DVD Player bug "skipping over damaged area"- why did I ever contemplate leaving Windows!!!

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DVD Player bug "skipping over damaged area"- why did I ever contemplate leaving Windows!!!

MBP bought Nov 2011 rarely used, in fact its never left the house,so pretty virginal machine. OS X v.10.8.2, DVD player v.5500.38.2 . This seems to be a recurring issue as I have seen forum/community entries back to 2010! Each time it is the same symptoms "skipping over damaged area", this is what I am also suffering from, let me illuminate those that give a **** as Apple obviously dont or they may have 1.fixed it 2. admitted an issue or 3. got of their backsides and did some online advice/interaction with their customers. So in answer to the media question - BRAND NEW Big bang theory box set series 1-5, the first ten discs have all suffered this, I tried to replicate the fault, took down playtime of skipping fault and scrolled back to point in time on DVD and guess what!? No error, which leads me to surmise it is not the media! Someone suggested dirty lense on DVD drive, my memory kicked in at the point, guess what this is the first time I have used the DVD player!!! Blu-ray player elsewhere in house is usual media player on TV. So to recap rarely used machine, brand new media (10 different discs), only additional apps installed Steam, Kindle, Pages and Xcode (never used), Apple created DVD software every 20 mins or so skips over damaged area, disc is pristene. Oh and just to point out VLC works fine!

Can anyoneout there point me to a link that says "this is the exact problem identified" and "this is how you fix it",

MacBook Pro, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.2), DVD Player

Posted on Feb 16, 2013 11:38 AM

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Answer 1

sig

Level 8

35,862 points

Feb 16, 2013 1:43 PM in response to Gingyr

In 50 words or less clarify your issue. Leave out all the extraneous b.s and opinion.

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Answer 2

Gingyr Author

Level 1

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Feb 16, 2013 1:47 PM in response to sig

Hi Sig, thanks for your useless response, elaborate on what you need and I will furnish you with the information. You have OS, DVD player version above. Also media type is DVD. Message is "skipping over damaged area",. So in your infinite wisdom what next?

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Answer 3

sig

Level 8

35,862 points

Feb 16, 2013 2:00 PM in response to Gingyr

I would tell you to have your optical drive checked out but I asked you to leave out b.s and opinion in your reply and you couldn't help yourself. So, have a nice day.🙂

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Answer 4

Gingyr Author

Level 1

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Feb 16, 2013 2:19 PM in response to sig

Tut Tut Tut. Your very sensitive,if you reply in a patronising manner and disregard the original question and detail therein people will respond accordingly. Well I shall await a more socially adept Mac propfessional to help me out. I got your get the drive checked recommendation, it seems doubtful as VLC works fine but if nothing else comes of this off to the Apple shop I go. My impassioned plea is due to a lot of searching on the web and no-one has fixed or advised well on this issue, I have even witnessed peolpe being advised on a full OS re-install!!!

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/2208903?answerId=10453853022#10453853022

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/1913762

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/1328006?start=0&tstart=0

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3736337?start=0&tstart=0

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/1911680?start=15&tstart=0

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3843480?start=0&tstart=0

So I await some direction from those more well versed than I.

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Answer 5

CT

Level 7

24,239 points

Feb 16, 2013 2:41 PM in response to Gingyr

I'd get that drive checked out.

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Answer 6

Gingyr Author

Level 1

0 points

Feb 16, 2013 2:53 PM in response to CT

Hi CT, thanks will do so in Apple store Belfast this week, I will update on my experience. Oh and thanks for answering without any caveats, your advice was succinct and well received.

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Answer 7

Shootist007

Level 6

16,709 points

Feb 16, 2013 2:56 PM in response to Gingyr

Sell the Mac and go back to Windows. You'll be happier and you won't have they problems anymore.

Trust me I know.

Good Luck and Best Wishes.

P.S.

If you are set on staying with the Mac take it to an Apple store and have it checked out. Hopefully you bought the Applecare Extended Warranty.

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Answer 8

Gingyr Author

Level 1

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Feb 16, 2013 3:07 PM in response to Shootist007

Thanks Shootist for the empathy, but I do like my MacBook Pro, I have my foot in both camps, owning a number of MS based devices as well as Ipads and Iphones. My issue can be resolved by using VLC on the Macbook Pro. On Windows devices I download 3rd party software because its better, more functional or I am more familiar with it not because the original application fails. I am trying to discern what is at fault hardware or software (both Apple) and get a fix and have the manufacturer admit so! Its a simple ask. Lets give the Apple store a chance and I will feedback on my customer experience.

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Answer 9

Gingyr Author

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Feb 20, 2013 7:20 AM in response to Gingyr

Ho folks, as promised an update, my learning curve with Macbook knows no boundarie's. OK I spoke with William at Apple Support and lo and behold my warranty had expired................3 days ago! I had a quick discussion on something EU specific around warranty that I will cover later and we agreed to see what we could do to resolve my issue. So William the eponymous professional talked me through resetting the SMC (System Management Controller), this involved powering MacBook Pro down, once MBP powered down I held down the following keys - shift-ctrl-alt and keep them held down, now press in the power key once and release all buttons together. MBP should not have powered up and thus SMC should be reset. I was sceptical but MBP has been running alongside me for 4 episodes of the Big Bang Theory and not one "skipping damaged area" yet! A resounding success, Apple is once more in my positive customer experience quadrant!

The European Union Warranty piece I pertained to above is this, Google/Bing/search for 1999/44/EC, across all EU member State's a two year warranty is mandatory for new goods. Therefore quote verbatim and see where you get, you will be very surprised.

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Answer 10

Mar 1, 2013 7:53 PM in response to Gingyr

Hi Gingyr,

I have this problem, afraid I am not much of a 'techy' so need a step - by - step guide as to how you powered down the SMC etc.

Is what you did easy to do.

I have a 14 month old MacPro and it does the whole 'skipping over damaged area' caption perhaps 7-10 times during the length of a movie (some DVD's brand new, first time out the box) and if I rewind to where it came up with the caption it will inevitably play through it again with no problem.

Any help you can give would be appreciated.

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Answer 11

Mar 1, 2013 8:05 PM in response to Teilhaber

To reset SMC - http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3964.

Not sure that it will solve your problem as well, but it's worth a shot.

Clinton

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Answer 12

Sep 20, 2013 5:24 PM in response to Gingyr

I have been having the exact same problem. And a few more--sometimes when watching a dvd the screen freezes. Also sometimes I get a grey box in the lower right hand corner, especially when watching a film with subtitles. I, too, have read all the same complaints and wondered why no one figured it out.

Here's what I'm trying:

1. Open DVD player app.

2. Go to Preferences.

3. Uncheck the box that says "When using the battery: Put DVD Drive to sleep.

It seems like my own problems only happen when the computer is unplugged and running on battery power, so I think it's worth a try.

I also wonder if this issue is related to the ridiculous "hibernate after 4 hours when plugged in" issue we're all dealing with now, too.

I'm hoping the latest update will fix that.

Good luck and let me know if this helped!

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