Easy

My dvd player has choked on a couple of disks and yet I can only exchange it for the same title - the same as software. I can understand that policy for software or cds as they can be copied fairly easily and that is the rational offered. What is their excuse for dvd? AFAIK they cannot be easily copied - at least not at the same quality level. So if my player chokes on one why can't I exchange it for something else? I have asked this at the store in question but the minimum wage workers can only parrot the store policy.
This is an increasing concern as the older my player (and it's firmware) get the more problems I seem to find. Should I consider "upgrade firmware" an annual necessity and expense? Or should dvd players simply be considered disposable items? I would like to hear your opinions. Thanks.

Iron Chef

What kind of player do you have?

I have had a Panasonic A120 for 3 years, and I have never had a problem with any DVD.

speedy1961

You should get a new player.

It is unrealistic to expect the big chains to allow you to return an opened DVD and allow you to exchange it for another title(s).

While DVDs are by and large uncopyable by the consumer masses, the big chains hedge their exposure by linking DVDs to CDs which can be easily copied.

The only place that might allow you to return an opened DVD for another title are small Mom and Pop stores.

I have only done it twice in my store and for customers that I knew to be honorable through my past dealings with them.

Just my opinion.

DigIt

If stores allowed you to return opened movies, then everyone would start buying, watching, and returning movies rather than renting them from Blockbuster.

JimRochester

You can either wait until after Christmas when returns are a little easier or buy the same title, return the open one as defective then you'll have 2 unopened copies, return one, exchange the other. Because this really stretches the policy, I would only do it in extreme cases. It's not the stores' fault your player chokes on some of the DVD's.

eau

If you exchange an opened dvd at Best Buy, they would pry open the replacement copy before handing it to you. So back to the square: one opened copy and one unopened copy

I haven't heard of stories for other stores yet.

JinW

I returned my Simpsons DVD at K-Mart claiming it was defective (which it was). They had me sign a slip as usual and handed me money on the spot.

garmonbozia

I used to have this same problem with my first player. For dvds I could not play, I would either watch them on someone else's player or on my dvd-rom. I knew I wouldn't have that player forever, and one day I would be able to play the discs my player refused to play.......
My player also developed problems of not wanting to play anything at all unless it had been on for about 10 minutes. So after taking it to be repaired 3 times...Best Buy finally just gave me a new player. My first player was the first time, and the last time, I will buy anything JVC.
So for 3 years I just sucked it up and watched the discs my player refused to play by other means.
The more discs I bought, the more and more discs wouldn't play...
just as you said you are noticing....."the older my player (and it's firmware) get the more problems I seem to find"
rather than waste money on upgrading a problematic player.....
start saving money for a new one.......
keep those problematic discs aside (if you can confirm it is your player and not the discs by checking them out on another machine) for the day you get a new player..........

SmackDaddy

Hmm..perhaps a shrink wrap machine would come in handy.
Just save those security stickers.

Easy

Heh... I never thought of that. Guess I don't have a criminal mind.

Easy

I agree it is not the store's fault. It isn't my fault either. It is a retail player and a retail disk both purchased locally. Oddly enough, every cassette I ever bought played fine in all the home, car and portable players I owned over the years. Same for CD. Every VHS tape I ever purchased or rented played fine in my VHS machines. Yet a new dvd which plays perfectly in other players, will not play in a my machine which is less than two years old. Strangely, my machine plays over 200 other dvds just fine. Is it the fault of the machine firmware or the disk authoring? I don't know. I do know if manufacturers expect me to buy a new player every year or two they are insane. I thought dvd would be a good format to collect movie favorites. Maybe I was wrong. I have been watching this particular issue for a while and I have seen lots of problems with lots of different makes of players choking in many different movies. These players just don't seem very dependable. I don't think I should have to go through ethically questionable gyrations to return a movie. OTOH I don't think I should be "stuck" either. Any other options/opinions?

Easy

I agree it would be a waste to even attempt to upgrade my el cheapo Konka player. Nearly two years ago I decided to see what dvd was about and got a great deal on this player. I have been looking to upgrade but I am not aware of any brand that has not choked on at least one dvd title. I thought it would be ideal to buy a player with user upgradable firmware. I read a post from a guy who said he got a disk from the manufacturer (Phillips?) and simply popped it an the player and pushed a button and the player upgraded it's own firmware. Sweet! This was in contrast to Toshiba owners moaning about sending their players to Atlanta and paying $50+. I decided then that being able to easily upgrade the firmware was the way to go but I have been unable to find information on which (if any) players are capable. I also wonder if any manufacturer has a commitment to continue to upgrade the firmware of older players. The dvd format is clearly mainstream so it seems this will be a continuing concern and not just the industry shaking out authoring issues.