DVD writer/player?

Traveler

I installed a DVD writer/player in my computer but it will not play DVDs. I was told I needed codecs so I downloaded but it expired. Is there a free one out there that I can use?

Answer
I personally wouldn't waste my time with codecs.

I recommend using VLC media player (it can play anything). Best part is it's free and completely free of spyware. It is also the most popular player out there.

VLC media player is a highly portable multimedia player for various audio and video formats (MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, DivX, mp3, ogg, ...) as well as DVDs, VCDs, and various streaming protocols.

If you also want free codecs, the K-Lite Codec Pack should be able to play 99% of all the movies that you download from the internet.

How can I stream through my Samsung DVD player?

rob

Hello all. I have my Wii connected to my DVD player through the IN yellow/white/red ports. I have another set of yellow/white/red cables going to my TV from the OUT ports. My capturing device (Easy Cap) is hooked up to the S-video OUT of the DVD player. The problem is I am unable to detect a signal from my capturing device and my game won't show up on the TV. However, when I set the DVD player to VCR mode, the game appears on the TV but am still unable to detect a signal from my capturing device. Can anyone shed some light on my situation? Thank you in advance.

Answer
You should remove your dvd player from the equation since you are only using it to try to spit the signal. Just use an rca splitter, all you need to do is spit the signal coming from the wii to go to your tv and capture device. There are cheap products available to do this, just ask at an electronics store like radio shack and they will be able to help you find what you need. This is a common thing that people ask for.

I also believe there are signal spitting units/boxes that amplify the spit signal, this is what they use at electronic stores to have the same video on every tv.

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How does a DVD player work?

matt_rainf

Answer
The DVD Player
DVD Fact
The Sony PlayStation 2 was the first video game system able to play DVDs.
A DVD player is very similar to a CD player. It has a laser assembly that shines the laser beam onto the surface of the disc to read the pattern of bumps (see How CDs Work for details). The DVD player decodes the MPEG-2 encoded movie, turning it into a standard composite video signal (see How Television Works for details). The player also decodes the audio stream and sends it to a Dolby decoder, where it is amplified and sent to the speakers.

The DVD player has the job of finding and reading the data stored as bumps on the DVD. Considering how small the bumps are, the DVD player has to be an exceptionally precise piece of equipment. The drive consists of three fundamental components:

* A drive motor to spin the disc - The drive motor is precisely controlled to rotate between 200 and 500 rpm, depending on which track is being read.

* A laser and a lens system to focus in on the bumps and read them - The light from this laser has a smaller wavelength (640 nanometers) than the light from the laser in a CD player (780 nanometers), which allows the DVD laser to focus on the smaller DVD pits.

* A tracking mechanism that can move the laser assembly so the laser beam can follow the spiral track - The tracking system has to be able to move the laser at micron resolutions.

Inside the DVD player, there is a good bit of computer technology involved in forming the data into understandable data blocks, and sending them either to the DAC, in the case of audio or video data, or directly to another component in digital format, in the case of digital video or data.

The fundamental job of the DVD player is to focus the laser on the track of bumps. The laser can focus either on the semi-transparent reflective material behind the closest layer, or, in the case of a double-layer disc, through this layer and onto the reflective material behind the inner layer. The laser beam passes through the polycarbonate layer, bounces off the reflective layer behind it and hits an opto-electronic device, which detects changes in light. The bumps reflect light differently than the "lands," the flat areas of the disc, and the opto-electronic sensor detects that change in reflectivity. The electronics in the drive interpret the changes in reflectivity in order to read the bits that make up the bytes.

The hardest part of reading a DVD is keeping the laser beam centered on the data track. This centering is the job of the tracking system. As the DVD is played, the tracking system has to move the laser continually outward. As the laser moves outward from the center of the disc, the bumps move past the laser at an increasing speed. This happens because the linear, or tangential, speed of the bumps is equal to the radius times the speed at which the disc is revolving. So, as the laser moves outward, the spindle motor must slow the spinning of the DVD so that the bumps travel past the laser at a constant speed, and the data comes off the disc at a constant rate.

An interesting thing to note is that if a DVD has a second layer, the start of that layer's data track can be at the outside of the disc instead of the inside. This allows the player to transition quickly from one layer to the next, without a delay in data output, because it doesn't have to move the laser back to the center of the disc to read the next layer.

dvd player?

kennytucke

i have a rather expensive dvd player that wont play a certain disc without the picture breaking up, however, when i put the same disc into my computer it plays like a dream with a clear picture. whats wrong.

Answer
One possible reason, poor disc condition that can be caused by poor physical condition and / or poor recording from disc manufacturer. As the result, picture breaking may be detected in dvd player as data streaming is affected by empty memory buffer. Memory buffer (size) is bigger in computer device, and it can handle much more error correction and ensure the data streaming.
Another possible reason, if the dvd player is rather new, the optical pick-up unit (OPU) in the dvd player may be having certain quality problem. You may consider to bring the player to service centre.
Last, if the dvd disc is not original and licenced copy, some expensive dvd players in the market are known to perform poorly while playing those discs ......

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dvd player?

kennytucke

i have a rather expensive dvd player that wont play a certain disc without the picture breaking up, however, when i put the same disc into my computer it plays like a dream with a clear picture. whats wrong.

Answer
One possible reason, poor disc condition that can be caused by poor physical condition and / or poor recording from disc manufacturer. As the result, picture breaking may be detected in dvd player as data streaming is affected by empty memory buffer. Memory buffer (size) is bigger in computer device, and it can handle much more error correction and ensure the data streaming.
Another possible reason, if the dvd player is rather new, the optical pick-up unit (OPU) in the dvd player may be having certain quality problem. You may consider to bring the player to service centre.
Last, if the dvd disc is not original and licenced copy, some expensive dvd players in the market are known to perform poorly while playing those discs ......

Is there any DVD player in the market that can stream Netflix?

Uppili Vij

I am not looking for a Blu-Ray player and I am not looking for a streaming only Roku. :)

Answer
An Xbox can be a DVD player and can stream Netflix.
Linksys used to have a DVD player/media Extenter combo, but it may be cheaper to buy a DVD player + Roku box.

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Is there any DVD player in the market that can stream Netflix?

Uppili Vij

I am not looking for a Blu-Ray player and I am not looking for a streaming only Roku. :)

Answer
An Xbox can be a DVD player and can stream Netflix.
Linksys used to have a DVD player/media Extenter combo, but it may be cheaper to buy a DVD player + Roku box.

Best way to stream Netflix thru my LG Blue Ray DVD player?

Curious In

I have an LG Blue Ray DVD player capable of streaming my Netflix from the PC. What is the best way to do this? Should I get a wireless router to send the signal to the DVD player? Does it cost more than my actual monthly subscription? Serious answers please...thanks!

Answer
Well, you should get a router regardless. It's the easiest way to share your internet connection between multiple devices. Using a router does not add to your internet fees.

Your LG blu-ray player can stream directly from Netflix - a PC is not required (other than to set up the account.) All Netflix subscriptions include unlimited streaming so if you already have a Netflix account you're all set there.

As for connecting the blu-ray player to the router, if it supports wireless, go ahead and use that. It'll be easier than having to run an ethernet cable from the player to your router.

Keep in mind that streaming movies is like downloading a very large file. If your ISP has monthly limitations on how much data you can download, use of Netflix streaming may cause you to go over. An average 90 minute movie will use between 1 to 3 GB of data.

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How does a DVD player work?

matt_rainf

Answer
The DVD Player
DVD Fact
The Sony PlayStation 2 was the first video game system able to play DVDs.
A DVD player is very similar to a CD player. It has a laser assembly that shines the laser beam onto the surface of the disc to read the pattern of bumps (see How CDs Work for details). The DVD player decodes the MPEG-2 encoded movie, turning it into a standard composite video signal (see How Television Works for details). The player also decodes the audio stream and sends it to a Dolby decoder, where it is amplified and sent to the speakers.

The DVD player has the job of finding and reading the data stored as bumps on the DVD. Considering how small the bumps are, the DVD player has to be an exceptionally precise piece of equipment. The drive consists of three fundamental components:

* A drive motor to spin the disc - The drive motor is precisely controlled to rotate between 200 and 500 rpm, depending on which track is being read.

* A laser and a lens system to focus in on the bumps and read them - The light from this laser has a smaller wavelength (640 nanometers) than the light from the laser in a CD player (780 nanometers), which allows the DVD laser to focus on the smaller DVD pits.

* A tracking mechanism that can move the laser assembly so the laser beam can follow the spiral track - The tracking system has to be able to move the laser at micron resolutions.

Inside the DVD player, there is a good bit of computer technology involved in forming the data into understandable data blocks, and sending them either to the DAC, in the case of audio or video data, or directly to another component in digital format, in the case of digital video or data.

The fundamental job of the DVD player is to focus the laser on the track of bumps. The laser can focus either on the semi-transparent reflective material behind the closest layer, or, in the case of a double-layer disc, through this layer and onto the reflective material behind the inner layer. The laser beam passes through the polycarbonate layer, bounces off the reflective layer behind it and hits an opto-electronic device, which detects changes in light. The bumps reflect light differently than the "lands," the flat areas of the disc, and the opto-electronic sensor detects that change in reflectivity. The electronics in the drive interpret the changes in reflectivity in order to read the bits that make up the bytes.

The hardest part of reading a DVD is keeping the laser beam centered on the data track. This centering is the job of the tracking system. As the DVD is played, the tracking system has to move the laser continually outward. As the laser moves outward from the center of the disc, the bumps move past the laser at an increasing speed. This happens because the linear, or tangential, speed of the bumps is equal to the radius times the speed at which the disc is revolving. So, as the laser moves outward, the spindle motor must slow the spinning of the DVD so that the bumps travel past the laser at a constant speed, and the data comes off the disc at a constant rate.

An interesting thing to note is that if a DVD has a second layer, the start of that layer's data track can be at the outside of the disc instead of the inside. This allows the player to transition quickly from one layer to the next, without a delay in data output, because it doesn't have to move the laser back to the center of the disc to read the next layer.

dvd player?

kennytucke

i have a rather expensive dvd player that wont play a certain disc without the picture breaking up, however, when i put the same disc into my computer it plays like a dream with a clear picture. whats wrong.

Answer
One possible reason, poor disc condition that can be caused by poor physical condition and / or poor recording from disc manufacturer. As the result, picture breaking may be detected in dvd player as data streaming is affected by empty memory buffer. Memory buffer (size) is bigger in computer device, and it can handle much more error correction and ensure the data streaming.
Another possible reason, if the dvd player is rather new, the optical pick-up unit (OPU) in the dvd player may be having certain quality problem. You may consider to bring the player to service centre.
Last, if the dvd disc is not original and licenced copy, some expensive dvd players in the market are known to perform poorly while playing those discs ......

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Why can't i watch videos on the internet normally?

best dvd player streaming image

wildhockey

My new laptop is doing this thing to any videos, like youtube or megavideo, that makes them all green, pixelly, and just plain hard to watch. It doesn't change any other movies I have, like on my hard drive or in the dvd player, just streaming videos. Any tips to fix it?

Answer
Kindly follow the steps and see if it solves your problem :
===============================================
1.Browser Issues :
Update your Browser - whether you are using Internet Explorer, Firefox,.Chrome or any browser just go to their website and download the latest versions.First uninstall the older version and then install the newest versions.
===============================================
2.Website Issues
Many of the popular video streaming websites, including YouTube, use Adobe Flash Player. Confirm that your computer is using the latest version of Adobe Flash Player. To do this, go to the Adobe website and download the appropriate uninstaller for your computer. Once the current installation has been uninstalled, go back to the Adobe website and install the most recent version of the plugin.
http://get.adobe.com/flashplayer/
===============================================
3.Firewall Issues
Firewalls may block streaming video ports. If you are having problems watching streaming videos via a desktop application such as Windows Media Player, and you normally have to use an proxy server to gain Web access, you may have to enable your media player to also use the proxy server. This option can be found in the Options or Preferences menu of your particular media player.
===============================================
4.Internet Connection
The speed and stability of an Internet connection has a direct effect on the quality of streaming video. A slow connection will result in choppy video and audio, while an unstable Internet connection can result in video stopping suddenly. Try to view streaming video using only a fast connection such as broadband cable or DSL. If you are using a wireless broadband (Wi-Fi) connection, make sure you have a strong signal. Check your internet speed at - www.speedtest.net
========================================================================
5.Software Issues
Running out-of-date software can result in problems watching streaming video. Other common issues include buffering problems or acceleration problems. Consult your application's help file to learn how to update your media viewer to the latest version, and to learn how to adjust the buffer or video acceleration.
===============================================
6.Hardware Issues
The quality of your streaming video is dependent on the power of your graphics and sound cards. Older computers may not have robust enough video or sound cards to handle modern streaming video. If you have an older machine, try updating the drivers for your video and sound cards to ensure the best quality.
===============================================
7.Ad Blockers/Pop up blockers
Ad blockers, especially pop-up ad blockers, are public enemy number one. Turn them off and the videos may stream.
If you are using Chrome browser check if you have flash blocked extention installed.
===============================================
8.Antivirus Issues
Although less of a problem than ad blockers and firewalls, some overly protective anti-virus programs obstruct streaming video. If none of the earlier suggestions have worked for you, turn off your anti-virus programs and the videos might stream. This is perfectly safe.
========================================================================
9.TRY ALTERNATE PLAYER - Try alternate player to youtube - Flow Player (www.flowplayer.org)
it is very streamlined,fast and much better than the official youtube player. To watch Youtube through flow player click here to open up the youtube page and any video you click on will open with flow player - http://4.hidemyass.com/ip-1/encoded/Oi8vd3d3LnlvdXR1YmUuY29t&f=norefer.
===============================================
10.If Nothing works at all try downloading the Youtube videos to your computer from http://keepvid.com/ or download the software (which works with 900 video sites) from www.videoget.com.
===============================================
Hope this helps - Have a great day!

How come i cant play a video on my dvd player?

jess997

I have 4 glee episodes in MPEG4 format on my flashdrive and when i plug the flashdrive into the dvd player it doesent work. Does anyone know how to make it work or convert it to the windows media player format fast?

Answer
First of all you should read your DVD manual and I bet it will tell you it can only display .jpg pictures and perhaps standard def .AVI files. Thats it.

A DVD player is a standard def device. Why would they add software/circuits to it to let you play MP4 videos in HD? It is not a computer.

Look - your computer has 10-20 small pieces of software called "codex's". These software pieces plug in to handle .wmv, .mp3, .mp4, .rm, .mpg, .mkv, .avi, .flv, .. etc. About once per year you usually need to update these pieces of software.

But a DVD player is NOT a computer. It does not have a way to insert all these codex's or even let you upgrade things.

What you really need is a device called a "Media Server". It's a small box with a USB jack on one side and a HDMI jack on the other. Some of these run about $99, and other more expensive units have hard drives, network connections (to stream from your computer) and even wireless connections.

I have tried to burn things to DVD's before and it takes HOURS and sometimes there are issues with the sound being out of sync with the video, etc. A media server is a easier way to go.

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what is a good DVD player that streams Netflix?

best dvd player streaming image

Mike

i don't care about Blu-ray or HD-DVD's, just want a regular DVD player that streams Netflix. would be good if it played VHS too, but doubt they make those anymore. user friendly, price range $150 tops
can you play regular DVDs on a Blu-ray player?

Answer
DVD player that streams Netflix? - XBOX 360
You can also stream netflix on a Wii or ps3.

You're not gonna find just a plain dvd player that does Netflix. You're going to need a Blu-ray player.

DVD discs can not have internet features. Blu-ray discs can

A lot of Blu-ray discs have an online feature called BD-Live (Blu-ray Disc Live), so most blu-ray players go online for BD-Live, so a lot of blu-ray players will include other internet features like you tube and Netflix

That vizio someone else mentioned is a Blu-ray player. Vizio doesn't even make regular dvd players

UPDATE because of your "additional details": Update - yes, Blu-ray players play DVDs and CDs. DVD players do not play Blu-ray Discs

Can I connect a Roku to my old TV through my old DVD player?

Touscents

This is mainly for Netflix streaming. I am not tech-savie. The TV is not in the same room as the computer, but I am thinking my wireless router means that I do not have to physically connect the Roku to the router. Would a Blue Ray DVD player that can stream Netflix be a better choice for me than a Roku?

Answer
The roku box does a lot more than you think so check them out before you buy. http://www.roku.com
A blu ray that connects to the internet will give you Netflix and maybe 3 other apps. Look at what you get before you buy. Each brand gives you some different apps. However, you will be able to play your old dvds in the blu ray and have a better picture.
One thing of caution, in order to go wireless, some blu rays require a wireless lan adapter that can add $70 to the cost. Sony has a built in antenna.
Also, your speed is crucial to getting good results with Netflix. The higher the better but it has to be above 2 mbps. The further your modem is away from the blu ray the more your wireless signal can drop and it's subject to interference from cell phones, cordless phones and any wireless device.

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How can I get a movie that's playing from my DVD player to stream to my camera?

best dvd player streaming image

Mzbrandy

I have a little digital camera and I would like to know how to stream a movie (from my dvd player) to my camera so I can watch it on my camera while it's playing on the tv also. Thank You :)

Answer
I think use picasa.

Will hotshield allow the internet to stream to my tv through a blu ray dvd player in Japan.?

Scott

I am in the military stationed in Japan and I can watch tv shows through hulu with hotshield on my computer and I want to know if I buy a blu-ray dvd player will it stream to my tv. Will netflix stream as well?

Answer
NO only thru UR computer or cable

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Can I connect my DVD Player to my digital to analog converter box?

best dvd player streaming image

Questionma

I have this really old tv (1996) and it only has a RF input. I have a digital to analog converter box (Digital Stream DTX9900) and it connects to the TV just fine through the RF input. The converter box has an A/V output and I was wondering if it is possible for me to connect my DVD Player through there to be able to watch it on my TV? Or would I have to get a RF Modulator?

Answer
The converter is only for DTV to an analog TV. There are no inputs for a second video source.
You need an RF Modulator which are easily available at Radio Shack for 20 to 25 dollars. Then you can hook the converter and the dvd to the RF modulator and voila everything will play on you TV

Is is possible to stream a DVD player video and audio signal WIRELESS?

Jake H

I am planing to buy a new TV for my room, however, I want something that is internet connect-able. The TV also needs to get a DVD player. Any suggestions on TVs with both that are under $1,000. Another option for me would be to get the internet tv and have the DVD under my bed and have it's output be sent to my TV. If anyone can help, please do.

Answer
While there are wireless speakers, don't expect to find wireless Blu-Ray or Cable TV.

As far as internet on your TV, you will need a computer for surfing the internet.

Newer Blu-Ray players from Samsung and Sony have wireless capabilities built in with no hardware need that allow you to watch Netflix and use other applications as well. I hear the Samsung BD-C6500 is great.

For TVs, check in the internet for the Panasonic G25 plasma.

Buy.com has the G25 series at good pricing.

If you want to sacrifice quality for price then I'd go with the Panasonic S2 series. A Panasonic 50" S2 costs $898 at Amazon.com.

For the best display settings check them out at avsforum.com

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