Help with DVD playback

okay so I'm new to Windows 7 and this PC
- Windows 7 Home Premium 64-Bit
- Intel i7 Core, Gigabyte motherboard, 4GB of DDR3 Ram
- graphics card ATI Radeon HD 4600 Series, using DVI connection with my Samsung SyncMaster 2233SW monitor

I have downloaded and installed DviX codecs, K-Lite Codec pack and updated the latest drivers straight from ATI's website for my graphics card and system.

The problem I am having is when inserting a DVD (store bought, Region 1). I have already right clicked on my DVD Drive (D: )and changed it's Region play back to Region 1 (this was my first hurdle).

Using Windows Media Player that came with Windows 7 (11 or 12?) I attempt to play this DVD, and it says playing, but I cannot access any DVD menus, title screens or whatever. No sound or anything is happening, only a black screen. Seems to recognize it as Playlist1 (D: ), but I can't get it to play, right click on the drive in Windows Media Player, play is grayed out. Tried using Windows Media Player Classic and DviX player as well, and I cannot get a DVD to play.

In Windows Explorer, it shows TS Video Files and TS Audio Files, as if I was burning it or something. (I don't know if this is how Windows 7 shows all DVD's)

Tried the one HD video that comes with Windows Media Player, some 30 seconds of nature, and it plays fine, so I can play video.

Oh and I popped in a music CD and it plays fine as well.

Please help and thanks for any effort.

I think you have done a very great job of isolating the issue, helmetinthebush.

As everything except playing the DVD seems to work OK, I suggest that you likely have a bootleg DVD or just a bad DVD. Have you tried another DVD? If you have already and had the same issue, it may be a bad or incompatible DVD player. Are you sure it is a DVD player and not just a CD player?

helmetinthebush, can you tell us which renderer you use for video playback? Some renderers, like the Haali splitter, won't properly display MPEG files and DVDs. If you are unsure, open up Media Player Classic, go to View -> Options -> Output and check. It would be best if you set the Output to EVR (either "Vista/.Net3" or "Custom Preset")

Sopolias Falst said:

helmetinthebush, can you tell us which renderer you use for video playback? Some renderers, like the Haali splitter, won't properly display MPEG files and DVDs. If you are unsure, open up Media Player Classic, go to View -> Options -> Output and check. It would be best if you set the Output to EVR (either "Vista/.Net3" or "Custom Preset")

Windows Media Classic Output is set to EVR Custom Pres.**
Surface : 3d Surfaces (recommended)
Resizer : Bilinear
EVR Buffers : 5
Audio Render : System Default

AngelProcesser said:

I think you have done a very great job of isolating the issue, helmetinthebush.

As everything except playing the DVD seems to work OK, I suggest that you likely have a bootleg DVD or just a bad DVD. Have you tried another DVD? If you have already and had the same issue, it may be a bad or incompatible DVD player. Are you sure it is a DVD player and not just a CD player?

I have now tried the following DVD's - Paper Heart, Office Space (ironic since I'm considering re-enacting the copier machine beatdown scene), Friends Season 1, Disc 1, Girl With A Pearl Earring and A Good Woman. All were purchased and sit in their respective cases in my DVD collection.

Bad or Incompatible DVD Player - I'm leaning towards this as my problem, unfortunately. Does Windows 7 have a list of incompatible DVD drives?

I'm sorry I didn't post this before, but here's my specs on my DVD Drive:

Under Device Manager it says - DVD/CD ROM Drives -
- TSSTcorp CDDVDW SH-233C ATA Device

Super Writemaster, Speed + is written on the front of the drive bay (the specs was sold to me as a DVD RW+/- Dual Layer)

Here's the website I purchased it from and the entire spec list at located underneath
Buy the iBUYPOWER Gamer Extreme 908 SLC Desktop PC at TigerDirect.ca

rsvr85 said:

helmetinthebush said:

okay so I'm new to Windows 7 and this PC
- Windows 7 Home Premium 64-Bit
- Intel i7 Core, Gigabyte motherboard, 4GB of DDR3 Ram
- graphics card ATI Radeon HD 4600 Series, using DVI connection with my Samsung SyncMaster 2233SW monitor

I have downloaded and installed DviX codecs, K-Lite Codec pack and updated the latest drivers straight from ATI's website for my graphics card and system.

The problem I am having is when inserting a DVD (store bought, Region 1). I have already right clicked on my DVD Drive (D: )and changed it's Region play back to Region 1 (this was my first hurdle).

Using Windows Media Player that came with Windows 7 (11 or 12?) I attempt to play this DVD, and it says playing, but I cannot access any DVD menus, title screens or whatever. No sound or anything is happening, only a black screen. Seems to recognize it as Playlist1 (D: ), but I can't get it to play, right click on the drive in Windows Media Player, play is grayed out. Tried using Windows Media Player Classic and DviX player as well, and I cannot get a DVD to play.

In Windows Explorer, it shows TS Video Files and TS Audio Files, as if I was burning it or something. (I don't know if this is how Windows 7 shows all DVD's)

Tried the one HD video that comes with Windows Media Player, some 30 seconds of nature, and it plays fine, so I can play video.

Oh and I popped in a music CD and it plays fine as well.

Please help and thanks for any effort.

hi helmetinthebush & welcome.
Does the DVD play if you use VLC player?
VLC media player - Open Source Multimedia Framework and Player

Your suggestion of VLC Media Player - the 4th Program I have used and attempted to play a DVD from - WORKED!!! What kinda miracle cure was that? And what kind of codecs come with it, because now, Windows Media Player and Windows Media Player Classic all work!?!?

Did anyone else have issues with Windows 7 playing DVD's at first? Is this all "get the right codec" issue or something? Colour me happy yet confused lol...