DVD problems

[notserious]

I have been experiencing an unusual number of problems running DVDs on my computer recently. I suspect that there is some sort of incompatibility or insuffciency with my present set up versus recently release DVDs but am not sure. The basic data is as follows:

DVD player: Creative PC-DVD Encore 12X with Dxr3 technology(had it forover 1 year)
CPU: 333mhz Pentium II
Motherboard:Soft Switch BH6 with 440BX chipset-has onboard AGP
CDR/RW drive with Adaptec Software
CD Drive
All three drives are configured for DMA

I rent DVDs from Blockbuster, Hollywood Video and Netflix.

I have the least number of problems with Netflix videos.

I seem to have the most problems with Blockbuster videos.

Specific DVDs I could not play are: Shrek unable to play at all
Final Fantasy: could only play about 30 minutes
Cast Away: couldn't play movie--no sound--- then used the Search Chapter button and was able to bypass something to get the sound working
Sopranos Season 2- Discs 2,3,4 unable to play mostly, although I ended up with 2 copies of disc 2 one of which worked, the other did not

About 4-6 weeks ago, when my problems started it was recommended that I download the Direct X program from Microsoft which I did and that seemed to help for a while.

Within the past 2 weeks I got the Windows 98 Update and now am running Windows 98 SE (I know I was slow to do this).

I think that is the key data. Also, when I have a problem I always try another disc from the place I rent just in case the DVDs are damaged. Also, I will run one of my own DVDs-- Contact, Men in Black-- which I know work and invariably they run on my computer. So the problem points to some change in how DVDs are now being issued.

I have one other thought on this and that is that both Blockbuster and Hollywood video use security systems for their DVDs that involve a strip located inside the DVD case and a clamp that removes part of the casing. I have wondered if these systems somehow interfere with the integrity of the DVD and therefore their ability to run on computers-- such as some part of these being magnetic so that the discs get slightly magnetized and therefore cannot be run on my computer.

I would appreciate any insights into this problem.

[sho.gun]

Hmm that is really strange if you ask me, my thinking would be the drive itself, it could be on its last flops. So when you play the movies does it cut off at the exact same spot every single time?

[TommyBoomfiger]

how are your optical drives installed? does the dvd drive share and ide channel with your harddrive? in my opinion, you dont need 3 optical drives, so maybe you can lose the cdrom drive and just keep the cdrw and the dvd on the secondary ide channel and just your hd on the first ide channel

[attgig]

trouble shooting = trial & error..
so go for what tommy said..
but imo, if it is a problem of sharing an ide channel, it would end up being more of a skipping/choppy/slowdown problem instead of it just not working.

what software do u use to play the dvd's?

[notserious]

Thanks for all the responses. Here's the further info.

..., my thinking would be the drive itself, it could be on its last flops. So when you play the movies does it cut off at the exact same spot every single time?

I,too, had this thought. However, the movies do not cut off in the same spot. Also, some movies play totally fine and others play partially and some not at all. And the problem is with some recently issued DVDs, but some DVDs play just fine.

how are your optical drives installed? does the dvd drive share and ide channel with your harddrive? in my opinion, you dont need 3 optical drives, so maybe you can lose the cdrom drive and just keep the cdrw and the dvd on the secondary ide channel and just your hd on the first ide channel

Have to check inside on the IDE channels as I don't remember what is hooked up to what. Your suggest of eliminating the CD rom may be worthwhile. I guess old habits die hard.

trouble shooting = trial & error.. so go for what tommy said.. but imo, if it is a problem of sharing an ide channel, it would end up being more of a skipping/choppy/slowdown problem instead of it just not working.what software do u use to play the dvd's?

Yes, this has been trial and error as you can see from what I wrote so far. I have a decoding card and the software is simply the installation software that came with the DVD drive called PC-DVD Encore Dxr-3. I am considering getting a video card as I somehow got the thought in all my research that perhaps the way some DVDs are now being encoded that they are not compatible with the card or the manufacturer's installation software.

The thing that annoys me is that this is recent and is inconsistent, i.e., some DVDs play fine, others don't. I had read that there was a change made by some studios on the encoding of the disks to prevent them from playing on DVD players that have no region designation and I am not totally sure if my player is affected by this. I had assumed that it was for players connected to TVs.

Also, I realize that this technology is still going through growing pains. I just wish companies would more clearly state the limitations and what the recommended fixes are. Perhaps there are too many system hardware and software configurations for them to know.

Argh.
:(

[TommyBoomfiger]

dvd drives, as far as i know, are not region encoded. according to GuruX (http://www.gotapex.com/forums/showthread.php?postid=240419#post240419), newer drives do. but in most cases the region decoding happens in the software.