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ShortcutToMoncton · Jan 4, 2003, 09:01 PM

This is sort of a combo software/hardware question. I picked up a LG DVD/CDRW today, and installed it on my Quicksilver PowerMac (OS X 10.2.3). Seems to work fine, although the tray gets stuck on the flap when it closes (I just hold it down and it isn't a problem).

SO, I installed Apple's DVD player from Versiontracker (3.1.1, I believe). Playing CDs seems to work fine, and when I insert a DVD the DVD Player opens...and then quits. That's it. It gives an arrow blink or two as the app is opened, and then disappears.

Anyone know what's wrong? I know the LG drive probably isn't supported, but it's identified in the System Profiler and CDs work in iTunes and such. The DVD shows up fine in the Finder, but the player app won't open.

Any suggestions?

greg

sandsl · Jan 4, 2003, 10:21 PM

Sorry I don't know how to fix that but you could alway try VideoLan ( http://www.videolan.org/pub/videolan.../vlc-0.4.6.dmg) if Apple DVD Player isn't working.

VideoLan is an opensource DVD player for OSX.

ShortcutToMoncton · Jan 5, 2003, 12:39 AM

Yeah, that seems to work, although awkwardly. Thanks a lot. I seem to be finding that Apple's DVD Player wants an Apple-branded DVD in order to work. What nonsense is THAT?!?!?!

greg

Eug · Jan 5, 2003, 12:42 AM

Originally posted by ShortcutToMoncton:
Yeah, that seems to work, although awkwardly. Thanks a lot. I seem to be finding that Apple's DVD Player wants an Apple-branded DVD in order to work. What nonsense is THAT?!?!?!

greg

DVD Player works with several non-Apple players.

ShortcutToMoncton · Jan 5, 2003, 01:18 AM

...unofficially. The Discussion forum Apple guys state "an Apple-branded internal DVD player is required."

greg

Eug · Jan 5, 2003, 01:42 AM

Originally posted by ShortcutToMoncton:
...unofficially. The Discussion forum Apple guys state "an Apple-branded internal DVD player is required."

greg

Well, it should be pointed out that Apple makes no DVD players. Actually, even for "real" Apple drives if you look in the System Profiler the firmware revisions are still listed with the original manufacturer's name, not Apple's.

tonyibook · Jan 5, 2003, 04:23 AM

I am using an external LG DVD drive housed in a firewire enclosure. At first the DVD Player application failed to launch but then I found a patch on the www.xlr8yourmac.com web site. Look in the FAQ section.

ShortcutToMoncton · Jan 5, 2003, 01:28 PM

Let me explain. Apparently, the latest DVD player (3.2) is not available as a standalone upgrade...it comes with Jaguar. When you install Jaguar, if you don't have a DVD drive at the time the DVD Player will not install.

The DVD Player is not available as a standalone upgrade. SOOOOO, if you upgrade to a combo drive like I did, you can't install the latest DVD Player application. Furthermore, the last DVD Player available to download (3.1.1) REQUIRES an Apple-branded DVD to run (I'm hearing 3.2 doesn't).

SOOOO...that "patch" on XLR8YourMac.com is for Pacifist. It allows you to open .pkg files on the Jaguar installation disk and install individual folders. SO, you can apparently get 3.2 that way.

What a mess.

greg

ReggieX · Jan 5, 2003, 02:47 PM

Hmm. I have an LG combo as well (32/10/40) and did a fresh install of Jaguar and the 10.2.3 updgrade just last week. DVD Player.app is 3.2. I think it's a little unstable, but it's there. Dunno...

ShortcutToMoncton · Jan 5, 2003, 04:47 PM

Like I said, Jaguar will install the DVD Player IF YOU HAVE ONE. If you don't, it won't be installed.

The catch is that you can only download the older DVD Player 3.1.1, which doesn't support non-Apple DVD drives. You can't download DVD Player 3.2, which WILL run on other DVD drives. You either need to install Jaguar AGAIN (just for a single application!) or uuse a program like Pacifist to more or less hack the Jaguar CD.

It doesn't make a whole lot of sense, at all. Why Apple doesn't just release the DVD Player 3.2 as a standalone download I don't know.

greg

Eug · Jan 5, 2003, 05:30 PM

Originally posted by ShortcutToMoncton:
The catch is that you can only download the older DVD Player 3.1.1, which doesn't support non-Apple DVD drives.

Yes it does. It worked fine with two or three non-Apple drives I've tried.

ShortcutToMoncton · Jan 5, 2003, 05:33 PM

Such as what drives? This is information coming from the Apple Discussion forums, by an Apple employee.

If it does work with other non-Apple drives, it's a fluke. NOT a rule.

greg

Eug · Jan 5, 2003, 07:59 PM

Originally posted by ShortcutToMoncton:
Such as what drives? This is information coming from the Apple Discussion forums, by an Apple employee.

If it does work with other non-Apple drives, it's a fluke. NOT a rule.

greg

Panasonic LF-D311 (DVD-RAM/-R recorder) and Toshiba SD-M1612 (DVD-ROM drive). I've also tried another - can't remember which. Might have been the Pioneer 104S slot load before I threw it out. (It was starting to die on me.)

It's not a rule of course but many drives will work. Indeed, X.2 now includes official support for the Pioneer A05 DVD-R/W recorder, and Apple has NO A05s in any of their machines. However, the easiest thing to do is simply to buy a drive that Apple currently uses in its machines and it will most likely work. YMMV.

ShortcutToMoncton · Jan 5, 2003, 08:38 PM

That's the thing; Jaguar runs fine with these drives, yes, but DVD Player 3.2 is NOT installed if you don't have a DVD drive (I had a CDRW).

Upgrading means you either need to buy a drive which is similar to those used by Apple (ie. more expensive), buy a cheaper drive and reinstall your entire OS, or use a hack like Pacifist.

According to the Apple guy, DVD Player 3.2 is now considered a "core system component", which is why it isn't available as a separate download. What nonsense. This whole mess could simply be avoided if Apple would just let us download 3.2 INSTEAD of 3.1.1.

Foolishness.

greg

galarneau · Jan 5, 2003, 08:48 PM

what model LG is it? I used a 4120B combo drive in my Quicksilver 800 and it worked fine.

Like the others said, you may have to reinstall OS X to get the dvd player app, or maybe use Pacifist to extract it out of the installer.

As for the tray sticking on the door, be sure to remove the faceplate on the end of the tray. It should just pop off (slide up?) off the tray.

Eug · Jan 5, 2003, 09:36 PM

Originally posted by ShortcutToMoncton:
That's the thing; Jaguar runs fine with these drives, yes, but DVD Player 3.2 is NOT installed if you don't have a DVD drive (I had a CDRW).

Upgrading means you either need to buy a drive which is similar to those used by Apple (ie. more expensive), buy a cheaper drive and reinstall your entire OS, or use a hack like Pacifist.

According to the Apple guy, DVD Player 3.2 is now considered a "core system component", which is why it isn't available as a separate download. What nonsense. This whole mess could simply be avoided if Apple would just let us download 3.2 INSTEAD of 3.1.1.

Pacifist isn't a hack. It simply extracts the software from Jag install disc.

As for buying the drives similar to ones Apple uses, they may or may not be more expensive, but it's the smart thing to do.

ie. Try to tailor your purchases to drives that are known to be supported.

PHoynak · Jan 5, 2003, 10:29 PM

I installed a reburb/used Apple slot load dvd drive into my daughters iMac 350 and did not have any problems. I paid $59 for it a few months back from MacResQ.

ShortcutToMoncton · Jan 5, 2003, 11:01 PM

I'm well aware Pacifist isn't a hack, per se. It DOES, however, allow functionality to the Jaguar CD that was not intended by Apple, and as such is "hacking" the CD.

The drive works fine. There are no problems with it working whatsoever, it's just not officially supported by Apple (other PC vendors like HP often use LG drives). I'm not going to spend $50 more just to get a drive that may or may not be recognized under DVD Player 3.1.1. I'm a freakin' student.

Reinstalling an entire OS just to get a 4.5 meg DVD application is beyond my comprehension, sorry. Not going to happen.

Yeah, I took off the faceplate garlarneau. It's fine now.

The bottom line is, if Apple would just use some common sense, they'd release a standalone installer for the latest DVD Player, and there would be no problems.

greg

Simon · Jan 6, 2003, 09:11 AM

Originally posted by ShortcutToMoncton:
Reinstalling an entire OS just to get a 4.5 meg DVD application is beyond my comprehension, sorry. Not going to happen.
...
The bottom line is, if Apple would just use some common sense, they'd release a standalone installer for the latest DVD Player, and there would be no problems.

Greg, I agree 100%. However, if you have bought Jaguar I think there is nothing wrong with just copying over DVD Player 3.2 from a friend's Jag disk. I can't imagine anybody would call that piracy since you have a legitimate Jaguar disk. That would save a complete re-install if you install a DVD drive after installing Jaguar on a non-DVD Mac.

However, if you have to re-install Jaguar, just use CCC to backup your original Jaguar partition. It will let you save a lot of time when it comes to getting back to a complete and running partition with your original prefs and settings.

veritable · Jan 6, 2003, 12:24 PM

In the time you have wasted bitching about it you could have used pacifist and got the DVD player. It takes less than 5 minutes. I use a very cheap samsung combo drive in QS and it required no mod for the flappy thing....

so either get watching your dvds or shut the frick up

ShortcutToMoncton · Jan 6, 2003, 01:15 PM

Very intelligent post there, kid. Keep it up. No, really.

I used Pacifist ages ago. My problem was that I shouldn't've had to go searching around for another program just so I can hack into the Jag Install CD and get DVD Player 3.2. If they'd just release it for download instead of 3.1.1, things would be much easier all around, hmmmm?

greg

veritable · Jan 6, 2003, 04:35 PM

Originally posted by ShortcutToMoncton:
Very intelligent post there, kid. Keep it up. No, really.

I used Pacifist ages ago. My problem was that I shouldn't've had to go searching around for another program just so I can hack into the Jag Install CD and get DVD Player 3.2. If they'd just release it for download instead of 3.1.1, things would be much easier all around, hmmmm?

greg

uhhh don't call me kid when you are doing all the whining. It would be much easier if you had a frickin clue and got on with it.

Simon · Jan 7, 2003, 03:40 AM

Originally posted by veritable:
uhhh don't call me kid when you are doing all the whining. It would be much easier if you had a frickin clue and got on with it.

Listen buddy, either help out or get out. This was an absolutely legitimate thread until you came here and started the insulting baloney. Please do us a favor and leave if you lack the ability to contribute helpfully.

veritable · Jan 7, 2003, 09:53 AM

Simon:

He is not looking for help, he is looking to troll. The answer to his problem is widely available and was offered to him promptly. Rather than saying thanks he continues to bleat and whine.

I would never question anyone's right to post about anything but I wonder after the correct answer is offered...it is rejected as unreasonable.

There are probably a number of very good reasons why Apple does not post the DVD player as stand alone D/L and these should probably not escape the mind of a reasonable person.

Regards