Defective DVDs - DVDfile.com forum for DVD, Blu-Ray, and HD-DVD

Mr. McMinn · 12-16-2001, 01:16 AM

I have posted 3 threads here about Apocalypse Now Redux, Play Misty for Me, and Beastmaster. I tried recently to watch Big Trouble in Little China with the commentary and it starts to mess up. I had never had a problem with my GE 1106p DVD player. I have never had any bad luck with any of my DVD movies until I bought my 1st copy of Planet of the Apes. That's when things started going down hill. I took POTA back to Wal-mart and got a new copy. It worked fine. Than there was Apocalyse Now Redux, I went throuhg 3 copies of it before I got my money back. Of course, Play Misty for Me had to be next. It done the same thing that ANR done, sound going in and out, then at the very end, it froze and just stopped. Though POTA and ANR came from Wal-mart, Play Misty for Me came from Suncoast. I took PMFM back to Suncoast and they have ordered a new copy for me free of charge. I was quite happy about that, but still had doubts. What if the new copy of PMFM is the same way? Suncoast doesn't offer refunds on "opened" items. I bought Beastmaster from Sunocast on Friday Dec. 14th, and lo and behold it is defective too! I will be taking it back when PMFM comes in over there. Then there is Big Trouble in Little China (2nd problem). I bought it at a Wal-mart super center. It played fine till about chp. 21 or so and started pausing alot, audio going in and out and freezing. I'll have to take it back to the super center because the local Wal-mat wouldn't take it because they had no more copies of BTILC. This is strange as I have over 100 DVD movies and they all play fine but the few I named above. My GE 1106p DVD player isn't the problem so it has to be disc issue. I blame the companies (Universal, Anchor Bay, Fox, Paramount) because they are getting CARELESS. They do not care about keeping a consumer happy with quality and "working" DVD movies, they just make batches and batches good or bad to be sold and make money. I never had this problem with DVDs then, so why now?

Quote:

When theres no more room in the world, DVDs will walk the universe!

tomdkat · 12-18-2001, 11:21 PM

Even though you are happy with your GE player, you *might* want to check out a different player to see if the error correction would be robust enough to alleviate some of the problems you're currently having.

It sounds like the GE is a rather "sensitive" player when it comes to discs w/ errors or dirty discs.

For example, my Pioneer DVL-919 DVD/LD player will NOT play a particular copy of "Galaxy Quest" after certain chapter. I've rented other copies and they play just fine on my player. So I would guess the plyaer is not at fault, but the DVD itself is "bad". Then i tried the problematic DVD in my DVL-919 again (after the "good copies went through ok) and it failed again. Good, the problem is recreatable.

Finally, I played the problematic DVD in my portable Pioneer PDV-LC10 player and it played just fine. So my final determination is the error correction code in the portable DVD player's firmware is newer/most robust than the error correction code in the DVL-919 which is why the PDV-LC10 can play that problematic DVD whereas my DVL-919 can't.

So, investigating a NEWER DVD player or maybe even a different brand (like Toshiba, Sony, Pioneer, or Panasonic) might be worthwhile for you....

Just a thought....

Peace.....

Mr. McMinn · 12-19-2001, 10:25 PM

A friend of mine tried Beastmaster on his DVD player and it worked fine. I have one more test to try then I will determine what the problem is for sure. I'm going to buy a new DVD player Thurs (tommorrow). I'm leaning toward a Sony DVD player since I can get it on sale. That GE player of mine served it's purpose and it is about to play out, prompting my soon to be purchase of a Sony. Thanks, tomdkat.

Nome King · 12-25-2001, 10:09 PM

Mr. Micminn,
I have never had a problem with my RCA player until a few days ago. I bought T2 UE, disc 2 wouldn't play, which i know gives some players trouble. But I had rented it and borrowed it, so I knew it wasn't my player just not reading it. So I exchanged it, and the new one is fine. Yesterday, my brother bought "Summer Catch" and it tends to glitch up, my Transformers I got today won't really play well, and my new Simpsons disc 3 glitches sometimes but not others. This problem has just started in the past week. However I think since I moved the player in my other room that is closer to our wood stove, dust seems to build up easier. So I am going to get it professionally cleaned, or get a cleaner or whatever. I don't think it's just the player messing up because they kind of mess up in different places different times I play them. I would say maybe you need the laser cleaned maybe? My discs are brand new, so I can't say that's the problem, and like I said, I haven't had any problem until just this week. I'll let you know what happens. By the way, if anyone knows of a good laser cleaner, let me know. Does anyone reccomend that liquid air stuff or whatever that is?

Mr. McMinn · 12-26-2001, 07:03 PM

I reccomend a phillps mag. laser lens cleaner. I have since bought a new dvd player and it is a sony and it works just fine.
Try the Phillips Magnavox Laser Lens cleaner.

12-18-2001, 11:21 PM	#2 (permalink)
tomdkat Official Forum Warmonger "Dial Tone" Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Hayward, CA, USA	Even though you are happy with your GE player, you might want to check out a different player to see if the error correction would be robust enough to alleviate some of the problems you're currently having. It sounds like the GE is a rather "sensitive" player when it comes to discs w/ errors or dirty discs. For example, my Pioneer DVL-919 DVD/LD player will NOT play a particular copy of "Galaxy Quest" after certain chapter. I've rented other copies and they play just fine on my player. So I would guess the plyaer is not at fault, but the DVD itself is "bad". Then i tried the problematic DVD in my DVL-919 again (after the "good copies went through ok) and it failed again. Good, the problem is recreatable. Finally, I played the problematic DVD in my portable Pioneer PDV-LC10 player and it played just fine. So my final determination is the error correction code in the portable DVD player's firmware is newer/most robust than the error correction code in the DVL-919 which is why the PDV-LC10 can play that problematic DVD whereas my DVL-919 can't. So, investigating a NEWER DVD player or maybe even a different brand (like Toshiba, Sony, Pioneer, or Panasonic) might be worthwhile for you.... Just a thought.... Peace..... __________________ My DVD Aficionado List "At last we shall reveal ourselves to the Jedi, at last we shall have revenge!"

12-25-2001, 10:09 PM	#4 (permalink)
Nome King Actor Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Fort Worth, Texas	Mr. Micminn, I have never had a problem with my RCA player until a few days ago. I bought T2 UE, disc 2 wouldn't play, which i know gives some players trouble. But I had rented it and borrowed it, so I knew it wasn't my player just not reading it. So I exchanged it, and the new one is fine. Yesterday, my brother bought "Summer Catch" and it tends to glitch up, my Transformers I got today won't really play well, and my new Simpsons disc 3 glitches sometimes but not others. This problem has just started in the past week. However I think since I moved the player in my other room that is closer to our wood stove, dust seems to build up easier. So I am going to get it professionally cleaned, or get a cleaner or whatever. I don't think it's just the player messing up because they kind of mess up in different places different times I play them. I would say maybe you need the laser cleaned maybe? My discs are brand new, so I can't say that's the problem, and like I said, I haven't had any problem until just this week. I'll let you know what happens. By the way, if anyone knows of a good laser cleaner, let me know. Does anyone reccomend that liquid air stuff or whatever that is? __________________ This is pretty good watermelon..........tastes like poop!

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12-19-2001, 10:25 PM	#3 (permalink)
Mr. McMinn I'm all out of bubblegum Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: --lying dead on the rooftop of Cable 54	A friend of mine tried Beastmaster on his DVD player and it worked fine. I have one more test to try then I will determine what the problem is for sure. I'm going to buy a new DVD player Thurs (tommorrow). I'm leaning toward a Sony DVD player since I can get it on sale. That GE player of mine served it's purpose and it is about to play out, prompting my soon to be purchase of a Sony. Thanks, tomdkat.

12-26-2001, 07:03 PM	#5 (permalink)
Mr. McMinn I'm all out of bubblegum Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: --lying dead on the rooftop of Cable 54	I reccomend a phillps mag. laser lens cleaner. I have since bought a new dvd player and it is a sony and it works just fine. Try the Phillips Magnavox Laser Lens cleaner.