When are We going to see a Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea DVD Release?!!!!!

#211

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2/10/06 at 8:05am

michael_ks
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Thanks for posting the link. This is the best affirmation regarding the quality of transfers for the first volume of VTTBOTS. Rumour had it that the picture quality would be every bit as good as TT, but this review would seem to put any doubts to rest. As this show is my holy grail for classic TV on DVD, I know now I'm going to thoroughly enjoy this release!

#212

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2/10/06 at 12:49pm

Gary OS
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Yep, we are getting close now. And this review only hightens my expectations and excitement!

Gary "with the recent news about Volume 2 coming in May or June, this has been a fantastic couple of weeks with things only getting better from here on out" O.

"Do not challenge supernatural unless armed with sword of truth"
...CHARLIE CHAN ON TREASURE ISLAND

#213

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2/10/06 at 1:14pm

JeffT.
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Thanks for the (advance) alert!

Boy! That DVD TALK review was certainly timely enough. Usually (most of) these online DVD reviewing services take (literally) forever in discussing the better releases for the benefit of the (still) uncommitted out there.

In addition to commenting specifically on the (high grade) quality of the video transfers used it also confirms that the original colour pilot of "Eleven Days to Zero" (14/09/1964) screened for the ABC Television Network executives will indeed be included in volume one.

Well we got both VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA (ABC 1964-68) and THE TIME TUNNEL (ABC 1966-67) and it just doesn't get any better than this!

Frankly I never really thought that I would actually see the (momentous) day ever come about!

Thank you (once again) 20th Century-Fox Home Entertainment for doing the right thing and making so many VOYAGE and THE TIME TUNNEL fans happy!

Jeff T.

THE INVADERS starring Roy Thinnes belongs in a DVD Collection.

Let them land!

#214

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2/10/06 at 8:24pm

Dave Scarpa
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I happened to Stop at the Big Corporate Giant tonight after Diner, thought I might grab Emergency S2 or Archie Bunker's Place, well they were both Nowhere to be found. But Lo and Behold there were 12 copies of Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea ! With $30 Eagerly in Hand a Glassy Haze came over my Eyes and I checked out ! No I did'nt Die I Paid for the Dang thing and went home and watched "Eleven Days to Zero"

Ok Here's my Impressions .. it looks Pretty Good. Remember this is a 1963 B&W series that used alot of Optical effects and Stock Footage. It Ain't Time Tunnel. In the Submarine and On Land I would say that the series looks about the same as alot of Series around that time, say if you've seen Have Gun Will Travel you know what to expect. The Optical shot and Stock Footage are another thing. Any shot of the Seaview Itself looks like it was not only filmed Underwater, but with a Heavy amount of Snow. Grain Abounds and I do mean Grain. But don't let this turn you off I don't think the elements are in that great of shape and this is likely the best we'll see. I guess my true test will come with the color shows. Anyone that bought Gunsmoke will know what the color eps look like there. And that's the way I always remember seeing the color eps look in Syndication and on Scifi. They were always very faded looking. Remember also Time Tunnel was remastered to show on Encore. VTTBOTS received no such treatment. Still for $30 bones You can't do wrong.

The same Static Menu's and Lack of Flash abound but still to have this great series on DVD is a treat. 4 Eps on Side A and 2 on Side B for Disks 1 & 2. Disk 3 has 4 eps on Side A and The Unaired Pilot and Bonus Features on B. And Who knew Dr. Evil shows up in the very first show

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#215

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2/11/06 at 3:36am

Harry-N
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Quote:

And that's the way I always remember seeing the color eps look in Syndication and on Scifi. They were always very faded looking. Remember also Time Tunnel was remastered to show on Encore. VTTBOTS received no such treatment. Still for $30 bones You can't do wrong.

So, are you saying that the colors aren't vibrant on the one episode that is in color? That they're faded?

Four episodes on one side of a disc? Isn't that worse treatment than TIME TUNNEL got with usually two on one side of a disc?

Harry

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A fugitive moves on, through anguished tunnels of time, down dim streets, into dark corners. And each new day offers fear and frustration, tastes of honey and hemlock. But if there is a hazard, there is also hope. - Closing narration to THE FUGITIVE, "Death Is The Door Prize".

#216

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2/11/06 at 7:22am

Gary OS
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Well Dave, I guess when it comes to video quality, beauty is in the eye of the beholder because your early review differs somewhat considerably from the one we got at DVD Talk. That reviewer specifically states that

Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea looks just great, a flawless transfer of black and white, 35mm shows that show almost no sign of age-related and other damage, and are not edited or time-compressed. The contrast, blacks, etc., are outstanding.

Gary "nothing is gonna stop me from picking up this set and I hope no one else, especially any that are on the fence about this release, will be dissuaded by your comments" O.

"Do not challenge supernatural unless armed with sword of truth"
...CHARLIE CHAN ON TREASURE ISLAND

#217

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2/11/06 at 8:09am

Jeff Willis
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I'll get getting this set (ordering next wk from Amazon) no matter what the reviews said. I figure the video's on par with the TT set and this set will be a near blind-buy for me since it's been at least 25 yrs since I've seen any of this series. Can't wait

Un-cut eps = purchase for me on most any TV/DVD set that I'm interested in.

- Jeff "One Fence-rider that's off the fence about VTTBOTS" W.

[sign-off used by permission of patent-holder Gary OS

]

"Checkmate King Two Out" Jeff Willis "Combat! A Selmur Production"

I'm a 50's - mid-90's TV/DVD Collector. One DVD show since '96: Firefly

The Fugitive/See Hollywood & Die: [Miles] "What, you think I'm crazy?!" [Kimble] "Next question."

#218

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2/11/06 at 9:33am

Richard_Gregory
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Six episodes a disc? They've used DVD-14's then. This is an unusual format to use.

In that case I will definitely be waiting for the UK editions which will almost certainly be on DVD-9 or DVD-10, both of which I regard as beinf more robust and less error prone.

I think that we will see a complete Season One in the Uk released shortly after the second half of S1 releases in the US.

#219

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2/11/06 at 10:11am

Dave Scarpa
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I only screened the Original Pilot not the Color Non Broadcast one, ,althou the reviews I read said it lookd good I'll look at it today.

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#220

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2/11/06 at 10:14am

Dave Scarpa
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I'm not saying they look Bad. I said they look about what I expected them to Look. If your Expecting them to look like Time Tunnel they don't but they look about as good as a B&W show with Heavy optical effects are gonna look. The stuff no involving optical shots look pretty nice.

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#221

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2/11/06 at 12:33pm

Gary OS
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Dave, I appreciate the replies to your initial post. I know you don't want to create disappointment with any of us that are still waiting for the dvds to be released. I guess the part of your post that really disconcerted me was when you wrote:

Any shot of the Seaview Itself looks like it was not only filmed Underwater, but with a Heavy amount of Snow. Grain Abounds and I do mean Grain.

That's a fairly strong and negative statement about the quality of at least portions of the video. And since we had heard otherwise from the DVD Talk review I imagine you can see why some of us would be bummed at your comments. We have all been told that "Voyage" will look far superior to the "LIS" discs we have seen over the last couple of years. Therefore we are expecting some nice clean prints.

I do believe we can be overly critical of video quality from time to time. I know my first viewing of the recent "Leave it to Beaver" set had me feeling the picture was very grainy. But upon a second viewing, I realized my initial thoughts were too negative. The dvds are actually very good quality. Hopefully, you just went with a first impression and it's not as bad as you made it seem with your first post. Or perhaps it was just that first episode. Since there will be 15 others to view, maybe the quality will improve.

Gary "I'd get the set even if it looked as bad as the 3rd Season of LIS simply because this is one of my favorite shows of all time" O.

"Do not challenge supernatural unless armed with sword of truth"
...CHARLIE CHAN ON TREASURE ISLAND

#222

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2/12/06 at 10:47am

Dave Scarpa
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OK Had a chance to view the Second Episode and It looks alot cleaner especially the Opticals, browsed thru the other eps and they are pretty clean looking, so I'm appending my initial impression, they look a whole lot better than LIS and look pretty close to Time Tunnel ceping of course they are B&W. You'll all be happy with the set.

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#223

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2/12/06 at 10:59am

Gary OS
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Great news Dave! Thanks for that update. I was hoping that would be the case. As I said, the same thing happened to me with the LITB Season 1 set that came out a few months ago. For whatever reason, the first episode I viewed looked grainy and I was bummed. But when I came back to the set a few days later and watched some other episodes, it looked alot cleaner.

Gary "ok, now we are ready to - DIVE, DIVE!!" O.

"Do not challenge supernatural unless armed with sword of truth"
...CHARLIE CHAN ON TREASURE ISLAND

#224

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2/13/06 at 9:10am

FrancisP
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There is one thing that I wish they would retain but probably won't. I have a few VCDs of Voyage and they retain the "Coming Next Week on VTTBOS" previews. That's probably why I will keep the vcds. Other than that it sounds great.

#225

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2/13/06 at 9:33am

Dave Scarpa
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No Previews Unfotunately. Not too many Classic TV Shows have those, Trek as an exception

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#226

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2/13/06 at 9:37am

michael_ks
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Quote:

I have a few VCDs of Voyage and they retain the "Coming Next Week on VTTBOS" previews.

If they were included, they'd probably look rather ruddy anyway, like they did on the "Lost in Space" season 3 set. And that would mar what would appear to be a near pristine transer of episodes.

I'm not surprised that the B&W pilot of "Eleven Days to Zero" is a notch below the rest of volume one's episodes. If I've got the color version, I'll just watch that one anyway and forget about the aired version. Still, the pilot was not visibly different enough to warrant a comment by the DVDtalk reviewer, so apparently the difference between it and say, "City Beneath the Sea" is less obvious than "The Reluctant Stowaway" vs. "The Derelict" in the LIS season one release.

I won't fault Fox for a less-than-perfect "Eleven Days..." if I've got a chance to FINALLY see "The Fear Makers", "The Price of Doom" and "Mutiny" in all it's B&W glory. I'm expecting this set to be on par at least with "Naked City" and "Wanted: Dead or Alive" for transfer quality, which will make this fan very pleased indeed.

#227

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2/13/06 at 9:48am

Gary OS
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I won't fault Fox for a less-than-perfect "Eleven Days..." if I've got a chance to FINALLY see "The Fear Makers", "The Price of Doom" and "Mutiny" in all it's B&W glory.

And don't forget "Submarine Sunk Here"! Although it contains no sci-fi elements, it's probably the best episode of the entire series. At least that's the way it consistently ranks when you ask VTTBOTS fans - myself included.

Gary "who am I kidding - IMHO, there isn't one poor episode in the whole first season, so I'm giddy with anticipation at this point" O.

"Do not challenge supernatural unless armed with sword of truth"
...CHARLIE CHAN ON TREASURE ISLAND

#228

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2/13/06 at 9:54am

Dave Scarpa
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I watched Fear Makers Last Night it Looked Real nice, and some good Hammy Acting by Baseheart in this one. Gee did every Sci Fi Series in the 60's have one of these "Crew goes Craze eps"

Also we're not quite into the "Kawolski gets hit over the Head and Knocked out every Episode" trend yet. I guess that's later on.

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#229

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2/13/06 at 10:12am

michael_ks
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Quote:

And don't forget "Submarine Sunk Here"!

Didn't forget it, Gary. Almost included that one, along with "The Ghost of Moby Dick". Come to think of it, I'll probably check out "Ghost" first for the awesome Seaview/giant whale showdown.

I've pumped up VTTBOTS to my 5 year old son so much (who's contented with TT at the moment) that I'll probably have to showcase all the "bears" for him by scanning the four discs in my changer to satisfy his monster/alien fetish. My talking to him recently about a giant coelenterate (jellyfish) in "Mutiny" that all but dwarfs the Seaview had his eyes glazed over...

#230

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2/13/06 at 10:21am

Dave Scarpa
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Well one thing I had forgotten is how much the tone of the series changed over the course of the 1st to 3rd seasons. I think a 5 year old might like the later episodes better. The one that scare me most as a kid, even thou it was the cheesiest ep of the series is the show when Nelson turns into a Werewolf that scared the dickens out of me when I was a kid.

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#231

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2/13/06 at 10:25am

Gary OS
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I know what you mean, Michael. My two daughters (12 & 10) are loving TT, and like you I've been really pumping up VTTBOTS to them. Being a tad older than your son, they aren't quite as concerned with monsters. They just enjoy a well done, suspenseful episode. Therefore I think I'll be able to start with "Eleven Days" and just go in order.

Gary "they will of course be saddened with the ending of 'Sub Sunk Here' because of the
Warning Spoiler! Click to show

sacrificial death of Blake at the end - they prefer happy endings

" O.

"Do not challenge supernatural unless armed with sword of truth"
...CHARLIE CHAN ON TREASURE ISLAND

#232

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2/13/06 at 10:29am

Gary OS
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Well one thing I had forgotten is how much the tone of the series changed over the course of the 1st to 3rd seasons.

Exactly Dave. It's a huge, huge leap between seasons 1 & 2 versus seasons 3 & 4. Almost to the point where it's like watching two different shows. There were only a handful of episodes in the last two seasons that had any of the "cold war/spy" elements that made the first two seasons much more serious and enjoyable for me.

Gary "I'll eat the first 2 seasons up quickly, but will probably be a bit slower at watching the episodes from seasons 3 & 4" O.

"Do not challenge supernatural unless armed with sword of truth"
...CHARLIE CHAN ON TREASURE ISLAND

#233

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2/14/06 at 10:41am

michael_ks
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Some of the notable highlights from seasons 3 and 4:

http://www.vttbots.com/season_three_landmarks.html

http://www.vttbots.com/season_four_landmarks.html

I'm definitely more of a season 1-2 kind of guy, but even at its worst, you still get Basehart, Hedison and great shots of the VTTBOTS hardware.

#234

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2/15/06 at 6:39am

michael_ks
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Another review (with link to David Hedison interview):

http://www.movieweb.com/dvd/release/...review1211.php

Not alot of information about picture quality but the most detailed information I've read yet about the extras.

I wish reviewers would stop "apologizing" for the less than state-of-the-art special effects in shows like TT and VTTBOTS. I mean, if you're reviewing a DVD for "When Worlds Collide", "Forbidden Planet", "It Came From Outer Space", etc., would you waste your time explaining that these films don't feature the same level of SFX as "Revenge of the Sith"??? Anyone can claim that to be the case, for crying out loud--it's completely beside the point.

#235

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2/15/06 at 7:53am

Brent Avery
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Watched the first two episodes last night and ,overall, they look pretty good. It is expected that underwater shots would not be great - and there was the odd scene which was very grainy but this hardly detracts from what appears to be a solid transfer to dvd. Given the medium and age, film stock etc Voyage still looks very good to me.I think some viewers might be a bit critical - I certainly found nothing to complain about. Great theme music too.

#236

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2/15/06 at 8:22am

michael_ks
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Thanks, Brent. The main title by Paul Sawtell is my favorite tv theme of all time. IMO a better "marriage" of music and celluloid occurs in season 2 with the sweeping radar and descending Seaview.

Just now ran into this review:

http://www.atnzone.com/moviezone/vid...ews.php?id=860

The first line in the review made me cringe a bit, but the reviewer is fair and kind to the show, in spite of being an Irwin Allen neophyte.

This concerns me though (Amazon.com review for 2/14):

"As to the rendering values......... I scanned every episode on the double sided discs and did locate one episode that freezes and sputters for about 3 minutes time and that portion is not viewable. One glitch found is distressing, yes, but at least it's better than several other double sided DVD's I've purchased in the past, i.e. Emergency and Alfred Hitchcock Presents (multiple problems on several episodes that I didn't discover until well after the 30 day return date - LESSON LEARNED THERE - always check the discs after you purchase them).

The question is, do I take this product back with it's one small imperfection and risk another disc more damaged? Or am I just unlucky with this set and the others will be mostly okay? I'm waiting to hear from some others of you on that, please."

Why didn't Fox just treat this in the same manner as TT? Those discs aren't DVD-14s are they?

#237

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2/15/06 at 9:06am

Jeff Willis
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Quote:

The question is, do I take this product back with it's one small imperfection and risk another disc more damaged? Or am I just unlucky with this set and the others will be mostly okay? I'm waiting to hear from some others of you on that, please."

Mike, I'm on the "don't return for minor problems" side of this fence. For example, I just watched ep 3 of the Rockford Files S1 and there's one "freeze" defect but I can do a fast-fwd past the defect without a problem. As of now, I won't return the set for this. One thing to note about returns: I've returned a couple of sets for exchange to Amazon that were well over the 30-day limit and they honored the exchange for me. I'm not sure if that's a rule of thumb at Amazon but they did it for me. So, I'm not too concerned about the 30-day issue although it might "bite" me eventually since I have many TV/DVD sets that are "in progress" of viewing. That's one of the prices that I accept for my "variety-viewing" habit

Gee whiz...I just finished Battlestar Glactica (original series) set this past weekend. Bought it over a year ago.

BTW, how do you guys at HTF check out a TV/DVD set that fast without viewing each ep completely? Do you all put them in your PC's and do some sort of a quick-scan? Just curious.

Back on VTTBOTS: This one will be a blind-buy for me since I don't remember hardly any of the series from its original airings but I just pre-ordered S1 V1 from Amazon this morning. From the last several posts, I'm fairly sure that I'll get S1 V2 for certain and maybe S2. I'll probably like the B/W "cold war" eps more than later ones in this series.

"Checkmate King Two Out" Jeff Willis "Combat! A Selmur Production"

I'm a 50's - mid-90's TV/DVD Collector. One DVD show since '96: Firefly

The Fugitive/See Hollywood & Die: [Miles] "What, you think I'm crazy?!" [Kimble] "Next question."

#238

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2/15/06 at 9:19am

RickER
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I exchange everything. If it has a deep scratch but still plays back it goes. If it skips, back it goes. Been burned by keeping a badly scratched disc. And you shouldn't have to skip past a bad area. I usually only replace the bad disc, and keep the others when its from Amazon. When i buy from Best Buy i ask if i can just swap the bad disc. I hope we dont have multiple disc problems with this set. It is not a Universal release so i am hopeful.

#239

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2/15/06 at 9:44am

Doug^Ch
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I return nothing. I have probably 75 season sets that I have not even broken the package on yet. The way that I look at it is I can deal with the two percent or so that may have problems. I have too many sets to monkey around with trying to exchange them. Also some of the sets will take a couple of years to get to and by that time it is too late to exchange. I also find that if you have enough DVD players around you can usually get a bad set to play on one of them. On Leave It to Beaver, it took four tries to get a player to accept some of the discs - they always broke up, pixilated, and froze in the same areas with most discs in the set.

#240

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2/15/06 at 10:06am

Brent Avery
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Despite the ongoing problems with double sided discs, so far the only problem I have experienced was one episode of Adam 12 where it pixelated near the end - and I have a decent collection of shows using them so some of us are fortunate I guess. Hopefully Voyage will play without any glitches.

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