...Just trying to be provocative. However, I thought Blu-Ray was supposed to have a "protective layer" or something so they would be more durable. I'm talking about renting BD from Netflix - I have had so many disks that are not playable. I look at the surface and they're close to perfect; barely a scratch but I still have a high percentage of freezes and it becomes a nuisance. When you get the family together to enjoy a show together the whole thing is killed when you have to dink around and miss parts of the movie in order to get past a certain part of the disk. I'd rather have lower quality DVDs that would play no matter what - at least we’d have continuity with the story.

Is this typical or is the player to blame? If different players are better with very very light disk defects I'd like to know. I have a Panasonic BD60 and I paid $200 for the privilege to look at blocks 30% of the time...

player problem.

Really? I almost suspect that's the problem but I'm not sure. Do you think it's the BD60 in general or just my BD60? I had an HD-A2 player and it played almost any crusty HD DVD without a problem.

Is it hit or miss with these players or are some better than others?

What is that between post #'s 2 & 3?

The Following User Says Thank You to fpconvert For This Useful Post:

I have never seen that before.

I think its that thanks button next to quick reply. Get ready for all the stupid post get thanked now.

I think its that thanks button next to quick reply. Get ready for all the stupid post get thanked now.

Your stupid post just got "thanked" ;)

…but seriously, I’d really like to know if BD disks are so easily damaged and unplayable or if it’s more likely I need to look closer at my player. I have no point of reference – any help is appreciated as it’s no fun looking at blocks with the family.

Your stupid post just got "thanked" ;)

…but seriously, I’d really like to know if BD disks are so easily damaged and unplayable or if it’s more likely I need to look closer at my player. I have no point of reference – any help is appreciated as it’s no fun looking at blocks with the family.
I rent many BDs from NF and w/ the exception of one that was cracked(would not load/play) all have played w/o issue.
Using a sammy 1400 and 1500.

The "thank you" button appeared after the site did maintenance yesterday. Some tracking mechanism maybe. Maybe just a way to say "i agree" w/o writing I agree and here's why?

Unless you have a problem with your specific BD-60, that platform is pretty solid on playback.

When you say you check for surface issues, are you including looking for fingerprints? I have found fingerprints to be highly prevalent on most BDs from NF (what is it with people not understanding how to hold a disc?!?), so I always check and wipe accordingly. Fingerprints can bring my BD-35 (generation prior to yours) to its knees.

That said, some people have experienced issues with tiny edge cracks on BDs from NF, likely the result of improper handling by the post office--the hardcoat that protects against scratches makes the discs more brittle, and if the discs get run through a sorting machine, the process can lead to edge cracks, which can seriously mess up playback. Be advised that if you do find cracks, you run the risk of being branded a witch, subject to burning and/or being weighed against a duck.

Really? I almost suspect that's the problem but I'm not sure. Do you think it's the BD60 in general or just my BD60? I had an HD-A2 player and it played almost any crusty HD DVD without a problem.

Is it hit or miss with these players or are some better than others?
You must have had better luck than most with HD DVD players because there were several threads in the HD DVD forum regarding critical issues playing BRAND NEW purchased discs.
Some where able to be played after a good washing with dish soap. I still run into issues with brand new discs. I had an issue with freezing display/screen with The Kingdom and We Were Soldiers recently. Both brand new HD DVD discs. Same issue on my HD A20 and HD A35.
I basically had to jump to the next chapter to bypass the frozen screen as FF would do nothing.


The days of an abundant amount of disc issues are long gone on the new players and only a handful have small issues that get corrected immediately.

Also, even though the disc may look new, it may have issues with layer separation if the disc took a good impact to the center hub during shipment.
There's also been reported issues with the post office damaging netflix discs through their machine at some locations.

You may want to take a peek at the Netflix thread in the Blu-ray SW forum.


1. What are your connections to the TV?
player==>HDMI==>TV ?

2. What brand/model TV do you have ?

the hardcoat that protects against scratches makes the discs more brittleCare to explain how a layer that is .42% thickness of the disc total makes the remaining 99.58% more “brittle”.


and if the discs get run through a sorting machine, the process can lead to edge cracks, which can seriously mess up playback.Depends on the crack, if it is small then the disc should play fine, however, I would never insert a cracked disc (CD, DVD, BD, etc.) into my disc player.

Optical disc (CD, DVD, BD, etc.) mailed in thin paper sleeves will be subject to damage.

...Just trying to be provocative. However, I thought Blu-Ray was supposed to have a "protective layer" or something so they would be more durable. I'm talking about renting BD from Netflix - I have had so many disks that are not playable. I look at the surface and they're close to perfect; barely a scratch but I still have a high percentage of freezes and it becomes a nuisance. When you get the family together to enjoy a show together the whole thing is killed when you have to dink around and miss parts of the movie in order to get past a certain part of the disk. I'd rather have lower quality DVDs that would play no matter what - at least we’d have continuity with the story.

Is this typical or is the player to blame? If different players are better with very very light disk defects I'd like to know. I have a Panasonic BD60 and I paid $200 for the privilege to look at blocks 30% of the time...


I'm going to change your title, since it doesn't capture your true issue and will lead to distracting comments that won't help to answer your question.

Personally, I've had two issues with disc's not playing on my various players that I've owned:

Samsung 1000
Panasonic 35
Pioneer 51
OPPO 83

I have not used Netflix, but have been a BB internet user for a couple of years.

Is this typical or is the player to blame? If different players are better with very very light disk defects I'd like to know. I have a Panasonic BD60 and I paid $200 for the privilege to look at blocks 30% of the time...A suggestion for future post. One - If you have BD player problems then post in the BD player forum. Two - Do not use a flame bait thread title.

If you look in the BD player forums then you will see threads devoted to most all models of Panasonic players.

FWIW, I have a Panasonic DMP-BD10 and a DMP-BD55. I have viewed 227 BD from Netflix and 41 BD from Blockbuster. I have never received a cracked disc, I have received several disc that required washing because it appeared previous renters had used the disc for a pizza tray. I have had about four rental disc that had glitches because of scratches on the disc surface. Sadly, it appears some renters have little respect for other peoples property or for the next renter.

A suggestion for future post. One - If you have BD player problems then post in the BD player forum. Two - Do not use a flame bait thread title.

If you look in the BD player forums then you will see threads devoted to most all models of Panasonic players..


I agree Wendell. My first reaction was to merge this thread into the Panny 60 master thread. I changed the title and left it as is to cover the larger issue of problems with rental discs and the topic of BR's protective layer (though to be honest, both topics have been covered before too).

This was also recently discussed at HackingNetflix:

Doug writes, "I’ve recently had a strange experience with Netflix. I signed back on for their Blu-ray option and of course the first disk I received had a crack in it and was unplayable. I dutifully reported it on the Netflix site and sent the disk back. Netflix responded that they would send a replacement disk the next business day. I received the replacement disk and, much to my surprise, it was the same disk I had returned to Netflix! The crack had been “repaired” with some type of clear glue type substance. I immediately stuck it in my PS3 and, as I expected, it was still unplayable. I reported it again but learned from my prior experience. This time I didn’t send the bad disk back until I received notification from Netflix that a replacement disk had been sent out."

In April I polled about Blu-ray disc breakage, and more than 30% of respondents had received a broken Blu-ray disc from Netflix.

Netflix has added stickers to the center ring of discs to help with breakage, so I'm going to ask you if you have recently received an unplayable Blu-ray disc from Netflix:

http://www.hackingnetflix.com/2009/08/netflix-bluray-disc-breakage-problem.html

The irony of some posters. On one hand they make a reference to 30% of users with BD breakage problems. On the other they constantly quote Netflix officials. Did the poster forget that Netflix officials call the BD breakage problem “infinitesimal” and “a fraction of a percent”.

I own two different Panasonic BD players and three different Toshiba HD DVD players, and I've played literally hundreds and hundreds of Blu-ray and HD DVD discs since the introduction of high-definition discs (Warner Bros.' "The Last Samurai," "The Phantom of the Opera," and "Million Dollar Baby" on HD DVD). In all that time, I've had exactly two BDs and two HD DVDs freeze up. In the case of the two HD DVDs, it was the fault of Combo discs, those HD DVD/DVD combinations, which could on occasion cause freeze-ups on the HD DVD side, probably during the layer transition. In the case of the Blu-rays, it was both times finger prints. Not my own, but those of people I had loaned the discs to. I had to physically replace the HD DVDs, but the Blu-rays played fine after a simple cleaning.

I have never had a problem with any of the high-definition players themselves. But even the best player cannot work through every issue that may inflict a disc. Short answer to your question: Who knows? Probably the rental discs are not so perfect as you might think. If you're not having problems with discs you've actually bought, blame it on invisible scratches or fingerprints on the rentals.

If you're just an old-line HD DVD fanatic trying to get a rise out of BD fans, shame on you. :)

John

If you're just an old-line HD DVD fanatic trying to get a rise out of BD fans, shame on you. :)

John

Definitely not, and apologies for the initial tone - I thought everyone was past the whole thing. I just have had repeated problems viewing Blu-ray disks that otherwise look perfect. I have to look very hard to see the tiniest blemish under light and I'd think a disk would still be playable. I get two disks a week and 43% have had problems in the last month.

Since all of the disks looked pretty good, with no real obvious blemishes, it's hard to tell if blue disks are terribly sensitive or if my player is just not working properly. I still don't know but it's kind of frustrating.

Thanks everyone for the input, I appreciate it. I got some good comments and places to look for more info. Thanks again.

-By the way, I probably remember HD-DVD wrong. I didn't seem to have as many problems but I didn't actually see many movies in that format so maybe that's misleading.

The irony of some posters. On one hand they make a reference to 30% of users with BD breakage problems. On the other they constantly quote Netflix officials. Did the poster forget that Netflix officials call the BD breakage problem “infinitesimal” and “a fraction of a percent”.

They also called the higher break rate of Blu-ray discs a risk factor to their profitability in their SEC filing.

Of course that was before they altered the pricing for Blu-ray to reflect the additional costs associated with Blu-ray, so that is probably no longer an issue that will have a negative impact to their bottom line.

Definitely not, and apologies for the initial tone - I thought everyone was past the whole thing. I just have had repeated problems viewing Blu-ray disks that otherwise look perfect. I have to look very hard to see the tiniest blemish under light and I'd think a disk would still be playable. I get two disks a week and 43% have had problems in the last month.

Since all of the disks looked pretty good, with no real obvious blemishes, it's hard to tell if blue disks are terribly sensitive or if my player is just not working properly. I still don't know but it's kind of frustrating.

Thanks everyone for the input, I appreciate it. I got some good comments and places to look for more info. Thanks again.

-By the way, I probably remember HD-DVD wrong. I didn't seem to have as many problems but I didn't actually see many movies in that format so maybe that's misleading.
I also get 2 Bds a week and have had one not play in 18 months. Go figure.

They also called the higher break rate of Blu-ray discs a risk factor to their profitability in their SEC filing.You made the reference to and highlighted the 30% BD breakage problem. Netflix officials say BD breakage is “a fraction of a per cent” so do you believe the Netflix officials are lying?

I just have had repeated problems viewing Blu-ray disks that otherwise look perfect. I have to look very hard to see the tiniest blemish under light and I'd think a disk would still be playable. I get two disks a week and 43% have had problems in the last month.

Since all of the disks looked pretty good, with no real obvious blemishes, it's hard to tell if blue disks are terribly sensitive or if my player is just not working properly. I still don't know but it's kind of frustrating.If the disc has no foreign matter on them (finger prints, dust, food particles, etc.) or surface scratches then its fairly safe to say you have a BD player problem. Also make sure your unit is well ventilated and the fan is working.

It's obivous this is a player issue. OP going forward please use the Panny 60 master/owners thread to discuss the problems with your player.

Ron