Why can't I play some Japanese DVDs lately?

[etto_neh]

I get a lot of dvds through here (in Japan) for research purposes (and no, I'm no pirate).

I use two IBM laptops (an old t20 and a t42), a newer panasonic cf-w4 laptop, and when I need something on the TV, a PS2. I've had NO problems reading discs for the last 2.5 years, but lately, some discs just won't be read on ANYTHING except the machine I have with the latest VLC player. Not even the ps2 likes 'em. Only the old t20 I have was bought outside Japan.

Prison Break season 1 vols 1 - 11 were fine, but vol 12 puked everywhere. I returned it twice (Tsutaya) for new copies, then the girl showed me on my final attempt that it worked fine on the machine in back.

Neither of my brand new (purchased) the Pirates of the Caribbean (1 and 2) work except with VLC.

Is there some new encryption stuff going on or what? These are all Japanese DVDs recently bought/rented.

[baka tono]

Maybe the DVDs just dont like you anymore.

[baka tono]

damn I hit post twice and cant delete one so ignore this.

[Kuang_Grade]

edited...reread the question and my suggestion wouldn't have been of use

[james]

honestly, i'd just spend 8,800 yen at amazon.co.jp and buy something like this:

this

then find someone with the firmware update . so far it plays damn near anything i've thrown at it, any region, pal / ntsc, divx avi files etc..

[Socratesabroad]

If you're putting the laptops through heavy DVD viewing/usage, that might explain the drive problem. Maybe the drives have passed their prime.

Check to see if you can read/access CDs. If so, the drives are probably worn out.

It sounds strange, but here in China a friend's China-produced NEC laptop had the drive die after several years - same problem as I described: CDs were fine but one day she couldn't watch DVDs any more. I replaced the drive and she's back to watching DVDs with no hiccups.