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Movies play on computer, but not on DVD player
#15442 05/06/11 02:24 PM
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A friend brought me DVD that plays fine on my computer, but when I try to play it on my Sony DVD player, I get a notice that this DVD is not recognized/playable in this device (or words to that effect).

The original DVD was made with iDVD.

What did my friend do wrong?


Harv
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Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. ~Voltaire
Re: Movies play on computer, but not on DVD player
Pendragon #15443 05/06/11 04:33 PM
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Your friend's only error may be in the choice of DVD blanks that were used. Commercial CDs/DVDs are mechanically stamped creating tiny pits on the media that cause the "read" lasers to either reflect or not. "Burneed" discs on the other hand use "write" lasers to change the color of a dye on the disc so that the read lasers will either reflect or not. The fly in this ointment is not all CDs/DVDs are equal and variations in the reflective layer of the disc, the frequency and power of the "write" lasers, the dyes used, the frequency and power of the "read" lasers, dust on the "read" lenses, even the age of the disc can and will effect whether a given device can read any specific disc.

A few years ago there were published estimates that by and large and one the average a given burned CD/DVD could be read on ~70% of players. Because there are so many different read and write lasers crammed into a computer disc drive they tend to fail to read a given burned disc most often, but the simpler drives used in commercial CD/DVD players can be among the 30% if devices that fail reading a given disc.


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Re: Movies play on computer, but not on DVD player
joemikeb #15452 05/07/11 11:22 AM
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After reading your post, Joe, I (too) burned a DVD and guess what? That DVD is likewise not readable on my Sony CD/DVD player.

Me thinks this issue may be akin to Dark Energy, Unification Theory, and the like. A simple, yet elegant, solution is not for mere mortals.

Perhaps if better media were at hand. Have you suggestions?


Harv
27" i7 iMac (10.13.6), iPhone Xs Max (12.1)

Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. ~Voltaire
Re: Movies play on computer, but not on DVD player
Pendragon #15453 05/07/11 03:09 PM
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Originally Posted By: Pendragon
After reading your post, Joe, I (too) burned a DVD and guess what? That DVD is likewise not readable on my Sony CD/DVD player.

That would make me suspicious of the drive in your Sony CD/DVD player. It may simply be the lens in your Sony may be dusty or dirty or a laser has failed.
  1. Can you play other DVDs in the Sony? I would start testing with commercial discs which are easier to read and more relaible than burned discs. (See my previous post)
  2. If you can play commercial DVDs then before buying more media, I would invest in a DV/DVD player cleaner kit from the neighborhood office supply or Radio Shack.
  3. Even a shot of canned air might do it. Be sure the drive has been inactive for 30 minutes or so to allow the lenses and lasers to cool thoroughly and use short bursts of air to be sure you don't hit a hot lens with a blob of liquid air which can easily shatter the lens.
  4. If all of that fails then it is time to try a different media. There have been more than a few threads on FTM with media suggestions, but as far as I can tell the closest thing to a concensus is
    1. Avoid cheap "house brand" media
    2. Go for the better grades of whatever brand you buy
    3. Verbatim and Memorex are frequently recommended.


If we knew what it was we were doing, it wouldn't be called research, would it?

— Albert Einstein
Re: Movies play on computer, but not on DVD player
joemikeb #15459 05/08/11 12:17 AM
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My notes on media, compiled from posts here and at MFIF, have Verbatim (Bonus and AT&T = same) and Taiyo Uden ("Made in Japan" Fuji = same) as the brands to stick with, with TDK being OK.

In the "Stay Away" column I've got Memorex, Imation, and Maxell.

For what it's worth, I've had 100% success with HP CDs (many) and DVDs (not all that many).

Edit: > "use short bursts of air to be sure you don't hit a hot lens with a blob of liquid air which can easily shatter the lens"

Thanks for that; who'd'a' thunk?

Last edited by artie505; 05/08/11 12:46 AM.

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In Memory of Harv: Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. ~Voltaire
Re: Movies play on computer, but not on DVD player
Pendragon #15468 05/08/11 12:45 PM
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I have had excellent results with Verbatim for both DVD and CD. For the CD I get the Verbatim DataLifePlus.

Re: Movies play on computer, but not on DVD player
Pendragon #15472 05/08/11 07:16 PM
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somewhat in the line of JoeMike's post, computer optical drives can fail in very specific ways. It may stop writing to CD-Rs. Or fail to read dual layer manufactured DVDs. And work totally fine in all other respects.

I have a stack of discs at work that i use to test drives when people inevitably check in a machine saying "the optical drive doesn't work" and don't tell me what they were trying to do. I have a manufactured CD, DVD, dual layer DVD, as well as burned CD, DVD, and DVD-DL. Those catch most read problems. But I'm not going to try a bunch of test burns, they're going to have to tell me if they're having burning problems.



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Re: Movies play on computer, but not on DVD player
Virtual1 #15496 05/09/11 11:09 AM
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I'll post back when I have feedback/results re implementing the tips provided.

'Til then, thanks (y'all) for the data & insight. As always, 'tis greatly appreciated.


Harv
27" i7 iMac (10.13.6), iPhone Xs Max (12.1)

Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. ~Voltaire

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