Xbox 360 won't play DVDs (1 Viewer)

Does the Xbox 360 play DVDs like a normal DVD player? I put one in (for the first time) and it ba-deeps and goes to a solid black screen. I changed resolution from 1080i to 480p, but it didn't change anything. I've not tried any other DVDs yet. I can't find anything useful in a Google search; maybe my 360 is defective?

Yes, it does.

Have you tried a different DVD? If not, do so. Could be a bit of head alignment issue that impacts a particular DVD (I'm assuming your game discs are playing OK). Unfortunately, that does mean a defective optical drive and will require repair at some point. But as long as your games play, you may choose not to do it, and just play DVDs on another device.

Unless you install frequently used games to the hard drive, the 360 spins the optical disc all the time during gameplay which, IMO, really compromises the life span of the unit. (But that's just my speculation.)

Tried a different movie and it's working. How strange. So it has problems with a certain DVD. I wonder if Veronica Mars S3 has special copy protection that confounds the 360...

My 360 is my most reliable dvd player, it can play dvd's that my PS3, Kenwood, JVC and Sony players cant read.

I know my Toshiba HD-XA2 cannot play Leatherheads due to the copy protection that is on it, I wonder if it is a similar issue?

Can't say; only that my 360 is bested by a mid-range, 10 year old DVD player. It's too bad, because it would be convenient to use the 360 as the DVD player right now.

I believe your speculation is correct. The heat generated by the constant spinning is a primary culprit in the Red-Ring-of-Death (which my first 360 succumbed to last fall).

--Jefferson Morris

I've found that the trouble-maker disc was scratched. My DVD player may be much more fault-tolerant that the Xbox. Since the Xbox is now hooked up, I'll try using it again with the next DVD in queue. Although with the roaring 360 drive, it still may not be a good DVD player.

I'll be glad when my HDMI cables arrive and I can have both 360 and DVD connected at once