Is it me? Or will Blu Ray's just not play some disks?

[Worf101]

I put in two movies tonight "Red Belt" and "A Haunting in CT" and neither would play. The disk would get to certain levels and then just quit or hang up not advancing at all. But for some reason "7 Pounds" played perfectly. BR sensitve to smears and smudges? Or do certain players not play certain disks?

Da Worfster

[Mr Peabody]

OMG, don't tell me the Oppo, penacle of all that's good, has a glitch.

to my knowledge the use of Java is still not standard which can cause BR discs to have problems in some players , although I find it highly surprising a new player such as the Oppo would have a problem. I'd suggest checking Oppo's website for any firmware updates. Blu-ray is effected by a dirty disc the same as any laser reading product so that is worth checking too.

My Samsung I had was known not to like a couple discs so I know that can spoil a movie night. Luckily, the rental place didn't seem to have a problem giving me a DVD copy in exchange for the BR disc that wouldn't play. So I guess it's pretty common. But I don't hear about it as much any more.

[recoveryone]

Were all those Blu Ray disc or DVD's that would not play back?

[Worf101]

One Blu Ray "7 Pounds" was fine and the calibration demo works fine. I've not connected the player to the net so if it checks for online content before playing that sucks. I could get to the main menu on "Red Belt" but it would NOT play any of the film, special features yes, but no movie. The other movie wouldn't play at all. I cleaned both well before trying one last time. Regular DVD's play fine.

Da Worfster

[Rich-n-Texas]

It could very well be Worf that it's trying to connect to the internet to get interactive info or something along those lines.

I agree with Mr. P that you should check Oppo's support site for updates.

[recoveryone]

I'm glad I have one squeezebox player sitting with my rack system. They have a RJ45 jack that act like a pass though for net access. Thanks for posting this Worf, cause I would have been highly upset (shots fired level) if I set up my unit and paid $20+ for those blu ray movies and they act up like this. I could see my wife saying, I told you all this fancy stuff was a bunch of hype.

[Mr Peabody]

It's odd they would send such a new player out not already pretty much updated. I'd definitely contact Oppo. Reconveryone this problem is not typical. I would have an occasional disc with my Samsung that wouldn't play but after I'd call Samsung and sure enough if they didn't have the fix then they'd have it shortly and send it out. Knock on wood I have not had a problem with my Marantz after applying firmware updates after set up. It would have been nice though if the bugs were worked out of BR playback before consumers had to handle them. To be fair it's the movie manufacturers fault more so than the player. If a player has firmware to deal with a certain Java script and then a new movie comes out that handled the Java differently then you have the conflict, so the player's manufacturer has to write a firmware update to deal with that script. You'd think by now some standard would have been agreed on.

Hopefully Sir T and others here who also have Oppo will chime in so we can see if anyone else has had problems.

[Worf101]

I reopened the Netflix envelope... they were rented NOT bought or I'd really have been pissed. I then flashed the player's firmware to the latest and in the end one of the movies, The Haunting in Ct. played and played well. Redbelt is a loss they're already shipping the DVD version to me. Coulda just been a bad disk, but I doubt it.

Da Worfster

[Mr Peabody]

Worf, was the Haunting in CT just a slasher flick or is there a story worth watching?

[Sir Terrence the Terrible]

I reopened the Netflix envelope... they were rented NOT bought or I'd really have been pissed. I then flashed the player's firmware to the latest and in the end one of the movies, The Haunting in Ct. played and played well. Redbelt is a loss they're already shipping the DVD version to me. Coulda just been a bad disk, but I doubt it.

Da Worfster

Since I have had my oppo, I have shoved about 40 movies down the players throat. Nothing regurgitated back unplayed, it has taken them all. Worf, do you have your player hooked up to the internet?. It makes updating the player much easier when a firmware becomes available.

I have had some netfilx DVD's not play in my PS3(which plays any and everything I have thrown at it). It turns out that some scratches in the disk were so deep, it rendered the disc unplayable. This is why I like to buy my movies and not rent them. I do not want my evening of entertainment affected by joe schmo's peanut butter and jelly sandwich left on the disc.

[Worf101]

Worf, was the Haunting in CT just a slasher flick or is there a story worth watching?

This about that. I enjoyed the movie, it is frightening and eerie but Citizen Kane it ain't. There's a story behind it, it's more Exocist than slasher flick. Plenty of special features get into the story behind the film. The best thing in it is the use of "death bed" photo's that were rage for people in the late 1800's. Seemed people took and kept photo's of the dearly departed in repose. A historian stated that most people in rural areas kept their recently departed in the parlour cause there were no funeral homes. Funeral homes came about in the cities where lugging the dead up and down steps was impractical hence funeral parlours. After they took hold people began calling the parlour "living rooms" instead.

I'd rent it, not buy it but there is a story.

Da Worfster

[Mr Peabody]

Thanks Worf, I'll keep it on my list.

[pixelthis]

Truth is Blu is a new format, as a lot of discs state at the beginning.
We all forget the shake down period that DVD had also.
One thing I have found , a Blu disc might appear to be spotless, but after a rub down with a damp cloth it plays fine.
They are semsitive to any imperfections.
It will get better as time goes by.

[nightflier]

If it is an internet connection problem, then that's problematic. BR should not be dependent on an internet connection and the disks should play just fine w/o one. While internet access is pretty ubiquitous in the US, the idea of having internet in the living/HT room isn't. This should not be a prerequisite for any manufacturer's player.

[Sir Terrence the Terrible]

If it is an internet connection problem, then that's problematic. BR should not be dependent on an internet connection and the disks should play just fine w/o one.

While you are correct if we are talking DVD, BR is not DVD. If you want to access the features that cannot fit on the disc, an internet connection is a must to access BD-Live. It is part of the BR spec, and BD live has many possibilities yet to be explored.

While internet access is pretty ubiquitous in the US, the idea of having internet in the living/HT room isn't. This should not be a prerequisite for any manufacturer's player.

So without an internet connection how do you expect consumers to access BD-Live? Did you think this response through before responding? Never mind, the answer is obvious.

[bobsticks]

While internet access is pretty ubiquitous in the US, the idea of having internet in the living/HT room isn't. This should not be a prerequisite for any manufacturer's player.

Huh? I have not one but six...out of a total of 14

[Worf101]

Access to the back of the OPPO is pretty easy... to the back of the receiver is NOT. Is there an ethernet thingy I can plug into the back to allow access? If so, what do you recommend?

Da Worfster

[Mr Peabody]

Sony has a couple of BR players coming out with streaming capability, not only Netflix but Amazon and a few other services, so I can see how the necessity of getting connected will become more important, at least to those interested in those features. I'm sure if they are doing it everyone else is right behind. I guess the Samsung & LG pieces tested the water and now every one is jumping in but of course with new additions comes new ideas and features/services.

This seems to me a very smart move for Netflix as they were having financial problems due to shipping costs, if you can still pull in revenue in the form of membership and send the product via the net. I'm sure this is small now but it looks like it will grow.

Having a player hooked to the net to update is much more convenient than downloading and burning a disk.

Unfortunately, I am one who doesn't have the internet connection close by and my E/D drives seemed to have disappeared. My computer hasn't been moved, I can't imagine a wire just coming off on the inside, I've never had this happen before. I turn my computer on one day and all the sudden it acts like the drives aren't there. So let's hope nothing crucial comes out in the near future D&M are not the best customer service either.

[Mr Peabody]

Worf, the Oppo would need to be connected to your router. You would not connect the Ether port to your receiver.

[Worf101]

Worf, the Oppo would need to be connected to your router. You would not connect the Ether port to your receiver.

I got that, the Oppo has a jack in the back I'm looking for an ethernet dongle that'll plug into that and not require me to run a line from upstairs down stares. I already have a wireless set up in the house just want to add wireless capabilties to the OPPO simply and easily. OPPO support is great. I wrote to them about my problems with both disks and they responded with answers that solved one problem and might solve the other. Good work that!!!

Da Worfster

[nightflier]

So without an internet connection how do you expect consumers to access BD-Live? Did you think this response through before responding? Never mind, the answer is obvious.

We're talking about updates. While downloading updates to a computer is pretty common, doing so to a component in the living room isn't. It's changing, but not that fast.

Regarding BD-Live, I just don't know if that's a feature too many people really utilize. On this board, and maybe other tech-specific boards, yes, but my guess is that the general public will try it a few times for novelty's sake and then get bored with it. An Ethernet connection on the back of a player (that doesn't do NetFlix) is probably going to be used primarily for updates.

No I don't have any facts and figures to back that up (because I'm sure I'll get slammed for saying this), but I also think that BD-Live just doesn't have that much to offer yet. It could change, but for now, it's just not that big of a deal, no matter how much to advertisers try to tout it as one.

[pixelthis]

I got that, the Oppo has a jack in the back I'm looking for an ethernet dongle that'll plug into that and not require me to run a line from upstairs down stares. I already have a wireless set up in the house just want to add wireless capabilties to the OPPO simply and easily. OPPO support is great. I wrote to them about my problems with both disks and they responded with answers that solved one problem and might solve the other. Good work that!!!

Da Worfster

If you already have wireless you are halfway there.
You just need a box and a cable, check with your computer guy.

[Sir Terrence the Terrible]

We're talking about updates. While downloading updates to a computer is pretty common, doing so to a component in the living room isn't. It's changing, but not that fast.

It is going fast enough, and people are getting used to it as well. If people are used to doing it on a computer, they will have no trouble with Blu-ray. People are more savvy than they used to be regarding electronics, and that can be best illustrated by I-phone sales and application downloads. Downloading a firmware upgrade is the same as installing a new piece of software on your computer.

Regarding BD-Live, I just don't know if that's a feature too many people really utilize. On this board, and maybe other tech-specific boards, yes, but my guess is that the general public will try it a few times for novelty's sake and then get bored with it. An Ethernet connection on the back of a player (that doesn't do NetFlix) is probably going to be used primarily for updates.

According to the studios, BD-Live usage has been increasing by leaps and bounds over the last six months or so. And since each BD-live presentation is uniquely different from the next, the boredom does not set in as easily as you think. Most players that are being released now and in the future will most likely be streaming players, and the ones that are not, nobody not even you knows how the ethernet connection will be used.

No I don't have any facts and figures to back that up (because I'm sure I'll get slammed for saying this), but I also think that BD-Live just doesn't have that much to offer yet. It could change, but for now, it's just not that big of a deal, no matter how much to advertisers try to tout it as one.

It is obvious to me that you have never used BD-live, so you are not qualified to know what it has to offer. BD-live content is different for each release, some releases have a lot of extra content, and some do not. Just because things are not a big deal to you, does not mean it not to somebody else. Channeling your opinion and transferring it to the general public is not very helpful, as you are not everyone. Usage of BD-live would not be increasing if it was not compelling to somebody.

Your opinions without actually using the product are like a blind person watching television with the sound off. Experience it first, then comment would be much more helpful.

[Mr Peabody]

Worf, don't hold out on us or a potential Oppo owner/reader, what are the fixes?

[Worf101]

Worf, don't hold out on us or a potential Oppo owner/reader, what are the fixes?

For "The Haunting in Connecticut" the firmware did the trick.

For "Red Belt" they said to "Try Erasing BD-Video Data and turning off BD-Live and see if you have the same issues with Redbelt."

Those two things did the trick and they got back to me real effin' quick. I LIKE that!!!!! They also sell matched pairs of ethernet bridges as accessories soooooo I'll have them puppies in about a week. All in all a marvelous experience to get things right with help from the company. First rate that!!!!

Da Worfster