How To Play DVD on Laptop

Have you ever tried to play a DVD on your laptop only to discover that no matter how you try, it just won't play? Some laptops include a media player that can only play the built-in player’s media files. This is bothersome since people automatically put a DVD in the laptop's DVD player and expect it to play, only to discover it isn't the case. For some reason, some built-in players won't play commercial DVDs, necessitating the installation of a third-party media player.

Can You Connect a DVD Player to a Laptop?

Sadly, you can't simply unhook a DVD player from the television and attach it to your laptop to play DVD movies. However, you could connect a DVD player to your laptop through HDMI using a video capture card that connects to the laptop's USB port, or you can buy an external USB DVD drive and plug it into your laptop.

Connect a DVD Player to a Laptop

The DVD system is among the most widely used optical disc storage formats in the world. It allows you to watch digital movies, save data, and do a variety of other things. By attaching an external DVD player, older laptops that lack a built-in DVD-ROM drive may still be used to play DVDs.

Using an HDMI Cable

• Connect the cable to the HDMI port on your DVD player. If your DVD player has a USB port instead of an HDMI port, you can still use that port.
• Plug the other end of the HDMI cord into your laptop's HDMI port.
• Make sure that both connections are secure. A strained cable may cause disruptions in your audio or video, so ensure the HDMI cord isn't being yanked too tightly.
• Finally, start watching a DVD movie by inserting it into the DVD player. If your sound or audio isn't working properly, it could be a problem with your cable. If this is the case, try a different one.

Using an External USB DVD Drive

• Connect the cable to your DVD external drive.
• Plug the other end of the USB cable into your laptop.
• Verify that both USB connections are secure.
• If your laptop is turned off, turn it on.
• Lastly, follow the steps to download any software or drivers needed.

DVD Won’t Play on a Laptop

You slide a DVD into your laptop's DVD-ROM, expecting it to load and play properly. Sadly, your laptop seems unable to play it. It's possible that your operating system lacks adequate DVD playback software, or that something is might be wrong with your DVD drive. Upgrading your laptop or installing a new operating system might also potentially wipe out the right DVD drivers. There might also be problems with the media player software you're using to play the DVD, or you could have picked an inappropriate region option for the player.

Here's how to solve it:

• Try uninstalling and reinstalling the DVD drive.
• Setup the correct drivers first without removing the drive.
• Download the most recent version of the DVD player application you regularly use to play DVDs. Players, such as the VideoLan VLC Player, get frequent updates, and if the DVD won't even play in the version you have set up on your laptop, an upgrade may include the codecs required for the player to read and play the disk.
• Get the required plugin for your media player. Some computer-based media players like Windows Media Player can play DVDs but require an extra component to read disks.
• Alter the region on your DVD drives.  DVDs have region codes to prevent unauthorized playback. Log in as an admin to your laptop and view the disk by navigating to the Device Manager and choosing the DVD drive. Pick "Properties" and adjust the region code on the "DVD Region" page.

How To Watch DVD on a Laptop Without a DVD Player

You have a disk that you want to play, but your laptop lacks a DVD player. So, what now? Here are a few options for playing a DVD on a laptop that doesn't have a disk drive.

Use an External DVD Drive

External drives are inexpensive and easy to use. Simply attach one to your laptop through a USB port, wait for the installation to complete, and you're good to go.

Make ISO images for Virtual Disks

You may make ISO files that stay on your desktop if you wish to play a game on disk even without needing an external drive later on. Then you may access them whenever you want without linking to the external disk each time you would like to play.

Rip Files from CD, DVD, or Blu-ray

While you're creating game files on your external drive, try extracting the data from your favorite disks for later. A variety of software programs, such as Apple's iTunes and Windows Media Player, make this simple. Just be aware that some copyright safeguards could make creating a digital duplicate of a physical movie DVD or Blu-ray disk tricky.

How to Chromecast a DVD From a Laptop

The Google Chromecast is a low-cost, easy-to-use device for streaming video content to your television. This Google technology allows you to transmit material from a laptop as well as mobile devices. Chromecast allows you to cast your screen without transferring any files. You can Chromecast your DVD from your laptop to your TV screen if you don't have a DVD player.

Convert DVDs to Chromecast Supported File Formats

Before you can start casting, you must first use a DVD converter to convert DVDs to Chromecast-compatible file formats such as MP4 and WebM encoded with the H.264 codec:

• Download and install a DVD converter.
• Select "Chromecast MP4 Video (H264)" as the output format.
• Begin converting DVD content to a Chromecast-compatible format.

Cast the Converted DVD Movie Files

After you've saved the digital copy to your laptop, you can use Chromecast to start casting:

• Install the Google Cast extension in your Chrome browser.
• Type the video file address into the address bar.
• Begin streaming DVDs from your laptop to your television using Chromecast. When you play the DVD movie in Chrome, you can broadcast it to your TV through Chromecast by using the Google Cast extension. When you click the Google Cast extension symbol in the Chrome toolbar and select the Chromecast device, the DVD video will be immediately streamed to the TV.

Because DVD players are becoming obsolete, most modern laptops do not have them. DVDs take up a lot of physical space, and there is a lot more content accessible for streaming online. If you've amassed a collection of DVDs over the years and wish to watch them now and then, however, the good news is that there are ways to play DVD videos even if your laptop lacks a built-in DVD player.