DVD not recognised?

[Grandpappy]

Why can I no longer just put a dvd into the player and have it play? The light flashes on the front for a few seconds then stops. I use Media Player 11 and I've tried VLC, but nothing seems to play my dvd's.
I just want to watch some free films that I get with the Sunday papers.
Thanks for any help

[ChuckFickens]

If you check in "my computer" is the drive listed there?

[Grandpappy]

Yes, the drive is shown as drive D

[Wak]

This may be a silly question but have you got a DVD player installed or is it just a CD player???

[Wak]

I would also add that VLC will usually play anything so maybe the DVD drive is Kaput!!!
Or maybe the lenses need cleaning??

[ChuckFickens]

I assumed from the "no longer play" that it has previously played DVDs

what happens if you open my computer so you can see the icon for the drive and then put a DVD in the drive, the title for the icon should change to the name of the DVD. Does it?

[Grandpappy]

Chuck Fickens:
The name doesn't change - the green light flicks on/off for about 15/20 seconds then goes out. The drive is shown as :- HL-DT-ST DVD+- RW GWA4164B. I've downloaded 'stacks' of drivers etc. from Dell.
Ye s,the system used to play DVD's films etc, and still playes and burns CD's.
Thanks so far.

[ChuckFickens]

sounds like the DVD part of the drive has had it then.

all DVD/CD combo drives have a dual laser package, (one 650nMs the other 750nMs wavelength), one for CDs and the other for DVDs and it perfectly feasible (and actually quite common) that one of these fails and the other still works fine.

If it's a desktop computer then get a new drive, they are less than £20 if it's a laptop they are a lot more expensive :(

[Grandpappy]

Thanks Chuck 'IT God & Lord of the Cyber Wave' Fickens,
This result has been suggested as the reason for the symptoms the drive is displaying on more than one occasion; it looks like a new drive!
I now bow to your superior knowledge and experience and ask which drive you would suggest and whether or not it's 'easy' to replace the defunked one and install the new one?

Thank you so far
Cheers