I tried to play FINAL DESTINATION 2 - which is one of New Lines\'s InfiniFilms - and now the sound on my DVDs skips and is scratchy. The sound is fine on everything else - just trashed on DVDs. What can I do? I looked for hardware conflicts, reloaded my HP QuickPlay, etc. I'm lost.

What software are you using to play DVDs? DVDs use a codec for audio/video...that could be causing your issue. try uninstalling your current software and trying new software to see of that helps. Jarvis -Technician TekTime www.time4tech.com

I'm using the QuickPlay that came with the HP notebook. I already did what you suggested and it didn't help. I thought it might be some kind of hardware conflict. Once before, after I installed Winamp to listen to music, it set itself as my default player and I had no sound for a while. But I troubleshot this and saw no hardware conflicts. I really don't know. This HP Pavilion dv9000 is a $2500 piece of Commie Chinese excrement! The DVD player is so flimsy that might be the problem - it's broken! Anyway, thank you for trying to help me. Sam

No prob. Try doing a google search of your drive and see if people are having simolar issues. it sounds like a software issue though. do you have the latest Firmware? Jarvis -Technician TekTime www.time4tech.com

I don't know about Firmware. How would that help me? Player has always had trouble spinning up the DVDs. It usually takes five minutes or more. How hard would it be to replace it? Would it have to be a HP player? And if you could explain the Firmware solution, I'd do that. Thanks.

Firmware may not help your situation, since you say it spins for quite awhile. Have you tried cleaning the laser with some alcohol and a Q-tip? That may help. If that doesn't work, the drive may be dying. I have the same problem with a Compaq laptop that I have. Nothing has fixed it, and it's sporadic. Hope that helps. Jarvis -Technician TekTime www.time4tech.com

I didn't mean to give you a -1. I can't figure out how the scoring thing works. I just clicked on the down arrow thinking it would give me a choice of grades - and you automatically got a -1. Sorry. I'll do the Q-tip thing. I have cleaned the DVDs before but it didn't help. The Q-tip might help the play problem, but I can't see that fixing the sound. I don't know. The only variable - that is, when the problem started - was trying to watch FINAL DESTINATION 2 with that goddamn New Line Cinema Infifilm garbage. I also tried to play THE GRUDGE 1 - and it also launched its own player resident on the DVD. It has to be a conflict among these players. I uninstalled one called Activision - I think that was THE GRUDGE 1 one - but the InfiniFilm player may still be on there and the basis of the conflict. I don't know! I'm a good applications guy - a wizard with Photoshop because I'm also a commercial photographer - but the complexities of what I call "ROM chip s---" - you know, what makes a computer a computer, propellerhead stuff - eludes me. I'm grateful to you guys for trying to help an ijit out. Well, I'll tell you, every cloud has a silver lining. Because of this issue, I've discovered the wonderful world of free online movies and have been watching a ton. Sam