It would be nice if, during a time of high stress like moving, everything else in life would take care of itself. But that’s never the way.
My meager means of livelihood depends on my being able to watch DVDs; specifically, cheap, hand-burned screeners from low-budget productions. I cannot count on the barely reliable PS2 player for this. So I’ve relied on my computer and its two separate programs, Nero and Windows Media Viewer, for this.
Here’s what happened: The DVD-ROM drive on my computer stopped opening, when I saw some quotes as to what it might cost to repair, I decided to just buy a new external one.
The external one, an HP, used Nero as its default player. OK. I have Nero. First sign that there might be a problem is that this Nero tries to get you to update it online; when you do, it uninstalls the version I have, replacing it with nothing. Figuring this out, I reinstall.
Nero plays the DVDs fine…but without any audio. Neither I nor Brad the tech-savvy guy has any clue why (note: Brad is a friend, not a salesman. Were he a salesman, faith would have been lost before the end of this tale). With other players (Windows, Real) there’s the copy-protect issue — whatever that is, it comes between the drive and my computer — as signified by an onscreen prompt, though I also tried my Magnolia screener of Let the Right One in, which plays in staccato stop-motion, i.e. badly.
Brad decides to try and open my non-opening internal drive. We succeed, but ultimately can get it either to open, OR to play…just never both. The part blocking its opening is essential to keeping it playable, it seems.
So I returned the external drive to Target, and we go to Best Buy to get a new internal one Brad thinks he can install. Since my machine is not a new one, apparently it won’t connect to new equipment, because assholes in charge like to phase everything out every year to force new purchases, so I need something called a SATA card. We get that too.
Lo and behold, back home, Brad finds that the SATA card is an e-SATA card, which isn’t the right thing. But he knows the connection piece that will make the thing work. But he can’t find it online at Fry’s site. He knows where he CAN get it…from an online site where it’ll take a week to get here.
Of course this all has to happen while I’m in the process of moving. Can’t just be one thing.
Fuck this technology. And I don’t wanna hear from Mac people being smug. I just want a goddamned DVD player that I can count on.
I really do worry that stress will make me die young.
Oh, and for those who wonder why not just buy a standalone DVD player?
Two reasons:
1. Many screeners are burned on home computer and are not as easily read by non-computer-based players, and…
2. My local Target was SOLD OUT of EVERY STANDALONE DVD PLAYER IN STOCK.
Sata drives may be the lastest thing but there’s plenty of IDE/PATA drives still out there, and they should cost around $20. You should get one off newegg.com before shelling out for a sata card, especially if you you’re going to have to order online anyways. Newegg’s shipping is always lightening fast for me.
The sound issue is likely is a misconfigured dolby digital decoder. There might be some setting like “passthough to external decoder” which bypasses your computer’s speakers.
Using Nero or other bundled players usually irks me. I would suggest installing a free media player like VLC or Media Player Classic (K-lite basic should be enough.)
I prefer MPC’s interface But VLC has a knack for playing nonstandard dvds and video files that no other player will, and they’re not dependent on any specific hardware (or copy-protection scheme.)
I hope some of that helps. Moving is always a pain in the ass and it adds an immediacy to normally mundane problems that can just get out of hand.
don’t let the stress get built up macs screw up too – look at the good advice of a friend here – I always find when I have this “fuck technology” tension that I have to take a time out and think about who is best placed to take care of it quick.
– there is always someone – trouble is its hard if you start with one friend who does you the favour of coming round to help but then can’t fix it – but insists he can if he just does this and this and … ooops.
hope the move went OK otherwise,
….and you got a good price for selling off all those action figures –
That sucks!
Dude, Luke.. You need to email me about this stuff. I coulda told you in 5 minutes you need a new internal IDE/PATA drive for like 20 bones…
A sata card can add complications, especially if your system can’t support PCI extreme or whatever else a sata card needs to work.
I’ve had about the same amount of issues with PC as I’ve had with Mac’s, so that aint the issue. And finally, your computer isn’t that outta date. SATA drives are great for hard drives, but not needed (yet) for DVD/CDROMS. I’m sure you computer also needs a good defrag, along with some basic cleanin’ up (old software removed, drivers updated, etc)
Anyways, good luck.. also check out ReJeKts answer, although some of that stuff may be over yer head a bit. (just remember there is a “hardware AND software requirement” when playing DVDs)
Matt, you coulda told me in five minutes…but would you have been around at 9 a.m. on a Sunday morning to take my call?
I had with me a guy who makes a living blogging about science and technology. That trumps most things. He may be taking a higher-tech view than I need…and I have asked him to read all these comments to make sure, before he returns.
No sweat. Wasn’t trying to call out your friend on his tech knowhow, I’m sure he’s on his game…
I’m familiar with your computer since I gave it to you and was only commenting about that.
(for all it’s worth, I was up at 8am Sunday, driving back from my weekend long trip down to the south)
Now do you see how helpless I get when you’re gone?
Not helpless, just impatient
— But the silverlining is that you are gonna get a badass DVDROM that’s much better than what you had.