How to make a PC made DVD movie play on a iMAC?

I thought a DVD was a DVD regardless of platform.

However, my client's iMac cannot play a DVD I made from Premiere on
my PC.
Does the DVD play in a DVD player? If so, it should play in an iMac.

The things that could stop it, is if the burner is dying and the discs you burn can be read by some things and not others - also the program might just have burned a data file to a DVD instead of making a "real" DVD.

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In what format are the video files?
I use Adobe Premiere. To make a DVD I use the export> Movie> DVD to create an ISO file then burn the ISO to DVD with Alcohol 120%. ( since this is the MAC forum you probably are using iMOvie or Final cut pro.

If I were to create the DVD outside of Premiere, the format would be .AVI

But the DVD has the proper TS folders.

The DVD plays on my TV's DVD player.

Thanks, Robert

--
http://www.streamlinestudio.com
 
I thought a DVD was a DVD regardless of platform.

However, my client's iMac cannot play a DVD I made from Premiere on
my PC.
Does the DVD play in a DVD player? If so, it should play in an iMac.
The DVD plays on my standalone DVD player.
The things that could stop it, is if the burner is dying and the
discs you burn can be read by some things and not others - also the
program might just have burned a data file to a DVD instead of making
a "real" DVD.
The burner is a 2 month old Pioneer so I don't think burner age is the problem.

Thanks for your suggestions? Any more?

Is it possible that the client does not have the appropriate software? It is a corporation so maybe they only loaded the software needed for his job? I thought the basic operating system included a basic DVD player. I don't know much about MAC's.

Robert
--
http://www.streamlinestudio.com
 
Just shotgunning ideas here....

Maybe you burned on DVD+R and their drive only reads -R? You didn't say the age of the iMac so that might be a possibility.

Apple's DVD player just happens to be one of the buggiest pieces of.... anyway.... I usually use VLC (Command-D). You could try that if it's DVD player that is causing the problem.

BUT, if they are just sticking it in and saying "nope, don't play" DVD player could be there, but the OS isn't set to auto play DVDs on insertion.

And if it isn't there, it is entirely possible that a business could have removed DVD player if they didn't want employees watching movies. It's easy enough to do, so if the sysadmin is a bit of a control freak...

But if I were to bet money, I'd bet on user error. They are just doing something wrong/not opening DVD player manually/etc. That's why I started sending clients video via YouTube. An interface every 8 year old knows how to use. So, it's only slightly over the heads of my clients. :)
 
Just shotgunning ideas here....

Maybe you burned on DVD+R and their drive only reads -R? You didn't
say the age of the iMac so that might be a possibility.
DVD-R discs. Tayo Uden premium media, burn at 4 to 8x only (not max) new Pioneer DVD burner.
Imac is the white model, so I guess it is last year's model
Apple's DVD player just happens to be one of the buggiest pieces
of.... anyway.... I usually use VLC (Command-D). You could try that
if it's DVD player that is causing the problem.
I will suggest it to them.
BUT, if they are just sticking it in and saying "nope, don't play"
DVD player could be there, but the OS isn't set to auto play DVDs on
insertion.
I'll have their IT guy check it out
And if it isn't there, it is entirely possible that a business could
have removed DVD player if they didn't want employees watching
movies. It's easy enough to do, so if the sysadmin is a bit of a
control freak...
It does have a DVD player because I send him image files on DVD and he can read them fine.
But if I were to bet money, I'd bet on user error. They are just
doing something wrong/not opening DVD player manually/etc. That's
why I started sending clients video via YouTube. An interface every
8 year old knows how to use. So, it's only slightly over the heads
of my clients. :)
I am betting it is user error too. He is not computer savvy. I also send clients youtube videos or upload 320x240 .MOV files to their FTP site for approval.

This is the first time I sent him a full res DVD. I expected him to play it at home on his set top DVD player.

Thanks for your suggestions,

Robert

--
http://www.streamlinestudio.com
 
Hmm, yeah, that should work. Do you know anything about the mac he is using for this?
 
Hmm, yeah, that should work. Do you know anything about the mac he is
using for this?
He is using the white one (I don't know the model number).

As it turns out, He had his IT guy check it out and said he didn't have any DVD movie playing software installed.

Figures. At least I know now, from the responses to my post that a DVD is a DVD, but you do need software installed to play it...

Robert

--
http://www.streamlinestudio.com
 
Hmm, yeah, that should work. Do you know anything about the mac he is
using for this?
He is using the white one (I don't know the model number).
The white iMac LCD has several versions, from the original PowerPC version 3 years ago to the recent Intel versions. All of them can read a DVD and most can also write a DVD.
As it turns out, He had his IT guy check it out and said he didn't
have any DVD movie playing software installed.
Find a new IT guy.

Every Mac that has a built in DVD reader has an application called "DVD Player" installed, unless it was removed (perhaps by the IT guy). It is located in the Applications folder, and it should auto-launch when a DVD is inserted. If for some reason it doesn't auto-launch, he can manually launch it. DVD Player can also play directly from a VIDEO_TS folder.
 
Hmm, yeah, that should work. Do you know anything about the mac he is
using for this?
He is using the white one (I don't know the model number).
The white iMac LCD has several versions, from the original PowerPC
version 3 years ago to the recent Intel versions. All of them can
read a DVD and most can also write a DVD.
As it turns out, He had his IT guy check it out and said he didn't
have any DVD movie playing software installed.
Find a new IT guy.
agreed. (smirk)
Every Mac that has a built in DVD reader has an application called
"DVD Player" installed, unless it was removed (perhaps by the IT
guy). It is located in the Applications folder, and it should
auto-launch when a DVD is inserted. If for some reason it doesn't
auto-launch, he can manually launch it. DVD Player can also play
directly from a VIDEO_TS folder.
Thanks for the advice I will ask my client to look for the app as you indicated.
He can see the VIDEO_TS folder so I know he is able to read the DVD.

Robert

--
http://www.streamlinestudio.com
 
I thought a DVD was a DVD regardless of platform.

However, my client's iMac cannot play a DVD I made from Premiere on
my PC.
Does the DVD play in a DVD player? If so, it should play in an iMac.
Yes it plays on a set top DVD player.
The things that could stop it, is if the burner is dying and the
discs you burn can be read by some things and not others - also the
program might just have burned a data file to a DVD instead of making
a "real" DVD.
No, it has the VIDEO_TS and other folders that my other commercial DVD's have

Robert

--
http://www.streamlinestudio.com
 
yeah, i would try to download and install VLC player as well... sometimes works better than DVD and it can play windows media files when the actual windows media player can't in mac/pc
 
yeah, i would try to download and install VLC player as well...
sometimes works better than DVD and it can play windows media files
when the actual windows media player can't in mac/pc
Thanks for the suggestion. I will relay to client, but I doubt he will (or can) install any software that the IT dept at the corp. does not install for him.

But good to know there is a MAC program that can read WMV files.

Robert

--
http://www.streamlinestudio.com
 

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