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Cannot watch a DVD on my Mac

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Hello,

A friend gave me a couple of DVDs. The files on the DVDs are in .avi format. My computer (MacBook Pro, purchased January 2007, running Tiger) doesn't "recognize" the DVDs... when I insert the disk(s), it says its blank, and if I try opening it using the VLC or DivX player, nothing happens. The disks work/play fine on two PC laptops I tried. What could be the reason that my Mac won't play them?

Thanks!
 
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Forgot to mention that I have tried playing other DVDs since I've encountered this problem, and the DVD player works fine.
 
xstep

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What version of OS X are you using? What format is the DVD burned in; ISO9660, some Windows format?
 
ZorroAMG

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xstep, if you read his original post, you will see that he's running tiger and the DVD's are in .avi format....lol

OP, you tried using VLC or some other type of player?
 
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ZorroAMG said:
xstep, if you read his original post, you will see that he's running tiger and the DVD's are in .avi format....lol

OP, you tried using VLC or some other type of player?
Click to expand...

Yes, I've tried the VLC player, the DivX player, and whatever DVD player the Mac was supplied with. I also made sure that the OS and all the players were updated.
 
rippingviper

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EDIT:Lagggy had repost
 
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Is the disc "closed" cause alot of times if the dvd is left open on a windows machine it won't allow you to read the data. If i read your post correctly if you insert the dvd and open it from finder its blank? That sounds like a "closed disc" "open disc" situation to me or in other words "finalizing"
 
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rippingviper said:
Is the disc "closed" cause alot of times if the dvd is left open on a windows machine it won't allow you to read the data. If i read your post correctly if you insert the dvd and open it from finder its blank? That sounds like a "closed disc" "open disc" situation to me or in other words "finalizing"
Click to expand...

Interesting. Is there any way around this? I mean is there something I can do with these DVDs to make the files visible/playable on the mac?
 
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ZorroAMG said:
xstep, if you read his original post, you will see that he's running tiger and the DVD's are in .avi format....lol
Click to expand...

DVD's are not in a "avi" format - there is no such thing. The files ON the dvd may be in an AVI container, but what xstep was asking was the actual format the data DVD was recorded in. There are many formats that Data DVDs can be setup as when they are initially created.

I suggest you read:

ISO 9660 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

and

Universal Disk Format - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

to get a better idea of what data DVDs can be recorded as for when data DVDs are created.

It does sound like either the disk is recorded with a layout/format that isn't compatible with Mac as xstep mentioned OR the disk isn't finalized/closed as rippingviper pointed out. Best/only way that I know of to fix "closing/finalizing" the dvd would be to take it to your friend and get him to close it.

Is it a DVD+-R or a DVD+-RW? Was it setup as a multisession or single session?

I'd still think the best would be to have your friend confirm the disk is closed/finalized properly.
 

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