I have posted here before on this, but now I have a new question.

To begin, some time ago, my computer was in the shop being re-done, new motherboard, etc. Everything worked fine when I took it home.

Then I tried to play my Avatar DVD.

Up on the screen I was told I needed a decoder for Windows Media Player. Since I know there are other players, I downloaded various codecs for this or that. Nothing worked. I have something called VLC on my computer, but Avatar does not recognize this.

I can put other dvd's (cheap ones), but the thing plays choppy.

so I had gone back to computer guy, explained, and he said "no problem, bring it in and I'll put the decoder in".

The problem is I don't want to lug this big computer out of the house again, bring it back and hook it up again. I want to see if I can fix this myself.

So yesterday I decided to see what happens if I put Avatar in the dvd lightscribe rom drive.

It didn't even recognize that anything was in the drive.

I went to my computer and looked at 'E' and it was empty. Meaning, the dvd was in the drive but the computer is not reading this.

WHY??

I then took another dvd and put it in and a pop up thing appeared asking me "what player I want to use". I chose Windows Media, and I was promptly told "You need a video decoder for Windows Media Player".

I then took out the cheap dvd, put it back in and opened it up in VLC, and it played choppy.

So obviously I need a Windows Media Player decoder thing.

And what I want to know is why my computer does not read the Avatar dvd in the dvd drive?

It reads other dvds but not the Avatar. I used to read the Avatar but it played choppy, just like the cheaper dvds.

So, what is going on with my computer?

And, do you think if I go back to the computer guy, tell him I can' bring it in, ask him to give me some kind of decoder thing on a disc, he'll have one?

I mean, why can HE put a decoder thing on my computer, and I can'?'

What will he be doing that is different from what I'm doing?

When I go online, sure I can purchase a video decoder compatible with Windows media Player?

But why should i have to pay for something when it used to be installed on my computer?

I know this is a confusing post, but to sum it up.

Can I download a video decoder from the internet that is compatible with Windows Media Player FOR FREE?

Or is there some other video decoder that will let me play my Avatar dvd?

Thanks much

Melody

Okay, this is what I just did. I downloaded an all in one codec packet from the internet and installed it. That went just fine.

I put my Avatar DVD in the drive. It does not register. I went to my computer to see if it was reading anything in the dvd drive. IT DID NOT.

so I said "hm, why is this not registering in my dvd drive" Drive E, I believe it's called.

So I then put in another dvd, and THAT registered and all the options came up for me to choose how to open this dvd.

I chose "windows media player" because the codec packet said it was compatible with Windows media Player.

Well, it opened up just fine in Windows Media Player, it indicated that my dvd was playing, up on the screen it said "High School Musical"

But it did not play the dvd.

So I have 2 problems going on here.

I have codecs installed and raring to go. I put in Avatar, it does not register in my dvd rom drive. I put in another dvd, it registers (that there is indeed something in the dvd rom drive) but it doesn't play anything.

The guy at the computer store said "call me on the phone, we'll do a remote hosting (I know that this is), I'll go on the internet and find you a codec.

Well, that's exactly what I did myself. Went on the internet and found a codec all in one pack (isn't that what he is going to do)?

So before I do the remote hosting with him, or before I simply bring in my computer and let him do it manually (I really don't want to lug this thing over to his shop), can anyone help me decipher this codec thing and tell me why I cannot play dvds on my computer and why some dvds don't even register in my dvd rom drive.

Jo???? Anybody????

lol, thanks much

Melody

I've been doing jury duty stuff.
But I remember when we tried to figure this out before, and we got stumped....

If you let the computer guy work on it - give him the Avatar DVD so he can make sure it plays before giving everything back to you.

I can't think of anything else to try...

Oh, that's where you have been!!

Hope you put the bad guys away!!

I'm going to try and do the remote hosting thing with Ivan (the computer guy).

Will update.

melody

I really think this is a problem with the disc Avatar itself.

Type "Avatar DVD won't play on PC" into Google and see all the hits!

I think the DVD has anti-duplication code on it, that blocks PC playback.

Sony used to do that with their music CDs a while back so people could not put them on computer too. I think they were sued, and stopped doing that with music CD. But Avatar is Sony video, and I'd suspect them of it strongly.

I think you are 100% correct. Now here's my dilemma. Just called the guy Ivan to do a remote hosting (because he said he would search the internet to find a compatible decoder (codec) for my Windows Media Player). He can't do it now, someone is in the store and he said to call him back later.

So I said to myself "if he's going to go on the internet and download a compatible, why can I do the same thing?"

Did this last night. Did a search on "Compatible codecs for Windows Media Player, got something called a K-lite something or other, all in one codec.

Downloaded it, installed, it and wonder of wonders, when I inserted the High School Musical dvd, it was recognized in my E drive (this means my lightscribe dvd writer is working, right?), but....and here's a big but....when it came up in Widows Media Player, it played choppy, for example the movie moved frame by frame.

So while I was able to download and install a compatible codec for WMP, didn't get the good results I hoped for.

And if I open the same dvd in VLC, I get the same choppy thing.

I'm just wondering what the computer guy would do different than what I did?

All I want is to be able to play dvds like I used to before he re-formated the whole thing for me and installed a new motherboard. I asked him the other day "How come I could play dvd's before you fixed my computer?" and he said "because we re-formatted."

I know this might make perfect sense but I'm trying to understand this codec thing and it seems that there are codecs, and THEN THERE ARE CODECS.

If you were me, what codec would you download (forget Avatar), probably doesn't matter what I do to get that thing to play, I'm going to have to buy a dvd player and hook it up to my tv to play. It plays just fine on my little portable dvd player but I want to watch it BIG.

I have tried various cheap dvds in this dvd rom and I get choppy.

So before I have to lug this big thing in to Ivan, is there anything else I can do?

Much appreciated.

And I wish, that when people bought the Avatar DVD the people who made the DVD might have had the goodness to inform people that "this won't play on a PC"

lol
Melody

Go on Google and visit the forums on the first page with that key word string I suggested.

On one of the places, they suggest the updates to play DVDs well.

Okay, did that!!!! FASCINATING Reading. Not that I understood everything, but I did read that sometimes a dvd writer will not be able to read a dvd.

So it gave the option to download something called AnyDVD which I downloaded and installed.

I put in one of my purchased DVD's called Feast of All Saints. Wasn't recognized. Nothing happened.

THEN, I put in Avatar. A window popped up saying AnyDVD is reading the disc, please wait!!! So I waited.

then a BIG thing popped up saying "Your dvd doesn't work because (and it listed all these reasons one of which was:

your drive is a Region RPC2 locked drive and it went on to say "Scrambled sectors', etc."

Then SOMETHING ELSE HAPPENED.

Windows media Player popped up and started playing Avatar (I said to myself "oh, joy, I just might get to see this on my computer".

And it played CHOPPY. Hey, at least it played. That's a beginning, right?

I looked to the right where it tells you exactly what the DVD is.

And it said "Avatar 2 discs Blue Ray (with all the Chapters).

Now I looked at my Avatar disc (one disc). Nowhere on this disc does it say Blu Ray. And it plays in my regular little portable dvd player just fine.

So my first question is Why is it indicating that this is a blu ray? And is there anything I can do to stop the choppiness?

I'm at the point, where I don't care if I get to play this Avatar. I would like to play other dvds (but not choppy).

??????
lol lol lol

Melody

It is possible you have a pirated disc... they slip thru into the mainstream very commonly.

There is so much they do to those discs now... it is amazing that any of them work IMO.

The Blu Ray ones were defective from the get go. I think it is your disc.

This is one reason I read books and still use the library. I am not going to futz with Kindles and players, and what not....frustrating they all are!

Just to make sure, I put in a lens cleaner in the drive, and cleaned it.

Put back the Avatar. Still choppy.

Hey, I'm learning.

lol
Mel