Encountered a strange problem with a DVD

[Davidius]

I'm having a strange problem that I've never seen before. I bought Emily a DVD for Christmas, and when we tried to play it, it loads to the title menu, but when we select "Play All" or "select scene" the little arrow on the screen next to the option blinks, showing that it recognizes the choice, but then the arrow just reappears on the menu. We can't choose any of the options, and we tried it in two different DVD players. Has anyone ever encountered this problem?

 

[ReformedWretch]

Yes, I forget what the problem was called but it had to do with the kind of DVD it was. Is it a "special" kind of DVD? I mean is there some kind of branding on the cover that calls it something? That sounds odd but it's a simple name I am simply forgetting. The movie I had was Spiderman 2 and I had to return it for a "regular" copy.

It was "enhanced" in some way and my DVD played would not read it.

 

[Davidius]

It says "DVD Video Disc: DVD-R Format," which is definitely different from what I've seen before. The warning on the back of the case says, "These discs are expected to play in DVD Video 'play-only' devices, and may not play in other DVD devices, including recorders and PC drives." None of these drives I'm trying to play it in are recorder drives, though. I thought they were just normal "play-only" devices.

 

[Semper Fidelis]

I've had a problem playing Wall-E on DVD players on my computer but I wasn't able to verify if the problem could be replicated on a regular player. They're always adding new encryption methods so it could be that.

 

[ReformedWretch]

DVD-R Format may be the issue, not all players can play every type of DVD (-R +R and DVD RAM)

 

[Davidius]

DVD-R Format may be the issue, not all players can play every type of DVD (-R +R and DVD RAM)

Yes, that appears to be it. I poked around on the item's Amazon page for a while and found others discussing the issue. The DVD appears to be part of a series that Amazon makes on demand, so they're burning these and sending them out as they receive orders. The players we've tried must just not be able to read them. We're at my Dad's house, so I have no idea whether it will work at home, where our only player is an Xbox 360. Have you ever tried playing something in DVD-R format on yours?

 

[Seb]

If the disk played at all (the disc's main menu played) I don't see how there can be an issue with the DVD-R format. To my knowledge, and it's been my experience, the format is an 'all or nothing issue'. It either plays in the drive or not. Also the DVD-R format is more likely to play in any player than the +R format.

I tend to think it's an encryption / copy protection issue.

It could also be a manufacturing problem with the disk, it's rare, but it still happens sometimes. If Amazon's burning these in-house I'd bet that it's a 'burn' problem.

 

[Honor]

hey that happened to me.... it wouldn't play on our DVD player but it would on my laptop... IDK why... just did

 

[ReformedWretch]

Not sure about the menu issue...pretty sure the 360 reads -R and +R

 

[Honor]

maybe the DVD player just doesn't like it.... did you ask?? LOL

 

[BlackCalvinist]

Bite it. The teeth marks will break the encryption and play it as normal.