# CDs stutter in Windows Media **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 1, 2002, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cds-stutter-in-windows-media/116816 "2002-07-01T12:56:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jmpride62](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c37758/32.png) [@jmpride62](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jmpride62)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2002, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cds-stutter-in-windows-media/116816/1 "2002-07-01T12:56:48Z")
Why do CDs “stutter” (for lack of a better term) when I play then in Windows Media. Or the sound will drop out for a moment. They do this even when Windows Media is the only major program running. It’s not the CDs, and I have oodles of computer resources. Can this be prevented. Do other players exhibit this problem less? Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Stupendous\_man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a8b319/32.png) [@Stupendous\_man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stupendous_man)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2002, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cds-stutter-in-windows-media/116816/2 "2002-07-01T13:10:53Z")
What OS are you using? 95, 98, Me, or Xp? Check to see if DMA is enabled on your drive if it can be… Check to see if your sound car has updated drivers or software. Check to see if Windows Media Player has an update you can get. Try cleaning your cd drive. It may be dirty. If running XP, check to see if you have dozens of services running that don’t need to be… Not programs… Services. ---
**Author:** ![jmpride62](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c37758/32.png) [@jmpride62](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jmpride62)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2002, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cds-stutter-in-windows-media/116816/3 "2002-07-01T13:16:29Z")
Running windows ME CD Drive not dirty - brand new What’s DMA? Will try the other suggestions - Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2002, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cds-stutter-in-windows-media/116816/4 "2002-07-01T15:24:36Z")
“What’s DMA” Thats what I would think it is. It’s a setting that makes your drive work faster for reading media files… start;settings:control panel:system;DM:cdrom:properties:enable DMA ---
**Author:** ![jmpride62](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c37758/32.png) [@jmpride62](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jmpride62)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2002, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cds-stutter-in-windows-media/116816/5 "2002-07-01T23:12:19Z")
DMA was enabled, and I updated all the drivers for my machine. Still exists. For the record, it only occurs once or twice per track, but it is still annoying :eek: It doesn’t occur when I play DVD’s only CD’s. Any other suggestions, or do I learn to live with it? ---
**Author:** ![Nightsong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nightsong/32/3083_2.png) [@Nightsong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nightsong)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2002, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cds-stutter-in-windows-media/116816/6 "2002-07-02T00:38:52Z")
Do you still have problems with stuttering if you use another program to play the CD’s with? Such as the relatively no-frills CD player Windows bundles with the OS? (Under XP it’s in: programs --\> accessories --\> entertainment) Or Winamp? Or… (I’m sure you get the picture.) If it stutters no matter what, then I’m inclined to think that either something is wrong with the CD drive itself (do you have another CD dive in the comp you can use? does it do the same in that one?), or else WinME isn’t doing something right (could be a couple of different things). * * * \<\< Fooooooooooooo! \>\> ---
**Author:** ![happyheathen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5e925/32.png) [@happyheathen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/happyheathen)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2002, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cds-stutter-in-windows-media/116816/7 "2002-07-02T00:43:13Z")
yo may have a copy-proof CD - the mfg’s deliberately tweak the optics to prevent PC’s from being able to read (then copy) a CD. I have one CD which does this - the fix is involved, and may raise the objections of the MODS, so first - do these CD’s say anything about “cannot be played on computers”? Can they be played normally on a dedicated CD player? Discman, car, anything? The tell-tale is a transparent ring around the perimeter of the disc (at least in my experience) (what I had to do to get a damed $8 oldie to work involved a magic-marker and an ancient 4x CD reader) (the things I do for Dreck 😃 ) ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2002, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cds-stutter-in-windows-media/116816/8 "2002-07-02T00:57:14Z")
Use another CD/audio player that is less resource intensive. Windows Media player is a resource hog. Try Winamp. ---
**Author:** ![jmpride62](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c37758/32.png) [@jmpride62](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jmpride62)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2002, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cds-stutter-in-windows-media/116816/9 "2002-07-02T01:53:27Z")
Thanks for the suggestions. I’ll try another player and hope for the best. I’ll report back 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![jmpride62](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c37758/32.png) [@jmpride62](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jmpride62)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2002, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cds-stutter-in-windows-media/116816/10 "2002-07-02T02:18:37Z")
Winamp appears to have done the trick. Not only is the stuttering gone, but the sound quality seems better as well. However, that may be just me. Thanks!! 🙂