see, more details... The drive keeps running trying to read the disk, but can't. The comp will start to slow down and on one occasion locked up my computer (I won't let it go for more than a minute or two and will eject the disk). Any advice?

 

[Tmagic650]

Sounds like a problem with your computer. What operating system are you running?

 

[MarioHebert]

I'm using Windows XP

 

[zipperman]

Why don't you name your hardware ?
A DVD burner is not always a good Player.
I have an LG DVD burner and an LG CD-DVD Player.
Get a DVD Player to play DVD's.

 

[MarioHebert]

Cheap-o. I/O Magic DVD. Picked up at Staples. Money issues... anyway, the problem is the same with the old player.

 

[zipperman]

That didn't add much.

Cheap-o. I/O Magic DVD. Picked up at Staples. Money issues... anyway, the problem is the same with the old player.

Never heard of I/O.Name the Old player.Is it just a player ?
Burners aren't players.Or maybe your really asking about copying.
:suspiciou
BTW,add your System Specs to your posts.You don't seem to have your
computer prepared for playing DVD's.You supp;y no details to go by.

 

[zipperman]

And name the what you use to play DVD's
eg" WMPlayer etc.

 

[Tmagic650]

Is XP fully updated to SP3? Cheap DVD players are fine to play most DVD's on. DVD burners are another story. Actually "Cheap" is a subjective word these days. My internal Pioneer DVD/CD burner was under $40 including shipping. I have 3 CyberHome external players. They were also under $40 3 years ago, from Wal-Mart. I do have a Memorex external USB CD/DVD burner that was $79 at Fry's in Las Vegas

 

[MarioHebert]

HP DVD Writer

I mostly use Inter Video WinDVD 4 player, but have used Windows Media Player, too.

This is a recent occurance. It seems to be having a problem with some (not all) recently released DVDs (those that have come out in the past month or so). It still plays my old DVDs.

Let's see, this a Compaq Presario (a bit old - SR1000X), has 2 gigs of memory, AMD Athlong chip, can't think of anything else to add...

 

[MarioHebert]

Service Pack 2

 

[Tmagic650]

XP Home, SP3? SP3 was recently released for download. If you don't have it, run Windows Update and install it. Also check your system for spyware and viruses. If you are using McAfee... Yikes!

"Cheap-o. I/O Magic DVD. Picked up at Staples"...

I bet it wasn't that cheap, coming from Staples

 

[captaincranky]

HP DVD Writer

I mostly use Inter Video WinDVD 4 player, but have used Windows Media Player, too.

This is a recent occurance. It seems to be having a problem with some (not all) recently released DVDs (those that have come out in the past month or so). It still plays my old DVDs.

The copy protection in DVDs is constantly evolving, and it may be at least part of what's causing your problem. Try to figure out if it's limited to certain studios or distributors.

 

[Tmagic650]

This is true captaincranky,
but DVD players should be able to play original store bought discs... No copying talked about here. It may be a system problem still

 

[captaincranky]

No copying talked about here.

Hadn't planned on it. That was my first and last press release on the subject.

 

[Tmagic650]

I have no problem playing new retail movie DVD's on my system or on my stand alone "cheap" DVD players... I only mentioned "Copy Protection" because these play fine too. I burn DVD's and these to, are fine. A DVD burner/player can go bad anytime, but 2 bad on one system?

 

[captaincranky]

Is it possibly the player software? I try not to use WMP for anything, it gives me headaches just thinking about it. Outdated codec maybe. Nero and/or WinDVD seem to read everything I stuff in a drive.

I've seen some "full featured" newer DVDs that would knock a drive out of DMA into PIO mode.

 

[Tmagic650]

I usually wipe old HP's and Compaq Computer's clean, and reload the OS without all those crappy programs like WinDVD, and such... XP fully updated to SP3 and Media Player 11 can do the DVD playing and CD burning all alone now. Nero is a program of the past. I still uise DVD Decrypter and DVD Shrink along with Alcohol 120% for the trickier image burning even in Vista Home Premium, SP1

 

[14 of a hotdog]

maybe its just the software vlc player is free and it can play dvds and just about any file or avs dvd player is free and works great and i have had similar trouble with windows media player but avs and vlc both worked fine when that failed. im not an expert like these people but it might be worth a shot and there both free so all you have to do is wait for them to download


vlc doesnt look as fancy but it is great its just grey and plain. it supports almost every file type and its only 9mb so if you have a slow connection that it will take less time to see if its just the programs with this


http://www.videolan.org/vlc/download-windows.html


avs is perfect for playing dvds and i think its a bit easier to use like it can even open the dvd tray from its panel but its 30mb. so if it is just the programs your using you may consider it just because its got such a great user interface and it does play the common file types.

http://www.avsmedia.com/DVDPLAYER/

 

[insoman]

maybe it just doesn't play dual layer. i.e. over the 4.7GB wich alot of the new DVDs are.

 

[Obi-Wan Jerkobi]

maybe it just doesn't play dual layer. i.e. over the 4.7GB wich alot of the new DVDs are.

Good point! If it really is that old, it might have trouble playing Dual Layer DVD's. And I think the new DVD burner might just be cheap and not support them. I have had a similar problem on an HP Pavilion 514n, it has a DVD drive from 2001 and won't play new dual-layer or dual-sided discs.

 

[jhnroy]

Movie playback

If it not because of Dual-Layer then it could be possible that you need to update you're codecs or install them on the PC because DVD movies are encoded different compared to normal AVI files DVD's use VOB files.
You can download the DVD Plug-ins from a wide range of sites.
Please let me know if this helps you out.
John

 

[kimsland]

Download DVD Info Pro

Install it
Activate Later (button, bottom right hand corner)

Now you know for sure

 

[captaincranky]

Trading Opinion for Fact.........

Nero is a program of the past.

Er, OK then, here are a few others

I still uise DVD Decrypter and DVD Shrink along with Alcohol 120% for the trickier image burning even in Vista Home Premium, SP1

First, DVD Decrypter hasn't been updated in about 2 years, (at Macrovision's "request"). Second, Nero Recode outperforms DVD Shrink. Third, Alchohol 120% has cobwebs on it's shortcuts. What exactly is "trickier image burning" anyway?

Disclaimer/Concession: Nero 7 simply didn't work, granted. I like to call it "Nero ME".

Good point! If it really is that old, it might have trouble playing Dual Layer DVD's. And I think the new DVD burner might just be cheap and not support them. I have had a similar problem on an HP Pavilion 514n, it has a DVD drive from 2001 and won't play new dual-layer or dual-sided discs.

Dual Layer DVDs aren't really a new concept. This thread is about DVDs produced in the last couple of months not being playable. I sincerely doubt that the "last two months" is the first time that MarioHebert has encountered a dual layer DVD.

Zipperman may be on to something in wondering whether or not a certain amount of "dual entender" is in play here.

It's a pity that this isn't an Emachine we're talking about, because then someone could "buzz in" and solve the problem by saying "it's a bad motherboard".

This is true captaincranky,
but DVD players should be able to play original store bought discs... No copying talked about here. It may be a system problem still

I with you on this one. No matter what the release date, my stand alone players and recorders will still play every DVD I ask them to.

Although, I did throw out my Cyberhome player quite a while ago, it did nothing but throw up banding in the output, at a level which was not tolerable to me.

 

[14 of a hotdog]

wow i would have never thought of dual layer disks
here are some cheap drives that can play dual layer disks


if you want to install an internal burner than this is nice its the same one i have and i got it because its so cheap but it works great ant it shouldn't be hard to install its only 22$ and free shipping


http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827106228


if you don't want to install one than here are external ones but i dont think new egg has that many so you might have to look some where else because its 60$ after shipping

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827136138

or this one is 64$ after shipping

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827136146

 

[zipperman]

Re new rentals

Just occured to me that you may be renting "Blue Ray" discs.
From what you described,your not capable of playing these.
Get a new Player with Blue Ray capability.