DVD FAQ

  1. Why won't my Bubble Vision DVD play on my TV?
  2. Why won't my Bubble Vision DVD play on my computer?
  3. Why won't Bubble Vision video clips play on my computer?

1. Why Won't My Bubble Vision DVD Play On My TV?

This is a rare problem but it does sometimes occur. It is possible that your DVD player is not compatible with the DVD. Unfortunately a small number of DVD players, mostly older models, do not support the DVD-R format that we produce. A list of DVD player compatibility can be found here.

All the DVDs we produce are tested for correct function on a Pioneer DV-233 player and also in a computer's DVD drive before we deliver. We know that B&O TV's with integrated DVD players are known to reject DVD-R disks.

One possible problem might be the video standard of the DVD. We supply both PAL and NTSC DVDs and the standard is chosen by you when you order depending on your country. Note that most TVs in the USA, Canada and Japan will correctly display only NTSC format DVDs, not PAL. But most TVs in PAL countries are "multi-function" and will also play NTSC. The correct video standard for your country can be found here.

If your Bubble Vision DVD will not play on your TV, try it on another player if you have access to one, or on a computer with a DVD drive (see question 2, below). If it won't play on the computer, look to see what files are on the disk. On a Windows PC, open "My Computer", right click over the DVD and choose "explore", then you should see 2 folders on the DVD, VIDEO_TS and AUDIO_TS. Inside the VIDEO_TS folder you should find some files ending in .vob and .ifo. If these are present it indicates that the DVD-R disk is probably OK. If the files are not there or you cannot access the DVD-R disk at all, it indicates a problem with the disk or the DVD drive.

Note that we never put a region code on our DVD's. They are region-free.

More help: DVD FAQ and DVDR Help.

If you still have trouble, contact us (Bubble Vision customers only please) with as much information as possible about the problem.

2. Why Won't My Bubble Vision DVD Play On My Computer?

Of course the computer must be fitted with a DVD drive. Most DVD drives and computers with DVD drives ship with bundled DVD software. If your DVD will not play on the computer, try uninstalling your DVD software and installing it again. If it still does not function there may be a problem with your DVD drive or with your DVD player software. For the PC, we recommend WinDVD or PowerDVD software for best results. Your DVD will also play in Windows Media Player if there is an MPEG-2 decoder installed on your computer. DVD software includes an MPEG-2 decoder that should be automatically detected by Window Media Player. Alternatively you can download the free MPEG-2 decoder from Elecard.

If your DVD won't play on the computer, look to see what files are on the disk. On a Windows PC, open "My Computer", right click over the DVD and choose "explore", then you should see 2 folders on the DVD - VIDEO_TS and AUDIO_TS. Inside the VIDEO_TS folder you should find some files ending in .vob and .ifo. If these are present it indicates that the DVD-R disk is probably OK. If the files are not present or you cannot access the DVD-R disk at all, it indicates a problem with the disk or the DVD drive.

More help: DVD FAQ and DVDR Help.

If you still have trouble, contact us (Bubble Vision customers only please) with as much information as possible about the problem.

3. Why Won't Bubble Vision Video Clips Play On My Computer?

Our video clips are encoded in Windows Media Video WMV9 format and will play in Windows Media Player and other media players.

Get Windows Media PlayerThe appropriate player may well be pre-installed on your system, but if things don't seem to be working you can download and install the latest version of Windows Media Player for free. Many media players may download the Windows Media version 9 codec automatically if it is not already installed, so there may be a delay.

Unless you have a fast broadband connection, we recommend you download the videos before playing them. In Internet Explorer hold the cursor over the file name and select "Save Target As..." under the right mouse button. This stores a copy of it on your local disk and gives it the best chance of playing smoothly. It also allows you to continue browsing while the video downloads. The files are large, so please be patient.

If you still cannot play our video clips it is likely that your computer still does not have the correct codec installed or something is corrupted. In this case we recommend reinstalling Windows Media Player.