Computer help forum: Why doesn't my DVD play on TV

When I read "copy of a disc" I understand it as "copy of a disc".

The way I make it is to use the "copy disc" feature of my burning program (Nero, that came with the PC). That's one step. I see no need for doing it via an .iso file.

Kees

Answer to question 1, what's on the DVD: I took a number of video clips from my last vacation and made a DVE using Windows Movie Maker. I added some sound, some titles etc. I thought I'd made that clear in my first question.

As far as question 2, what "SHOULD" be on the DVD I don't understand. I saved the completed movie as per instructions on the software. It saved as a .wmv, and as I stated, it replays fine on my TV but not on my brothers.

My use of the word "Copy" was a mistake. I "Burned" a second DVD which I played on my TV before taking to my brothers where it didn't work.

I have no idea what an ISO file is.

What I didn't mean, but surely is good remark by Willy below, is the hardware side of the story. Some DVD-players don't read DVD-RW, some might be better DVD+R compared to DVD-R, and some very old ones might refuse all of those.

For the software side, there is a well-defined format for DVD's. Check a few of your standard retail-DVD's and you'll see and empty AUDIO-TS folder, and a filled VIDEO-TS folder. And inside that folder must be well structured correctly named files with the correct extensions or it isn't a standard DVD. Some players only play such a standard DVD.
Other players accept far more. They might play "avi" and "mp4" file they find in the root folder, for example.

So, what I meant:
- What disk and file formats does the player accept?
- What file format is on the disk?
You say it's a .wmv file. So the simple question is: does his player play .wmv files? Should be in the manual.

The program I recommended (DVD Flick) is used to make a standard DVD out of a rather wide range of existing video formats, and that makes the chance they are accepted much bigger.

You don't have to know what an .iso file is to make a copy of a disk. So that's not important. But it seems you didn't anyway.

Next time you visit your brother, check you can show the movie on your laptop and take that with you. That's by far the most easy solution. Also (quite well possible) try if his PC or laptop can play the wmv-file from that DVD or a copy you make on a USB-stick. His TV, if modern, might even be able to play .avi files (with the right codec only) or wmv files from a USB-stick.

It's a jungle, all those different video formats, codecs and devices.

Kees

.ISO are burnable image files. These as explained in another post lends itself to be burned by any burning s/w w/o special consideration of the s/w content as it were. I assume you're using some "copy button" selection, if it works, it works, if not you have a stored .ISO as another method.

As posted to you, sometimes some discs just won't work or play in home players either because they're not compatible or the player itself has gotten old. A clear clue is DVD-R/W can be problematic of some players even if new. Next, blank DVD -/+R discs work better and generally +R are best. On top of that the blank discs "brand" will make a difference. Here, cheap is cheap, no further explanation. On the other side is the actual PC drive doing the burning. Add it all up things just have to work, but they don't. Once you consider the mix involved, any step can become a glitch. I hope this helps in some detail.

tada -----Willy

Let's be clear I saw no mention of how that copy was made, original yes, but not what I considered the 2nd copy or burned disc. I can assume some process but then that wasn't the case. I explained the .ISO file making as it is 100% sure to burn to any media "as is" what was found originally(1st) made disc. It just lends itself that at a later date can be copied again, if need be. it also allows practically any burning s/w to run this process. MS-Movie maker will make .wmp files which when copied as .ISO is made available to be burned w/o special wmp consideration or re-using special s/w. Also, I find using MS s/w tends to create problems sooner or later.

tada -----Willy