I'm helping my uncle with his old Sony DVP-Ns575p/S Progressive Scan DVD player from 2016, but it seems to have trouble playing a lot of newer DVDs from the 2020s. For example, he tried watching Superman, but the DVD wouldn't load properly, and he couldn't access the menu, fast forward, or rewind. The movie only played halfway before stopping altogether. I let him borrow my Blu-ray player, and that worked fine. Is there any solution to this issue, or is the player just too outdated?
4 Answers
It's possible the player just can't keep up with newer technology. DVD players can be pretty inexpensive these days, and upgrading to a Blu-ray player could be a smart move. Just so you know, some DVD players need updates through USB or with a special data disc, but that's more common with Blu-ray players.
Your uncle's player is getting up there in age, so that could definitely be part of the issue. It might be worth checking the Sony support site for any firmware updates that could help with compatibility for newer DVDs.
There's also a chance that the laser in the player is failing. If that's the case, it would likely impact the playback of all discs, not just the new ones.
It might also be a compatibility issue. I saw a video by Technology Connections mentioning that some newer DVD releases are re-encoded in ways that don’t align with older players' standards. It could be that your uncle's player isn't compatible with certain DVDs anymore.
But how would you even perform that update? I didn't think DVD players needed updates like that, unlike gaming consoles. My old PS2 plays modern DVDs without any issues!