Windows 7: DVD Playback Problem in Win 7 Media Center

Ok, I've searched and searched, and haven't see this problem listed anywhere, so here goes...

While playing a DVD in Windows 7 Media Center (in version 7100, 7203, and 7260) that has been copies to the hard drive (in Video_TS format with AnyDVDHD-v6.5.5 running in the background), and using the My Movies plugin (tried both v2.54 and the new v2.55), if I press STOP on my Media Center Remote, the DVD stops, but is more in a Paused state. Let me see If I can clarify what is going on.

1. DVD's in Video_TS format play fine, can pause, FF, Rew, etc without any issues.

2. If I press stop, the DVD does stop. Then I would normally hit the BACK button to go back to the movie list. However, when I hit the BACK button I go to a new blank screen (with the media center blue background). I then hit BACK again, and am takin to a screen with movie details. If I hit BACK a third time, I would then return to the movie list.

3. However, once back in the movie list, I can see the stopped DVD in the lower left corner of the screen.

4. I can't seem to stop the movie like in Vista Media Center (which would automatically take me back to the movie list.

5. Also, if I click on the movie in the lower left corner of the screen, it comes up and starts the movie from where I left off. With Vista Media Center, a stopped movie would actually start over from the beginning.

Has anyone seen this problem, and know of a way to make it work like Vista Media Center?

Someone posted in another forum, that all Windows 7 Media Center add-ins display this same behavior (their example was both with My Movies and Media Browser but the same thing doesn't happen within Media Centers own DVD Library). So sure enough I tested this with the default DVD library in Media Center, and pressing Stop on the IR Remote actually stopped the movie. However the other side effect is that just as in My Movies, if you Play the same DVD again, it starts from where you left off, versus starting over from the beginning.

Yes, I posted about the same thing basically

Restart movie Button for Movies in RC1

...without the AnyDVD part, which gives you the added frustration of trying to get back to the movie info and movie library pages.

In the 7 Beta there was the option to "Restart" the movie. This was true for VideoTS files, but other video files did not have that option.

Then in the RC builds, the reverse was true. Since I posted about this originally I have discovered that within the native WMC movies menu, neither DVD discs nor VideoTS files from a hard drive have the option of "Restart" from the beginning if you stop them. Other video formats however do have that option no matter if they are played from the "Movies" library or the "Videos" library. Going to the "Title Menu" or the "Root Menu" to restart doesn't help either although you can get back to chapter 1.

What I have had to live with to this point in the RC builds is to get back to chapter 1, skip forward to chapter2, then skip backward to chapter 1 (What a PITA). This also means that I have to let the movie play out through the credits at the end in order to have a new start the next time it is played. I am still trying to come up with a solution myself.

I am sorry that to this point I can really only confirm and commiserate with you on this. I know it is possible somehow to get this feature back, as it did work properly in the Beta. I have gone hunting through the registry a few times to no avail... I am hoping some of the more advanced members here will come up with something if MS doesn't "fix" it in the final.

Hi,

I'm experiencing the same problem.
Did Microsoft fixed the playback issue in the commercial version ? because I don't want to migrate until they fix it.

Miguel
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MB ASUS P5B - RAM 4Go Corsair - nVidia 8800 GTX

Hi all,

I found a solution and the problem is solved for me:
After several months of trying everything, I realised that the source of the problem was the PhysX motor of my graphic card. By chance, I tried to deactivate PhyX in the nVidia control panel (or START menu > All Programs > nVidia Corporation > nVidia PhysX Properties), and my Media Center works fine now with no playback issues.

I wonder why when we install the nVidia GPU driver, the PhysX motor is activated by default ! even if you only have one GPU like me !
And also I don't understand why my Windows Vista Media Center worked fine, with no playback issues, even with PhysX activated ?

This solution worked for me. Hope this helps.

Miguel
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MB ASUS P5B - RAM 2x2Go Corsair - GPU nVidia 8800 GTX

It's because you have removed the play-stop-pause function (dvr) of the .wtv wrapper using a non-supported codec and are now trying to re-play your maligned file in WMC.