Problems with "Route 66 Season Three" (1 Viewer)

[docdoowop]

Gah! Glad I waited until this week's DD/DVDP sale to order. Thanks to the posters for saving me the frustration.

 

[smithb]

Originally Posted by docdoowop

Gah! Glad I waited until this week's DD/DVDP sale to order. Thanks to the posters for saving me the frustration.

The complete season 3 set wouldn't have been available through DD. However, the first volume will be and that one at least appears to be okay. It is the second volume and the complete set that aren't suppose to be released until Oct 2009 and Jan 2010 respectively.

Not to pile on, but I wasn't a fan of the case either. It was a double wide DVD case with two on the inside front, two on the inside back, and two hinged inserts holding two discs a piece (front and back). The hubs on the inserts weren't holding my disks in place very well. My guess is the individual volumes will be in standard cases that hold four disks and I've had better luck with them (anyone confirm?)

 

[Jeff Willis]

Originally Posted by Hollywoodaholic

And did they ever clean up the first 15 episodes of Season 1?

I checked the original S1V1 set with the complete S1 set and confirmed that they used the same prints for the V1 part of the complete set as the original S1V1 release.

 

[Hollywoodaholic]

Originally Posted by Jeff Willis




I checked the original S1V1 set with the complete S1 set and confirmed that they used the same prints for the V1 part of the complete set as the original S1V1 release.

Yeah, I have that complete Season 1 set, but in a moment of delirium, I imagined Infinity might have finally remastered those first 15 and slipped them into later-produced sets. I know, I know, a complete fantasy considering how ineptly and inconsiderately Infinity has handled every aspect of this show's release.

 

[Rod J]

Same here - none of the part 2 discs would play.
I looked at them on the computer and there is no VIDEO_TS folder on the discs. Looks like someone skipped a step in mastering the discs.

 

[smithb]

I went to Infinity's web site and filled out the form to contact them with information about the Route 66 season 3 issue. Guess what I received back, an automated reply email from a person that states they no longer work there. Now at least they gave an email address of someone else that could be contacted, but how hard could it be to update the website with the new person's email address. Makes you wonder.

Anyway, I rewrote the email and sent it to the other individual. It will be interesting to see what their reply is.

 

[Richard V]

Those are Video CD files, not the standard DVD movie files. I haven't checked yet on my DVD player, which is supposed to play Video CD, but if your DVD player can play Video CD files, perhaps they can play those discs.

 

[Richard V]

I was able to get the DVD's to play on my DVD player, but with difficulty. The screen came up as a directory as you would see on a computer screen, and I was able to scroll down and get the DVD started to the splash screen, but my remote would only start the DVD using the fast forward button. Once started, the 1st episode played normally, but when the 2nd episode started, it would play only about 5 minutes then revert to the directory screen when the DVD player attempted to change layers. It is a shame because the video and sound quality was exceptionally good, at least on my TV.

 

[Regulus]

After observing what has happened here here's all I can say for Best Buy:

DOH!

 

[Hollywoodaholic]

Just for the record, the Season 3 set I received from Critics Choice doesn't play the last 4 discs either. I'm preparing to ship them back to CC, but I might wait a day or two to see if Infinity puts forth some replacement plan (yeah, right, like THAT would go smoothly).

www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Route-66-major-problems-with-season-3/12310

For Conspiracy Theorists: George Maharis' run ends in the first half of Season 3, when he is replaced by Glen Corbett. Perhaps the person in charge of mastering the disc for Infinity was a diehard disgruntled Buz fan. But then, perhaps they have ZERO quality assurance control on their products, which is more likely.

 

[borisfw]

Any word on what Infinity is going to do with this issue? I waited a couple of days to see what the plan was . It looks like i'm just going to bring mine back to Best Buy. I hope they fix the issue and take all the stock thats bad off the shelf. Then re stock with the corrected product. SOON!!!

 

[Richard V]

I sent an email to Best Buy describing the problem. They sent me the standard form letter reciting their return policy, they did not specifically address the issue with the defective DVD's.

 

[Hollywoodaholic]

I sent an email to Infinity and received the following email letter back. They are currently only offering refunds through the original purchase sources; Best Buy or Critics Choice. There is no plan for a disc replacement program. But the letter also states the retailers in question will have the corrected sets in a few weeks.

Infinity Entertainment GroupRecalls Route 66: Complete Season Three [COLOR= black]LOS ANGELES [/COLOR]— July 17[COLOR= black], 2009 [/COLOR]— [COLOR= black]For Immediate Release [/COLOR]— Infinity Entertainment Group (IEG) has issued a recall advisory to any consumer experiencing playback issues with the Route 66: Complete Season ThreeDVD collector’s set. The recall – which does not affect any other Route 66 DVD collection in the marketplace – is due to a manufacturer’s defect that affects playability on some of the eight discs. Consumers may return Route 66: Complete Season Three to the original point of purchase for a full refund. Currently, the only retail outlets offering the complete season three collection are Best Buy and Critic’s Choice (www.criticschoice.com). A corrected complete season three collection will be available through these retailers within a few weeks. The catalog and UPC numbers of the affected merchandise are: BEST BUY: Catalog #IEG2145 and UPC #617742214598. CRITIC’S CHOICE: Catalog #IEG2149 and UPC #617742214994. Commented Rick Buehler, VP, Sales & Acquisitions, IEG, “We apologize for any inconvenience this has caused to our customers and to consumers. The issue does not affect the majority of Route 66 DVD inventory in the marketplace, only a season three collection currently being offered exclusively at Best Buy and online through Critic’s Choice. We are correcting the issue as quickly as possible. Full refunds are available to anyone experiencing difficulties with this product.” ### Contact: Vicki GreenleafGreenleaf & Associates – 323-660-5800[email protected]

 

[docdoowop]

I guess I can go ahead and pick up Season 3 Volume 1 without fear.

 

[John DeAngelis]

Has anyone purchased Season 3 Volume 1?

 

[Richard V]

I went to Best Buy yesterday and tried to get a refund. They tried to give me the usual song and dance about exchanging for the exact same article, or the "store credit" crap. I refused and demanded to speak with the manager. He plead ignorance about any recall from Infinity, until I directed him to www.tvshowsondvd.com. After that, he had no choice but to honor my request for a refund.

 

[Hollywoodaholic]

Originally Posted by Richard V

I went to Best Buy yesterday and tried to get a refund. They tried to give me the usual song and dance about exchanging for the exact same article, or the "store credit" crap. I refused and demanded to speak with the manager. He plead ignorance about any recall from Infinity, until I directed him to www.tvshowsondvd.com. After that, he had no choice but to honor my request for a refund.

Good move. I was going to suggest to others to print out the Infinity statement and take that with them. Best Buy and others have pretty tight rules about returning opened items or exchanging them for another item, obviously because people could have burned a copy.

To those asking about Season 3, Volume 1 playing okay, I can only testify that the four disks of Season 3 Volume 1 in the complete season set did play fine (after a little more rumbling than usual), so if those are the same disks, it should be okay. I may go with that Volume instead of waiting for the fixed Complete Season 3 to show up.

 

[Richard Gallagher]

Originally Posted by John DeAngelis

Has anyone purchased Season 3 Volume 1?

I have it on order with Deep Discount.

 

[smithb]

I returned mine to BB before the official notice came out. I brought the disks with me and explained the problem and that it wasn't an isolated instance. I also said that getting a replacement was not an option since I suspected all their sets were bad. After trying the disks out they gave me a refund. They were actually pretty good about it considering their policy and how difficult returns can be at some stores.

 

[Hollywoodaholic]

Excellent review by Paul Mavis on Season 3, Volume 1. He may post it as a separate thread, but it belongs here for anyone who is considering buying Season 3, as well.

www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/37958/route-66-season-three-volume-one/

What he doesn't reveal, though, is that Maharis does not return for the second volume in Season 3. And the series suffers considerably for the loss of that chemistry with Milner. But for the 16 episodes here, the great writing, chemistry and guest appearances roll on.