# DVD problem



## MrPhox (Sep 5, 2016)

I buy the DVD of  Zootopia, but when I play it, it skip small parts. But I have no problem with any other DVD I have. Its not like I can buy another DVD recorder for my com since this one is working fine.

Yea I did  download the movie since the DVD ripper I try did not do a good job. The picture was a bit larger and not good quality.

Still I would like to be able to view a DVD instead of having to download them. A blue-ray is 99$ and I can't afford that.


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## Deleted member 82554 (Sep 5, 2016)

Computer got a DVD player? Use that and this.


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## darien (Sep 5, 2016)

MrPhox said:


> I buy the DVD of  Zootopia, but when I play it, it skip small parts. But I have no problem with any other DVD I have. Its not like I can buy another DVD recorder for my com since this one is working fine.
> 
> Yea I did  download the movie since the DVD ripper I try did not do a good job. The picture was a bit larger and not good quality.
> 
> Still I would like to be able to view a DVD instead of having to download them. A blue-ray is 99$ and I can't afford that.



You did not provide enough information, so I will try to cover most of the bases:

What device are you attempting to play the dvd on? A DVD player? A desktop computer? a laptop? Some sort of dvd/vhs combo unit?
This matters because some types are much easier to clean than others. It's not terribly uncommon for a DVD reader to collect dust on the lens used to focus the laser which reads the data, this can result in skipping and poor performance like you described- but typically occurs with several visibly undamaged discs in your library and not just one. As Mr. Fox mentioned- another way to verify this is to try using something else to play the disc. If there are no problems in the other device than the problem likely rests with the device you were using initially. Cleaning the lens with isopropyl rubbing alcohol and a q-tip(also known generically as a cotton-swab) may fix that, though as I mentioned- some devices are easier to do that with than others. You may wind up investing in a lens-cleaning disc - this is usually a CD/DVD that has a brush attached to it, they sell fairly cheap in most electronics and media stores and simply spin in the disc tray designed to move the read-head with the lens back and forth over the brush to remove particulates such as dust, lint, and dander. Again, the cotton swap is the better option- but it can be daunting for those not comfortable with disassembling their electronics.

If the player works fine with all of your other DVDs it could be that your disc is damaged, check it for scratches and scuffs by holding it up to a light and tilting it, examine the shiny side (the bottom) for scruffs and scratches. If you find some, don't fret- these too may be able to be fixed.

Is it a purchased DVD or a downloaded and burned DVD? 
This matters because of the manufacturing process and the way the data is stored. Purchased DVDs are typically mass manufactured and the label-side of the disc more often than not contains the data embedded in the pits/bumps in plastic just beneath the label. Burned DVDs on the other hand typically use a laser to burn spots into an ink-like coating/layer(s) much closer to the other side of the disc. Because of the difference in manufacturing processes and disk type- surface imperfections like scuffs and scratches on the shiny plastic side of the disc are more easily removed from purchased DVD's than burnt DVDs. Dual layer DVDs can be particularly difficult to remove scuffs from effectively. However- if it's a purchased single-layer DVD your best bet is to use a disc-doctor or other optical disc buffer. (these tend to retail for between $20 and $50 depending on where you get them.) if you can't afford one, chances are your local library has one that you can use either for free, or for a very minimal fee. These work by buffing out minor surface imperfections and leveling out the disk's surface. Particularly deep gouges may however be unrecoverable. It should also be noted that scratches on the label-side are typically much more damaging than on the plastic side- especially for purchased DVDs. It is a common misconception that optical discs should be stored 'shiny side up' as the label side is more likely to take damage from picking it up and putting it down this way. Instead, if you're ever setting a disc down on a surface that is not inside of it's protective case, you should place the label side up. If you scratch the label-side of a disc there's really not much that can be done to properly fix it, (Super-Ghetto use of HVAC foil tape MIGHT be enough to get one decent read off of the disc in such a scenario, but it might also unbalance the disc in the tray causing it to explode at high RPM, so generally speaking- it's a bad idea)


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## MrPhox (Sep 5, 2016)

Well I read my DVD on a desktop computer. I use VLC to read them.

Its a DVD brand new. I buy one and try it, it was skipping small part, I return it to the store and got another but I got the same problem. I check both DVD under the light and found a problem that look like something was spill. Again both DVD where new. I got a refund and go to another store, I play it and again I have the same problem.

I try to use GOM players, but it can't read DVD and no "codex" found.

So another DVD burner (new) is 25$ and a blueray disc is 99$ I don't have a TV  so I can't check it there. Tomorrow I will check the pawn shop and see if the DVD do the same stuff.

I run win 7.

I was told to update the firmware for my DVD players but I can't find anything  at the makers web site.




This is what I have: 
The media player I was told work, but the image is dark like a bad copy. I will check if there a way to fix that. Also I will check if VLC can be updated since it does have a problem with that DVD.

VLC is up to date and the colors seem pale compare to the other player. Don't know if it can be "fix" but its weird that the colors are like that.


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## darien (Sep 5, 2016)

MrPhox said:


> Well I read my DVD on a desktop computer. I use VLC to read them.
> 
> Its a DVD brand new. I buy one and try it, it was skipping small part, I return it to the store and got another but I got the same problem. I check both DVD under the light and found a problem that look like something was spill. Again both DVD where new. I got a refund and go to another store, I play it and again I have the same problem.


does the DVD from the other store look like something was spilled on it after you tried to play it? This may be indicative of something in your computer's dvd drive or a very dirty system. Sadly this is more difficult for me to determine than it should be because i cannot actually see what you are describing.



> I was told to update the firmware for my DVD players but I can't find anything  at the makers web site.


 This should not be necessary short of adjusting for a region lock (usually the limit for doing so is around 6 times) as the video is playing, it's clearly not region locked, so leave the firmware alone.




> The media player I was told work, but the image is dark like a bad copy. I will check if there a way to fix that. Also I will check if VLC can be updated since it does have a problem with that DVD.
> 
> VLC is up to date and the colors seem pale compare to the other player. Don't know if it can be "fix" but its weird that the colors are like that.


VLC has many adjustments you can make including brightness and contrast. To adjust these settings in VLC right click and select Tools>Effects and Filters (or press ctrl+e) then while the video is playing select the middle top tab labelled 'Video Effects' click the first tab on the left labelled 'Essential' and check the box at the top left labelled 'image adjust' from there you can move the sliders to adjust your brightness, contrast, saturation, and gamma (I'd leave the hue slider alone) to see if you can improve the quality of your video. Without seeing the video I cannot help further, but I do worry that you may have gotten a bootleg theatrical screener, again- this is unfortunately not something i can be sure of without seeing.


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## MrPhox (Sep 5, 2016)

Fist image show the DVD, if you look you will see that there is like a"but" shape in the middle of the DVD (on top) and on the right where you see the "blue light" reflection.

its not the DVD players that did it since the second DVD was showing the same patterns. This is from the second DVD. I'm running the 3rd DVD and no mark like that or any marks. 

The 2nd image show the colors difference. On the left its VLC and on the right its MPC-HC. 

(advertising joke) on the left I use a general brand to wash it, on the right I use Tide colors safe.^^


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## Saiko (Sep 6, 2016)

> The 2nd image show the colors difference. On the left its VLC and on the right its MPC-HC.



I don't know about the skipping, but if those are on the same monitor, then it looks like the color settings in one of the programs aren't calibrated properly.

A Google search led me to this thread which describes the exact same calibration issues. Apparently it's related to differences between PC and TV color spaces, and VLC isn't converting it quite right. See if anything in that thread applies to you.


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## darien (Sep 6, 2016)

MrPhox said:


>



while those two divets in the track information appear to be quite strange - ( dont' have a zootopia dvd to compare it to myself) it doesn't appear to have any surface imperfections. While the disk doesn't appear to be to to be damaged the position and angle of the 'disney dvd' logo makes me wonder if the first store is selling bootlegs, as the only disc label i've been able to find matching that position is (as far as i'm aware, fan-made. and all of the original disc-labels i've seen have the disney dvd logo in the middle top above the 'T' in zootopia. I could however- be wrong and if someone else here has a zootopia dvd and wants to correct me, that's fine.)

Since your 3rd disc has no such problem- If you're still experiencing skipping problems I would consider cleaning your optical drive and perhaps running some basic maintenance on the computer such as defragmenting the hard drive(as long as it's not a SSD), virus and malware scanning, limiting startup items, etc.

as far as color balance goes, while you can adjust it with VLC- if you prefer the colors in MPC-HC there's no reason not to use it instead. (Saiko's link did provide some useful calibration tips for VLC)

Unfortunately your camera-shot of the monitor isn't going to be high enough resolution to be useful - and while a screenshot might be better- honestly it just isn't needed at this point.


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## jayhusky (Sep 7, 2016)

That looks like a bootleg to me, the divet in the track info as @darien pointed out is strange, it shouldn't be there. It would account for the skipping on the disc.

As for the Disney DVD logo, there doesn't seem to be any particular conformity to a specific design. Blu-Rays have it on the left of the disc (with the Disney logo, not the Disney DVD logo) above the movie title.

But some other releases, like the French DVD seem to have it at the bottom, but above the movie title. (From what i've seen).


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## EdgyMemeLord0 (Nov 9, 2016)

Insert a slice of onion into your disc drive and it will protect your PC from viruses


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## MrPhox (Nov 9, 2016)

The problem was VLC, its unable to read it correctly for some reason. I use MPC-HC and I was able to read it without problem.

But maybe because the coating is too thin? 

I return to DVD since I download the movie. I was looking for the "bonus" but all of that are on youtube and the Blue-Ray have more that the DVD.

I don't buy "new" movies since I don't know if I will have any problem reading them in the future, I have none if I download them.


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