DVD player suddenly stopped displaying video on external monitor and laptop screen simultaneously -- software or hardware?

Asus z70va w/ TSST CD/DVDW TS-L532A DVD/CD-Rom drive.

All of a sudden, about 2 weeks ago, when I chose the option to display the video portion on both my laptop screen and my external monitor, all that came up on the external monitor was a very dark blue screen. If I switched to either "LCD only or "CRT" only, just as it is about to switch the DVD picture suddenly flashes on the external monitor while it is on my LCD as well.

I don't have any other problem of simultaneous pictures on both displays -- desktop, Internet browser, any program running. Just when I play a DVD.

Did I inadvertently switch something in the software? Or is it an indicator the DVD player is about to die?

My warranty is about to run out in about 6 weeks. Proportable form whom I bought it is no longer in business. ASUS has helped me with other issues (like replacing a red-ghosting screen that Proportable, in its last gasps of existence installed to replace a defective screen in which the bottom 1/3 blanked out.)

I was going to send the Laptop in anyway because the jack where the headphones go is stuck and my laptop speakers won't play. (A common problem with this model I understand.)

I am considering getting a new Laptop to supplement this one that will also support a Dell 3008 WFP 2560 x 1600 display.

I am getting so nervous about ASUS's reliability in repair service -- I love my laptop despite its headaches (and there have been some doozies) but I am reluctant to venture there again, if their customer support sucks so badly.

 

By all other programs work, does that mean that all mpeg files will show on both screens? I had this problem before but it would happen with any video that WMP played. I don't really remember how I fixed it is the problem.

But if it is strictly DVD's only and all other video files will play then I honestly have no clue

 

Good question!

I just played a podcast from my school/ You have to save it to your hard drive and then it is set, when you say yes to opening the file, to play in Windows Media Player -- AND the same problem happens. The media player opens up on both screens, both screens turn the dark black/blue that occurs just before the file is played and bam! ... only the LCD of the laptop plays, the external monitor stays the dark black/blue..

So it can't be the DVD player --- does anyone have an idea? It must be software issue.

 

Do you have your external display set up as extended desktop or clone?

I remember that under a specific setup that some older ATI graphics cards couldn't show overlay on both LCD and external CRT at the same time (you'd get the video on the primary, but the other one would have a black/dark open space) unless you had a setting checked on the graphics card properties (ie: under display settings, advanced, then on one of the ATI tabs). I *THINK* the setting was called "Theatre mode" or something like that, and it would show the DVD/movie on the LCD as windowed or fullscreen but the CRT/ext. monitor always full-screen.

Is that what you had before?

 

Its your codecs or drivers or both not supporting dual screen. Try only using 1 screen.

Try using a different player first then try changing your codecs to K-Lite or Project CCCP.

Anyway a slimline drive costs about $40 and takes 2 mins to replace.