simple(I think) dvd-drive question...

  • Thread starter Thread starter -- TW
  • Start date Start date
T

-- TW

I have a dvd I made -- plays fine in my dvd player (hooked to my tv).

When I try to play it on my computer's dvd-drive, it doesn't even
recognize that there's a disc in there.

Please advise.

Thanks!

-- TW
 
-- TW said:
I have a dvd I made -- plays fine in my dvd player (hooked to my tv).

When I try to play it on my computer's dvd-drive, it doesn't even
recognize that there's a disc in there.

Please advise.

Thanks!

-- TW
Click to expand...
Have you tried other DVD's that you didn't make?

Christopher
 
That's a good question -- I just tried that -- and... no, the other dvd
(that I didn't make, but that also plays fine on my tv dvd player) does
NOT play on my computer's dvd drive.

Now what?

Has the drive been disabled somehow?

I ahve had some recent crashes -- I'm running on the windows ME o.s.
which I know has problems.

Any advice out there?

-- TW
 
That's a good question -- I just tried that -- and... no, the other dvd
(that I didn't make, but that also plays fine on my tv dvd player) does
NOT play on my computer's dvd drive.

Now what?

Has the drive been disabled somehow?

I ahve had some recent crashes -- I'm running on the windows ME o.s.
which I know has problems.

Any advice out there?

-- TW
Click to expand...

Have you installed a DVD player program? A program specifically
designed to play DVD video discs? If you bought the drive in retail
box form, it should have been bundled with such a program. Without
that program, or a DVD video codec installed, it won't play DVD video
discs. You should be able to read the disc as a DVD data disc, but
that's it. Windows Media player and the built-in Windows DVD player
program aren't capable of playing DVD discs without a DVD codec
present. This applies to ALL versions of Windows currently available
(except perhaps Vista, which I'm not sure about).
 
Thanks.

So you're sying that when I bought my computer and they told me it can
'play' dvd's, they only meant it can 'play' DATA dvd's, NOT video
dvd's(?!?). Do I have to BUY something extra now (codecs)?? -- Or are
those downloads free? Also, those downloads seemd to only be for XP
--- I (unfortunately?) have wondows ME.

What now?

-- TW
 
it may be either one or both.
1) Maybe DVD reader is too picky or the reader is not design to read
some types of disc(e.g DVD +R)
2) the disc quality is not very good.
 
That's a good question -- I just tried that -- and... no, the other dvd
(that I didn't make, but that also plays fine on my tv dvd player) does
NOT play on my computer's dvd drive.

Now what?

Has the drive been disabled somehow?

I ahve had some recent crashes -- I'm running on the windows ME o.s.
which I know has problems.

Any advice out there?

-- TW
Click to expand...

Do you have a software dvd player installed? Without one, you can't
play any dvd movies on your pc.


Stephen
--
 
Thanks.

So you're sying that when I bought my computer and they told me it can
'play' dvd's, they only meant it can 'play' DATA dvd's, NOT video
dvd's(?!?). Do I have to BUY something extra now (codecs)?? -- Or are
those downloads free? Also, those downloads seemd to only be for XP
--- I (unfortunately?) have wondows ME.

What now?

-- TW
Click to expand...

They're not free. Due to licensing issues, an author would have to be
extraordinarily generous to offer a freeware DVD codec, as he'd have
to pay out a royalty for each copy he distributed based on the DVD
specification -- at least if he wanted to keep it legal. I can't see
someone paying out of pocket for the privilege of giving away his hard
work.

However, it's possible that you already have the software, just not
installed. With a few exceptions, many DVD drives (even some OEM
units) come bundled with either PowerDVD or WinDVD. Installing one of
those will also install a DVD-Video codec to the system. Look in the
stack of CDs that came with your computer and see if a DVD player
program is in among them. If you don't have it, and want to keep
everything above board, you'll have to buy a copy of one of the
players or CODECs. The older versions can be bought through bargain
bin distributors for $10 or less, but the latest versions of PowerDVD
and WinDVD run about $50-80.
 
mcheu said:
They're not free. Due to licensing issues, an author would have to be
extraordinarily generous to offer a freeware DVD codec, as he'd have
to pay out a royalty for each copy he distributed based on the DVD
specification -- at least if he wanted to keep it legal. I can't see
someone paying out of pocket for the privilege of giving away his hard
work.

However, it's possible that you already have the software, just not
installed. With a few exceptions, many DVD drives (even some OEM
units) come bundled with either PowerDVD or WinDVD. Installing one of
those will also install a DVD-Video codec to the system. Look in the
stack of CDs that came with your computer and see if a DVD player
program is in among them. If you don't have it, and want to keep
everything above board, you'll have to buy a copy of one of the
players or CODECs. The older versions can be bought through bargain
bin distributors for $10 or less, but the latest versions of PowerDVD
and WinDVD run about $50-80.
Click to expand...

Check the CDs that came with your video card, they often come with DVD
player software.
Mike.
 
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