DVD/CD RW Drive will not read one particular CD

[Herr Walther]

I bought a pre-recorded two disc CD set from Amazon the other day. It's an import CD of Nena, Wilst Du Mit Mir Gehn.

I was all set to kick back with a Hofbrauhaus and listen to this two CD set tonight only to find out that the DVD/CD RW optical drive in my new Lenovo won't play these CD's without a whole lot of distortion and latency.

I thought it was possibly caused by this being an import CD, but it is recorded to red book standards just like any other CD, import ot not.

I checked for updates to the divers for the optical drive and the sound card and all are up to date and devices are functioning normally.

I tried another pre-recorded CD, a CD I burned myself on this machine and another machine, and a DVD with audio information and all played just fine.

I then took the two new CD's and played them on three other machines without a hitch.

I tried both iTunes and Windows Media Player with the same distorted, latency-filled audio.

What gives? I've eliminated any problems with the CD's, the drivers, or the optical drive and yet these two CD's will not play without a lot of noise, distortion, and latency on the Lenovo. There are no reported problems with the installed drive in this machine. I'm still thinking of replacing it though. I have another very expensive import coming direct from Germany and it damned well better play.

?????

If anyone has a clue I'd sure like to hear about something I haven't thought of.

Edited to add, iTunes knows that disc is in the drive, it knows the songs and the name of the disc. WMP knows all this information too.

[windfarmer]

Re: DVD/CD RW Drive will not read one particular CD

just for spits and giggles download install and try playing with the latest version of VLC it is totally free and it plays everything and i do mean everything if it is an audio or a video file VLC probably has the proper codec to play it.

i include a link because there are places on the web that try to pawn off old versions bundled with malware so you have to be careful you download from the correct source.

http://www.videolan.org/vlc/index.html

VLC is also available for Linux and mac

[Herr Walther]

Re: DVD/CD RW Drive will not read one particular CD

Thanks, but that won't play it either.

I'm leaning towards this being a hardware or firmware problem with the player/burner. I've never heard of this brand before. It's a PLDS DS8A8SH. Not much information on the web about it. It's probably some generic OEM drive that Lenovo uses.

I have found other similar problems with Warner Germany pressings so it is not an unheard of problem nor is it anything new. It's just very irritating to spend this much money on something you cannot use on the device it was intended for.

I posted this problem at the Lenovo forums and am awaiting an answer that will probably never come.

[kARL]

Re: DVD/CD RW Drive will not read one particular CD

You may need a dedicated DVD?CD player.
I have on old one from Sony that will play DVDs my Computer wont.

The only other thing I can think of is a different OS.

You might try downloading Fedora 17. it will run from the desk top without an install and than see if your DVDs play.

Bad news is back in the 80's I sold VCRs and TVs, store was by LAX, and we had to warn people that US and European electronics were not always compatible. It may not play on US gear.
This may help.
karl
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...44011176,d.eWU

[Herr Walther]

Re: DVD/CD RW Drive will not read one particular CD

Unlike videos on DVD and the older VHS that are recorded to different standards of PAL and NTSC, all CD's are recorded to RIAA standards to play on gear worlwide. This is called red book standards in the recording industry.

This is definitely a hardware or firmware problem with this particular drive. It plays fine on my CD player, a friends CD player, and the CD player in the car, as well as the other three machines I mentioned in my first post.

[Herr Walther]

Re: DVD/CD RW Drive will not read one particular CD

I sent that CD set back to Amazon and instead ordered a slightly used copy for considerably less money.

This one won't play either and the audio distortion is identical to the first copy.

I originally purchased this CD on iTunes years ago, so I have a copy in cyberspace I'm able to use. I'm keeping the CD I bought just to have it in the collection. That was my original intention.