Giving up on bluray

Posted by: mikeeschman on 22 April 2010

Just got Avatar on Bluray. Takes over thirty minutes to load and then won't play.

Pioneer Elite Bluray with all software upgrades, absolutely 100% current.

Back to DVD - screw Bluray.

Posted on: 06 May 2010 by TomK

quote:
Originally posted by winkyincanada:
For now, until my player messes me up, I'm just going to leave it all alone.

I'm sure the vast majority of punters do the same and I've no problem whatsoever with that. However as a long standing techie I'm always curious about what's available.
I actually bought Avatar mainly to see how my player would handle it as I'd never had any problems with any BDs before. I loved the movie in 3D but didn't really see it as one to buy. Unfortunately I'd already upgraded the firmware so I still haven't seen the LX-71 fail to play anything.

Posted on: 07 May 2010 by {OdS}

quote:
Originally posted by winkyincanada:
Well. I looked for updates. One thing is kind pants. The Sony site firmware updates are only available for download with Windoze. No Mac.

Winky, I wouldn't worry about that. It's just a matter of saying "will work 100% on other systems but we offer no guarantee". I'm doing my updates via a Solaris machine which obviously is not listed as "compatible" on the Pioneer website

Posted on: 07 May 2010 by tonym

There's much that doesn't make sense to me with this BluRay compatibility issue. My Oppo player hasn't updated itself for at least a month or so yet played Avatar with no problems. I've got an ancient (by BluRay standards!)Panasonic BD10A machine that resides in our kitchen and although I lost the will to live whilst it loaded, this also eventually played the Avatar disc.

I've a third player, a Panasonic BD55, for use in our holiday home which I've currently got here, and that won't play it!

I'm deeply puzzled.

Posted on: 07 May 2010 by {OdS}

This is showing something about the lack of maturity surrounding the use of the blu-ray technology by content providers. Would be far simpler to admit that most people are honest buyers and not thiefs.

Posted on: 07 May 2010 by winkyincanada

quote:
Originally posted by {OdS}:
quote:
Originally posted by winkyincanada:
Well. I looked for updates. One thing is kind pants. The Sony site firmware updates are only available for download with Windoze. No Mac.

Winky, I wouldn't worry about that. It's just a matter of saying "will work 100% on other systems but we offer no guarantee". I'm doing my updates via a Solaris machine which obviously is not listed as "compatible" on the Pioneer website

Thanks. I couldn't see how OS would make much difference as it is only downloading a file and burning it to disc. You've confirmed it for me. I'll still wait until I have problems before trying this, though.

Posted on: 07 May 2010 by Rockingdoc

Interestingly (to me anyway), the dealer I bought the Denon BD player from last week has just phoned me to ask if I've had any difficulty trying to play Avatar, and offering to do my update for me.
I wonder if they are phoning every customer they have sold a BD player to recently, or whether they got a directive from Denon?

Posted on: 07 May 2010 by rackkit

quote:
Originally posted by tonym:
There's much that doesn't make sense to me with this BluRay compatibility issue. My Oppo player hasn't updated itself for at least a month or so yet played Avatar with no problems. I've got an ancient (by BluRay standards!)Panasonic BD10A machine that resides in our kitchen and although I lost the will to live whilst it loaded, this also eventually played the Avatar disc.

I've a third player, a Panasonic BD55, for use in our holiday home which I've currently got here, and that won't play it!

I'm deeply puzzled.

This thread and that comment has just helped me make my mind up about which Blu-ray player to buy - when the time comes of course.

Posted on: 07 May 2010 by TomK

quote:
Originally posted by Rockingdoc:
I wonder if they are phoning every customer they have sold a BD player to recently, or whether they got a directive from Denon?

Maybe they're following this thread.

Posted on: 28 May 2010 by Stuart M

I've had a couple of disks now where I've had to update the players software. As I'm a techey and can burn a CD to do this for me no probs.

But for someone like my mum, or even most of my friends no chance no way would they think of looking for software update and be confident to perform it. Even if it was a 2.0 standard player no way would they think of connecting it to the net or looking for software update and most if it wasn't WiFi it would not be physically possible.

It's a mess that consumers will not put up with, combine this with regions, HDCP that make more than one screen a nightmare you wonder what the industry is doing. When punters who buy genuine merchandise cannot play it (except without help from friends like me - or pay £££ for service) they give up and end up borrowing the "Copy" from a m8 that plays perfectly. Once they've done that why pay for the real thing that won't play when they can spend a 1/3rd less that will, often this may be lower quality but free/cheap low quality you CAN watch is better than full price high quality you can't.

Yes I love the quality I get from blu ray, but I can not recommend one to someone who I could not tell to burn a CD to install an update. Have "fixed" 3 peoples blu rays so far due to region / firmware issues - insane.

Posted on: 29 May 2010 by Musicmad

I'm inclined to agree with Stuart M: if this firmware update issue is not resolved soon then the BD revolution will fail.

Yes, there are many who are comfortable - if not overly happy - with downloading updates, etc. but I guess the large majority of the nation (world?) prefer to put a highly-priced bought disc in the player, sit back, and press play.

I purchased the Pioneer BDP-LX51 at the start of this year and whilst I enjoy the better resolution, I can't honestly say that I think it was a wise purchase. I find that DVDs - and DVrs - played on the DVR (Pioneer DVRLX60D) - are so good (upscaled, I presume) that the BD extra resolution is not that significant.

I've done two firmware updates (via the PC ~ CDr) in four months ... which equates to the number of BDs I've purchased: 2. Their cost is also prohibitive.

I don't think the industry is going to make that much money out of me!

Posted on: 29 May 2010 by IWC Doppel

quote:
Originally posted by ianmacd:
quote:
Originally posted by mikeeschman:
Just got Avatar on Bluray. Takes over thirty minutes to load and then won't play.

Back to DVD - screw Bluray.

Mike

Mike I too have a BD3800 and it is a little slow now and again, but not a problem and I have never had any real concerns over speed. I have also had no problems with playing any discs since purchase in Feb 2009 and have never had ANY picture problems. I really would check it out.

I'm with you on this. I have a £1500.00 Denon 3800BD and the Blu Ray viewing experience over the last 12 months has been painful. I tried to kid myself it was OK but it's been a case of The Emperor's Clothes for me. It really came to a head this Monday with the release of the much anticipated Saving Private Ryan.

All sorts of picture artefacts, banding and a strange "pulsing" brighter every 2 or 3 seconds. And the DVD I have loads in 20 seconds and has no artefacts. I feel such a mug that I have been second buying all my DVDs as Blu Rays.

The main fiasco is setting the Audio Delay on the Denon for lip sync. I wait 5 minutes for SPR to load, watch a short sample from the film, then have to press Stop before I can enter the Denon Setup Menu, make some audio delay adjustments, leave Setup and..... Start the whole reload disk farce again because the disk wont "resume play" from where it was paused. And then if your adjustments aren't quite there, you do the whole thing again. It's a complete joke and I am totally fed up with it - especially as I had such high hopes for SPR being fault free.

I even have films where the lip sync is fine at the beginning of the film and gradually goes out of sync as the film progresses! I am one totally disillusioned Blu Ray fan.

I'm embarrassed when I think how much time I have squandered over the last 12 months messing with settings & configurations. I should have been out in the garden doing something a lot more meaningful.

Regards, Ian

Posted on: 29 May 2010 by IWC Doppel

quote:
Originally posted by IWC Doppel:
quote:
Originally posted by ianmacd:
quote:
Originally posted by mikeeschman:
Just got Avatar on Bluray. Takes over thirty minutes to load and then won't play.

Back to DVD - screw Bluray.

Mike

I'm with you on this. I have a £1500.00 Denon 3800BD and the Blu Ray viewing experience over the last 12 months has been painful. I tried to kid myself it was OK but it's been a case of The Emperor's Clothes for me. It really came to a head this Monday with the release of the much anticipated Saving Private Ryan.

All sorts of picture artefacts, banding and a strange "pulsing" brighter every 2 or 3 seconds. And the DVD I have loads in 20 seconds and has no artefacts. I feel such a mug that I have been second buying all my DVDs as Blu Rays.

The main fiasco is setting the Audio Delay on the Denon for lip sync. I wait 5 minutes for SPR to load, watch a short sample from the film, then have to press Stop before I can enter the Denon Setup Menu, make some audio delay adjustments, leave Setup and..... Start the whole reload disk farce again because the disk wont "resume play" from where it was paused. And then if your adjustments aren't quite there, you do the whole thing again. It's a complete joke and I am totally fed up with it - especially as I had such high hopes for SPR being fault free.

I even have films where the lip sync is fine at the beginning of the film and gradually goes out of sync as the film progresses! I am one totally disillusioned Blu Ray fan.

I'm embarrassed when I think how much time I have squandered over the last 12 months messing with settings & configurations. I should have been out in the garden doing something a lot more meaningful.

Regards, Ian

Mike I too have a BD3800 and it is a little slow now and again, but not a problem and I have never had any real concerns over speed. I have also had no problems with playing any discs since purchase in Feb 2009 and have never had ANY picture problems. I really would check it out

Posted on: 29 May 2010 by IWC Doppel

quote:
Originally posted by IWC Doppel:
quote:
Originally posted by IWC Doppel:
quote:
Originally posted by ianmacd:
quote:
Originally posted by mikeeschman:
Just got Avatar on Bluray. Takes over thirty minutes to load and then won't play.

Back to DVD - screw Bluray.

Mike

I'm with you on this. I have a £1500.00 Denon 3800BD and the Blu Ray viewing experience over the last 12 months has been painful. I tried to kid myself it was OK but it's been a case of The Emperor's Clothes for me. It really came to a head this Monday with the release of the much anticipated Saving Private Ryan.

All sorts of picture artefacts, banding and a strange "pulsing" brighter every 2 or 3 seconds. And the DVD I have loads in 20 seconds and has no artefacts. I feel such a mug that I have been second buying all my DVDs as Blu Rays.

The main fiasco is setting the Audio Delay on the Denon for lip sync. I wait 5 minutes for SPR to load, watch a short sample from the film, then have to press Stop before I can enter the Denon Setup Menu, make some audio delay adjustments, leave Setup and..... Start the whole reload disk farce again because the disk wont "resume play" from where it was paused. And then if your adjustments aren't quite there, you do the whole thing again. It's a complete joke and I am totally fed up with it - especially as I had such high hopes for SPR being fault free.

I even have films where the lip sync is fine at the beginning of the film and gradually goes out of sync as the film progresses! I am one totally disillusioned Blu Ray fan.

I'm embarrassed when I think how much time I have squandered over the last 12 months messing with settings & configurations. I should have been out in the garden doing something a lot more meaningful.

Regards, Ian

Ian I too have a BD3800 and it is a little slow now and again, but not a problem and I have never had any real concerns over speed. I have also had no problems with playing any discs since purchase in Feb 2009 and have never had ANY picture problems. I really would check it out