VLC won't play VIDEO_TS files

[redbreegull]

So I downloaded a TV series, 10 discs, each with its own VIDEO_TS folder, so they all have fully operating menus and such. I have watched the series through twice without incident in the past, but suddenly VLC cannot open the VIDEO_TS files on one of the discs. It still works perfectly on the other nine, it's just this one that has the problem. I have tried opening the VIDEO_TS.IFO file in VLC by dragging it, opening within the program, and directing the file to "open with" VLC... the result is always the same. VLC seems to be loading the file for a moment (I get the moving stripey loading bar), and then it just stops and nothing happens. No error message or anything. I have also tried opening the VIDEO_TS.BUP file... this is the backup, correct? Same result. I have even attempted to open the individual video files (these are the VOB files, yes?) to the same end. Basically no files in the VIDEO_TS folder for this disc will open.

Is this an issue with VLC? Could I have somehow damaged all the files in this folder, and not the others? Like I said, all the files for the other discs work optimally. I have looked through the file info for those in question and compared them to the working files and there does not seem to be any discernible difference...

Not sure if this matters, but I am running Mac OS X 10.5.8 and the latest version of VLC. Thanks so much for any help anyone can provide me with!

[greymont]

I don't have an answer for you. Instead I have a similar problem.

I rip my DVD's to folders on my network. In VLC I open the whole DVD by opening the top level folder (the one above VIDEO_TS) and I get the DVD menu. (I can also open the VIDEO_TS folder and also get the DVD menu.)

However, I just installed Windows 7 x64 fresh and VLC 1.1.11 and this method of opening these files no longer works!

I can use "open file" and highlight all the *.VOB files in VIDEO_TS and they play one after the other just fine. Unfortunately their directory order is not always the correct play order for the DVD, so I see segments out of order this way.

Anyone have any ideas what is going on here?

[Jean-Baptiste Kempf]

Use open folder and select the VIDEO_TS folder

[greymont]

That's what I'm saying no longer works. I get a flash of a black window and then it closes without an error dialog or anything else visible. Used to work fine.

[Lotesdelere]

Not sure if this matters, but I am running Mac OS X 10.5.8 and the latest version of VLC.

At least it's still working fine for me on Windows with either the Open folder menu and the drag and drop feature. So could you check the following cases:
- Lenght of the path to the VIDEO_TS folder. Maybe it's too long ?
- Characters used in this path. Are there some special (e.g. unicode) and/or accentuated characters ?
- Is the drive you're trying to read from on a network ?

[Scooter619]

I'm having the same issue as Greymont. I'm using a Mac w/ Snow Leopard and about 2 weeks ago, my VLC started having issues playing movies that I have been burning from DVD. I can launch the movie using VLC, but when I get to the DVD menu and select "Play movie" or go to a specific chapter, VLC quits on me. It looks as if it's going to play, and then it just goes black. No error code or anything of the sort. Any ideas?

[ergeretretreterter]

I have same issue, from network shares VLC dont play dvd!

[Rémi Denis-Courmont]

That never worked; this is a limitation of libdvdnav. You need to mount the share.

[greymont]

- Length of the path to the VIDEO_TS folder. Maybe it's too long ?

M:\Videos\Name of Video\VIDEO_TS

- Characters used in this path. Are there some special (e.g. unicode) and/or accentuated characters ?

no special characters.

- Is the drive you're trying to read from on a network ?

Yes, it is a network share but it is mounted as a drive letter in Windows. Been doing this for years with VLC.