Need Media Player Download advice

[jazzy]

ok, im dinosaur here

on my laptop i have windows media player legacy. so far its alwasy played what i downloaded or got on my computer.
i got a dvd player--small box i plug in with usb into laptop, turn on, pop in dv d and its supposed to play.

the laptop recognixes it but windows meida player legacy says it cant pkay the dcds. syas it doesnt recognize the files.
its just regular dvds movies, etc.
but whatever i download it plays it fine.

do i need a different media player to downloiad or do i talk sternly to my WMP to get it to play a dvd or do i give up

had a couple days of verly litytle to no internet and just wanted to play a shgow to watch

i have a laptop thats plugged into an extra large screen and a separate larhe keyboard. both maybe 2yrs old tops
my windows is all updated--got window 10 with most recent updates.

how do i get windows to like my dvds?

any advce is greatly appreciated

 

[Haertig]

Open the DVD tray of the device, take a big breath, and blow your lungs out at the insides, while trying not to spit all over everything. That usually works for me.

If it's a DVD that you checked out of your local library, even if it looks clean, you know the little munchkins have been smearing their jelly covered fingers all over it. So take it to your sink and wash it. Use a small amount of liquid dish soap and your fingers alone to do the scrubbing (anything else may scratch the disk). Pat the disk dry on a soft bath towel (preferably not paper towels). You don't want to rub in circles to dry the disk - blot only, or if it won't dry well, you can do multiple light wipes radially (from the center of the disk straight out to the edge).

 

[Haertig]

If you do determine that it's your software (which it doesn't sound like), you can always download "VLC" as your media player. It's free. And probably the most used and highest respected one around.

 

[jazzy]

thanks heart, i will definitly try what you suggested and see what happens. the dvds im trying to use are just regular store bought ones, all pretty new. ive heard of that VLC thing and will check it out.

you are a sweetheart

 

[jazzy]

thank yo heart to telling me about the vlc thing--i actually got it downloaded, blew some air into the dvd player, put a disk in and dang---it is working. was not as hard as i thought it would be.
thank you agaon, that was a real help

 

[Haertig]

Glad it worked for you. I don't use DVD's much these days (usually only to rip them into MP4 files). But my DVD drives always seem to be filled with dust. I'll insert a DVD, and the computer doesn't recognize that. If it's been a long time since I used a DVD, sometimes both of my DVD drives won't recognize a disk insertion. So far - knock on wood - blasting them with compressed air (or with my own lung air if I'm out of Dust-Off) has done the trick.

Note that if you use canned air - Dust-Off is one brand of that - you don't want to shake the can prior to or during use. That just ends up spitting fluid out the nozzle when all's you want is air. I've even caught myself shaking the stuff - and I know better. Something about picking up a pressurized can that looks like a can of spray paint - your brain just reverts to instinctive primeval behavior and tells your arm to shake the stupid thing. This liquid output usually doesn't hurt electronics (emphasis on usually), but it can be real bad if you're trying to blow dust off of a photo negative or slide. (for those of us old enough to even know what a "negative" or "slide" is...)