# Why does a DVD play better on a DVD player than on my computer? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 12, 2008, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-a-dvd-play-better-on-a-dvd-player-than-on-my-computer/476835 "2008-12-12T04:05:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2008, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-a-dvd-play-better-on-a-dvd-player-than-on-my-computer/476835/1 "2008-12-12T04:05:06Z")
When I play DVDs on my MacBook, I often get a “skipping over damaged area” message, when the disc operates perfectly fine on a DVD player. This happens actually quite frequently, even with absolutely brand-new discs right out of the box. What’s going on? ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2008, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-a-dvd-play-better-on-a-dvd-player-than-on-my-computer/476835/2 "2008-12-12T04:17:41Z")
The computer DVD drive has a lower tolerance for errors, as it is also designed to be used to install software, which can’t be extrapolated like video data can. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2008, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-a-dvd-play-better-on-a-dvd-player-than-on-my-computer/476835/3 "2008-12-12T04:25:27Z")
It depends on two things: the software, and the hardware. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2008, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-a-dvd-play-better-on-a-dvd-player-than-on-my-computer/476835/4 "2008-12-12T19:12:20Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > The computer DVD drive has a lower tolerance for errors, as it is also designed to be used to install software, which can’t be extrapolated like video data can. I suppose that makes sense. But it means I’m going to have to hunt down a portable DVD player, I guess. ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2008, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-a-dvd-play-better-on-a-dvd-player-than-on-my-computer/476835/5 "2008-12-12T19:36:07Z")
The drive on the Mac should work just as well. I would say the Mac drive is just a bit on the edge. I have had drives like that which later got worse without failing entirely. Maybe a cleaning and/or realignment would help but drives are so cheap you could just get a new one, which is what I did. ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2008, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-a-dvd-play-better-on-a-dvd-player-than-on-my-computer/476835/6 "2008-12-12T21:00:54Z")
A real cd players plays cds better than your pc as well. Most computers’ DAC sucks. ---
**Author:** ![Kinthalis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kinthalis/32/16084_2.png) [@Kinthalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kinthalis)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2008, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-a-dvd-play-better-on-a-dvd-player-than-on-my-computer/476835/7 "2008-12-12T21:10:00Z")
Who uses DAC’s for playing audio CD’s on their PC now a days? It’s all digital. Inf act, I’d day that the PC can do a better job, depending on the audio hardware. Same goes for DVD’s, taking into account quality of picture/audio your PC has a lot of muscle to turn on lots of filters on the fly. It’s up to the software to utilize that power though. The op’s problem sounds like a hardware issue. Can you replace your DVD player? I know mac hardware is more expensive, but a DVD burner for a PC is like $30. It can’t be that much more for a mac. ---
**Author:** ![gazpacho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6f9a4e/32.png) [@gazpacho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gazpacho)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2008, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-a-dvd-play-better-on-a-dvd-player-than-on-my-computer/476835/8 "2008-12-12T21:27:51Z")
> [@Kinthalis](#): > > Who uses DAC’s for playing audio CD’s on their PC now a days? It’s all digital. At some point there is a DAC. It may be some kind of 1bit sigma delta converter but the speaker or headphones are analog and the computer is digital so there is a Digital to Analog Converter somewhere. ---
**Author:** ![Kinthalis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kinthalis/32/16084_2.png) [@Kinthalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kinthalis)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2008, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-a-dvd-play-better-on-a-dvd-player-than-on-my-computer/476835/9 "2008-12-12T21:42:44Z")
True, I was thinking of the old DAC that went from Cd straight to the card. But the audio card is the DAC now, and even a lowly built in audio chipset on a mobo is going to do a good job of it, never mind a soundblaster audigy.