Disc playback issues
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Archived from the IMDb Discussion Forums — Blu-ray Disc Releases
TheGrindhouse — 10 years ago(July 26, 2015 04:14 PM)
I just picked up Shout Factory's release of The Island (1980) and when I put the disc in, the player shows the loading screen but it never actually loads. I tried it many times before returning it to the store for another, which did the exact same thing. I've only had this happen once before with Vampire Circus (1971). I don't think I need an update because my player has played much newer releases like American Sniper and Blackhat just fine. Does anyone know what might be going on?
We belong dead! - The Monster -
Nuclear_Exorcist — 10 years ago(July 27, 2015 02:33 AM)
Sounds like a random compatibility issue between the authoring of the disc and your player's firmware. An update may fix it but only if one is actually available. I've had some weird glitches in the past, such as menu screens failing to respond, discs refusing to load, discs loading up and going straight to the third chapter of the movie or a random screen from the extras menu, and in one odd case my old BD player couldn't detect the Dolby True HD track on Terminator 3 (instead it played the Dolby Digital core track), among other oddities. Which is why I have three BD players, because I figure the chance of any disc having the same problem with all three is fairly slim.
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micbarry — 10 years ago(November 03, 2015 01:54 AM)
I would check to see if there's a firmware update available for your player. Also, if you have a PS3 or PS4, you could try it on those (they get lots of updates and are compatible with almost any disc).
Although a bit pricey (but great value!) I use and recommend Oppo Blu Ray players. I am yet to find a disc it won't play, and the company is very good with releasing firmware updates to correct any issues that may crop up. -
Speed_Daemon — 10 years ago(November 03, 2015 02:36 AM)
Buyer beware. It should be noted that the Oppo brand is heavily marketed as being a recognized high end brand of great acclaim, but in fact the parent company is an OEM for lots of no-name products that are functionally identical. Oppo is not a brand that has any real proprietary merits to justify the extra cost.
As one engineer from China advised me, the cheapest player often has the most capabilities. Big name players often perform the worst precisely because they do attract more attention from the DRM industry. -
micbarry — 10 years ago(November 03, 2015 02:41 AM)
I was wondering about that myself, however I do notice the fantastic build quality, silent operation and device longevity.
I think it comes down to the fact that the US son/daughter company uses the Oppo platform for creating stable, quality firmware and good components in a quality chassis (the interior of the machines are just as high grade as the outside) and their customer service is good.
But I do question the pedigree of the parent company to be sure. -
Speed_Daemon — 10 years ago(November 03, 2015 03:48 AM)
You can thank the ISO 9000 family of quality control specs for the near-perfect build quality that's the norm these days. And you don't need to spend any extra money to get it.
Oppo is a Red China company (as is the parent company BBK), so the "made in the USA" fable is phony. And if you want a chassis that you can pass down to your grandchildren, never mind that the guts will be hopelessly obsolete, that's your prerogative. I'm very familiar with the cosmetic wow factor that's a favorite gimmick of luxury electronics makers, I'm just not impressed by it. I don't buy a Blu-ray player to look at it, I buy it to look at the show on the disc.
Sorry, but I've seen snake oil peddlers come and go for many decades now. It's all about parting fools from money. -
Speed_Daemon — 10 years ago(November 03, 2015 05:52 AM)
As I noted above, the cheapest model in the store is often the best choice. If it's a firmware/DRM problem, the most mass-produced hardware tends to get the most 3rd party support that can address the worst DRM offenders. If it is a hardware failure, replacing a $25 player hurts a whole lot less. It's not like there are boutique stores that have parts on hand to fix them while you wait.
The whole idea of having a dedicated player for spinning media is one that's due to go away. I'll be happy to see mechanical media transports go the way of the dodo. Until that happens I'm content to use my computer's optical drive instead. Of course that takes software and some skill, but once you master it, it's easy. The ripping software that I use is always on top of the most odious DRM schemes. -