Blu-ray playback reliability

[Ashaman074]

I wanted to see if I could get some input from those with knowledge regarding the "real world" reliability of blu-ray as a format. In other words - call me crazy, but I think the #1 desire of the "everyman" out there is to pick up the disc, press power, press open/eject, press play, and be DONE.

This has been far from my experience since adopting this format. I bought my first player last November. It was a cheap player, and I knew it at the time. Back in the days of analog, I used to be very particular about components, but shortly after the digital era dawned I realized that strings or 1's and 0's are the same regardless of manufacturer (in terms of quality anyway).

Since the purchase of this player - a Memorex MVBD2510c - I have rented 6 titles. My first-viewing attempt has been successful for TWO of those so far. The first failure was when trying to view "Taken," when after the usual agonizingly-long loadup time I was presented with a message informing me to contact the player manufacturer for an update. Well, I had a roomful of guests at the time so this was MOST unwelcome. I quickly ran up to the computer, jumped on the net, and sure enough, an update had just been released. I downloaded the image and found it required a blank CDR for the process (in spite of the USB port sitting right on the front of the player). Well personally, I haven't used a CDR in years! I had only DVD-Rs and flash drives on hand. Eventually I got it burned, flashed the player, and the title played, but it was days after the invited guests were gone.

Thinking my player could now pull off the incredible feat of playing titles rented from the nearest Blockbuster, I then picked up Braveheart and Gladiator. NEITHER would play. Both give me an exercise in patience while the LOADING screen displays, then giving way to an animated icon (sword and wreath respectively) and then doing NOTHING.

Frustrated I grabbed my Dell XPS M1530 with a Blu-ray recorder & HDMI output. I hooked it up to my HDTV and was able to watch Braveheart. Gladiator however did the same thing as my Memorex player - it sat at the animated startup logo and nothing else.

So - the bottom line is that I am thoroughly frustrated with this format. So much so that I am really considering just renting titles in DVD format because reliability is CRITICAL. No increase in sound or resolution can make up for the time lost and frustration of a new title that will not play.

I say this as someone who has worked as a network for the past 15 years - some people are so wary of any form of technology they wouldn't even know where to begin in terms of upgrading a player's firmware - can anyone explain to me why this is necessary? This is something that is unprecedented in the history of consumer media. The 45, LP, Reel to Reel, 8 track, cassette, VHS, DVD, you-name-it all have had one thing in common - they required the user to pick it up, put it on/in the player and PRESS PLAY to enjoy.

How long are these firmware updates going to go on? It seems to me that once a standard is published so to speak, every single disc adhering to that standard should play without issue. I can accept that new/immature formats can experience these types of issues, but there are way too many manufacturers experiencing way too many issues from way too many titles as it is.

Even more baffling is why I can take two titles, released at the same time, put them in the same Dell XPS, and have one play but one fail (coincidentally failing in the exact same way it did in the Memorex player).

So yes - I really don't know what else to do with Blu-ray at this point. At first I thought buying an inexpensive player was the reason and I was to blame, but after buying a second player, the problems have continued. Compounding the frustration is the search results I see after a Google search with various players - from budget to high-end.

Invariably posts like this attract the "Aw ur stoopid players sux I just hooked my xxBRAND up using coat hangers and it plays movies that aren't even out yet" responses - but I am hoping for some form of useful information or insight as I am in love with the quality of HD at this point

Thanks in advance!

[bhampton]

PS3 -> 100% reliable.

I've had mine since Nov 06 (when they came out, shortly after the beginning of the format) and it's only had a problem with one disc which was a rental from Netflix and that's because I didn't notice there was a crack in the disc before putting it in the player. (I always look at my Netflix since then.)

I seriously tend to watch something on Blu everyday. Netflix has lots of Blus now and turn around is quick where I live. If you want trouble-free Blu Ray then you should consider PS3.

-Brian

[Clark Kent]

I do not rent, so I can not really comment on that aspect. But I have over 500 newly purchased Blu-rays and not one has ever had one problem. Blu-ray is the most durable home video format ever invented with its scratch-free coating. Netflix, to reduce costs for themselves, uses ultra-cheap mailers that bend BDs too much, which sometimes affects playback. They got away with it on dvd because they are more flexible.

[progers13]

According to Ashaman074, when all else fails blame the format!

For my 2 cents, you provided your own explanation: you bought a Memorex blu-ray player?

As another poster stated, give the PS3 a shot before you blast the format simply because your "throw away" player is acting like a...well...a throw away player.

[syncguy]

Originally Posted by bhampton

PS3 -> 100% reliable.

...
-Brian

+1
blu-ray is a stable and reliable technology. and it is capable of producing an absolutely breathtaking picture... for example, when coupled with a reliable machine like PS3 and a high quality display.

[taipan70]

Originally Posted by Clark Kent

I do not rent, so I can not really comment on that aspect. But I have over 500 newly purchased Blu-rays and not one has ever had one problem. Blu-ray is the most durable home video format ever invented with its scratch-free coating. Netflix, to reduce costs for themselves, uses ultra-cheap mailers that bend BDs too much, which sometimes affects playback. They got away with it on dvd because they are more flexible.

you say you don't rent...so don't talk about netflix, k?

[taipan70]

Originally Posted by Ashaman074

I wanted to see if I could get some input from those with knowledge regarding the "real world" reliability of blu-ray as a format. In other words - call me crazy, but I think the #1 desire of the "everyman" out there is to pick up the disc, press power, press open/eject, press play, and be DONE.

This has been far from my experience since adopting this format. I bought my first player last November. It was a cheap player, and I knew it at the time. Back in the days of analog, I used to be very particular about components, but shortly after the digital era dawned I realized that strings or 1's and 0's are the same regardless of manufacturer (in terms of quality anyway).

Since the purchase of this player - a Memorex MVBD2510c - I have rented 6 titles. My first-viewing attempt has been successful for TWO of those so far. The first failure was when trying to view "Taken," when after the usual agonizingly-long loadup time I was presented with a message informing me to contact the player manufacturer for an update. Well, I had a roomful of guests at the time so this was MOST unwelcome. I quickly ran up to the computer, jumped on the net, and sure enough, an update had just been released. I downloaded the image and found it required a blank CDR for the process (in spite of the USB port sitting right on the front of the player). Well personally, I haven't used a CDR in years! I had only DVD-Rs and flash drives on hand. Eventually I got it burned, flashed the player, and the title played, but it was days after the invited guests were gone.

Thinking my player could now pull off the incredible feat of playing titles rented from the nearest Blockbuster, I then picked up Braveheart and Gladiator. NEITHER would play. Both give me an exercise in patience while the LOADING screen displays, then giving way to an animated icon (sword and wreath respectively) and then doing NOTHING.

Frustrated I grabbed my Dell XPS M1530 with a Blu-ray recorder & HDMI output. I hooked it up to my HDTV and was able to watch Braveheart. Gladiator however did the same thing as my Memorex player - it sat at the animated startup logo and nothing else.

So - the bottom line is that I am thoroughly frustrated with this format. So much so that I am really considering just renting titles in DVD format because reliability is CRITICAL. No increase in sound or resolution can make up for the time lost and frustration of a new title that will not play.

I say this as someone who has worked as a network for the past 15 years - some people are so wary of any form of technology they wouldn't even know where to begin in terms of upgrading a player's firmware - can anyone explain to me why this is necessary? This is something that is unprecedented in the history of consumer media. The 45, LP, Reel to Reel, 8 track, cassette, VHS, DVD, you-name-it all have had one thing in common - they required the user to pick it up, put it on/in the player and PRESS PLAY to enjoy.

How long are these firmware updates going to go on? It seems to me that once a standard is published so to speak, every single disc adhering to that standard should play without issue. I can accept that new/immature formats can experience these types of issues, but there are way too many manufacturers experiencing way too many issues from way too many titles as it is.

Even more baffling is why I can take two titles, released at the same time, put them in the same Dell XPS, and have one play but one fail (coincidentally failing in the exact same way it did in the Memorex player).

So yes - I really don't know what else to do with Blu-ray at this point. At first I thought buying an inexpensive player was the reason and I was to blame, but after buying a second player, the problems have continued. Compounding the frustration is the search results I see after a Google search with various players - from budget to high-end.

Invariably posts like this attract the "Aw ur stoopid players sux I just hooked my xxBRAND up using coat hangers and it plays movies that aren't even out yet" responses - but I am hoping for some form of useful information or insight as I am in love with the quality of HD at this point

Thanks in advance!

I'd strongly suggest that if you plan on having a room full of guests you test everything first.

[Johnny Vinyl]

I think the OP makes some very valid points. I very much agree with him about the constant firmware upgrades we must make, and that they are a royal PITA! I also agree with the OP that the format should have a standard, much like the other media before it. The OP isn't questioning the quality of Blu-ray......only the mechanics of it.

John

[Uniquely]

Originally Posted by John72953

I think the OP makes some very valid points. I very much agree with him about the constant firmware upgrades we must make, and that they are a royal PITA! I also agree with the OP that the format should have a standard, much like the other media before it. The OP isn't questioning the quality of Blu-ray......only the mechanics of it.

John

Exactly. This is one of the prime reasons that blu-ray adoption isn't going as fast as some would like. The OP certainly isn't the only person in the world to ever have these experiences. Here we are four years in, and there still isn't a complete set of standards. It has to be extremely annoying for those who aren't all that tech oriented and just want to enjoy their movies without having to worry about whether their player is compatible with their movies.

Why blame the OP for buying an economical player. He did buy a blu-ray player, and he just wants to play blu-ray discs in it.... so where exactly did he go wrong? He didn't go wrong. The changing standards are the problem. People never had to update their DVD players.... so this whole process of having to update BD players is completely foreign to most people and is probably extremely off putting.

[Johnny Vinyl]

Originally Posted by robinandtami

Exactly. This is one of the prime reasons that blu-ray adoption isn't going as fast as some would like. The OP certainly isn't the only person in the world to ever have these experiences. Here we are four years in, and there still isn't a complete set of standards. It has to be extremely annoying for those who aren't all that tech oriented and just want to enjoy their movies without having to worry about whether their player is compatible with their movies.

Why blame the OP for buying an economical player. He did buy a blu-ray player, and he just wants to play blu-ray discs in it.... so where exactly did he go wrong? He didn't go wrong. The changing standards are the problem. People never had to update their DVD players.... so this whole process of having to update BD players is completely foreign to most people and is probably extremely off putting.

Very well said robinandtami!

John

[RedZeppelin]

I, too, agree with the OP. The price of the player shouldn't matter. When I first bought a DVD player I purchased one of the cheapest models on the market. I never had a single problem with it. And it never required a single firmware update.

I can understand varying degrees of quality in upscaling and sound/picture quality, but there's no excuse for players that simply won't even play certain discs. It is frustrating for the average consumer, and as robinandtami pointed out, probably a big reason why adoption is slower than the industry would like.

I'm very new to the world of Blu ray, but as someone who is tech oriented I find myself aggravated a lot at the quirks of the format and the constant firmware updates needed to keep up with new titles. Hardware-wise BR just seems to be a very inconsistant technology.

[progers13]

Originally Posted by robinandtami

Exactly. This is one of the prime reasons that blu-ray adoption isn't going as fast as some would like. The OP certainly isn't the only person in the world to ever have these experiences. Here we are four years in, and there still isn't a complete set of standards. It has to be extremely annoying for those who aren't all that tech oriented and just want to enjoy their movies without having to worry about whether their player is compatible with their movies.

Why blame the OP for buying an economical player. He did buy a blu-ray player, and he just wants to play blu-ray discs in it.... so where exactly did he go wrong? He didn't go wrong. The changing standards are the problem. People never had to update their DVD players.... so this whole process of having to update BD players is completely foreign to most people and is probably extremely off putting.

Not true. People DID have to update their DVD players in order to utilize new features...it was called "buy a new one." Want progressive scan? Buy a new one. Want HDMI instead of component? Buy a new one. Want upscale? Buy a new one. Think they had firmware updates in 1998? While the hardware updates still cause some of this to happen on Blu-ray today, at least in this generation we have the luxury of firmware updates to address a lot of these issues so that people don't have to buy a new player each time a tweak is made.

The issue here is people like the OP want the latest and greatest, but then they buy inferior equipment and gripe that the problem is the format. Read some other threads on this forum about the lack of support given to Memorex. They're deemed "throw away" players for a reasons. Save yourself the grief and the headache - buy a PS3 and keep it up to date. As other posters have correctly stated, I've never had a compatability issue.

[Uniquely]

Originally Posted by progers13

Not true. People DID have to update their DVD players in order to utilize new features...it was called "buy a new one." Want progressive scan? Buy a new one. Want HDMI instead of component? Buy a new one. Want upscale? Buy a new one. Think they had firmware updates in 1998? While the hardware updates still cause some of this to happen on Blu-ray today, at least in this generation we have the luxury of firmware updates to address a lot of these issues so that people don't have to buy a new player each time a tweak is made.

The issue here is people like the OP want the latest and greatest, but then they buy inferior equipment and gripe that the problem is the format. Read some other threads on this forum about the lack of support given to Memorex. They're deemed "throw away" players for a reasons. Save yourself the grief and the headache - buy a PS3 and keep it up to date. As other posters have correctly stated, I've never had a compatability issue.

Progressive scan, HDMI and upscale are all completely different issues from simple movie playback issues. The OP bought a blu-ray player, and regardless of price.... most consumers would rightfully expect it to play blu-rays.

Only 68% of Americans even have broadband internet. Out of that 68% how many just have a broadband modem hooked up to their home PC? If a movie playing format HAS to rely upon the consumer not only having broadband internet, but also the ability to set up a wi-fi network in the home, to have a hassle free experience.... IMO that's a fault in the format.... not the consumers.

[P@t_Mtl]

I have a Samsung 1500 and now 100 BD. I never had one problem with a disc not playing in 14 months now. I never rent however so I can't really comment on those disc.

[progers13]

Originally Posted by robinandtami

Progressive scan, HDMI and upscale are all completely different issues from simple movie playback issues. The OP bought a blu-ray player, and regardless of price.... most consumers would rightfully expect it to play blu-rays.

Only 68% of Americans even have broadband internet. Out of that 68% how many just have a broadband modem hooked up to their home PC? If a movie playing format HAS to rely upon the consumer not only having broadband internet, but also the ability to set up a wi-fi network in the home, to have a hassle free experience.... IMO that's a fault in the format.... not the consumers.

Dude, you're missing the point. Ever heard the expression "you get what you pay for"? There are means available for people to do updates other than wi-fi network in the home. The issue, as I stated 2x previously, is that certain manufacturers are out for a quick buck and do not support their products. Memorex is one such manufacturer. So, again, before you blast the format, how about doing a little research and purchasing a product that continues to be supported by its manufacturer?

[Uniquely]

Originally Posted by progers13

Dude, you're missing the point. Ever heard the expression "you get what you pay for"? There are means available for people to do updates other than wi-fi network in the home. The issue, as I stated 2x previously, is that certain manufacturers are out for a quick buck and do not support their products. Memorex is one such manufacturer. So, again, before you blast the format, how about doing a little research and purchasing a product that continues to be supported by its manufacturer?

You're not looking at this objectively. Support from manufacturers has never been a huge issue with physical media playback before. You could buy a $50 DVD player, knowing full well that it wasn't the best DVD player out there, but it would still play all of your DVD's unless the player just outright broke on you. You didn't have to depend upon the manufacturer to issue an update every three months to ensure that the newest DVD's you bought would actually play. This is what consumers are used to with optical media playback.... and this is what they are expecting from Blu-ray..... and it is not suprising at all that they are disappointed when they find out that it's just not the case.

[Johnny Vinyl]

Originally Posted by progers13

Dude, you're missing the point. Ever heard the expression "you get what you pay for"? There are means available for people to do updates other than wi-fi network in the home. The issue, as I stated 2x previously, is that certain manufacturers are out for a quick buck and do not support their products. Memorex is one such manufacturer. So, again, before you blast the format, how about doing a little research and purchasing a product that continues to be supported by its manufacturer?

Regardless of whatever format one buys into or the components they choose to purchase, there will aways be manufacturers that don't support their customers as they should. This is simply a fact of life and will never change. It has zero to do with the OP's question.

I have never had any issues personally when playing a Blu-ray through my PS3 and updated firmware, but many people with standalone players do. There are many many threads about this here and elsewhere. The OP is just saying that Blu-ray players should be more plug-n-play and I completely agree.

John

[progers13]

Originally Posted by robinandtami

You're not looking at this objectively. Support from manufacturers has never been a huge issue with physical media playback before. You could buy a $50 DVD player, knowing full well that it wasn't the best DVD player out there, but it would still play all of your DVD's unless the player just outright broke on you. You didn't have to depend upon the manufacturer to issue an update every three months to ensure that the newest DVD's you bought would actually play. This is what consumers are used to with optical media playback.... and this is what they are expecting from Blu-ray..... and it is not suprising at all that they are disappointed when they find out that it's just not the case.

DVD didn't go through a format war like Blu-ray did. The studios have united under the format (thankfully), but it's taking time to work out some of the differences and the nuances of things they are trying to do. Do you want the format to be held back because the studios arbitrarily agree on a set of rules that don't call for firmware updates? And by extension those inferior products are passed onto the rest of us because some people don't want to take a few steps to ensure that the best in home entertainment continues to be pushed forward? Let all the manufacturers sit on their hands like Memorex does and see what happens.

[Uniquely]

Originally Posted by progers13

DVD didn't go through a format war like Blu-ray did. The studios have united under the format (thankfully), but it's taking time to work out some of the differences and the nuances of things they are trying to do. Do you want the format to be held back because the studios arbitrarily agree on a set of rules that don't call for firmware updates? And by extension those inferior products are passed onto the rest of us because some people don't want to take a few steps to ensure that the best in home entertainment continues to be pushed forward? Let all the manufacturers sit on their hands like Memorex does and see what happens.

The cause of this situation isn't really relevant to the effect, although I highly doubt that the format war can be fully blamed for a lack of settled standards at this point in the game.

It is what it is regardles of how it got here. There are many people out there who might enjoy this tech, but just don't have the tools recquired fully enjoy it. My parents have an HDTV and would probably love the picture quality blu-ray offers.... but I will NOT buy them one until the standards are settled, because they do not have the skill set to handle anything beyond "insert disc & press play." They are definately not alone in the technologically challenged boat, so blu-ray adoption rates will continue to suffer until they get it together and cement a standard that allows all movies to play in all players, which will make blu-ray usable by average consumers.

[Johnny Vinyl]

You go girl!

John