DVD disc/player question

[Monkeyleg]

Every so often I'll watch a movie on DVD, and at some point it will stop playing, and just stay frozen at that frame. It might start playing again in a few seconds, or it might jump to the next scene #. Or it might just stay stuck on that frame.

I always figured that the disc was bad somehow. I had another one over the weekend, and rather than throw it away, I decided to wait until I'd played a couple of other DVD's so that the problem one was out of the player's memory. When I played the disc again, it played all the way through with no hiccups.

Does anyone know the cause of this? Player? Disc?

[fifth_column]

Every so often I'll watch a movie on DVD, and at some point it will stop playing, and just stay frozen at that frame. It might start playing again in a few seconds, or it might jump to the next scene #. Or it might just stay stuck on that frame.

I always figured that the disc was bad somehow. I had another one over the weekend, and rather than throw it away, I decided to wait until I'd played a couple of other DVD's so that the problem one was out of the player's memory. When I played the disc again, it played all the way through with no hiccups.

Does anyone know the cause of this? Player? Disc?

Could be a scratched or dirty disk.  Could be the DVD player is overheating, mine use to freeze up pretty regularly until I increased airflow around it.  Could be the laser reader mechanism is dirty, there's probably a way to clean it, although I don't know off-hand.

[Brad Johnson]

Every so often I'll watch a movie on DVD,

Lack of use on older units can cause the laser head carriage to get wonky.  Dust/crud buildup and such on the mechanism make movement "notchy".  Could also be a firmware issue, but I don't think that's your problem as you said the disc played okay after you'd run a few others through it.

Brad

[Monkeyleg]

Brad, I should have phrased that differently. I watch a movie or part of a movie every night. It's just only so often that I get this issue.

[Harold Tuttle]

I have had bad scratched disks that always lock up at one split second in a scene
If you fast forward a second before it hits, it will soldier onward

[Angel Eyes]

When I've experienced the symptoms you describe, it has been due to a dirty or damaged disc.  It's especially common on rented discs (no surprise).

[Tallpine]

Brad, I should have phrased that differently. I watch a movie or part of a movie every night. It's just only so often that I get this issue.

Maybe you just need to get out more 

[Brad Johnson]

Brad, I should have phrased that differently. I watch a movie or part of a movie every night. It's just only so often that I get this issue.

If it's common to that particular disc, it's likely a damaged disc or one that wasn't pressed quite perfectly.  If the problem rears its ugly head randomly with different discs, it may be a a dirty laser lens or worn out laser shuttle, meaning it's about time to replace the player.  BluRay players are getting cheaper by the minute.

Brad

[Monkeyleg]

Maybe you just need to get out more 

I don't watch an entire movie every night, unless it's a new one. I watch a movie while I eat, for as long as it takes me to cook the meal and eat it.

I should still get out more, though. The gym, Walgreens and Kroger don't make for much of a social life.

[RoadKingLarry]

It's the NSA backfeeding your system and using it to spy on you