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Topic: DVD Problem - Can't Play Some DVDs |
Bruce Meyer
From:
Thompson's Station, TN
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Posted 25 Aug 2007 10:53 pm |
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I was wondering if anyone could help me with a DVD playback problem on my computer. It seems only to be happening with steel and dobro course DVDs, so I thought somebody on the forum may have run into the same problem.
I have a 2 year old Gateway desktop with a DVD player and recorder. It will play commercial movie DVDs. I've purchased a steel guitar course on DVD from Bobbe and a DVD Dobro course from Mike Auldridge. While, these disks play on my work-issued HP laptop, they do not play on the Gateway. They freeze the entire computer after I insert the DVD. It's locked up solid. I end up holding the on button in for it to reboot, as nothing else works.
I'm running Windows Media Player 11. I was running Media Player 10, but I upgraded in hopes of solving the problem, but to no avail.
I've upgraded all of the Windows XP software and the Gateway drivers. I've purchased the DVD "CODEC" software that was suggested as a solution on one site.
Since commercial DVDs apear to play fine, I'm suspecting that both Mike and Bobbe burn their own DVDs and this is causing some read problem. |
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Jack Stoner
From:
Kansas City, MO
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Posted 26 Aug 2007 3:16 am
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If commercial DVD's play OK There is a free "K Lite Codec Pack" that has many codecs and that MAY let you play them. But, as you stated I would suspect the DVD's.
Here's the link to the K lite site and download.
http://www.free-codecs.com/download/K_Lite_Codec_Pack.htm |
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Bruce Meyer
From:
Thompson's Station, TN
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Posted 26 Aug 2007 7:12 am
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| Jack. I tried the Klite decoder package. Still the same results. Since others on the forum are also buying and using these types of DVDs, it would be unusual for someone else not to have a similar problem. Let's see if someone else has the same story and posts here. I'd like to make sure its not just a problem I'm having for some reason, before I complain to the sellers. Thanks again for your help. |
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Jack Stoner
From:
Kansas City, MO
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Posted 26 Aug 2007 12:20 pm
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Will these work OK on a separate DVD player (e.g. that you have hooked to a TV?).
Also, do you have a friend with a PC that you could try them on?
Between these two suggestions it will narrow it down to either it's the DVD's or something in your PC.
One other issue, if it's your drive, it could be "firmware". Check the Gateway site or the drive vendor's site for any firmware updates to the DVD drive. I've seen playability problems fixed by some firmware updates. Also, if it's your drive present prices for CD/DVD burner drives are way low. I just bought a couple of Samsung CD/DVD burner drives for under $30 each at Newegg (www.newegg.com) You do need to know if you have a "PATA" (IDE) interface drive or an "SATA" interface drive. Chances are it's a PATA drive, but you can easily confirm that by the I/O cable - if it's a wide "ribbon" I/O cable and a large power plug, it's PATA, if it's a small width cable for the data I/O and a small power cable it's SATA. I know Gateway went to BTX on many of their systems (instead of ATX) several years ago but I don't know if they went to SATA at the same time.
(Also, in reference to the drivers for the DVD drive in Windows, the ONLY drivers are the built in Windows drivers for ANY CD or DVD drive. This is a misconception by many since vendor drivers were required back in the old DOS days). |
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Bruce Meyer
From:
Thompson's Station, TN
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Posted 27 Aug 2007 9:08 pm
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| When this all started, I tried the DVD on another computer and it would not play. Mysteriously, I tried it again on the same computer yesterday and it played. I think I'm just going to hang loose for a while and use my work laptop to play the Dobro DVD. When I have a chance, I'll probably check out the drive type and order a new DVD drive. Thanks again for all your help. |
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Cal Sharp
From:
the farm in Kornfield Kounty, TN
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