Problem with Audio when playing VOB dvd files

[rbrown871]

I have a Dell Dimension XPS R350 and just upgraded (Clean install) to Windows XP (Home). I previously had Windows ME loaded on this system and it played DVDs with out any problems. After installing Windows XP (and all available updates including SP3) and everything and loading the system I decided to try to play a DVD. Now the Audio when playing a DVD or DVD (.vob) files, skips the video picture plays smoothly but the audio is jumping. This does not happen when playing a avi, mpg, mpeg, or standard mp3 file only when playing .vob files either from a DVD itself or from the hard drive. The original sound card is built into the motherboard and has a Crystal Chipset, I even disabled the crystal audio and inserted a Sound Blaster 16 card with no improvement. This occures with various DVD playing programs, MS Media player, Nero Showtime and others. I have swapped out cables, drives and even CPUs, motherboards with out any difference. This all started due to I installed a Lightscribe DVD burner and found out that it does not support Windows ME so I installed XP. Does anyone have any suggestions as to what could be the cause or the resolution to this? Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

[guns1inger]

If you play from the IFO files, instead of the VOB files, what happens ?

VOB files should not be played in isolation. They may not contain complete titles, and may contain multiple audio and subtitle tracks as well as multiple full or partial titles. The IFO files contain all the meta data that tells the player how all this is laid out.

Also, Neither Media Player or Showtime would be considered the cream of the crop when it comes to media players. Try Media Player Classic or VLC or the KM Player instead.

Edit :

I just look at your computer specs, and I suspect that your problem is that your computer is 100 years old, or thereabouts. XP has higher overheads than ME, so if your hardware hasn't changed from your profile specs, you probably don't have enough grunt to run XP and then play DVDs as well. If you haven't already, make sure you defrag the drive and install the latest video and audio drivers (such as they are for a system of your age). The use a low overhead player like MPC. You will get no hardware playback assistance from your kit, so the old CPU you have will have to do all the work.

[rbrown871]

Thanks for the response. I have tried to Play the IFO files and it skips the same way that the VOB files did. I also have tried running Media Player Classic and it performs the audio with the same skips/jumps. I have not tried VLC or KM yet though. The DVDs that I am trying to play are retail verions and not copied, I have even tried playing other DVDs or the backup DVD files that are located on the HD. Even from the auto start upon inserting a DVD the sound is not smooth but the video is. They play fine in my other compuer and in my Sony DVD Player on my TV.

[guns1inger]

What is your other computer (specs ?)
Is the problem PC the P2 350 in your profile ?

[rbrown871]

The hardware specs are as follows.... CPU: Intel P2 350Mhz, RAM:
384MB/PC100, I am running XP Service Pack 3 with all updates installed for
software and hardware. I pulled the Sound Blaster 16 card from another XP
System that plays DVDs with no audio problems, the only difference is the
CPU, Memory and Make of the Motherboard. I have researched out all the
drivers and have updated them all either through the manufactures website or
Driversguide.com

I even changed out the original video card (ATI Rage Pro,8MB) with a Diamond
Stealth 32MB.

I realize that this system is old and a bit out dated but it will be cheaper to get this system running without having to buy a new system, plus... I do not like Vista personally...

I hope this helps. Thanks again.

[guns1inger]

You don't have to run Vista on most new systems, XP is fine. However you have to be realistic - your system is simply too old and slow to run XP and do anything useful. I don't believe there is a fix, other than to go back to ME or upgrade the hardware

[ZippyP.]

I realize that this system is old and a bit out dated ...

That system dates from about 1998, it is extremely old. Don't waste any more time on it.

[sgmickey]

I realize that this system is old and a bit out dated ...

That system dates from about 1998, it is extremely old. Don't waste any more time on it.

Hi I'm new here. Found this through google.I'm having the same audio problems. I have Video Studio 11 & 12. When I do a project and go to make DVD. When I add the chapters about half way through the audio starts jumping,like some on e is turning the volume up and down real fast.
I also have Prism video converter. Started having problems after converting their was no audio.All this started after windows SP3 for XP.
Another problem I had was windows searching for my external hard drive all the time. I found a link on google and installed a fix.
When I started having problems with bo th of these softwares I started to look for a fix for this. Any help thanks

[david100825]

hi, similarly to the last point. when i burned vob files to a dvd-r the video plays fine on my laptop but the audio will not play on a dvd player. is there anything i can use to make the vob files play audio on my dvd player?

[olyteddy]

To the OP: Have you tried an older version of VLC? I used to test my DVD drive's throughput by having four copies running and reading from different parts of the same DVD. About the smallest and least power hungry DVD playing program out there...