DVDs suddenly will not play

[keith_leitch]

After about three months of relatively trouble-free performance, the DVD player has stopped working. It only shows me a black screen. This is obviously a codec problem, but I have been steadfastly avoiding installing anything, and I mean anything, for this very reason.

I don't really know where to start with this. I am using the ATI MPEG decoder, which is working beautifully otherwise. Is there any point in posting logs?

Before anyone suggestes it, the SAF pack does not work for me, as I need a couple of the codecs that break it down.

[whurlston]

Is there any point in posting logs?

Yep, going to need them. I did have an issue where I changed my DVD video decoder to the Cyberlink decoder and I got a black screen on DVD start. Hitting enter on the remote selected it selected one of the menu options and then an image appeared. I switched back to the MPC MPEG2 decoder and it doesn't have the issue.

[keith_leitch]

Yep, going to need them. I did have an issue where I changed my DVD video decoder to the Cyberlink decoder and I got a black screen on DVD start. Hitting enter on the remote selected it selected one of the menu options and then an image appeared. I switched back to the MPC MPEG2 decoder and it doesn't have the issue.

Thanks. I'm absolutely positive that I haven't changed decoders. Curiously, though, I have no choices available; just "System Default". I'm sure this was not the case when I set it up.

My fear is that I've had a "codec imbalance," although, as I said, I've steadfastly avoided installing anything. Sadly, I'm not in enough of a backup routine to have preserved my codecs without throwing away my batch-file changes.

I will play a DVD now, then post the logs.

[whurlston]

If it's only showing "System Default", your MPEG 2 decoder may have gotten borked. The logs will show if one is loading.

[keith_leitch]

If it's only showing "System Default", your MPEG 2 decoder may have gotten borked. The logs will show if one is loading.

I hope you are right. The alternative is too grisly to bear. (Get it? "Grizzly Bear"?) I've discovered that it is only commercial DVDs that will not play; my own creations play fine. VLC plays the commercial ones (as always) but MPC and WMP complain about copy protection. WMP recommends that I reinstall my video driver; I can't describe the extremes of angst that notion provokes within me, as it took me weeks to find the one that is stable for my card.

I'm not sure which logs to post. The entire folder is too big to zip and attach. I should really learn to read and interpret these logs.

[keith_leitch]

I'm not sure which logs to post. The entire folder is too big to zip and attach. I should really learn to read and interpret these logs.

I have attached everything except "pending.log," which is huge and, presumably, irrelevant.

[whurlston]

For playback issues, it will always be the pvrx2.*.log files (including -native). It looks like it's using the MainConcept decoder, I would try another:

Code:

2010-04-08 08:05:01.921    VERBOSE    Graph contains the following filters:
2010-04-08 08:05:01.921    VERBOSE     - ATI HD Audio rear output
2010-04-08 08:05:01.921    VERBOSE     - Video Renderer
2010-04-08 08:05:01.921    VERBOSE     - ffdshow Audio Decoder
2010-04-08 08:05:01.921    VERBOSE     - MainConcept MPEG-2 Video Decoder
2010-04-08 08:05:01.921    VERBOSE     - DVD Navigator
2010-04-08 08:05:01.921    VERBOSE    getSetting(SaveGraphFiles)
2010-04-08 08:05:01.921    VERBOSE    playDVD@2
2010-04-08 08:05:01.921    VERBOSE    playDVD@3
2010-04-08 08:05:01.921    VERBOSE    setSourceAspectRatio() using autoAspectRatio
2010-04-08 08:05:01.921    VERBOSE    video resolution is 720 x 540
2010-04-08 08:05:01.921    VERBOSE    unknown source aspect ratio...showing full frame
2010-04-08 08:05:01.921    VERBOSE    getSetting(HorizontalZoom)
2010-04-08 08:05:01.921    VERBOSE    getSetting(VerticalZoom)
2010-04-08 08:05:01.921    VERBOSE    playDVD@4
2010-04-08 08:05:02.000    INFO    hr != S_OK: 00000001
Error code : 1
S_FALSE
Call successful, but returned FALSE

I've discovered that it is only commercial DVDs that will not play

Are you running AnyDVD?

[keith_leitch]

For playback issues, it will always be the pvrx2.*.log files (including -native). It looks like it's using the MainConcept decoder, I would try another:

Code:

2010-04-08 08:05:01.921    VERBOSE    Graph contains the following filters:
2010-04-08 08:05:01.921    VERBOSE     - ATI HD Audio rear output
2010-04-08 08:05:01.921    VERBOSE     - Video Renderer
2010-04-08 08:05:01.921    VERBOSE     - ffdshow Audio Decoder
2010-04-08 08:05:01.921    VERBOSE     - MainConcept MPEG-2 Video Decoder
2010-04-08 08:05:01.921    VERBOSE     - DVD Navigator
2010-04-08 08:05:01.921    VERBOSE    getSetting(SaveGraphFiles)
2010-04-08 08:05:01.921    VERBOSE    playDVD@2
2010-04-08 08:05:01.921    VERBOSE    playDVD@3
2010-04-08 08:05:01.921    VERBOSE    setSourceAspectRatio() using autoAspectRatio
2010-04-08 08:05:01.921    VERBOSE    video resolution is 720 x 540
2010-04-08 08:05:01.921    VERBOSE    unknown source aspect ratio...showing full frame
2010-04-08 08:05:01.921    VERBOSE    getSetting(HorizontalZoom)
2010-04-08 08:05:01.921    VERBOSE    getSetting(VerticalZoom)
2010-04-08 08:05:01.921    VERBOSE    playDVD@4
2010-04-08 08:05:02.000    INFO    hr != S_OK: 00000001
Error code : 1
S_FALSE
Call successful, but returned FALSE

Are you running AnyDVD?

I don't know what that is, so I guess not. I am assuming it circumvents region encoding, which is not the issue here; commercial DVDs will not play regardless of region. Also, everything was fine a month ago.

Thanks for pointing out the log entry. It will be useful to recognise this for future problems.

As an old programmer from the '80s, I can hold my own with a script, but I am completely out of depth when it comes to codecs. Do you have any advice about how to abandon the MainConcept decoder? Remember that my config app shows only "System Default". More importantly, do you have any advice about how to make this change without losing playback on every FLV file, etc.?

[whurlston]

AnyDVD removes the AACS protection from discs (which your home brews don't have) as well as region coding.

Try downloading the MPV Decoder ( http://www.free-codecs.com/download/MPV_Decoder.htm ) and registering it with regsvr32 then select it as the DVD decoder in Config.

[hoborg]

Yes, AnyDVD is must have to protected DVD playback.

You can try *unlocked* SAF too, it will setup all decoders automatically, link below.