Certain DVDs won't play on one PC
I have a couple of DVDs that won't play in VLC on one of my two PCs. When trying to play DVDs (I've tried two different ones so far), VLC on one of my Windows PCs fails to work properly using an external USB DVD player which Windows identifies as "MATSHITA BD-MLT UJ240AS." The same DVDs play properly on the same hardware using the free version of PowerDVD 22 and the trial version of Microsoft's DVD Player from the Windows Store. The symptoms are that the audio plays in a herky-jerky manner (it drops out periodically and frequently) and that the video either doesn't display at all (VLC traffic cone shows) or only a very small strip at the top or side shows. Windows 11 Pro 22H2, 64-bit VLC media player for Windows 3.0.18 Vetinari. The PC in question is a Corsair One i64, Intel Core i9-9900K CPU @ 3.60GHz, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Ti.
The same two DVDs play fine using the exact same external USB DVD drive with the same version of VLC on my Lenovo Thinkpad T580, Windows 11 Home 22H2, Intel Core i5-7200U CPU @ 2.50GHz, Intel HD Graphics 620.
Things I've tried that haven't worked:
- Using the VLC nightly installed via Chocolatey
- Updating my NVIDIA drivers from ones that were a couple of years old to the latest "Game Ready" version
- All of the suggestions in the first post of the If you have issues with new VLC on high end device guide
- Using different USB ports for the external DVD drive
- Dropping libdvdcss into the VLC directory
Things I haven't tried:
- Using a different external DVD player or an internal DVD player, as I don't have either of those available currently
- Any other DVDs, as I figured two different ones were enough
The two DVDs in question were Walk the Line (UPC: 024543379799, ASIN: B000KGGIQY) and Zer0 Days (UPC: 876964011150, ASIN: B01N8TVLYH). I have many more if you need me to try another for some reason.
Full messages output from one of the DVDs
main debug: processing request item: dvd:///E:/, node: Playlist, skip: 0
main debug: resyncing on dvd:///E:/
main debug: dvd:///E:/ is at 0
main debug: starting playback of new item
main debug: resyncing on dvd:///E:/
main debug: dvd:///E:/ is at 0
main debug: creating new input thread
main debug: Creating an input for 'dvd:///E:/'
main debug: requesting art for new input thread
main debug: using timeshift granularity of 50 MiB
main debug: using timeshift path: C:\Users\home\AppData\Local\Temp
main debug: `dvd:///E:/' gives access `dvd' demux `any' path `/E:/'
main debug: creating demux: access='dvd' demux='any' location='/E:/' file='E:\'
main debug: looking for access_demux module matching "dvd": 15 candidates
main debug: looking for meta fetcher module matching "any": 1 candidates
lua debug: Trying Lua scripts in C:\Users\home\AppData\Roaming\vlc\lua\meta\fetcher
lua debug: Trying Lua scripts in C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\lua\meta\fetcher
main debug: no meta fetcher modules matched
main debug: looking for art finder module matching "any": 2 candidates
lua debug: Trying Lua scripts in C:\Users\home\AppData\Roaming\vlc\lua\meta\art
lua debug: Trying Lua scripts in C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\lua\meta\art
lua debug: Trying Lua playlist script C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\lua\meta\art\00_musicbrainz.luac
lua debug: skipping script (unmatched scope) C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\lua\meta\art\00_musicbrainz.luac
lua debug: Trying Lua playlist script C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\lua\meta\art\01_googleimage.luac
lua debug: skipping script (unmatched scope) C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\lua\meta\art\01_googleimage.luac
lua debug: Trying Lua playlist script C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\lua\meta\art\02_frenchtv.luac
lua debug: skipping script (unmatched scope) C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\lua\meta\art\02_frenchtv.luac
lua debug: Trying Lua playlist script C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\lua\meta\art\03_lastfm.luac
qt debug: IM: Setting an input
lua debug: skipping script (unmatched scope) C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\lua\meta\art\03_lastfm.luac
main debug: no art finder modules matched
main debug: looking for meta fetcher module matching "any": 1 candidates
lua debug: Trying Lua scripts in C:\Users\home\AppData\Roaming\vlc\lua\meta\fetcher
lua debug: Trying Lua scripts in C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\lua\meta\fetcher
main debug: no meta fetcher modules matched
main debug: looking for art finder module matching "any": 2 candidates
lua debug: Trying Lua scripts in C:\Users\home\AppData\Roaming\vlc\lua\meta\art
lua debug: Trying Lua scripts in C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\lua\meta\art
lua debug: Trying Lua playlist script C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\lua\meta\art\00_musicbrainz.luac
lua debug: Trying Lua playlist script C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\lua\meta\art\01_googleimage.luac
lua debug: Trying Lua playlist script C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\lua\meta\art\02_frenchtv.luac
lua debug: Trying Lua playlist script C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\lua\meta\art\03_lastfm.luac
main debug: no art finder modules matched
dvdnav error: Unable to open device file E:.
dvdnav warning: vm: dvd_read_name failed
dvdnav info: DVD disk reports itself with Region mask 0x00fe0000. Regions: 01
dvdnav debug: trying to go to dvd menu
main debug: using access_demux module "dvdnav"
main debug: attempt to destroy nonexistent variable "title 0"
main debug: attempt to destroy nonexistent variable "title 1"
main debug: attempt to destroy nonexistent variable "title 2"
main debug: attempt to destroy nonexistent variable "title 3"
main debug: attempt to destroy nonexistent variable "title 4"
main debug: attempt to destroy nonexistent variable "title 5"
main debug: attempt to destroy nonexistent variable "title 6"
main debug: attempt to destroy nonexistent variable "title 7"
main debug: attempt to destroy nonexistent variable "title 8"
main debug: attempt to destroy nonexistent variable "title 9"
main debug: attempt to destroy nonexistent variable "title 10"
main debug: attempt to destroy nonexistent variable "title 11"
main debug: attempt to destroy nonexistent variable "title 12"
main debug: attempt to destroy nonexistent variable "title 13"
main debug: attempt to destroy nonexistent variable "title 14"
main debug: attempt to destroy nonexistent variable "title 15"
main debug: looking for meta reader module matching "any": 2 candidates
lua debug: Trying Lua scripts in C:\Users\home\AppData\Roaming\vlc\lua\meta\reader
lua debug: Trying Lua scripts in C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\lua\meta\reader
lua debug: Trying Lua playlist script C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\lua\meta\reader\filename.luac
main debug: no meta reader modules matched
main debug: `dvd:///E:/' successfully opened
dvdnav debug: DVDNAV_HOP_CHANNEL
main debug: ES_OUT_RESET_PCR called
dvdnav debug: DVDNAV_HIGHLIGHT
dvdnav debug: - display=1
dvdnav debug: - buttonN=1
dvdnav debug: buttonUpdate not done b=1 t=0
dvdnav info: Attempting to retrieve all CSS keys
dvdnav info: This can take a _long_ time, please be patient
dvdnav debug: Get key for /VIDEO_TS/VTS_01_0.VOB at 0x0000015c
dvdnav debug: Elapsed time 0
dvdnav debug: Get key for /VIDEO_TS/VTS_01_1.VOB at 0x0000016e
dvdnav debug: Elapsed time 0
dvdnav debug: Get key for /VIDEO_TS/VTS_02_0.VOB at 0x00000ce7
dvdnav debug: Elapsed time 0
dvdnav debug: Get key for /VIDEO_TS/VTS_02_1.VOB at 0x00008e4b
dvdnav debug: Elapsed time 0
dvdnav debug: Get key for /VIDEO_TS/VTS_03_0.VOB at 0x00008e9f
dvdnav debug: Elapsed time 0
dvdnav debug: Get key for /VIDEO_TS/VTS_03_1.VOB at 0x00008ebb
dvdnav debug: Elapsed time 0
dvdnav debug: Get key for /VIDEO_TS/VTS_04_0.VOB at 0x001da1f3
dvdnav debug: Elapsed time 0
dvdnav debug: Get key for /VIDEO_TS/VTS_04_1.VOB at 0x001da20d
dvdnav debug: Elapsed time 0
dvdnav debug: Get key for /VIDEO_TS/VTS_05_0.VOB at 0x001f7023
dvdnav debug: Elapsed time 0
dvdnav debug: Get key for /VIDEO_TS/VTS_05_1.VOB at 0x001f703d
dvdnav debug: Elapsed time 0
dvdnav debug: Get key for /VIDEO_TS/VTS_06_0.VOB at 0x001fb5a9
dvdnav debug: Elapsed time 0
dvdnav debug: Get key for /VIDEO_TS/VTS_06_1.VOB at 0x001fb5c3
dvdnav debug: Elapsed time 0
dvdnav debug: Get key for /VIDEO_TS/VTS_07_0.VOB at 0x0021fb82
dvdnav debug: Elapsed time 0
dvdnav debug: Get key for /VIDEO_TS/VTS_07_1.VOB at 0x0021fb9c
dvdnav debug: Elapsed time 0
dvdnav debug: Found 7 VTS's
dvdnav debug: Elapsed time 0
dvdnav debug: DVDNAV_VTS_CHANGE
dvdnav debug: - vtsN=2
dvdnav debug: - domain=8
main debug: ES_OUT_RESET_PCR called
dvdnav debug: DVDNAV_CELL_CHANGE
dvdnav debug: - cellN=1
dvdnav debug: - pgN=1
dvdnav debug: - cell_length=31482
dvdnav debug: - pg_length=31482
dvdnav debug: - pgc_length=3600000
dvdnav debug: - cell_start=0
dvdnav debug: - pg_start=0
dvdnav debug: DVDNAV_SPU_CLUT_CHANGE
dvdnav debug: DVDNAV_SPU_STREAM_CHANGE
dvdnav debug: - physical_wide=0
dvdnav debug: - physical_letterbox=0
dvdnav debug: - physical_pan_scan=1
dvdnav debug: buttonUpdate not done b=1 t=0
main debug: selecting program id=0
main debug: looking for packetizer module matching "any": 25 candidates
main debug: using packetizer module "spudec"
main debug: looking for spu decoder module matching "any": 22 candidates
main debug: using spu decoder module "spudec"
dvdnav debug: DVDNAV_AUDIO_STREAM_CHANGE
dvdnav debug: - physical=0
main debug: Buffering 0%
dvdnav debug: buttonUpdate 1
main debug: looking for packetizer module matching "any": 25 candidates
main debug: using packetizer module "mpegvideo"
main debug: looking for video decoder module matching "any": 19 candidates
avcodec debug: using ffmpeg Lavc58.134.100
avcodec debug: CPU flags: 0x000fd3db
avcodec debug: allowing 6 thread(s) for decoding
avcodec debug: codec (mpeg2video) started
main debug: using video decoder module "avcodec"
dvdnav debug: buttonUpdate 1
mpegvideo debug: size 720x480/720x480 fps=29.970
main debug: Buffering 1%
spudec error: overflow in SPU next command sequence
main debug: Buffering 2%
main debug: Buffering 3%
main debug: Buffering 4%
main debug: Buffering 5%
main debug: Buffering 6%
main debug: Buffering 7%
main debug: Buffering 8%
main debug: Buffering 9%
main debug: Buffering 10%
main debug: Buffering 11%
main debug: Buffering 12%
main debug: Buffering 13%
main debug: Buffering 14%
main debug: Buffering 15%
main debug: Buffering 16%
main debug: Buffering 17%
main debug: Buffering 18%
main debug: Buffering 19%
main debug: Buffering 20%
main debug: Buffering 21%
main debug: Buffering 22%
main debug: Buffering 23%
main debug: Buffering 24%
main debug: Buffering 25%
main debug: Buffering 26%
mpegvideo debug: need a starting pts/dts
main debug: Buffering 27%
main debug: Buffering 28%
main debug: Buffering 29%
main debug: Buffering 30%
main debug: Buffering 31%
main debug: Buffering 32%
main debug: Buffering 33%
main debug: Buffering 34%
mpegvideo debug: need a starting pts/dts
main debug: Buffering 35%
main debug: Buffering 36%
main debug: Buffering 37%
main debug: Buffering 38%
main debug: Buffering 39%
mpegvideo debug: need a starting pts/dts
main debug: Buffering 40%
main debug: Buffering 41%
main debug: Buffering 42%
main debug: Buffering 43%
main debug: Buffering 44%
mpegvideo debug: need a starting pts/dts
main debug: Buffering 45%
main debug: Buffering 46%
main debug: Buffering 47%
main debug: Buffering 48%
main debug: Buffering 49%
main debug: Buffering 50%
main debug: Buffering 51%
main debug: Buffering 52%
main debug: Buffering 53%
main debug: Buffering 54%
main debug: Buffering 55%
mpegvideo debug: need a starting pts/dts
main debug: Buffering 56%
main debug: Buffering 57%
mpegvideo debug: need a starting pts/dts
main debug: Buffering 58%
main debug: Buffering 59%
main debug: Buffering 60%
main debug: Buffering 61%
main debug: Buffering 62%
mpegvideo debug: need a starting pts/dts
main debug: Buffering 63%
main debug: Buffering 64%
main debug: Buffering 72%
main debug: looking for packetizer module matching "any": 25 candidates
main debug: using packetizer module "a52"
main debug: looking for audio decoder module matching "any": 23 candidates
main debug: reusing audio output
main error: too low audio sample frequency (0)
main debug: keeping audio output
main error: failed to create audio output
avcodec debug: using ffmpeg Lavc58.134.100
avcodec debug: CPU flags: 0x000fd3db
avcodec debug: codec (ac3) started
main debug: using audio decoder module "avcodec"
main debug: Buffering 80%
main debug: Buffering 82%
main debug: Buffering 83%
main debug: Buffering 84%
main debug: Buffering 85%
main debug: Buffering 86%
main debug: Buffering 87%
a52 debug: A/52 channels:2 samplerate:48000 bitrate:192000
main debug: restarting module due to input format change
main debug: Buffering 88%
main debug: removing module "avcodec"
main debug: Buffering 89%
main debug: looking for audio decoder module matching "any": 23 candidates
main debug: reusing audio output
main debug: Buffering 90%
main error: module not functional
main debug: keeping audio output
main error: failed to create audio output
avcodec debug: using ffmpeg Lavc58.134.100
main debug: Buffering 91%
avcodec debug: CPU flags: 0x000fd3db
mpegvideo debug: need a starting pts/dts
main debug: Buffering 92%
main debug: Buffering 93%
main debug: Buffering 94%
main debug: Buffering 95%
avcodec debug: codec (ac3) started
main debug: using audio decoder module "avcodec"
main debug: Buffering 96%
main debug: Buffering 97%
main debug: reusing audio output
mpegvideo debug: need a starting pts/dts
main debug: looking for aout stream module matching "any": 2 candidates
main debug: Buffering 98%
main debug: Buffering 99%
main debug: Stream buffering done (300 ms in 158 ms)
main error: buffer deadlock prevented
wasapi debug: buffer size : 96000 frames
wasapi debug: maximum latency: 000 ns
wasapi debug: default period : 10000000 ns
wasapi debug: minimum period : 2666700 ns
main debug: using aout stream module "wasapi"
main debug: output 'f32l' 48000 Hz Stereo frame=1 samples/8 bytes
main debug: looking for audio volume module matching "any": 2 candidates
main debug: using audio volume module "float_mixer"
main debug: input 'f32l' 48000 Hz Stereo frame=1 samples/8 bytes
main debug: looking for audio filter module matching "scaletempo": 16 candidates
scaletempo debug: format: 48000 rate, 2 nch, 4 bps, fl32
scaletempo debug: params: 30 stride, 0.200 overlap, 14 search
scaletempo debug: 1.000 scale, 1440.000 stride_in, 1440 stride_out, 1152 standing, 288 overlap, 672 search, 2400 queue, fl32 mode
main debug: using audio filter module "scaletempo"
main debug: conversion: 'f32l'->'f32l' 48000 Hz->48000 Hz Stereo->Stereo
main debug: conversion pipeline complete
main debug: conversion: 'f32l'->'f32l' 48000 Hz->48000 Hz Stereo->Stereo
main debug: conversion pipeline complete
main debug: looking for audio resampler module matching "any": 3 candidates
main debug: using audio resampler module "samplerate"
main debug: Decoder wait done in 8 ms
mpegvideo debug: need a starting pts/dts
main debug: inserting 13902 zeroes
mmdevice debug: state changed: 1
main warning: playback too early (-62426): down-sampling
mpegvideo debug: need a starting pts/dts
mpegvideo debug: need a starting pts/dts
a52 debug: emulated sync word (no sync on following frame)
mpegvideo debug: need a starting pts/dts
main warning: playback way too early (-181197): playing silence
main debug: inserting 8697 zeroes
mpegvideo debug: need a starting pts/dts
mpegvideo debug: need a starting pts/dts
mpegvideo debug: need a starting pts/dts
mpegvideo debug: need a starting pts/dts
mpegvideo debug: need a starting pts/dts
mpegvideo debug: need a starting pts/dts
mpegvideo debug: need a starting pts/dts
mpegvideo debug: need a starting pts/dts
mpegvideo debug: need a starting pts/dts
mpegvideo debug: need a starting pts/dts
mpegvideo debug: need a starting pts/dts
a52 debug: emulated sync word (no sync on following frame)
mpegvideo debug: need a starting pts/dts
main warning: playback too early (-96720): down-sampling
mpegvideo debug: need a starting pts/dts
mpegvideo debug: need a starting pts/dts
mpegvideo debug: need a starting pts/dts
mpegvideo debug: need a starting pts/dts
mpegvideo debug: need a starting pts/dts
mpegvideo debug: need a starting pts/dts
mpegvideo debug: need a starting pts/dts
mpegvideo debug: need a starting pts/dts
mpegvideo debug: need a starting pts/dts
mpegvideo debug: need a starting pts/dts
a52 debug: emulated sync word (no sync on following frame)
mpegvideo debug: need a starting pts/dts
mpegvideo debug: need a starting pts/dts
mpegvideo debug: need a starting pts/dts
main warning: playback way too early (-288596): playing silence
main debug: inserting 13852 zeroes
mpegvideo debug: need a starting pts/dts
mpegvideo debug: need a starting pts/dts
mpegvideo debug: need a starting pts/dts
mpegvideo debug: need a starting pts/dts
mpegvideo debug: need a starting pts/dts
mpegvideo debug: need a starting pts/dts
mpegvideo debug: need a starting pts/dts
mpegvideo debug: need a starting pts/dts
mpegvideo debug: need a starting pts/dts
mpegvideo debug: need a starting pts/dts
a52 debug: emulated sync word (no sync on following frame)
mpegvideo debug: need a starting pts/dts
mpegvideo debug: need a starting pts/dts
main warning: playback way too early (-128201): playing silence
main debug: inserting 6153 zeroes
mpegvideo debug: need a starting pts/dts
mpegvideo debug: need a starting pts/dts
mpegvideo debug: need a starting pts/dts
mpegvideo debug: need a starting pts/dts
mpegvideo debug: need a starting pts/dts
mpegvideo debug: need a starting pts/dts
mpegvideo debug: need a starting pts/dts
mpegvideo debug: need a starting pts/dts
mpegvideo debug: need a starting pts/dts
mpegvideo debug: need a starting pts/dts
mpegvideo debug: need a starting pts/dts
a52 debug: emulated sync word (no sync on following frame)
main debug: incoming request - stopping current input
main debug: killing decoder fourcc `spu '
main debug: removing module "spudec"
main debug: removing module "spudec"
main debug: killing decoder fourcc `mpgv'
main debug: removing module "avcodec"
main debug: removing module "mpegvideo"
main debug: killing decoder fourcc `a52 '
main debug: removing module "avcodec"
mmdevice debug: state changed: 0
wasapi debug: reset
main debug: removing module "samplerate"
main debug: removing module "scaletempo"
main debug: removing module "float_mixer"
main debug: keeping audio output
main debug: removing module "a52"
main debug: removing module "dvdnav"
main debug: Program doesn't contain anymore ES
main debug: dead input
main debug: nothing to play
qt debug: IM: Deleting the input
Postscript: I tried a third DVD (My Fellow Americans, UPC:085391453529 ASIN: 0790731460) and it worked fine, so it's not all DVDs. I apparently just chose poorly the first two times.