smurr5

Does anyone own a copy of the original outer limits season 2 that won't freeze up during several episodes. If so, where did you finally succeed cause this is just ridiculous!!! Does anyone know if MGM addressed this issue and re-printed this title??? Any info would be appreciated-

Nebiroth

Can you be more specific? I have the set but haven't watched everything through.

List the episode titles and the point at which they freeze up and I'll check my copy for you.

I haven't notive any issues with the eps I have watched however.

edit: just noticed you're in the US. I'm in the UK and therefore have the r2 edition, so it's possible that any errors in your r1 set won't be on mine. I'm happy to check for you though.

The r2 set is on single sides discs for example...

speedy1961

I've had no problems with either set since they were originally released.

Need more specifics please such as your player would be helpful.

rw2516

Watched the whole set when it was first released with no problems.

DrPrimo

In the DDD b1g1 sale thread, it was said that the first run of these were ok, but the second run was the one with problem. My set should be here soon, I'll try it when I have it.

smurr5

on my season 2 the episodes on side 1 of disc 2, "I, Robot," and "The Inheritors" freeze up and will not play. I am not sure which "run" or pressing I have-

Nebiroth

You really need to tell us the exact point at which the episodes freeze up - your player should indicate this in minutes and seconds for each one.

Unless, of course, you mean they freeze up when you select them from the menu rather than at some point during episode playback?

It would also be useful to know your player make and model.

I've played The Inheritors (parts 1&2) with no problems. I've skimmed though I. Robot also, again, no problems, but sometimes these things only show up when you play stuff right through rather than skipping through the chapters...

Sex Fiend

There have been lots of problems with the later pressings of the OL Season Two set, most often with the second disk in the set. There have been several threads about this on DVD Talk and at Home Theater Forum's TV board. I exchanged five copies via DDD earlier this year and still never got a set with a good working second disk.

People who bought the set when it first came out three years ago don't seem to have a problem, so it appears that it must be related to later pressings of the set, probably within the last year or two. As far as I know, MGM has never acknowledged the problem or specifically offered an exchange program. From what I've heard, they just tell you to exchange the set via your retailer if you contact their CS. Which doesn't do much good if there are so many bad copies out there.

This is clearly a manufacturing issue, and unfortunately, as with Universal and their DVD-18 problems, MGM seems to be just sweeping it under the rug.

Nebiroth

The r1 edition is double sided, isn't it? Is it DVD-10 or DVD-18?

I can't really help much with this as I own the r2 set, which is all single sided discs - all DVD-9 for S1, and a mixture of DVD-9 and DVD-5 for S2.

S1 is eight discs. S2 is five.

naitram

This is exactly how it is on both copies of this set that I've had. I returned the first one to DDD, and when I finally got around to checking out my replacement set, I found the same issue. Unfortunately it's been months since they sent me it and probably past my exchange window.

Is it possible to contact MGM to get another replacement? I want to watch those damn episodes!

HGN2001

As a matter of fact, I watched "The Inheritors, Part 1" just today on my older Pioneer DVD/LD combo player. No problems. Looked great - nice film grain.

Harry

glassvial

Not me, R1 copies from DDD, been replaced 3 times now, both discs 1 and 2 are bad. Run em against a disc scan in DVDInfo Pro, you'll see. And it's not MGM's problem anymore, as MGM and Sony have now merged. Here's the phone number for Sony Pictures Home Entertainment Division, 1-800-860-2878 (I had to go through hell to get this number, btw, and their phone tree is also very annoying!) Anyway, spoke with someone there who said he's sending reports to quality service as he's gotten several complaints over the last month or so, and he'll get back to me next week. But basically the gist of it is don't get your hopes up, it's an older title and Sony probably will NOT be re-pressing it, because starting in a few months (or so) they are going to be ramping up Blu-Ray production, and basically hinted that I might as well get my money back and wait for the Blu-Ray release to come out (if and when). Maybe DDD got a bad batch, but if someone has any ideas to get an 'older' pressing that works, I'm all ears as much as the OP.

Edit: In case anyone was still wondering, the R1 discs are double-sided dual-layer discs, so I guess you'd say DVD-18's.

Edit 2: Correction: R1 Season 2's discs are DVD9 side A's and DVD5 side B's.

glassvial

bump - called Sony and complained yet?

icruise

Removed comments that could lead to administrative action.

YOUR MEMBERSHIP TO THE DVD TALK FORUM IS ALSO PREDICATED ON YOUR ADHERENCE TO THESE RULES. If you violate any of these rules your account will be suspended and you may be permanently banned from membership at our discretion:

ABSOLUTELY NO:
• Posting requests for copies of copyrighted material, or "how-to-get/make bootleg material" instructions
• Anything that violates the trademark or copyright of another company including anything that may violate the Digital Millennium Copyright Act.

Nebiroth

Had you considered getting the r2 edition? I haven't heard anything about that and a bonus is that it's all single-sided discs.

Of course you'd need a r2-capable player etc.

SMB-IL

Like an idiot, I bought both seasons of Outer Limits only to find that so far, Season 2 disk 1 has a major problem. I didn't go beyond that disk and am trying an exchange at Amazon. Season 1 should arrive on Tuesday and now I guess I'll have to devote this week to getting through all of season 1 to check if it's OK. Of course, if I had come here FIRST... well, whatever...

Has anyone heard any updates on these season 2 defective disks? Since I've already started the exchange process with Amazon, I guess I'll try it once, but it looks sort of hopeless for season 2 being right.

The other part that I haven't seen mentioned is that disk 1 (didn't try any others) doesn't go to the menu when you start the disk or when an episode is complete. The DVD player just stopped and I had to press "Menu" to get back there. Is this part of the defect or just bad mastering?

So annoying....

DvdClon

When did you buy your sets?

An Amazon reviewer of the OL second season says he contacted Sony and received a good replacement out of the blue a few months later. His title suggests they were manufactured in April 2006. He then gives an email address for Sony and suggests that people with bad sets ask for replacements as well.

I emailed them 5/15 and got a response 6/7 saying there "are no known issues with this Title" and besides they "do not replace defective products directly." So clean your player and/or contact your retailer.

I restrained myself from replying to them.

Steve

watched entire 2 series without one glitch. I think the problem is these blasted DVD-18s. Despite the fact that we are years into this technology (and the next wave HD is already out) I don't think the problems with manufacturing DVD-18s have been solved. Seems that some players are more sensitive to others...

I much rather have twice the # of discs with DVD-9 technology than worry about this mess!

SMB-IL

I just purchased them this past week. I don't see any kind of manufacturing date. I've got a Panasonic S97S upconverter DVD player and have never had any problems with DVD-18 -- including the dreaded Terminator 2 set. Although I still cringe when I open a case and see a DVD-18. On top of that, they put 3 discs in this huge ass case that would have easily held six one sided disks! If the exchange with amazon doesn't work out, I may seek out sets that are used and have been watched by the seller.

Also, I can't imagine how you restrained yourself from responding. It's like the dentist telling you that it doesn't hurt when it does!

DvdClon

If you have a DVD drive in your computer, put in one of your S2 discs, look at it with Explorer and see what the file dates are. I seem to remember mine being from 2002. I don't know how reliable this method is for determining the mastering date, since it assumes that the equipment used in the creation had its time right, but it should be valid for this purpose.

I considered a snide response to Sony, but what if they later change their mind, review their mail records to see who needs a replacement, find my nasty reply and decide I don't deserve one? Not likely, but I can dream, can't I?

Nebiroth

The file dates won't tell you about the manufacture of the discs themselves, since that is a purely physical process; they are stamped from a glass master.

If these discs are DVD-18's (that is, two sided, with two layers each side, making a total of four layers), I think that's your answer. There seem to be endless problems with that sort of disc - mostly manufacture defects. The issue is clouded by the facts that some discs are OK, some aren't, and some players cope better with duff ones than others, as well.

Luckily, here in the UK, we got the stuff on single-sided DVD-9 discs, and our boxes are the exact same size as yours.