DVD drive won't play dvds

[Guest]

I just tried playing dvds on my dvd drive and nothing's happening. Real
Player is telling me that I don't have a dvd drive and when I try playing
dvds via InterActual I'm getting the message:

'Error PL4013: Playback failed due to a problem with the video subsystem.
You may be using an unsupported display mode or your system may not have a
working decoder installed. Please ensure that your DVD decoder is functioning
properly by launching it from Start | Programs.'

I've tried playing cds and there are no problems. This has only just started
happening. Any ideas anyone?

 

[Rick \Nutcase\ Rogers]

Hi,

Did DVD's work before? If not, or you've never tried them, the error message
is telling you that you do not have DVD decoder software installed, and this
is necessary for playback of DVD's. This is not something that comes with
WinXP.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Associate Expert - WindowsXP Expert Zone

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org

 

[Lil' Dave]

InterActual is a program normally put on many DVD movies to allow a PC to
play a DVD movie.

You could try going to add/remove programs. Remove InterActual. Then, put
in a DVD movie with that program on it, and reinstall it.

Many people use the 3rd party pay-for PowerDVD program instead.

An errant program, yourself, or another user could have minimized some
display setting. Preventing the display of full color/screen DVD movies.
Reinstalling InterActual won't fix this.

There are three steps in playing commercial DVD movies. One is the menu
system. Another is decoding some of the DVD files that each contain a
certain mpeg2. Both of these are done with the DVD movie playing software.
And, finally, these are decoded and displayed. This last step is what the
error message is referring to.

 

[Guest]

InterActual is a program normally put on many DVD movies to allow a PC to
play a DVD movie.

So Wrong!

 

[CWatters]

I just tried playing dvds on my dvd drive and nothing's happening. Real
Player is telling me that I don't have a dvd drive and when I try playing
dvds via InterActual I'm getting the message:

'Error PL4013: Playback failed due to a problem with the video subsystem.
You may be using an unsupported display mode or your system may not have a
working decoder installed. Please ensure that your DVD decoder is functioning
properly by launching it from Start | Programs.'

Try this page
http://player.interactual.com/help/support/articles/0111.asp

 

[Guest]

thanks for all the replies guys.

My computer's about 3 years old - I've had no problems whatsoever playing
dvds or indeed any other discs in the dvd drive prior to the problem emerging
this morning. I've done nothing to my computer to cause it and can't figure
out why it's happening. Like I said before - I try playing a dvd via Real
Player and it tells me I don't have a dvd drive installed: I try playing a
dvd via InterActual and the 'Error PL4013' message pops up: I play cds and
there's no problem. So how can I rectify it?

 

[Guest]

both Real Player and InterActual are telling me they can't locate my decoders
and recommend reinstalling the dvd software. Here's the major problem - the
disc was never supplied with the computer and the company that built it went
bust last year so I can't call on them for tech support. The dvd drive
doesn't even have a manufacturers name and model on it. As my cd-rom drive
has been playing up for a while and now this is happening to the dvd drive
does it mean I'm going to have to invest in some new hardware?

 

[Lil' Dave]

Oops.
Should have said Intervideo, which has InterActual features within it.
http://player.interactual.com/default.asp?code=AP

So contained in WinDVD, and PowerDVD as well. So, we don't know what the
OP's movieplayer software is.

 

[ITguy]

Solution that worked for me

Try the already suggested solution, and uninstall Interactual player.
I have read that the company is not very good with support and/or providing updates. If removing it does not work it is most likey a codec problem or another dvd decrypter program causing a conflict.

You can download a VLC dvd player here for free
http://www.videolan.org/

I had the exact same problem/error. Orignally upon VLC install it still errored out, I then un-installed Interactual and the VLC player worked, No codecs are needed for the VLC player, you may have to adjust the audio settings (I did)

If you put in a DVD in your PC that has interactual on the disc it will require to install it, instead alt-click and play with VLC or first lauch VLC then select your source (example drive D and it should play.

It worked for me...good luck!