I have a DVD (one that I've bought, not a self-recorded one) which is giving me trouble. When I play it in my DVD player through the TV it keeps freezing periodically (picture stops, sound goes silent). All my other DVDs play fine in this player, and this DVD plays OK on the computer. Obviously there's some sort of issue between this disc and the player, but can anyone hazard a guess as to what it might be and how I can put a stop to it?

Originally posted by metalman
I have a DVD (one that I've bought, not a self-recorded one) which is giving me trouble. When I play it in my DVD player through the TV it keeps freezing periodically (picture stops, sound goes silent). All my other DVDs play fine in this player, and this DVD plays OK on the computer. Obviously there's some sort of issue between this disc and the player, but can anyone hazard a guess as to what it might be and how I can put a stop to it? #

Have the same problem from time to time. The way round this is to make a "back up copy" of the shop disk and re-burn it to a DVD-R. If it plays fine on the PC and you make a perfect clone of it, the copy should be OK on your DVD player. You are allowed by law to make one copy of every CD or DVD you legally own in any case.

I didn't think a copy DVD could be the same quality - dual layer vs single layer. And it's not legal (in this country - it is in the US) to make a "back-up copy".
I have a few DVD's like this that now amount of cleaning will sort. I think there's a few corners being cut in manufacturing facilities. Just take it back. If they won't give you a refund, complain to the studio via their website (but politely).

Originally posted by hotphil
I didn't think a copy DVD could be the same quality - dual layer vs single layer. And it's not legal (in this country - it is in the US) to make a "back-up copy".
I have a few DVD's like this that now amount of cleaning will sort. I think there's a few corners being cut in manufacturing facilities. Just take it back. If they won't give you a refund, complain to the studio via their website (but politely).

It is not specifically encoded into the law in the UK that making a personal back-up copy is ILLEGAL. The law prohibits the distribution, exhibition or re-sale of copied products, and it prohibits the copying of a product which you do not legally own. It does not prohibit any legal owner from making a personal copy, this applies I believe to computer software as well. ACtually I think its Canada that specifically has this on statute, not the USA.

I think this was debated a while back under a "Xbox chipping thread". I think the general feeling was that just because something's not illegal, doesn't make it legal or indeed compliant with the "spirit" of the law. The words "unauthorised copying...of this DVD is prohibited" are fairly clear in their meaning to me. I don't have authorisation from any of the copyright holders of the discs I own to make copies.
Not that I agree with the current, outdated copyright laws (written to protect the written word rather than digital data) anyway.