Problems with dual-layer DVDs and VLC

[Nick Venture]

Everytime I watch a video through VLC the player abruptly stops playing when there is a layer change. I have to open up the DVD again and select the scene right after the layer change in order to view the movie beyond the layer change.

Does anyone know why this happens and how it can be fixed?

[VLC_help]

It only happens with VLC? So for example Media Player Classic doesn't show same issue?

[Nick Venture]

Yes, it only happens with VLC. It plays all the way through with Media Player Classic but I am having separate issues with MPC and thus have opted for use VLC for my DVD playing needs.

[VLC_help]

Could you open View -> Messages before playback and post log here after layer change causes issues?

[Nick Venture]

Here is the log right before the layer change. When it happens and I go to messages it's completely clear as if nothing has been opened so I had to open it again and go to just seconds before it crashes and this is what come sup.

http://www.mediafire.com/?1iqzn1x9d0r

^-That's a text file of the log.

[VLC_help]

It seems that VLC just looses the point. Does it help if you increase Caching value in ms from VLC settings (DVD without menu under Access modules which is under Input/codecs)?

[Nick Venture]

I increased the cache from 300 to 500 with the same outcome. Should I increase more?

[Lotesdelere]

Hm, it's working fine for me.
Are you sure that you have set a layer break point before burning the DVD ? It's a must do.
Even if it's working fine with some other players, you should always set a layer break point for best compatibility with any player.

I'm using ImgBurn for burning all of my double layer DVD's.
It's a freeware and it has the ability to let you choose the best layer break point if many are available and/or to automatically set the best layer break point if none already exists.

[Nick Venture]

It happens randomly with mass manufactured DVDs. I'm not burning them but rather getting DVDs that are legit. I watched an entire movie without any sort of problems but I just popped in another movie and then bam it goes blank again.

I'm not quite sure what's happening.

[leprasmurf]

Confirmed. Running Ubuntu 8.04, with VLC media player 0.8.6e Janus. This happens to me on all 3 Lord of the Rings extended edition DVDs. Right about half the way through the dvd, VLC fails to continue. I'm sorry to say I am forced to load up Mplayer to watch the rest. This seems to occur just about half way through the dvd which is what makes me think it's between layers as well.

[Pepi]

I haven't got a solution, but if you know roughly when the layer switch occurs, try to quickly hitting Shift-RightArrow a couple-three times to make VLC pass over the "gap" between the layers, or Ctrl-RightArrow once (larger step). Adjust suggested keyboard shortcuts as necessary for it to work on your system, with your settings. This works for me on WinXP, using VLC 0.8.6h.
Note: Haven't tried the "i" version to see whether this annoying bug has been fixed, since the "i" version has another, more serious bug, that makes it crash as soon as you try to make a screen capture (still image).

[VLC_help]

the "i" version has another, more serious bug, that makes it crash as soon as you try to make a screen capture (still image).

This has been fixed on latest "i" build.