My USB 2.0 docking station works fine for conventional PC display but does not play DVDs (I’ve tried multiple applications but none work). Some applications will display video but not audio, while others play audio with a black screen. DVDs play fine on the laptop screen (even when the docking station is connected and working) but disappears on the docked screen (for instance, when operating in extended screen mode and leaving the DVD window spanning the two screens, the video plays on the half of the window on the laptop screen but not on the half on the docked screen). This sounds exactly like Richard’s issue of a year ago, but I tried the Aero solution to no avail (Aero troubleshooter indicated that none of the issues were present). Is there another solution available?
Hi John,
Thanks for posting here! It sounds like a content protection issue. Can you post back and let us know which application you are using to play the DVDs?
Could you also let us know if other non-protected content plays fine on the external monitor connected to the graphics port of the Plugable Docking Station UD-160-A?
Regards,
Roze
I’ve tried the Toshiba Video Player that came with my Toshiba laptop (in which video is black but, after multiple attempts, I can get sound to play) and Windows Media Player (in which video plays without sound). I’m not sure what you mean regarding “other non-protected content” but I have not had any problem playing home videos or other downloaded video files. The only issue is with DVDs, but it applies to all DVDs we’ve tried.
John,
The fact that you can play all videos other than DVDs on the external monitor does confirm that the cause of the issue is in fact content protection. The content on DVDs is supposed to be protected.
Some computer systems enforce Windows Media® Digital Rights Management (DRM), and do not support the protected DVD content passing through a USB port. As the system does not allow protected DVD content to pass through USB ports, it will not play the video properly on external monitors connected through USB Graphics.
The Plugable Docking Station UD-160-A is a USB 2.0 Docking Station and is connected to the system through a USB port.
We recommend playing videos on monitors connected through the primary GPU anyway for best performance.
Hope the above information helps in understanding why you cannot play DVD videos on any external monitor connected to the system through USB 2.0.
If you need any help or information about any of our products, please do feel free to shoot us an email at support@plugable.com. We are here to help!
Regards,
Roze