slop101

I read Stuart Galbraith IV's DVD review of Alfred Hitchcock Presents - Season One at http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/read.php?ID=18026 and...

Well, I was thinking of getting this, but not now.

What the hell is up with Universal and their insitance in using dvd-18s? Especially when they have the worst track record for defects with them.

Skull

Does anyone else have the same problem? I really wanted to get this.

Ghostface180

I was planning on getting this as I'm a big fan of the show, but after reading the review I think I'm going to play it safe and just Netflix the discs.

Thanks for the warning.

The Escapist

Picked it up today and just played the first episode on my Panasonic with no problem. I'll watch some more tonight and report any screwups or lack of same. But then I didn't have any problem with the A&C or monster sets either.

darkside

Thankfully someone vented the frustration I have been feeling for months in a review. I have gone through this for months with Universal DVD-18 after DVD-18. There is a flaw in the way these discs are encoded that is causing problems with many different players. Granted some players seem to have no problem, but there is something going on and Universal needs to address it. I have three Sony players and my two newer ones that are of course hooked up to my most used TVs have all kinds of freeze up issues with these DVDS. For some reason my old 1998 player can read most of these discs with no problems.

I would like an explanation from Universal for why their DVD-18 discs cause problems in so many players. I've definitely bought my last Universal DVD-18. Its just not worth it no matter how cheap they are.

Brian Jones

Well, this review makes me want to hold off on buying the set. Damn it.

caiman

Question: If I want to check for problems but dont want to watch every single episode to do so, will scanning through the episodes at the highest speed still allow me to spot the trouble spots? I bought this set tonight and I'd like to know asap whether or not I need to exchange it. If I just hit "play all" and hit FF>, is it as good as sitting and watching them all at normal speed?

slop101

^ no.

The Escapist

Watched the second episode last night, and again no problems. Is there a thread that deals specificially with DVD-18 discs and what players have trouble with them and which don't?

Easy

I agree but I have also had problems with Warner DVD-18 sets. ER, for example. Thankfully ER season three went to DVD-9 or I would not have purchased it. My guess is the issue is more a DVD-18 problem than a Universal Studios problem. Of course, it is a Universal problem to the extent they seem to insist on using DVD-18.

Easy

The problem isn't the players. I've had discs freeze solid and returned the set for a new set that froze in a different place or on a different disc. I would finally get one that played fine.
For me the major pain in the ass is having to re-watch what you have already watched to make sure it doesn't freeze up (no FF won't work). If you get a CSR willing to cooperate you can sometimes get them to let you swap only the defective discs and keep the discs that are "known good". However some CSRs won't play and will make you swap the complete old set for complete new set so you are back at square one. If you bought online you will likely have to return the entire set and start over. Basically you're screwed. Because of dvd return policies, you either blow off the purchase price of the set or play quality control for the studio. I refuse to be trapped like that again.

mbs

I was going to do the same (Netflix them before buying to make sure my player could handle them), but isn't this set 3 DVD-18 discs? Looks like netflix had some custom discs made, because they appear to be 6 DVD-9 discs.

MEJHarrison

I know Disney has a fantastic policy dealing with defective discs. Does Universal have anything similar? I'd like to pick up the set. But if for some reason I can't return the discs to the store where I bought them (out of stock, past the 30 days, whatever), I'd like to know I can call Universal and get a new disc. If they have a decent policy, they'll likely get a sale. If not, I'll pass.

Does anyone know how they are with replacing defective discs?

fryinpan1

I think the only time Universal handled replacement DVDs correctly was with the Back to the Future fiasco. Of course, they screwed up the discs to begin with, so they were only doing what was to be expected.

I emailed them about the problems with Casino. They said if I mailed my copy back with the receipt and let them know the problems, when it skipped, what player I used, etc. they would send me a replacement. Is this good service when they release defective DVDs - I say no.

darkside

I followed the procedure with Universal for returning a bad disc with my Columbo Season 3 discs and told them where the discs where freezing and with what player. However, the discs they sent me in return froze up as well so that was pointless and I wasted shipping costs.

starving dvder

I played the first disc of the Kolchak and Hitchcock Presents yesterday. No problems what so ever. I have a Pioneer dvd player.

caiman

Well, my set's having problems. I've gotten through the first side of the first disc, and two episodes freeze halfway through - Don't Come Back Alive, and Breakdown. Looks like I'll be keeping my receipt.

Do you guys think waiting a few weeks before returning it to Best Buy would make it more likely to get a working set?

Nebiroth

It's not the encoding - people have been able to exchange sets and get new ones that work on the same player.

If it was the encoding, the problems would be consistent, on every disc, and would happen at the same place (at least for people using the same model of player).

IMHO these discs have a very high manufacture error rate, some players may cope better than others.

I entirely agree though, it's about time that Universal stopped using these bl--dy things and went to DVD-9.

It;s not even saving them money as DVD-18's are much more difficult and expensive to manufacture than 9's. Any savings made by lowering the number of discs/packaging will get eaten by that extra cost.

And it's certainly costing Universal a fortune in lost sales, either because we just won't buy the discs at all, or we keep having to return them - which costs them a lot. AND the stores who have to cope with this.

If this were a product like a car or TV with this high a failure rate , it'd be a major news item!

FFS Universal, either stop using 18's or go to a manufacturer that can actually make them properly!

(If you think you got it bad, think how we in the UK feel, having imported the damn things - returns are an expensive nightmare!)

And yep - you have to watch the discs right through, in real time, to see if they work properly. Much as I like something like Kolchak, the thought of staring at the screen for 20 hours waiting for it to fail, getting a new lot, and then doing it again, doesn't fill me with a sense of girlish delight!

darkside

I pulled out all of my Universal DVD-18s and took a close look at them. All of the DVD-18s I have that don't work correctly have made in mexico on the inner ring and IFPI etched on the plastic. This includes Bela Lugosi, Orgazmo and Columbo Season 3.

All of my other Universal DVD-18s that work correctly are different. Most have Technicolor/CA etched in the plastic.

This really lends proof to me that its a certain mexico plant that may be the problem. However, the fact that Universal hasn't figured this out and dealt with it is a major concern.

sracer

I bought my set from Costco, and have played the first side of the first disc on two of my players without any problems. One of these players is my most finicky, so I'm confident that if the disc had any problems, this player would show it.

I also didn't have any problems with the Universal Monster Legacy sets... again purchased at Costco.

I remember in discussions about the Legacy sets that those purchased from Costco didn't exhibit any problems, but those purchased from Amazon, did. Strange.

marcellusk

i bought mine from deepdiscount dvd and went thru the first disc front and back no problems. I watched them on both my sony dvd players. So far so good knock on wood

Wayne Klein

They do indeed have the worst track record with the DVD18s. I purchased "AHP" anyway and the first disc wouldn't play a classic Hitch episode "Breakdown" at all (it's a bit ironic that it would be THAT one). The second set I got was just fine. Someone mentioned encoding problems I believe that it's related to the amount of pressings that these discs have to undergo. More pressings=increased risk of defects either during the pressing, on other layers or the material that binds it together. Of course I have had some issues occur due to encoding errors ("The Dead Zone" third season had a unique problem leaving a white border on the edge of the letterboxed image that was visible only with Panasonic and certain Sony brand DVD players).

I did post a complaint to Universal and they did acknowledge that they were looking into it although I don't know what that means. I, too, mentioned the complaints at amazon.com as well as some problems I've had with both review copies and purchased ones from the studio ("McCloud" had one disc that froze on me while "Kolchak" hasn't had any...so far I'm only through the third side of the six sided three disc set though).

It appears that cost issues are the big one for Universal with the DVD18s--they make the sets more economical for the studio. On the other hand I can't see how using single sided dual layered discs could drive up cost THAT much. I also recently had a problem with "Star Trek: Enterprise" for the third season going through three sets (and still had a problem disc). Of course, Paramount isn't quite as nice as Lion's Gate. They wanted me to send back the defective disc and I was told that if they determine there is a problem they'll send a replacement (that bit of language bothered me a bit) and the fact I'd have to pay postage was an issue. Instead, I'm just going to take it back to the retailer again.

Before the mass move to DVD and the recent influx of releases (not that I'm complaining) I rarely had a defective DVD. I think it's just a symptom of the times--too much money to be made, companies that don't care about their product or customers as much as before. It's bottom line economics in action.

On the other hand (knock on wood) I haven't had any problems with "Alfred Hitchcock Masterpiece Collection" yet. Then again, they're dual layered single sided releases. To Universal's credit the image quality is spectacular except for "The Man Who Knew Too Much" which has some issues with the clarity and sharpness.

b.n.

No problems here after playing the entire set. Some episodes suffer from a fair bit of damage but most are quite good considering no restoration was done. I had not previously seen most of them before and quite enjoyed this set.

thedarktroll

Glad I looked here---I've got a $5 off of $50 coupon that came in the snail mail from BJ's...it was gonna be this ($27.99) and some other stuff, but not now. Thanks to all who have posted their frustrations, I'll spare myself the worry by simply not milking Universal's dual-sided, dual-layered cow.

Also...in reference to the original review, a 50/50 success rate isn't just unacceptable...it's beyond reason, ridiculous, pathetic, wretched, you name it...even a 5% failure/problem rate is too high, whether it be DVDs or cigarettes or...hot pants.

Arrgh...hot pants. Maybe they have some of those at BJ's...

TommyR

They would be:

"An Unlocked Window" Feb. 15 1962

"The Jar" Feb. 14 1964

Any of the users on this forum see these?

TommyR