Disc playback problems
Document ID: 384235
If you have a problem with DVDs created by Studio not playing back, or appearing to be blank, the steps below should help to resolve it.
Other kinds of playback problems may be addressed elsewhere in the knowledge base.
· If the video on your disc plays back, but the sound does not, read document 222577, Discs burned with Studio have no sound.
· If only a portion of your disc project appears on the DVD, or if recent changes are missing, try document 219785, DVD created with Studio is missing part of the project.
If your DVD does not play back, or appears blank:
1. Check the disc for cleanliness. Ensure that there are no obvious smudges or scratches on the disc surface. If the disc is dirty, clean it with a soft cloth (don’t use a paper towel) by wiping the DVD radially from the center to the outside edge, not in a circular motion.
2. Insert the disc into a DVD drive on the computer and verify that it contains file-system folders.
· Double-click My Computer.
· Right-click the DVD drive and choose Explore.
There should be two folders on the DVD, named ‘audio_ts’ and ‘video_ts’. The ‘audio_ts’ folder should be empty, while ‘video_ts’ should contain files with bup, ifo and vob extensions.
If the files are present, the issue definitely relates to playback as such rather than the burning of the disc. Conversely, if the disc is in fact blank, you are looking at a burn problem rather than a playback problem. In that case, follow the instructions in document 214533, Studio burn problems.
3. If the disc fails in your set-top DVD player, try playing it back on the computer . The disc should play back successfully when DVD player software like PowerDVD and WinDVD are used. DVD playback in Windows Media Player may work depending on your version of Windows. If you have problems playing the disc DVD even on your computer’s DVD drive, read document 221479, Playing DVDs on your computer.
4. Try playing the DVD on other set-top players. Some equipment may not play a certain brand of DVD or a certain DVD media format (-R, +R, -RW or +RW).
If you are uncertain whether the DVD player supports a given media type, check the manufacturer’s website for information. Another good place to check for compatibility is:
If the disc type is not supported by the player, you will need to recreate the disc in another format. If the disc plays in one DVD player but not another, it may be that the second player is on the verge of device failure, or that it cannot reliably read writable media. In this situation, experiment with DVD brands and types until you find a combination that works dependably on your equipment.
5. Confirm that the project you created is set for the playback format used in your region (e.g. NTSC for North America, PAL for Europe). If the project, and hence the disc, are in the wrong format, some DVD players will not be able to play the disc.
To check the project video format, click the gear icon at the top left of the timeline in the Disc Editor.
This opens the Timeline Resolution dialog.
Make sure that the Size dropdown is set to the right standard.
You can also set the default video standard for projects on the Project Settings page of the Avid Studio settings dialog.