Topic: Problem with DVD Playback in Theater View (Read 12108 times)

dr. shane · « **on:** March 28, 2016, 02:27:06 am »

sorry. I'm a newbie to JRiver, and couldn't find a solution in the wiki or via search here on these forums. Hopefully, someone can help me find the solution. Let me describe the problem:

1. In theater view, I can watch a DVD movie completely to the end. The DVD file structure (which was added to library) is folder with movie name - which has video_ts folder, which has dvd files . . . .( .vob, .ifo, etc).

2. at the end of the movie . . . just a black screen that lasts forever. Only way to get back to theaterview is to use mouse to hit the "stop" button on the player. however, if I try to re-watch the movie . . . nothing happens or very weird function . . . movie may start for a few seconds and then stop . . . not normal.

3. I have some movies which are .mkv files. these movies do not have the above problem. they seem to work normally. at end of movie . . . automatically back to theaterview. . . can pick another movie or the same movie and rewatch, no problem.

Not sure what info about my system is relevant . . . core i7, 32GB ram, NVidia gtx 650. JRiver version 21.0.50. Registered (paid) . . . not trial period. Theaterview skin is "Hairstyle" . . . standard view skin is "thunderstorm" I really have no idea what could be causing the problem.

JimH · « **Reply #1 on:** March 28, 2016, 06:45:13 am »

For #2, try pressing Stop twice. That will reset the bookmark.

CountryBumkin · « **Reply #2 on:** March 28, 2016, 07:33:09 am »

For issue #1 - I have not noticed this before since I always stop the movie playback before the credits are done showing
- But I can confirm that my VOB/IFO movies also do not return to Theater View when the movie is played to its end. I tested using ROHQ and RO-STD and it is the same. I did not test a MKV file/movie.

For issue #2 - You may have the "Resume Playback Using Bookmark" set to "automatic" which means after you stop a movie the next time you start it, it will start where you left off.

Although I think that it will not start (in automatic mode) near the end of a movie/show if the bookmark indicates you have watched more than 80% (I'm not sure about the %), but you can check this setting at: "Tools>options>General>Behavior>Resume Playback Using bookmarks". The choices are 1) Automatic, 2) Never, 3) Ask.
I prefer "Ask". If yours is not set to "Ask" try this setting and see if it helps.

dr. shane · « **Reply #3 on:** March 28, 2016, 09:44:05 am »

Quote from: CountryBumkin on March 28, 2016, 07:33:09 am

. . . You may have the "Resume Playback Using Bookmark" set to "automatic" which means after you stop a movie the next time you start it, it will start where you left off. . .

. . . you can check this setting at: "Tools>options>General>Behavior>Resume Playback Using bookmarks". The choices are 1) Automatic, 2) Never, 3) Ask.

This was most of the problem. Thank you, CountryBumpkin. I changed this setting to "Never," and Now I can re-watch the movie from the beginning, instead of the strange behavior it was doing when set to "Automatic," which was the default setting.

However, the problem of the DVD file structure movies reaching the very end and having a never-ending black screen remains. I must manually hit the "stop" button to return to Theaterview. I'm sure this is not the desired or intended behavior. I have not tried DVD iso files. B/c all my DVD movies are DVD file structure with VIDEO_TS folders with .vob files and .ifo files. However, this "never ending black screen" does NOT happen with .mkv files. Hmmmm.

If there are any moderators following this thread, my recommendations are:

1. At a minimum, change the default setting of "Resume Playback" to either "Never" or "Ask"

2. Please add this as a bug for next build. DVD file structure is a common digital movie content format. JRiver MC should function "normally" for these files. Especially, since we're on Version 21. No one else has this problem? I can't believe this bug hasn't been addressed prior to now.

dr. shane · « **Reply #4 on:** March 28, 2016, 06:59:28 pm »

^^^bump ^^^

for administrator to respond to issue of having to press "stop" at end of dvd to return to theater view

dr. shane · « **Reply #5 on:** March 28, 2016, 07:28:32 pm »

Let me describe the problem with DVD playback in TheaterView: (file structure DVDs with VIDEO_TS folder, .ifo, and .vob files)

1. If you let the movie finish all the way through credits, you get an never ending black screen.

2. The only way to truly fix the situation is via mouse . . to the top player controls, and press "stop"

3. If you press the back button on MC remote, it will go back to Theaterview, but next time you watch the same movie you are taken to a black screen (even if General -- Behavior resume playback by bookmarks is set to "never")

4. If you press green button . . . nothing

5. If you press the "stop" button on the MC remote . .. nothing . . .must use mouse to use the "stop" button at the top player controls.

6. This behavior is not seen with DVDs in a different format . . . ( like .mkv files)

JimH · « **Reply #6 on:** March 28, 2016, 07:59:48 pm »

Are you using the latest build?

It's currently 21.0.66.

http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=104073.0

dr. shane · « **Reply #7 on:** March 29, 2016, 10:52:50 am »

Quote from: JimH on March 28, 2016, 07:59:48 pm

Are you using the latest build?

It's currently 21.0.66.

http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=104073.0

Using version 21.0.50. Did this change between 21.0.50 and 21.0.66?

JimH · « **Reply #8 on:** March 29, 2016, 10:58:47 am »

Please try it. Whenever you have a problem, try the latest build.

dr. shane · « **Reply #9 on:** March 29, 2016, 03:06:49 pm »

Same problem with latest version.

I'll try to attach the log file from the problem with both versions. The 1357 time log file is version 21.0.50. The 1403 time log file is version 21.0.66

Hendrik · « **Reply #10 on:** March 29, 2016, 04:52:03 pm »

DVD playback is largely controlled by a Microsoft component (the DVD Navigator), which we do not have much, if any, control over. Unfortunately it has a bunch of known behavior quirks and bugs. I remember hearing about such an end-of-playback black screen before, but I can't remember the resolution - if any.

For example, there are a bunch of known problems if DVDs are stored on large harddrives (> 2TB), which for some reason it doesn't handle it properly.

dr. shane · « **Reply #11 on:** March 29, 2016, 05:23:56 pm »

The capacity of my harddrives are relatively large. Although my DVDs that are in .mkv format are on the same large harddrives and do not show this behavior.

Hendrik · « **Reply #12 on:** March 30, 2016, 02:27:09 am »

Quote from: dr. shane on March 29, 2016, 05:23:56 pm

Although my DVDs that are in .mkv format are on the same large harddrives and do not show this behavior.

Those are not DVDs anymore, they are just ordinary video files then. Handled entirely differently.

You could try moving one problem DVD to a smaller drive, if you have one, to test if this particular problem is caused by that as well.

CountryBumkin · « **Reply #13 on:** March 30, 2016, 07:16:19 am »

I tested this too, on my laptop which has hard drives under 1TB.
I had the same response - movie ends and does not return to Theater View unless Stop button is pressed.
This is not a problem or complaint for me since I never watch a movie to the very end - but I can confirm the behavior drShane is reporting.

dr. shane · « **Reply #14 on:** March 30, 2016, 08:35:53 am »

tested by moving 1 DVD (in DVD file structure - VIDEO_TS folder, .ifo, and .vob files) to small hard-drive - 500 GB

Problem persists.

I would think this is kind of a BIG deal. Although most of us have migrated to BluRays in .mkv files, the majority of the planet is still watching DVDs, and the native file structure is as described.

For the default behavior of the media center to just hang on that last frame of blackness and do nothing is, in my opinion, unacceptable. Let's say someone falls asleep watching a DVD, and then wakes up to a black screen . . . no idea what's wrong.

I'm not sure how "bugs" get prioritized to get fixed, but from my perspective, this is major flaw.

Hendrik · « **Reply #15 on:** March 30, 2016, 08:54:42 am »

Quote from: dr. shane on March 30, 2016, 08:35:53 am

I'm not sure how "bugs" get prioritized to get fixed, but from my perspective, this is major flaw.

Like I said above, DVD playback is out of our control, its handled by a Microsoft component, which means we barely have any control over its behavior at all.

I tested a bunch of discs I had sitting around, and for me it goes back to the menu after finishing the movie. DVDs are not meant to ever "stop" on their own, a physical DVD player wouldn't - and thats what its emulating.
What it does after the movie ends depends on what the disc tells it to do, apparently the couple I had sitting on a shelf here tell it to return to the menu. This was off actual physical discs, the only case where I know the DVD Navigator mostly works as expected. Still requires an explicit action to get it to stop and return to Theater View though, and we can't prevent that.

dr. shane · « **Reply #16 on:** March 30, 2016, 07:43:02 pm »

For many years I ran Windows Media Center, with My Movies, and when DVD playback reached the end of the movie, I would be returned to Windows Media Center.

I'm wonder how DVD playback was handled differently.

CountryBumkin · « **Reply #17 on:** March 31, 2016, 10:30:17 am »

This may not be a solution - but it is a workaround. Convert your VOB/IFO movies to MKV.

I have been wanting to do this for a while anyways. After your post here, I got motivated to look into this. However, I have hundreds of DVD "movie only" rips (Vob/Ifo) files and I don't want to spend the time to do them one at a time.

Fortunately there is a free program called BatchMKV. You select a folder (or drive) where you movies are located and BatchMKV then scans and identifies all the DVD folders. Then you can select the files/movies you want to convert and BatchMKV will convert them all to MKV.

I have just started using the program (it's running now as I type this) so I don't know yet how successful/easy it will be, but so far it looks pretty good.

The program is here: http://www.makemkv.com/forum2/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=9345

syndromeofadown · « **Reply #18 on:** March 31, 2016, 12:30:44 pm »

Quote

I tested a bunch of discs I had sitting around, and for me it goes back to the menu after finishing the movie.

Same here using win10 pro. Most of my videos are dvd rips to folder and I have never experienced the described problem.

dr shane how many dvds do you have the problem with, is it all?

what program do you use to rip them?

I do have the odd problem of a black screen instead of a menu with some dvds.
It happens with some foreign films and with most recent Disney films. My guess is because they were authored wrong or intentionally broken.
Sometimes anydvd has issues with discs too and the rip is glitchy.
In the rare case i have one of these discs, i use makemkv and it typically but not always plays fine.

dr. shane · « **Reply #19 on:** March 31, 2016, 01:25:14 pm »

Quote from: CountryBumkin on March 31, 2016, 10:30:17 am

This may not be a solution - but it is a workaround. Convert your VOB/IFO movies to MKV.

I have been wanting to do this for a while anyways. After your post here, I got motivated to look into this. However, I have hundreds of DVD "movie only" rips (Vob/Ifo) files and I don't want to spend the time to do them one at a time.

Fortunately there is a free program called BatchMKV. You select a folder (or drive) where you movies are located and BatchMKV then scans and identifies all the DVD folders. Then you can select the files/movies you want to convert and BatchMKV will convert them all to MKV.

I have just started using the program (it's running now as I type this) so I don't know yet how successful/easy it will be, but so far it looks pretty good.

The program is here: http://www.makemkv.com/forum2/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=9345

This is EXACTLY what I was looking into doing. However, like you, I'm looking at around 1000 or so movies to convert to .mkv format. No way I want to do that 1 at a time. I was looking at this: https://forums.plex.tv/discussion/17637/makemkv-automator . But I think this is buggy, and designed for iOS (for any Apple users out there). I will DEFINITELY look into BatchMKV. This may solve my problem (as a work-around).

dr. shane · « **Reply #20 on:** March 31, 2016, 01:33:22 pm »

Quote from: syndromeofadown on March 31, 2016, 12:30:44 pm

Same here using win10 pro. Most of my videos are dvd rips to folder and I have never experienced the described problem.

dr shane how many dvds do you have the problem with, it it all?

I have this problem with ALL my DVDs in file format--around 1000 (well I haven't checked each 1, but i've checked 10 or so . . . exactly same). No problem with ISOs. In the case of ISOs, it's like the original DVD disc . . . . it goes to the disc menu, where you can choose watch movie or bonus features, etc.

However, I did not convert the entire original DVD for 99.9% of my movies -- just the movie itself. This is the issue . . . if you have the entire DVD in whatever format, with the original DVD menu system, extras, bonus features, etc . . . then at the end of the movie, you just get recycled back to the main DVD menu. This problem is for those who just rip the main movie without all the bonus stuff. I'd be curious if you have any DVDs in file format with just the movie (nothing else), what happens for you. I'd bet . . . same as me. I'm also using Windows 10 professional.

Quote from: syndromeofadown on March 31, 2016, 12:30:44 pm

what is program do you use to rip them?

I used CloneDVD2 with AnyDVD (HD). I have watched all these movies before with other programs and other players with no problem. (Windows Media center with My Movies . . . using built in Windows player, TheaterTek, and Cyberlink PowerDVD.) I don't recall this problem of the black screen at the end of the movie until JRiver.

syndromeofadown · « **Reply #21 on:** March 31, 2016, 02:45:10 pm »

Quote

This problem is for those who just rip the main movie without all the bonus stuff. I'd be curious if you have any DVDs in file format with just the movie (nothing else), what happens for you. I'd bet . . . same as me.

I just ripped the main title of a dvd with clonedvd2 with persevere menus checked. It plays fine and returned to the title menu when finished in theatre view.
One possibility is that an old version of clonedvd you used was buggy. You could test by re-ripping a disc with the current version.
Though it may narrow down your issue, it doesn't really help you with your problem.

CountryBumkin · « **Reply #22 on:** March 31, 2016, 02:51:16 pm »

BTW - there is another free batch converter program that I'm testing and so far I like it better. It is "MakeMKV Batch Converter" http://www.makemkvbatch.com/

I just select the drive\folder with all my DVD (movie-only) rips and the program converts them to mkv files using the same name as the movie. The only problem I have with it (and it may be me not knowing how to set it up) is that the new mkv file ends up in the "Video_ts folder, so I have to move it (up one directory level) so I can delete the Video_ts folder/files.

I'm converting batches of 15 movies at a time for testing.
So far no other problems. I converted about 45 ifo/vob movies to mkv so far.

CountryBumkin · « **Reply #23 on:** March 31, 2016, 02:54:45 pm »

Quote from: syndromeofadown on March 31, 2016, 02:45:10 pm

I just ripped the main title of a dvd with clonedvd2 with persevere menus checked. It plays fine and returned to the title menu when finished in theatre view.
One possibility is that an old version of clonedvd you used was buggy. You could test by re-ripping a disc with the current version.
Though it may narrow down your issue, it doesn't really help you with your problem.

I think drShane is ripping "movie only" (like I do), so that may be why the movie just goes blank after the credits are finished - there is no menu to return to.

However I thought that even with the movie-only rips, it still used to return to the Theater View menu when done (maybe back in MC17 or 18). But it has been so long since I let a movie run to the end I can't remember for sure what it did.

dr. shane · « **Reply #24 on:** March 31, 2016, 03:36:13 pm »

Quote from: CountryBumkin on March 31, 2016, 02:54:45 pm

I think drShane is ripping "movie only" (like I do), so that may be why the movie just goes blank after the credits are finished - there is no menu to return to.

However I thought that even with the movie-only rips, it still used to return to the Theater View menu when done (maybe back in MC17 or 18). But it has been so long since I let a movie run to the end I can't remember for sure what it did.

EXACTLY !!!

dr. shane · « **Reply #25 on:** March 31, 2016, 03:39:51 pm »

Quote from: syndromeofadown on March 31, 2016, 02:45:10 pm

I just ripped the main title of a dvd with clonedvd2 with persevere menus checked. It plays fine and returned to the title menu when finished in theatre view.

BINGO . . . you preserved the DVD menu system . . .I don't . . . I just rip the main movie.

Quote from: syndromeofadown on March 31, 2016, 02:45:10 pm

One possibility is that an old version of clonedvd you used was buggy.

Nope. That's not it.

dr. shane · « **Reply #26 on:** March 31, 2016, 03:46:56 pm »

Country bumpkin . . . let me know how it goes with BatchMKV.

I'm curious if BatchMKV can create each individual output folder for the .mkv file.

In other words . . . if you point BatchMKV to a source folder that has many other movie title folders in it . . . and then you point it to the destination folder, will BatchMKV create new folders with each movies name, and then put the .mkv file in each individual folder?

Like if the source folder is " . . . .\DVDs\" and in that folder are folders like "\DVDs\Red Dawn\VIDEO_TS" and "\DVDs\Star Wars\VIDEO_TS" etc . . . and the output folder is some other disc with " . . . \Movies\" , will BatchMKV create the folders "\Movies\Red Dawn" and "\Movies\Star Wars" and put the .mkv file in those respective folders?

Hendrik · « **Reply #27 on:** April 01, 2016, 04:32:47 am »

This should be fixed in an upcoming build, turns out this particular situation of discs ripped without a menu lets us know when it finishes playback and has no way to "go" (ie. no menu to return to), so we can just stop playback.

I would still advocate against doing such rips in the future, not sure they have any advantages. If you want to preserve menus and extras etc, sure, not many other choices, but if you go main movie only anyway - a single file solution ala MKV is much easier to work with.

CountryBumkin · « **Reply #28 on:** April 01, 2016, 05:20:38 am »

Quote from: dr. shane on March 31, 2016, 03:46:56 pm

Country bumpkin . . . let me know how it goes with BatchMKV.

I'm curious if BatchMKV can create each individual output folder for the .mkv file.

In other words . . . if you point BatchMKV to a source folder that has many other movie title folders in it . . . and then you point it to the destination folder, will BatchMKV create new folders with each movies name, and then put the .mkv file in each individual folder?

Like if the source folder is " . . . .\DVDs\" and in that folder are folders like "\DVDs\Red Dawn\VIDEO_TS" and "\DVDs\Star Wars\VIDEO_TS" etc . . . and the output folder is some other disc with " . . . \Movies\" , will BatchMKV create the folders "\Movies\Red Dawn" and "\Movies\Star Wars" and put the .mkv file in those respective folders?

The program "MakeMKV Batch Converter" is the one I'm testing now. Since it is a "batch" program it (appears that it) will only create the new mkv files in one of two places; either the same folder as the source file, or any other folder you select. But "any other folder" is going to be same folder for all the files in the batch.

So I created a new folder called "mkv rips" and then selected 3 movies to convert. Alll of the converted files when into the "mkv rips" folder. They had the correct movie names so I know what they are, but I had to then manually move them to my existing individual movie folders. You could just leave all the mkv files in the same folder - MC doesn't care (MC will still import the movie and look up the cover art and metadata correctly).

The other way I tested was to "save in source folder" which creates the new mkv file in the current movie's Video_ts folder, so it then needs to be moved from there (assuming you would want to now delete the old Video_ts folder/files.

If there is another way to save these files, I haven't found it yet, but I just started using the program yesterday (and it doesn't come with instructions). I asked this question on the creator's thread at makemkv.com.

dr. shane · « **Reply #29 on:** April 01, 2016, 11:32:40 am »

Quote from: Hendrik on April 01, 2016, 04:32:47 am

This should be fixed in an upcoming build, turns out this particular situation of discs ripped without a menu lets us know when it finishes playback and has no way to "go" (ie. no menu to return to), so we can just stop playback.

I would still advocate against doing such rips in the future, not sure they have any advantages. If you want to preserve menus and extras etc, sure, not many other choices, but if you go main movie only anyway - a single file solution ala MKV is much easier to work with.

Agree completely that .mkv is a much better way to go for main movie only. However, I started ripping movies to harddrives around 2003. Back then, I didn't even know what a .mkv was.

dr. shane · « **Reply #30 on:** April 01, 2016, 11:34:58 am »

Quote from: CountryBumkin on March 31, 2016, 02:51:16 pm

BTW - there is another free batch converter program that I'm testing and so far I like it better. It is "MakeMKV Batch Converter" http://www.makemkvbatch.com/

I just select the drive\folder with all my DVD (movie-only) rips and the program converts them to mkv files using the same name as the movie. The only problem I have with it (and it may be me not knowing how to set it up) is that the new mkv file ends up in the "Video_ts folder, so I have to move it (up one directory level) so I can delete the Video_ts folder/files.

I'm converting batches of 15 movies at a time for testing.
So far no other problems. I converted about 45 ifo/vob movies to mkv so far.

Sounds great . . . I'm probably going to do this too. Thanks for the link!

dr. shane · « **Reply #31 on:** April 01, 2016, 11:53:37 am »

Quote from: CountryBumkin on April 01, 2016, 05:20:38 am

The program "MakeMKV Batch Converter" is the one I'm testing now.

Countrybumpkin . . I just saw this thread on avsforums: http://www.avsforum.com/forum/26-home-theater-computers/1607545-need-help-batch-convert-3tb-drive-full-video_ts-single-file-mkv-whatever.html

It compares MakeMKV Batch Converter with another program called Movies2MKV. One of the purported "Pros" of the program Movies2MKV is that it will erase the VIDEO_TS folder. I haven't tried either yet, but just thought I'd let you know. It might save time manually moving each .mkv out of the VIDEO_TS folder, so you can delete the VIDEO_TS.

CountryBumkin · « **Reply #32 on:** April 01, 2016, 11:59:21 am »

Nice. Thanks for the link. I'll try this program tonight.

dr. shane · « **Reply #33 on:** April 01, 2016, 12:08:00 pm »

There are two versions of Movie2MKV now. One criticism was that the original version required Java, which some were vehemently opposed to. Some do not like Java b/c they believe it inserts significant security risks .

INTERACT FORUM

Author Topic: Problem with DVD Playback in Theater View (Read 12108 times)