My Video - DVD player will not play some DVDs.... (1 Viewer)

[Taipan]

Windows Version: XP Professional, SP2
CPU Type: AMD 2700+
Memory: 512 MB
Motherboard: Gigabyte 7VM400M-RZ
Motherboard Chipset: VIA KM400
Motherboard Bios: Award, F5
Video Card: ATI Radeon 9550
Video Card Driver: 6.2
Sound Card: VIA VT1617
Sound Card AC3: no AC3
Sound Card Driver: 6.14.1.4100
1. TV Card: Dvico FusionHDTV DVB-T
1. TV Card Type: DVB-T
1. TV Card Driver: 3.30.01
2. TV Card: DNTVLive! LP
2. TV Card Type: DVB-T
2. TV Card Driver: 2.0.0.4
Video Codec: NVIDIA Pure video v1.02.196
Audio Codec: Dscaler
Satelite/CableTV Provider: n/a
HTPC Case: Custom built
Power Supply: 200W, custom modified
Remote: MCE 2005 (EU version)
TV: BENQ DLP Projector
TV - HTPC Connection: Sub-D

Playing a normal DVD within MediaPortal is problematic, and the problem varies with the particular DVD. All the DVDs that I have tested so far work fine within Windows Media Player 10, using the nVIDIA Pure video decoder.

I have done a completely fresh install of Windows XP and a fresh install of MediaPortal 0.2 RC3.

Unfortunately, there are no error messages, nor any other messages, in the MediaPortal.log file that gives any clue as to the cause of the problems. I have checked the graph built, with GraphEdit and it always looks fine....

Here is my attempt at describing the issues:-

DVD A - When I load the DVD with MediaPortal at the Home screen, the DVD will spin and the activity light on the drive will flicker continuously (indefinitely). MediaPortal will stay on the Home screen, but will not respond to the keyboard, the remote or the mouse. Ejecting the DVD will allow MediaPortal to go to full-screen video (with a black screen) and respond to keyboard/remote commands. There is no sound or video displayed. This type of DVD will not play at all in MediaPortal, but plays perfectly in WMP 10.

DVD B - When loaded, MediaPortal will go to full-screen video and display the DVD correctly up to the main menu. But, it is not possible to navigate the menu, nor play the rest of the DVD. But again, this type of DVD will play perfectly in WMP 10.

DVD C - When inserted, MediaPortal will play the DVD correctly...

I have tried about 12 different DVDs, and they each behave like one of the descriptions above - mostly as type A. I cannot find anything in common with the DVDs that work OK and the ones that fail. I don't think that these problems have anything to do with Region codes or copy protection, as all the DVDs play fine in Windows Media Player 10.

These problems only seem to have occurred with CVS releases over the past couple of weeks, and with the RC3 release. All the DVDs tested used to perform faultlessly with MediaPortal.

The attached zip file is the output from a DVD type A test.

 

[Taipan]

Hmmm - looks like I am the only one with this problem?.....

Anyway, I have done some more testing and here are the results of trying two different DVDs:-

This first DVD will not display video or sound at all - here is the section of the MediaPortal.log file:-

21/03/2006 9:06:32 AM DVDPlayer9:Add DVD Navigator
21/03/2006 9:06:33 AM add filter: DVD Navigator to graph
21/03/2006 9:06:33 AM added filter: DVD Navigator to graph
21/03/2006 9:06:33 AM add filter: DScaler Mpeg2 Video Decoder to graph
21/03/2006 9:06:33 AM added filter: DScaler Mpeg2 Video Decoder to graph
21/03/2006 9:06:33 AM add filter: DScaler Audio Decoder to graph
21/03/2006 9:06:33 AM added filter: DScaler Audio Decoder to graph
21/03/2006 9:06:33 AM add filter: Default DirectSound Device to graph clock: Default DirectSound Device
21/03/2006 9:06:33 AM added filter: Default DirectSound Device to graph
21/03/2006 9:06:33 AM got pins
21/03/2006 9:06:33 AM got pin#0:Video
21/03/2006 9:06:33 AM render ok
21/03/2006 9:06:33 AM got pin#1:AC3
21/03/2006 9:06:33 AM render ok
21/03/2006 9:06:33 AM got pin#2ubPicture
21/03/2006 9:06:33 AM render ok
21/03/2006 9:06:33 AM Dvdplayer9:disable line 21
21/03/2006 9:06:33 AM Dvdplayer9:graph created
21/03/2006 9:06:33 AM SetDefaultLanguages
21/03/2006 9:06:33 AM DVDPlayeret default language:English 1033 Success.
21/03/2006 9:06:33 AM DVDPlayeret default menu language:English 1033 Success.
21/03/2006 9:06:33 AM DVDPlayeret subtitle language:English 1033 Success.
21/03/2006 9:20:21 AM DVDPlayertarted playing()
21/03/2006 9:20:21 AM window:MediaPortal.GUI.Home.HomeWindow deinit
21/03/2006 9:20:21 AM texturemanager:CleanupThumbs()
21/03/2006 9:20:21 AM TexturePacker: Loaded skin\MCE\packedgfx21.png texture:2048x2048 miplevels:1
21/03/2006 9:20:21 AM TexturePacker: fontengine add texure:196
21/03/2006 9:20:21 AM window:MediaPortal.GUI.Video.GUIVideoFullscreen init
21/03/2006 9:20:21 AM g_Player.OnStarted() E:\VIDEO_TS\VIDEO_TS.IFO media:Video

The red line is where MP locked up and would not respond. 14 minutes later, I ejected the DVD and then MP continued on normally - except the DVD was no longer in the drive. It seems that MP is waiting for something, but I can't figure out what.....



Here's the same section of the MediaPortal.log from a DVD that does work correctly:-

21/03/2006 9:23:27 AM DVDPlayer9:Add DVD Navigator
21/03/2006 9:23:27 AM add filter: DVD Navigator to graph
21/03/2006 9:23:27 AM added filter: DVD Navigator to graph
21/03/2006 9:23:27 AM add filter: DScaler Mpeg2 Video Decoder to graph
21/03/2006 9:23:27 AM added filter: DScaler Mpeg2 Video Decoder to graph
21/03/2006 9:23:27 AM add filter: DScaler Audio Decoder to graph
21/03/2006 9:23:27 AM added filter: DScaler Audio Decoder to graph
21/03/2006 9:23:27 AM add filter: Default DirectSound Device to graph clock: Default DirectSound Device
21/03/2006 9:23:27 AM added filter: Default DirectSound Device to graph
21/03/2006 9:23:27 AM got pins
21/03/2006 9:23:27 AM got pin#0:Video
21/03/2006 9:23:27 AM render ok
21/03/2006 9:23:27 AM got pin#1:AC3
21/03/2006 9:23:27 AM render ok
21/03/2006 9:23:27 AM got pin#2ubPicture
21/03/2006 9:23:27 AM render ok
21/03/2006 9:23:27 AM Dvdplayer9:disable line 21
21/03/2006 9:23:27 AM Dvdplayer9:graph created
21/03/2006 9:23:27 AM SetDefaultLanguages
21/03/2006 9:23:27 AM DVDPlayeret default language:English 1033 Success.
21/03/2006 9:23:27 AM DVDPlayeret default menu language:English 1033 Success.
21/03/2006 9:23:27 AM DVDPlayeret subtitle language:English 1033 Success.
21/03/2006 9:23:28 AM DVDPlayertarted playing()
21/03/2006 9:23:28 AM window:MediaPortal.GUI.Home.HomeWindow deinit
21/03/2006 9:23:28 AM texturemanager:CleanupThumbs()
21/03/2006 9:23:28 AM TexturePacker: Loaded skin\MCE\packedgfx21.png texture:2048x2048 miplevels:1
21/03/2006 9:23:28 AM TexturePacker: fontengine add texure:196
21/03/2006 9:23:28 AM window:MediaPortal.GUI.Video.GUIVideoFullscreen init
21/03/2006 9:23:28 AM g_Player.OnStarted() E:\VIDEO_TS\VIDEO_TS.IFO media:Video

I have highlighted in blue the same line as the first DVD, but this time MP continues on happily.

I am damned if I can see what is different, or wrong!

Both DVDs have subtitles, and the first DVD used to work fine in MP. And both DVDs work fine in Windows Media Player 10.

I would welcome feedback on this issue - does anyone else have problems playing any DVDs?......

 

[Taipan]

OK, with help from ronilse, I have discovered that if I disable "Autoplay DVD" in MP Configuration (by selecting the option "Don't Autoplay, never ask") , it works fine....

So, it looks like a bug in the DVD Autoplay function....