DVDs that won't play in my laptop

[theuofc]

Hello All,

Looking for your sage advice here in figuring out why some DVDs play in my MAC laptop and others won't. I can't see the rhyme or reason of it.

I have a Network DVD which won't open via my VLC player; yet an ITV DVD and even a homemade dvd-r, same region, both play.

What's happening?

Thanks,

Barbara

[Wolfgang]

Is it just that one disk or are there others? Are playing problems confined to one particular region? Do you have any problems playing your native region disks?

[CaptainWaggett]

Even VLC doesn't open everything - I've had about 3 random discs out of hundreds that have defied it (just as occasionally a disc refuses to be 'backed up'). There doesn't seem to be any rationale about it. Perhaps you could copy this one?

[theuofc]

Is it just that one disk or are there others? Are playing problems confined to one particular region? Do you have any problems playing your native region disks?

I think you've hit on part of the problem, Wolfgang. Playing problems are confined to region 2-UK discs that won't open via VLC although as mentioned some of the them -do- open in VLC. When I use VLC, I ignore the QuickPlayer region 1 request to 'change regions' which only allows five changes. No way!

The other part of the problem, I believe, has to do with my new MAC system as every region 2 disc opened via VLC when I was using a PC (a Dell but brand is not relevant).

I have no problem playing native, region 1 discs which automatically open in the Quick Time Player.
Unfortunately, most of the films I want to screengrab are region 2. :-)

Thanks,

Barbara

[theuofc]

Even VLC doesn't open everything - I've had about 3 random discs out of hundreds that have defied it (just as occasionally a disc refuses to be 'backed up'). There doesn't seem to be any rationale about it. Perhaps you could copy this one?

Thanks, Captain. I will try this. Truth be, I've been engaged in getting used to a MAC again after years of using a PC. The differences aren't negative, but they're time consuming.

Barbara

[Summer]

I occasionally have problems with VLC (which I use as my standard player).

Adulterio all'italiana (italian region 2 release) couldn't get beyond the top menu: the soundtrack played but the menu image remained. I even bought a second disc but the same thing happened. Disc 1 of the two disc set D'Artagnan (French release) pixelated so badly that you hadn't a clue what was going on, disc two played fine. After a player upgrade none of the two "difficult" discs can play beyond the menu, I can access the submenus on Adulterio all'italiana but not on D'Artagnan.

Both discs play absolutely fine on Windows Media Player and dvd players, I wonder why VLC doesn't like these two particular discs.

[julian_craster]

I suspect some sort of copy protection may have been triggered here - as some DVDs will play on stand alone DVD players, but not on PCs....

Also Mac rather than PC may be an issue as well, as VLC might not have updated their software to include Mac PCs in their scheme of things....

[Wolfgang]

Mac could be putting something in their disk drive firmware too that prevents some DVDs from playing. One workaround might be to get external USB disk drive and set it to region 2, if it is imperative to play region 2 disks on your laptop.

[theuofc]

I occasionally have problems with VLC (which I use as my standard player).

Adulterio all'italiana (italian region 2 release) couldn't get beyond the top menu: the soundtrack played but the menu image remained. I even bought a second disc but the same thing happened. Disc 1 of the two disc set D'Artagnan (French release) pixelated so badly that you hadn't a clue what was going on, disc two played fine. After a player upgrade none of the two "difficult" discs can play beyond the menu, I can access the submenus on Adulterio all'italiana but not on D'Artagnan.

Both discs play absolutely fine on Windows Media Player and dvd players, I wonder why VLC doesn't like these two particular discs.

I suspect some sort of copy protection may have been triggered here - as some DVDs will play on stand alone DVD players, but not on PCs....

Also Mac rather than PC may be an issue as well, as VLC might not have updated their software to include Mac PCs in their scheme of things....

Mac could be putting something in their disk drive firmware too that prevents some DVDs from playing. One workaround might be to get external USB disk drive and set it to region 2, if it is imperative to play region 2 disks on your laptop.

Hi, Summer, Julian, and Wolfgang,

Thank you for taking the time to help me go further in figuring out what's happening.
You've lead to think that it's VLC and MAC in terms of some DVDs.

I'll surf the MAC blogs to see if anyone else has run into this problem in playing out-of-region discs. The funny thing is that I did upload the VLC version for MAC but both versions are relatively old which may be another concern.

Wolfgang: your comment about an external hard disc made me see something obvious. I'm going to resusitate (wipe it clean, etc.) my Dell laptop and use it strictly to play UK discs for screencapping. It's hard to get 'out the box' sometimes, like thinking I should toss my old printer until I realised I could use it exclusively to make copies until my store of ink runs out.

Thanks to all for the excellent advice and help. Another perk in being among our cordial BritMovie community.

Barbara