Sound and/or picture cutting out on some DVDs in my BD player

[blergedandlawyered]

Recently (within the last few days) I've been having a bit of a problem when playing Cougar Town season 1 and Seinfeld season 1. The issue first started occurring with Cougar Town - the sound would cut out for the first second or two of the very beginning of the episode and then come back. Now, when watching Seinfeld, it'll play for a millisecond at the very beginning of the episodes, BOTH video and audio cut out, and then resume normally after a second. Extremely irritating. When chapter skipping back to the beginning of the episode, it plays without issue. I've tried resetting my BD player to factory settings and I have the same issue. I haven't noticed it with anything else - BDs or other DVDs. These are brand new DVD sets without any scratches on them, so I'm kind of at a loss. Any ideas? I'm using a Sony BDP-S185, if that helps.

[slimdude]

Has the firmware on your blu-ray player been updated? And if so, try cleaning the discs, and replay them again.

[blergedandlawyered]

Nope, I haven't had an update available since last year.

[ewsjr]

Could be the dreaded HDMI handshake issue. Try re-seating both ends of your cable just to be sure there is a firm connection or try swapping cables to see if the problem disappears.

[slimdude]

Originally Posted by blergedandlawyered

Nope, I haven't had an update available since last year.

Then maybe those 2 particular DVDs are defected, if everything else is playing without any problems. DVDs and blu-rays can be defected, caused by the manufacturer even though they're brand new, or used. If those DVDs are past the return/exchange time frame, you might want to trade them in, or sell them to a local used media store, and rebuy them again, If you want to have those titles in your collection. Do you have another DVD or blu-ray player to test them on?

[blergedandlawyered]

Originally Posted by ewsjr

Could be the dreaded HDMI handshake issue. Try re-seating both ends of your cable just to be sure there is a firm connection or try swapping cables to see if the problem disappears.

Originally Posted by slimdude

Then maybe those 2 particular DVDs are defected, if everything else is playing without any problems. DVDs and blu-rays can be defected, caused by the manufacturer even though they're brand new, or used. If those DVDs are past the return/exchange time frame, you might want to trade them in, or sell them to a local used media store, and rebuy them again, If you want to have those titles in your collection. Do you have another DVD or blu-ray player to test them on?

First, I tried playing the discs on a different setup. They worked perfectly. I then reseated the cable in my personal player - when that did nothing, I tried another input on the TV (mine has three hdmi inputs), when that did nothing, I tried two different HDMI cables..and I'm still having the same problem. :-/
Thanks for the responses, by the way. It's appreciated.

[chip75]

Originally Posted by blergedandlawyered

First, I tried playing the discs on a different setup. They worked perfectly. I then reseated the cable in my personal player - when that did nothing, I tried another input on the TV (mine has three hdmi inputs), when that did nothing, I tried two different HDMI cables..and I'm still having the same problem. :-/
Thanks for the responses, by the way. It's appreciated.

Try using the red and white RCA leads for the audio and see if they play. It sounds like your player is the issue, did you play them before the last update without issue? Try re-installing the update if you can (I'm not sure if the factory reset returns the firmware back to factory with your player).

If you have older firmware on your HDD, disc or website it might be worth trying an older firmware release.

[blergedandlawyered]

Originally Posted by chip75

Try using the red and white RCA leads for the audio and see if they play. It sounds like your player is the issue, did you play them before the last update without issue? Try re-installing the update if you can (I'm not sure if the factory reset returns the firmware back to factory with your player).

If you have older firmware on your HDD, disc or website it might be worth trying an older firmware release.

I tried with RCA - no change. As for playing them before the last update - I just got these sets within the last few weeks, and my last update was in October of last year. When resetting the player, it doesn't take the firmware back to factory. And it appears that the only firmware offered on Sony's website for the player is the latest version, so I can't go back to a previous version via that route.
It's likely what I assumed before I posted the thread - an issue with my player. I was planning on getting a new one soon anyway (I've been having other issues with it as well that have been going on for months), so it doesn't put me out too much. Just another issue to add onto the list. Wish the player had lasted a bit longer though.

[chip75]

Originally Posted by blergedandlawyered

I tried with RCA - no change.

I'd try a lens cleaner before you buy a new player.

[thecalm_7]

I had a similar issue on 1 of my players. I thought I was blinking or nodding off but no, there was image flicker. Never audio. Just image cutting out for a second here and there.

Not sure if you're interested but I have 2 sony blu ray players gently used for sale if you're looking to spend little money.

[slimdude]

Originally Posted by blergedandlawyered

I tried with RCA - no change. As for playing them before the last update - I just got these sets within the last few weeks, and my last update was in October of last year. When resetting the player, it doesn't take the firmware back to factory. And it appears that the only firmware offered on Sony's website for the player is the latest version, so I can't go back to a previous version via that route.
It's likely what I assumed before I posted the thread - an issue with my player. I was planning on getting a new one soon anyway (I've been having other issues with it as well that have been going on for months), so it doesn't put me out too much. Just another issue to add onto the list. Wish the player had lasted a bit longer though.

They don't make blu-ray players like they use to! I still have one of Panasonic's first generation blu-ray players, that I've bought 4 years ago and it still plays without a hitch. Manufacturers build them to last only for a couple of years or less, to keep people buying them.

[blergedandlawyered]

Originally Posted by chip75

I'd try a lens cleaner before you buy a new player.

Well, I'd planned on buying a new player soon anyway - this player shuts off on its own sometimes and drops internet signal intermittently. This issue just adds another onto the list and expedites my buying of a new one. I'm probably going to get a lens cleaner for the new player, as I've never owned one and it'd probably come in handy.

Originally Posted by thecalm_7

I had a similar issue on 1 of my players. I thought I was blinking or nodding off but no, there was image flicker. Never audio. Just image cutting out for a second here and there.

Not sure if you're interested but I have 2 sony blu ray players gently used for sale if you're looking to spend little money.

Hmm...I might be. Kinda looking at a Sony HTIB with a blu-ray player right now - as I have a strange issue where my surround speakers will all stop working except for the center one from time to time and I have to restart the system in order to restore sound, and I also generally just don't really like the system all that much - but I also kinda want this refurbished Onkyo HTIB without a BD player that is a comparable price to the Sony one with the BDP. Which models are you offering?

Originally Posted by slimdude

They don't make blu-ray players like they use to! I still have one of Panasonic's first generation blu-ray players, that I've bought 4 years ago and it still plays without a hitch. Manufacturers build them to last only for a couple of years or less, to keep people buying them.

That's just a shame DVD players, if memory serves, lasted for quite a while before giving up. I wish that BDPs were the same in that regard. Ah well, the discs themselves are more durable than DVDs were, so I guess you can't win them all.