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My Windows XP dvd drive has terrible audio
Hi All, I don't know much about computer hardware, but I feel that I have a problem that urgently needs fixing! I've had this computer for about 1 1/2 years. Up until recently, everything has been super great, including the DVD drive. That's something I never had before (I used an old W98 computer for years, much smaller system, no frills). So I have no clue what to do to fix my current problem. When I insert a disk, the picture looks fine but the sound is terrible. I often make my own disks from TV and make them extended play (a disk will hold about 6 hours of programming that way). When playing one of these disks on the computer, the sound has a definite glitch in it every few seconds. Extremely annoying! Tonight I had a disk that I'd made on a faster recording speed (the disk only has about 2 hours of recording on it). I did that on purpose just to see if it would improve the computer situation. It did not. The audio now is worse than ever! :emotion-9:
My disks all play perfectly on my living room disk player connected with the TV. And nothing is dirty or dusty when disks are inserted either in the living room device or the computer. So I don't see how it could be caused by dirt.
I emailed an acquaintance who is pretty knowledgeable and asked her about this. She said, "uninstall the IDE controller in device manager and restart the computer, allowing it to reinstall on startup. Sometimes this fixes random issues like that." I'm afraid to try anything like this, since I know so little.
Can anyone advise what I should do? I have no idea! What's an IDE controller anyway? :emotion-40:
Thanks much, I hope somebody can help!!
Della Dell
osprey4
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November 23rd, 2010 05:00
Hi Della.dell,
It would be helpful if you provided the model of your Dell. Also please describe the discs you are using. Are these from a tabletop DVD recorder? Does this problem occur when listening to audio CDs?
della.dell
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November 23rd, 2010 15:00
It would be helpful if you provided the model of your Dell. Also please describe the discs you are using. Are these from a tabletop DVD recorder? Does this problem occur when listening to audio CDs?
:emotion-15: It is a Microsoft Windows XP, Professional, Version 2002, Service Pack 3. More info: Intel(R), Pentium(R) 4 CPU 2.80 GHz, 1.99 GB of RAM.
I use ordinary DVD-RW, 4.7 Gb, Maxell or Sony disks, whatever I can get hold of at dept. stores. I record using a Magnavox DVR purchased about 2 1/2 years ago. And when played back on this machine, they play just perfectly, no issues whatsoever with sound or picture. The down side is that you cannot use these recordings on any other DVD player (even after finalizing). I have two other portable players, both of which are Zenith I think. If you insert one of these "homemade" disks into one of the other players, you get real pretty sound but NO picture. :emotion-3: That was why I began using them on the computer as a last resort, at first I didn't even know whether I could, or not! I was surprised at how beautifully they did play :emotion-1: Up until lately, anyway. :emotion-10:
I'm an older adult, not real computer savvy...and my previous computer was as I said, small, no frills. I've only had this one about 18 months. So, having a DVD drive on my computer was entirely new for me.
I haven't yet tried any "movie" disks (non-homemade) on the problem drive yet. I shall do so, and let you know what happens.
As for my CD drive, it has not been giving any trouble....just put a CD in to check, and it plays beautifully.
I use only Windows Media for CDs, but I use videoLAN for DVD's. My Windows Media is missing a small bit of software which causes it not to accept DVDs.
Sometimes I wonder whether the videoLAN program might be acting up...
osprey4
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November 24th, 2010 11:00
The model of your Dell can usually be found on the front of the case, but the specifications you've provided give me some idea what you have.
Are you able to play DVD movies using videoLAN? Is the sound acceptable for these?
della.dell
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November 24th, 2010 14:00
By the case, where do you mean exactly? If you mean the tower, I see "Optiplex GX520" on the top edge...
Actually, this computer was a surprise gift from someone (who knew even better than I did what dire straits I used to be in with my old computer!) and I could probably find back the emails we exchanged at the time. That would give even better info than I'm giving.
I haven't tried the movie disks yet on videoLAN, will do so momentarily...
osprey4
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November 24th, 2010 16:00
Della.dell,
Ok, your Optiplex GX520 has an IDE DVD drive. One thing you should check is the "data transfer mode". Here's how to check this. You need to locate the current transfer mode for your drive. Not the transfer mode, which is the setting, but the current transfer mode, which is the way your drive is actually running. It will say either DMA or PIO.