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General discussion

Samsung DVD player

Feb 22, 2004 12:31AM PST

Ok, I have a CD-Writer in drive M: which works well, and I have a Samsung DVD in drive N: which works well (when I use it), the oher day I tried to use the DVD and it would not play, I didn't have much time to fool around with it, but, today I do, I tried a normal CD in there and it played but no sound, I tried that CD in my CD-Writer and it played properly. Is my DVD player broken? How can I test it.

Discussion is locked

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Re:Samsung DVD player - Which is why one thing is not the other.
Feb 22, 2004 12:40AM PST

In short, playing CD Audio requires the ANALOG OUTPUT of the DVD drive to be wired to the sound card. I can flatly state that I doubt this wiring exists and as such, the drive isn't broken in this regard.

As to playing DVD content, I would REBOOT and retest.
No play? Install the DVD player software again.

Bob

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Re:Re:Samsung DVD player - Which is why one thing is not the other.
Feb 22, 2004 12:57AM PST

The DVD player came with the computer. How can I reinstall it?

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Which is why one thing is not the other. DVD drive and software are two different items.
Feb 22, 2004 1:06AM PST

One of the nuisances of "it came with the computer" is that the user may be unaware that the DVD drive is simply a "drive" and doesn't play DVD content when Microsoft (MS) Windows ME is installed. Additional software such as PowerDVD, WinDVD or "other" was installed for this to play a DVD movie.

If you are unlucky to find that you can't locate this additional software, then the cheapest fix is to buy a new DVD drive with bundled player software. This has been spotted from 10 to 40 dollars. You don't need to install the new DVD drive, you just want the software and this is the cheapest way to get that software.

If you have some Dell, Gateway or such, you should see if they instruct you on how to reinstall just the DVD software.

Bob

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Re DVD drive
Feb 22, 2004 1:11AM PST

I've reinstalled the program with my HP Pavilion Recovery CD and still the same, let me clarify, it does not recognize the DVD in drive N: when a DVD disc in in, yet, when I put an audio CD in the DVD player it plays (with sound in Windows Media Player & with no sound in Real One Player).

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Re:Re DVD drive
Feb 22, 2004 1:17AM PST

Upon further inspection, When looking in System Properties, then Device Manager, the Device type says CDROM, should this say DVDROM?

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Windows doesn't know what a DVD drive is.
Feb 22, 2004 2:38AM PST

1. It can be identified as such and still work as a DVD drive and when the DVD player software is added, then we get the movie.

2. While I wrote earlier why no audio may appear, I must not have written it in a way you understood. In short, most machines don't have ANALOG AUDIO CABLES connected to both CD and DVD drives. Therefore, what you have observed may be PROPER and is NO indication that it's broken.

Sadly, they don't explain this well and neither can I. Since I don't see this as broken, then what to do?

3. While you may have reloaded some HP software, no where did you mention specifically what DVD player you installed. Until you know this, then you may just have to obtain new DVD player software.

Bob

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Re:Windows doesn't know what a DVD drive is.
Feb 22, 2004 4:00AM PST

1) I obtained some new DVD software via cnet.com 'WinDVD' and it stated it was unable to locate drive N:

Back to square one, can I test drive N: somehow?

2) Do you sit here all day and troubleshoot dummies like me?

3) Don't you get sick of that?

4) Do you get paid for your efforts?