What bugs you most about the DVD platform?
 

I can't decide if it's the layer change or movies spread over 2 discs.

As far as I'm concerned, the only difference between a cell phone going off at a movie theater and a layer change on a dvd is that i can actually schedule the point in time when i am completely taken out of the movie when i'm watching it on dvd.

The movies over 2 discs thing isn't entirely new, but i've always had a problem with this solution as it is even more successful in interrupting the flow of the movie.

I don't really see these problems as insurmountable, especially the 2 disc problem. but i wonder if the next generation dvds will resolve these issues or keep them going.

There are a lot of players on the market now that do unnoticable layer changes. I suggest you try one of those.

Layer change!?

2 disc problem!?

-ohbfrank-

i suppose i do have a relatively antiquated dvd player.

is this just something that's improved with the times? or is it a 'special feature'?


yes 2 discs suck. i recognize the need for 2 discs, however i question that the need is resolved in the most elegant fashion possible.

DVD Changer.

I would have to go with layer changes.

I'd have to go with the "This operation is not permitted at this time" message during forced FBI warnings. You'd think that if they can create region 0 dvd players, they could create players that ignore those button restrictions.

How many movies are spread onto 2 discs? Out of 1000 that I own, I can only think of a handful of discs (the LOTR EE's for example), with perhaps the worst offender of Lawrence of Arabia not putting the disc break at the intermission.

I haven't noticed any layer changes on my new Denon, so there is a technology improvement with new dvd players, as previous players I've own would show a freeze up to a second (coming from laserdiscs, I didn't mind it at all, although I would have to explain to my wife and kids what was happening).

I totally agree with the forced warnings and trailers at the beginning of the movies being annoying, sometimes fast-forward works, sometimes chapter forward, and in the best case the Top Menu button, but always different on each disc.

Layer Changes and the unskippable trailers, warnings etc.

My biggest problem is how easily the disc can be damaged. For a medium that's supposed to be practically indestructible, good luck if it accidentally slips out of your hand and scrapes against something the wrong way.

Unskipable trailers or very long menu intros that cant be skipped. Layer changes are most noticable on cheap DVD players (those that ususally have long loading times for menus and such too) as far as two disc movies, with the advent of DVD changers its not that bad of a deal, especially for me, they are mostly long movies and I usually need a break, plus I would rather have a brief pause in the movie than watch a long movie with crappy quality. Other than that the only other problem I have with DVD is that I like it too much!

What's a layer change? Denon 2900 here.

DVDs are easy to damage, that's my biggest issue. But at least my kids will be better at minimizing this than most people.

Got no problem with layer changes. Barely noticeable on my player anyway.

Got no problem with two-disc movies. As a veteran of the Laserdisc era and as a former film projectionist, the idea of a 3-hour movie playing continuously without interruption is what's bizarre.

Got a big problem with players not responding to commands because of authoring lockouts. Forced trailers and FBI warnings and even THX fanfares are anathema to me.

Probably my biggest peeve is the inclusion of 4:3 versions in expensive special editions of theatrical films. The persistence of 4:3 in the feature film market is bad enough, but don't increase the cost of collector's sets by including an entire side I'll never watch.

RichC

Cheap players seem to always have a layer change problem, at least everyone of them that I've owned. I've never had a problem with it on any of the 'name brand' players I've had. I wouldn't say it's a 'special feature' but if you bought a new player that cost over $100 you probably wouldn't see a layer change.

Nothing really bugs me to the point of getting worked up about it....except previously, lack of QC at the plants/delamination which has improved a little over time. As long as the disc has a long shelf life, as it's supposed to, then I have no problems with any of the above things that were already mentioned. FBI logos? I could really give a shit...it's no big deal. Layer changes? I too have a few Denon decks which have kissed that problem goodbye. Easily damaged discs? Only if they are treated like crap and mis-handeled and loaned out. Over 1,900 titles here and I am scratch/fingerprint free. It's all in how you take care of them. Any damage I have seen was born at the plant...or the retail store from which it came.

Same here. I cannot stand how easily they can get scratched.

Layer change used to be my pet peeve, but a Denon 2200 solved that problem.

I'd have to say the fragility of the discs is the biggest problem. Despite the supposedly increased error correction on DVDs as compared to CDs, I don't ever recall having a scratch or speck of dust causing a CD to skip or restart. I'll pop in a brand new DVD once in a while that will have a glitch that causes it to pixelate, skip, or restart. After much inspection under a bright light I'll find some microscopic particle on the disc that caused the problem.

Not enough inserts. And they cost too much. And they take too long to release stuff I want. And the black bars at the top and bottom of some of them make my brain hurt.

It's definitely the black bars that bother me. Why would someone want to cut off some of the picture???????

if you don't want to drop money on a Denon (which are some the fastest navigating dvd players out there along with near seamless layer change depending on your model), go for a Pioneer 578. pretty good, fast machine. may not have the best picture but I'm sure 98% of the public is happy with what they got =) so I won't point you to the Secrets' benchmark as it will simply ruin you. ;-)

back on topic, I hate the previews that some dvds have that you must skip through and how on certain discs, I have no idea why but you aren't able to change the audio or subtitle track during the movie. You are FORCED to go back to the main menu and enter the audio/subtitle menu, how f'n lame. Anyone know why some discs are like this ? I haven't kept track of them but its annoying.

Also it'd be nice if there was a clean, absolute master with the color/brightness/contrast/etc just as the director intended and that was the picture transfer for the dvd release in ALL regions. It bugs me how the various regions have such a different picture at times (check dvdbeaver to take a look see). DTS would also be a nice standard (at least for modern films) but i guess really isn't needed except for action type movies.

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FBI warnings and trailers do bother me but not as much as knowing that DVD has never beed used to it's full potential. I know some discs take advantage of things like branching but it's rare. I hope the muscle of the next format will really be flexed.

The warnings about commentaries not sharing the studios opinions bugs me beyond belief, as well as forced previews that you can't fast-forward through. I'm also not that crazy on double-sided discs, even though they can offer a good bit, I just don't prefer them.

That fact that every disc has a special edition in the works.

It's available at Wal-Mart. ;)

The fact that some disks get the disk-rot. I had an Evita disk that I watched once. The next time I put it in, skips and video problems galore. Other than being played and put right back in the case, it had been nowhere else.
The whole thing of them being never getting wrecked is a load of crap.. Because of this, I hardly buy any DVDs since I don't want to waste money on things that might wreck themselves.

As for layer changes, why don't studios just put them in between a scene change or during an black/unmoving moment of the film? They always seem to happen right during a scene when things are moving so they are more obvious.