Why wont my 2010 Mini play DVD's properly?

[gilford]

Why haven't Apple fixed the DVD playback issue yet? Every time I put a DVD in and try to watch it its stuttering like mad!

Any ideas?

 

[Hellhammer]

What software are you using? You could try different apps like VLC and Plex

 

[gilford]

I've tried them all, all ate the same, jittery playback

I use Plex as my HTPC front end and usually play ripped BD's I've bought, but occasionally I want to watch a DVD but I en up having to rip it to the HD to make it watchable

 

[ljonesj]

sounds like your drive may be bad as my late 09 mini and my mid 2010 macbook pro play dvds fine for me

 

[gilford]

After researching it on the net I believe it is solely a unibody mini issue

I was just wondering if anyone on here had got a workaround.......

 

[MattA]

I thought my mini's optical drive had failed as well. It wouldn't mount CDs, DVDs, or anything. It'd just sit there and spin up and down before spitting it out.

A dirty laser lens was the culprit. I took a cleaning cloth I use for my glasses (really soft, yet very thin), poured some 91% alcohol on it, wrapped it around a credit card and gently worked it back and forth through the DVD slot. The lens is pretty close to the front, and after wiping the cloth over it a few times, I fired the machine up and tried some media. Everything mounted flawlessly.

This could help your stuttering playback as well. It sure can't hurt to try.

 

[gilford]

Is yours a 2010 unibody mini?

Over on Apple Discussions it is well documented that this fault is that of the mini

I just thought someone on here may have found a fix. It is VERY annoying as I only bought it to use as a HTPC but as I rip most of the stuff I buy to my HD for paying through Plex I can live with it. It's just the stuff I borrow off friends etc which wont play, I end up having to turn the blu ray player on to watch it, how old fashioned is that!

 

[btbrossard]

I thought my mini's optical drive had failed as well. It wouldn't mount CDs, DVDs, or anything. It'd just sit there and spin up and down before spitting it out.

Our 2010 mini also gave up on reading CDs or DVDs. Put one in and it would click and clack for a while before just giving up without ever mounting.

In a fit of rage, I went to WalMart and bought a can of compressed air (I know, probably not the best, but my rage had gotten the best of me at this point) and blew out the inside of the mini.

I took the bottom cover off and cleaned that out as well. It seemed to have collected a bit of dust.

The mini is much happier now and optical media is just fine. We have at least 6 other computers in the house running most of the time and the mini is the only dust magnent.s