Playing Dvds Or Not

[woodelf]

I have a box set of Last of the Summer Wine series 7 and 8 which I bought a few weeks ago and I have a copy of the 1957 film 12 Angry Men which I bought ages ago and these will play on my desktop PC and yet, a boxed set of Last of the Summer Wine series 5 and 6 which I bought in 2008 will not play. the reason given is:
"Windows Media Player cannot play this DVD because it is not possible to turn on analog copy protection on the output display. Try installing an updated driver for your video card.

So why should this earlier series not play and yet an old film will play?
Any help will be greatly appreciated and if I bought series 5 and 6 again, how could I be sure it will or won't play. Ta Muchly.

[hc4361]

My guess is the ones that won't play have copy protection on them and the other ones don't

Have you tried updating the driver?

[sunny-dave]

Hello Woodelf

It's to do with Copy Protection - the TV series has it, but presumably the old film doesn't.

You need to download and use a different video player which is less fussy about obeying the ridiculous copy protection rules.

I'm a bit out of date with current windows software - I'm sure Buenchico will know which current player is best - but I'll have a google now.

Dave

[sunny-dave]

VLC media player seems well regarded and should play all discs - this is their home page :

http://www.videolan.org/

[woodelf]

Hi HC, no I haven't updated my driver, I wouldn't know how, I'm your original techno-duffer, but Ta. Dave, why would copyright protection for one series and not the other; they're the same series! Many Thanks though.

[Buenchico]

Hi Woodelf.

I saw this thread when you first posted but I didn't reply because I wasn't sure that I could help. I'm still not but Sunny-Dave has posted in Chatterbank, asking me to take a look at your question, so I'll provide what little information I can.

DVDs of movies and TV programmes have only ever been produced with the intention that they're played on 'proper' DVD players (rather than on computers). However the overlap of technologies has meant that DVDs can (theoretically at least) be viewed on PCs. That's caused problems for the companies that produce the DVDs because anything that can be played by a computer can also be copied by the same computer, leading to the illegal copying (and potential sale) of DVDs.

So, for a while at least, there was a big surge in the production of DVDs incorporating 'DRM' ( = 'digital rights management'), which was specifically intended to ensure that they couldn't be played on computers. However that caused an outcry from people who found that they couldn't view movies on their computers, so DRM is far less common that it used to be.

So it's possible that you've got some DVDs issued with DRM, and some without it.

A different media player, such as the excellent VLC that Sunny-Dave recommended, might help but I can't be sure of it. Also, as suggested, getting hold of the latest driver for your video card might possibly offer a solution.

Regrettably, however, I can't think of a way of explaining to someone with a visual handicap (using a screen reader) how to accomplish those tasks. I hope that you know of someone who is 'computer-savvy' who can take a look at my reply and try the suggestions offered here for you.

[woodelf]

Hi Buenchico, Many Thanks for your extensive answer and I'll just have to accept that I've got one of those DVDs with the DRM on them - they still play on the telly though - and hope that I don't get any more.

By the way, if you're reading this. Is the Windows Key 2nd key on the bottom left of keyboard the same key as the Start button or is the start button something completely different?...and that's open to anyone to answer, just in case Buenchico aint about!

[bhg481]

The Windows key is the one with a picture of a window on it. As you say, bottom-left of the keyboard.

Google "DVD Decrypter". Software to remove the copy protection from DVDs.

[woodelf]

Yes bhg, but is that key also known as the Start button or is that something different?

[bhg481]

Start Button and Windows key do the same job.

[woodelf]

Ta bhg.