viewing videos/movies from external disks

[oaxcarmen]

This may be useless question but --
On learning of the new "hidden" DVD app i decided to try playing some old disks that had stopped working. These are kinds of problems I can NOT find answer to:

1. those ollldd ones that show as AUDIO TS and VIDEO TS - can not get them to open with new dvd app, Quick time or Quick Time 7

2. the other old ones that were downloaded in several parts and previously advanced more or less automatically: dvd app only recognizes one part (apparently at random?) and can not see how to advance; with some of those discs, clicking on disk shows all the parts as separate and one can play them one at a time, as separates.

3. two I tried are really messed up: one appears to be somehow "crossed" with another download showing title as one and photo and duration, etc. info as the one it is supposed but nothing works. The other acts at first similar to 2. above, then suddenly switched to full screen stops playing and freezes and I can's get out with esc, menu does not appear by holding cursor in extreme upper of screen (but MAYBE I didn't hold it there long enough?); shift+command+F didn't work; gave up before trying F-11; etc., etc.

ALL of these videos played when first made (most downloads) with exception of the "crossed lines" one - but when I wantd to copy some of them for a friend I discovered they would no longer work, so left the for a couple or more years. Hoped the new dvd app would resolve at least some of them but not a lot them of work there. The QT separates seem most promising possibility for a few but---

Can someone please help me with advice on this.

Thank you.
Carmen

 

[ferrarr]

Try vlc, Official download of VLC media player, the best Open Source player - VideoLAN, to see if that will play the videos.

 

[Slydude]

Here's what little I can suggest that might be helpful:

1. The discs that have AUDIO TS and Video TS folders are typical of what one sees when you rip/copy a disc that was designed to be played in a DVD player (usually also in a computer DVD drive). Usually, those play fine in the DVD Player app (haven't tried the one in Catalina yet) unless something didn't read properly from the disc. QuickTime 7 won't play those files directly without jumping through some hoops because they are actually MPEG 2 files. Bub's suggestion to try VLC is a good one.

2. The only thing I can think of for the separate files that won't play is to rip/copy the files to the computer and then join the files together into a single video file or several separate files depending on the length/size of the files. The "joining" can be done with QuickTime Player and there are several apps (free/paid) in the App Store that can do this.

 

[oaxcarmen]

Thanks for the suggestions - will play with the separates when I have time.

Re suggestion for VLC:

new DVD Player app automatically opened disk when inserted and apparently knocked off VLC. DVD player then went to full screen and froze computer completely - no way I can find to reduce video size, minimize, F11, cmd+shift+F, etc., whatever. Only could shut down computer and restart holding left mouse then was able to eject disk normally.

Can't find way to delete or disable the DVD app, which is part of core services, so that disk (and who knows how many others) will now never work on the computer. Plus am concerned about integrity of computer with all these problems.

Any advice? I am now very reluctant to try anything with the DVD app installed. Who knows what will happen each time a disk is inserted.

 

[MacInWin]

What "hidden" DVD app are you talking about?

EDIT: Never mind, I found it. Well hidden!

 

[ferrarr]

To turn off "Automatically Play Video DVDs", go to System Preferences > CDs & DVDs, then choose ignore. Then you will be able to use vlc.

 

[Slydude]

To keep the DVD Player app from automatically opening when you insert a disc try the steps below. You should only have to do this once unless you want to change the setting. Do the steps without a CD/DVD in the drive or DVD Player may hijack that disc as well.

1. Open System Preferences and click the CD & DVD pane.
2. When the pane opens look at the DVD options and use the drop-down menus to change the settings from what they are now to either Ignore, Open Another App, or Open in Finder. If you select open another application, you should get a menu window letting you choose another app (VLC or others)

If you choose Show in Finder that allows you to have the disc show in Finder and still be opened in VLC using its Open commands.

 

[krs]

What "hidden" DVD app are you talking about?

EDIT: Never mind, I found it. Well hidden!

Did Apple hide 'DVD Player' now in the later OSs?
It's listed plain as day under Applications on ElCapitan

 

[MacInWin]

It does not show in Applications in at least Catalina, but it is in /System/Library/Core Services/Applications. Note that it is NOT in Applications, but under Core Services. Apparently it activates when you insert a playable DVD. Nice to know it's there. Wish it wasn't hidden.

 

[IWT]

I confess I didn't know this existed.

DVD Player (macOS Mojave) is found: Macintosh HD > System > Library > CoreServices > Applications

@krs I suspect you are thinking of iDVD, easily found in Finder > Applications; but possibly not supported now??

Ian

 

[MacInWin]

iDVD was reported as 32 bit, hence not valid in Catalina. But the "hidden" DVD player is 64 bit.

 

[IWT]

Following the advice of Jake & Sly, where would I find the CD/DVD pane as it's not in System Preferences on macOS Mojave?

Ian

 

[MacInWin]

What do you want to do with this pane? Basically, the DVD player launches when you insert a playable DVD. I just tested it an it seems a bit more primitive than iDVD was, but it does play DVDs.

 

[IWT]

Sorry, Jake. I was only thinking that if one wanted to use VLC or other to play a DVD, like the OP, where could you make the changes as in posts #6 and 7?

Not that I particularly want to, but nice to know if I ever did.

Ian

 

[ferrarr]

Following the advice of Jake & Sly, where would I find the CD/DVD pane as it's not in System Preferences on macOS Mojave?

Ian

It is there if you have the optical drive connected.

 

[Slydude]

What do you want to do with this pane? Basically, the DVD player launches when you insert a playable DVD. I just tested it an it seems a bit more primitive than iDVD was, but it does play DVDs.

DVD Player is only more primitive in the sense that it doesn't have the DVD authoring capabilities of iDVD. It appears to be, as it always was, a DVD player app only. You get basic playback functions and that's about it. I haven't run it yet under Catalina but have a few times in other OS versions.

 

[MacInWin]

The controls for DVD player are very much simplified compared to the controls for iDVD. That's what I mean by primitive. You can get to the menu, move in the menu, play, stop, eject, etc, but the controls are very simple.

 

[krs]

@krs I suspect you are thinking of iDVD, easily found in Finder > Applications; but possibly not supported now??
Ian

No, I actually meant DVD Player, but I have iDVD in Applications as well.

 

[oaxcarmen]

Thanks to everyone - especially those who told about the change to be made in CD&DVD in system preferences. Had looked "all over" for that option but somehow missed the most obvious place. Thought I would have to delete the app to avoid the problem but it cannot be deleted, disabled or anything else, other than the settings that I couldn't find but now have, thanks to all of you. fyi - The app shows no preferences option.

Learned of "hidden" app from OWC article Oct. 21 - Catalina Quick Tip: How to Find and Open DVD Player - and tried it on Mojave, which did not have a DVD player.

Now I can try VLC - generally relax over unwanted openings.

Many thanks.
Carmen

 

[IWT]

It is there if you have the optical drive connected.

Got you. You are absolutely right. I didn't realise that. Should have

Ian