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  1. I have a well used HPxw4600 workstation (it has a decent CPU, a Core 2 Duo E8400 @ 3.0GHz and runs Windows 7 64bit) with a TSSTCorp TS-653Z CDDVDW drive.



    I have been trying to figure out why I can't play any store bought commercial DVDs in the drive. I can say the following:

    1. I cannot find an update for the firmware beyond 2006, which I have installed.

    2. I am using VLC 2.2.8 as my only media player.

    3. The DVD data discs I have made in the player all work.

    4. Both store bought and burned CDs all work.

    5. The region selected for the DVD drive is the same as the region of the commercial DVDs (region 1).


    I realize the DVD player is 12 years old at this point, but is the only thing that can be done to get another DVD drive? Is it going to matter?--because at the same time I'm reading that VLC Player should play most store bought DVDs I'm also reading that commercial DVDs have the kind of copy protection that just won't allow computer and laptop DVD players to decode them.

    What's happening is when I insert the store bought DVD, after I hear the drive trying to move it sounds like it suddenly stops (with almost a beep), and it moves a little, but then an error pops up with VLC player that says "VLC is unable to open the mrl." I would think the stamped DVD (store bought) would be easier to read than a laser-burned DVD. The drive is reading all my burned DVDs.

    I hate the idea of having to rip a DVD with an app like Handbrake every time you want to play it in your PC. In fact, becasue the drive doesn't seem to be reading the store bought DVD, when I try to use Handbrake and select the DVD drive as the source it tells me "Please insert a disc" and the tray opens with the DVD in it as if it's not there.

    Can someone enlighten me on this? I want to get a laptop that will play commercial DVD discs and I don't want this issue to turn the whole process into a big headache.
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    Store-bought DVDs can normally be played with a PC DVD drive and appropriate software. I only have a small collection of store-bought movies on DVD, but I think I have been able to play all of them with VLC or PowerDVD. That being said, it is possible that some movie releases might not play due to manufacturing defects affecting a large number of discs or due to the software player not knowing what to do with a new copy-protection scheme that relies on obfuscation. For what it's worth, I have seen reports of stand-alone DVD players refusing to play a particular movie.
    Ignore list: hello_hello, tried, TechLord, Snoopy329
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    With the DVD inserted, you should be able to open Windows Explorer click on the dvd drive and see the two folders
    VIDEO_TS and AUDIO_TS.

    If you don't see it, either the drive is bad, or possibly (perhaps a long shot) something is bad in the registry,
    ie. the lowerfilters key. Plenty of info on the net about this, even Imgburn can reset this key,
    Tools/Filter driver load order

    I don't have any trouble with VLC, it's simply Media/open disc.
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  4. Commercial DVDs virtually all have CSS encryption. You need decryption software to play them. There is a CSS decryption library for VLC. Old versions of VLC didn't include it so you may need to find and install it, or update VLC.

    Some DVDs include software that autoloads on Windows computers. That software disables DVD playback.
    Last edited by jagabo; 8th Feb 2018 at 23:54.
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    A) Change out the data cable connecting drive to main board and perform test again

    Plan B) If no go just get another drive as there dirt cheap and some come with dvd playback software such as power dvd, nero, or windvd.

    vlc will play encrypted discs ... and only older dvd's had software they tried auto loading like the hideous inter-actual player junk ware
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  6. Interesting development...

    I tried playing a store bought DVD in another system that has Windows XP Pro and a LitOn DVD ROM drive DH-16D3S. Using VLC Player, I could not open the disc without getting an error again. However, this drive could read the disc, and when I opened the disc and clicked on the TS folder, VLC opened it and began to play until I got a blue screen that said:

    "The parental settings of this player prohibits play"

    and then VLC Player crashed.

    This would make sense why the drive seems to read the disc but won't play it. Is it possible that the DVD drive is set with a parental code that needs to be changed? I'm finding videos for instructions how to change this on PS2 devices, but it doesn't look like a PC works the same way. How do you change this on a PC DVD drive?
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    Originally Posted by Petros_K View Post
    Interesting development...

    I tried playing a store bought DVD in another system that has Windows XP Pro and a LitOn DVD ROM drive DH-16D3S. Using VLC Player, I could not open the disc without getting an error again. However, this drive could read the disc, and when I opened the disc and clicked on the TS folder, VLC opened it and began to play until I got a blue screen that said:

    "The parental settings of this player prohibits play"

    and then VLC Player crashed.

    This would make sense why the drive seems to read the disc but won't play it. Is it possible that the DVD drive is set with a parental code that needs to be changed? I'm finding videos for instructions how to change this on PS2 devices, but it doesn't look like a PC works the same way. How do you change this on a PC DVD drive?
    PC drives don't provide parental controls. Software or the OS might include some form of parental control based on movie ratings or the amount of "screen time" allowed for the user, but VLC doesn't include either of those as far as I know. Perhaps there is some other software at work.
    Ignore list: hello_hello, tried, TechLord, Snoopy329
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  8. Correction...

    Same PC with Windows XP installed, has two DVD drives:

    G Drive: Optiarc DVD+RW AD-7200S

    H Drive: PLDS DVD-ROM DH-16D3S (mentioned in my last post)

    Both of these drives can read the store bought DVD (and in My Computer the disc shows up as an icon). And the DH-16D3S drive does play the store bought DVD in VLC player. You just go to Media > Open Disc... So, yes on this system the store bought DVDs play fine with VLC PLayer.


    So back to the other PC (mentioned in my first post):

    The same store bought DVDs do not play in the TSSTCorp TS-653Z. This computer running Windows 7 that has this drive has the Parental Controls off for my user account, and also has the Parental Controls services disabled. How is it this DVD drive can read store bought CDs, burned CDs (including media files), burned DVDs (including media files), but it CANNOT read store bought DVDs?
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    Since they play on other PC drives, it looks like the cause of the problem isn't the DVDs themselves. However, as you already stated, your DVD drive is old. As drives age, they may at some point refuse to play certain types of media. Usually, this happens with some type of burned media but pressed media is not exempt from the problem. CDs are not affected because they are read with an infra-red laser. A separate red laser is used for DVD. If you had a Blu-ray drive, Blu-ray uses a separate blue-violet laser.

    As already recommended you can try a different SATA cable. You could also try removing the drive, taking it outside and blowing out the dust with a can of compressed air. If none of that helps, a new DVD burner costs $30 or less. Your PC doesn't meet the tech specs for UHD Blu-ray. Depending on the monitor and video card, it may meet the technical specs for Blu-ray playback, if you want to consider a Blu-ray drive.
    Ignore list: hello_hello, tried, TechLord, Snoopy329
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  10. Why not try another media player, like PotPlayer for example?
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  11. ½ way to Rigel 7 cornemuse's Avatar
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    Originally Posted by davexnet View Post
    With the DVD inserted, you should be able to open Windows Explorer click on the dvd drive and see the two folders
    VIDEO_TS and AUDIO_TS.

    If you don't see it, either the drive is bad, or possibly (perhaps a long shot) something is bad in the registry,
    ie. the lowerfilters key. Plenty of info on the net about this, even Imgburn can reset this key,
    Tools/Filter driver load order

    I don't have any trouble with VLC, it's simply Media/open disc.
    (for info only): A lot of newer dvd's do not have the AUDIO_TS folder on the disk anymore, , , ,
    Yes, no, maybe, I don't know, Can you repeat the question?
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  12. Member Cornucopia's Avatar
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    Originally Posted by cornemuse View Post
    (for info only): A lot of newer dvd's do not have the AUDIO_TS folder on the disk anymore, , , ,
    If they don't, their being lax. Not a good sign for the future.

    Scott
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