Question about a problem playing a DVD

[Larry_OHF]

So I started up with Netflix and so far everything has been great except for one problem I encountered last night. I watch DVDs on my PC because I prefer it to my smaller TV, and have had no trouble with this except for once a scratched DVD would not play here but would play on the TV. But that is not my problem with the movie I had last night. The previews played just fine, but when it came time for the Root Menu to appear, the DVD cut off completely as thought I had closed the show. I opened it back up and went into the selection to go straight to the root menu, and this also killed the show. There was nothing I could do to get to the main menu. However, it was no trouble at all to get it to play on the TV.

Why did this happen? This was "Blades of Glory", a newer movie, but I have watched almost all the movies I've ever rented on this PC. There was no sractch, and anyway the main menu just seemed to be inaccessible from any point, nor could I skip ahead to the next chapter and backtrack. It was as if anti-piracy software was preventing me from watching the show.

Should I report this to Netflix?

[Bungleau]

I've run into strange things when trying to play DVDs on my laptop before, where the image wouldn't display on my connected monitor. I *suspect* it's some sort of digital protection that annoys me, but I haven't bothered to confirm it.

Have you tried it on a different computer?

I'd ask Netflix about it, just to see if they can tell you anything.

[Trogdor]

Just as a test, can you manually open the *.VOB files on the DVD (The large files inside the "VIDEO_TS" folder? Your DVD Playing software should be able to do that.

If not then it could be a region or protection setting, if it does work then.... We'll deal with that if it happens

[Larry_OHF]

I don't have another PC to try it on, and I have already sealed the envelope to be sent back to Netflix. The next problem that occurs, I'll try opening that file you mentioned and report on my findings.

[Larry_OHF]

Here's an update...I rented Die Hard 4 (the new release) and it played just fine on my PC which tells me that probably that DVD I had trouble with was either an isolated problem with the disk or there is no universal standard on how the studios handle protection of their media. Later, I'll have to find out who put out Blades of Glory and rent a new release from that studio and see if all that studio's media will not play on my PC.