WINDVD8 will not play "protected content" on a DVD

work4crown · Post by **work4crown** » Wed Mar 19, 2008 10:28 pm

Nature of the problem: I have a Toshiba Satellite A135-S2266 running Vista Basic that I have owned for just over a year. I have watched many movies using WINDVD 8 that came with the laptop. Now suddenly WINDVD will not play movies and displays this message when I try to watch any DVD: "Your display environment does not support protected content playback"

Notes:
a. I occaisionally attach my laptop to a projector, but this problem is occuring without anything attached to the laptop.
b. I can read data CDs and DVDs as well as play commercially produced audio cds in the CD/DVD drive.
c. I have not changed any hardware on my laptop such as the DVD drive.

Here's what I've tried:
a. changing the screen resolution to a lower setting - no effect
b. testing WINDVD with various commercially produced movie DVDs
c. Testing the CD/DVD drive with CDs, data CDs and data DVDs.
d. Using VLC player to play the DVD. It also will not play the DVD.

How can I fix my computer so I can watch movies on it again?

Please help if you can - thanks!

Todd

Properties of your source files (format, file size, where did you get it?)
Movie DVDs that can be bought at the store

What devices are involved and their mode of connection?
There are no devices currently attached to my laptop.

Project Properties
n/a

Output format (file, DVD, VCD, SVCD)
DVD

PAL or NTSC
NTSC I beleive. I am in the USA.

Error Codes (if any)
"Your display environment does not support protected content playback"

Post by **Ron P.** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 12:55 am

This apparently has something to do with the type of DVD you're trying to play, and HDMI or the HDCP (copy protected data).

Here's a forum where others are having this same problem..

http://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=38475

work4crown · Post by **work4crown** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 2:52 am

Hi - thanks for replying. I don't have a blu-ray drive or any HD DVDs. All my stuff is pretty standard. Also, the DVDs I'm trying to watch worked before in this laptop. Some setting or permission must've changed. Maybe I will see if I can figure out how to repair or re-install WinDVD.

sjj1805 · Post by **sjj1805** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 3:33 am

Possibly your DVD drive is faulty. Try and copy an entire DVD to a hard drive folder and play it from there.

work4crown · Post by **work4crown** » Fri Mar 21, 2008 4:11 am

I copied a DVD to my Laptop's desktop. I tried WinDVD and VLC and still can't play the movie. It has the same behavior as if I was playing the movie through the DVD drive.

I did try running 'repair' on WinDVD. I think that is like re-installing the software without uninstalling it first. 'Repair' ran sucessfully but doesn't remedy the error. I still can't watch my DVDs using WinDVD.

I think there must've been a change to the 'Display Environment' on my laptop and that is affecting how WinDVD interacts with my laptop.

Todd

sjj1805 · Post by **sjj1805** » Sat Mar 22, 2008 12:36 am

Is your copy of WinDVD the one that comes pre-installed on most Toshiba laptops?

Software update released for WinDVD 8 for Toshiba

work4crown · Post by **work4crown** » Sat Mar 22, 2008 6:21 am

Yes. WinDVD came pre-installed on my Toshiba laptop. I have version 8.0 B06.107

sjj1805 · Post by **sjj1805** » Sun Mar 23, 2008 2:12 am

Click Here

work4crown · Post by **work4crown** » Sun Mar 23, 2008 2:20 am

I downloaded the file, extracted it from the zip and tried to install it. During the setup process I get the following error message 'This upgrade patch can't apply to your version of WinDVD. Setup will not abort..."

That patch didn't have my computer model listed anyway, so I'm not too surprised it didn't work. I have a Toshiba Satellite A135-S2266.

I'm beginning to think the problem does not lie with WinDVD since I also cannot watch movies using VLC anymore. Something in my computer's settings (Digital Rights management, registry, etc) is not allowing the computer to display DVDs no matter what program is used.

Here's an interesting development...I just tried to watch a DVD using Windows Media Player and I got the following error message "Windows Media Player cannot play this DVD because there is a problem with digital copy protection between your DVD drive, decoder, and video card. Try installing an updated driver for your video card."

A few days ago I found an updated driver for my video card and I installed it. I wonder if that is what is causing all the trouble. I may try to uninstall that driver and see if my problem will go away.

I'll let you know what I found.

work4crown · Post by **work4crown** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 4:45 am

I tried updating my video driver to the latest one on the manufacturer's website. That didn't work.

I tried re-loading the original video driver from the Toshiba restore CD. That didn't work.

I tried re-installing WinDVD from the Toshiba restore CD. That didn't work.

I think the only sure way to get WinDVD playing DVDs again is to re-install Windows Vista! Not sure if it's worth it though. Let me know if you have any other ideas. That sure is a lot of work.

By the way, even if we ca't get WinDVD working again, I appreciate your time and effort. Thanks!

work4crown · Post by **work4crown** » Tue Apr 01, 2008 1:21 am

I backed up my data to DVD, and used the Toshiba restore disc to re-install everything. WinDVD works again. I sure hope it doesn't break again.

Thanks again for your help guys.