[Fixed in v3.3] Trouble playing VOB files

[pks]

Paul,

About half of my movie collection was ripped to standard folders like:
W:\Wilderness Years\VIDEO_TS\VIDEO_TS.VOB and VIDEO_01_0.VOB etc. These are my non-blu-ray movies.

These movies always played fine in CMC before but recently - possibly after the update to v3.2 - I am getting an error message from PowerDVD.
I am using PowerDVD 15 because a year ago when I tried a more recent version, it didn't work well. So I went back to 15 and it has been working fine - ultil now.

By the way, PowerDVD 15 works well in CMC for all my other file types: .iso .wmv .mpg .mp4 .ts etc.

The problem is this. When I use CMC and click "Play" it launches PwerDVD 15 and I see the PowerDVD 15 screen. But it is stopped by this message across the screen:

"Information
Cinema mode does not support the playback of media files. You must switch back to Classic mode to playback this file."

My default is set to Cinema mode. It has always worked fine for all my movies and media files.
So I click OK and the message goes away leaving me to have to click the mode button and change it to Classic mode and then manually browse for the movie to try to play it. There's further trouble because although I am in Classic mode now, I get the very same error message.

It is interesting that I happen to have a link in my task bar aimed at launching PowerDVD 15 separately where it comes up always in Cinema mode as I wish it to. But when I browse for the VOB movie, it plays it just fine.

Stumped.
Pete

[Pauven]

Hi Pete,

The VOB files inside a VIDEO_TS folder represent what is called a DVD Folder, which is essentially a direct rip of a DVD to folder structure.

When these are played, the path to the VIDEO_TS parent folder should be passed to PowerDVD, and PowerDVD should automatically understand that this is a DVD Folder and commence playback as if it were any other DVD (physical, or mounted ISO).

The message you are receiving, indicating "playback of media files", tells me that CMC is not correctly calling PowerDVD to play a DVD Folder, and instead PowerDVD thinks this is a media file.

In CMC v3.2, I did a pretty big rewrite of the function that generates the calls to all external players, including PowerDVD. My first guess here is that I created a new bug in that function.

I have CMC v3.3 slated to be released tomorrow, so if we act quickly I think I can squeeze this fix in for you. Here's what I need:

1. Enabled Debug Logging (Settings > Startup & Logging Options > Debug Logging
2. Play a DVD Folder movie that has the issue you described
3. Turn off Debug Logging
4. Email or post here the file: Logs\DebugLog_PlayClick_<date>.txt

Thanks,
Paul

[pks]

Oh wow Paul. I didn’t mean for you to be addressing this on a Sunday. But thanks for the plan.
How would you have me try to play a dvd movie. Since with CMC I’m getting that error message when PowerDvd 15 is launched, do I just stop there and send you the debug file?

[Pauven]

Right, as soon as you get the error, stop there and send me the debug file.

[pks]

You should find them attached. Wasn't sure if only one file was needed. So I've attached all 4 test files.
Pete

[pks]

If this helps, here's my config file too.

[Pauven]

Can you post a screenshot of the "W:\Wilderness Years" folder contents?

[pks]

Two screenshots are attached.

[Pauven]

Excellent, thanks. All your data looks pristine, so no problem there.

I do see what looks like a bug in my code, but oddly it doesn't crop up when I test a DVD Folder, yet obviously affects your install. I'm a bit confused why it didn't occur in my testing, but that probably means I have two bugs to fix.

I should have this knocked out soon, ready for tomorrow.

Thanks!

[pks]

Thank you very much. I'll stay in touch.
By the way, I had checked to see if this error message appears when trying to run other DVD movie folders and it does.
Pete