Analysis on HD DVD Combo discs

Hello HTF enthusiasts,

There has been a lot of discussion around playback issues with HD DVD combo discs. We want to determine what the real issues are here and would like to get your combo discs that are not playing properly in your HD DVD player.

The program for this is pretty straightforward. You ship us your HD DVD combo disc(s) that are not working properly and we will send you a replacement HD DVD combo disc(s).

We only need 50 discs to accomplish our analysis, so we are just keeping this to HTF members. In order to set expectations on getting your replacement disc, please just post that you are sending us a disc to this thread. Once the thread reaches 50, everyone will know we have accomplished our analysis goal.

We want certain information from you included with the disc that you return (there is no need to post it on the thread as our testers won’t be looking there for repro steps):

1) The HD DVD player that you own, make and model
2) The firmware version of the player
3) The problem that you are experiencing
4) What time code the problem occurs
5) If the problem reproduces 100% of the time on your HD DVD player
6) Your return address to have a replacement HD DVD combo disc shipped.
7) The original case with the HD DVD inside (we want to ensure that no additional damage occurs)

We are assuming that the disc is clean and without scratch marks on the disc and reproduces the problem in the state that it is sent to us.

After posting that you are going to be shipping us a disc(s) please ship these disc(s) to:

Microsoft
Christopher Smith
One Microsoft Way
a-chs 17\1119
Redmond, WA 98052

We will be running analysis on all these discs to see if we can determine the cause of the reported problems.

Best regards,

Kevin Collins
Director HD DVD Evangelism
Microsoft

Re: Analysis on HD DVD Combo discs

Please note that this thread is not for discussing combo problems only for indicating that you are sending in a disc(s) to be looked at and replaced.

Re: Analysis on HD DVD Combo discs

I'll send in my We Are Marshall combo; it freezes (repeatably) on both the HD and SD sides and nothing short of unplugging the player will get it unstuck.

Re: Analysis on HD DVD Combo discs

I will send my copy of Smokin' Aces; haven't tried watching the SD side, but the HD locks up same place everytime. Have to unplug to clear.

Re: Analysis on HD DVD Combo discs

Hello everyone,

I have a small update on the shipping address.

Microsoft
Christopher Smith
One Microsoft Way
a-chs 17\1119
Redmond, WA 98052

thanks

- kevin

Re: Analysis on HD DVD Combo discs

Kevin,
I'll be sending you my combo disc of The Departed.

It freezes repeatedly on various scenes but won't reproduce on the same scene a 2nd time.

xbox360 HD DVD drive.

Re: Analysis on HD DVD Combo discs

I can send The Scorpion King. It fails with an error code every time on my XA2 while loading.

Re: Analysis on HD DVD Combo discs

Aw crap. I sent my We Are Marshall to the wrong address. I hope it will still get to him. Kevin, can you please update the address in the first post?

Re: Analysis on HD DVD Combo discs

The discs will still get to us from the first address, just take longer. I will ask Adam to update the first post with the revised address.

thx

Re: Analysis on HD DVD Combo discs

Beat you to it, I took care of it yesterday.

Re: Analysis on HD DVD Combo discs

I will be sending you "Hot Fuzz". It locks up at random places during playback on my HD DVD add-on, but it locks up 100% of the time. the SD side plays fine.

Re: Analysis on HD DVD Combo discs

Five discs so far. Room for 45 more!

Re: Analysis on HD DVD Combo discs

Finally sent mine last Tuesday (to the wrong address no less) and received my new copy Saturday! Talk about great turn-around, thanks Kevin!

Re: Analysis on HD DVD Combo discs

Kevin,

I mailed mine today (Hot Fuzz). I did not include anything relative to the problem, only my name an address along with the disc, but the problem is described in my post above.

Thanks,
Chris

Re: Analysis on HD DVD Combo discs

Received my new copy last night. Thank you! I hope you'll be able to find something useful out.

Re: Analysis on HD DVD Combo discs

Same issues with "We are Marshall" will be mailing mine out tomorrow. thanks and hope you find out how to avoid the problem in the future.

Thanks,

Phillip

Re: Analysis on HD DVD Combo discs

So - I didn't follow directions and you sent me my own disc back. Shall I try again? The wife mailed this out orginally quicker than I could react to including all the requested info.

?

Re: Analysis on HD DVD Combo discs

Hi Chris.

You were sent back a new HD DVD combo disc. We tested the disc playback on a player at our location. If you are still having problems with it, please send it back to us with the reproduction steps listed above so we can ensure we are testing it on the same player model.

- kevin

Re: Analysis on HD DVD Combo discs

Kevin,

The disc ended up failing but it took much longer than previously. Interestingly, no other disc that I own which is not a lot does this (King Kong, Serenity, Transformers and Batman Begins.) Will try again and follow directions!

Re: Analysis on HD DVD Combo discs

Hi Kevin,

I received what looked like the same Scorpion King disc from you (or your testers) yesterday. I couldn't tell for sure, but it wasn't shrink-wrapped.

This disc still exhibits the same problem ("System Error" and "NO PLAY") and occurs just after the opening logo, just a couple of seconds after startup after the logo plays. This is on a Toshiba HD-XA2 with the latest firmware version 2.5.

Again, this is the only HD DVD that I have, combo or not, that errors out.

What were your findings? (There was no correspondence in the return packaging.)

Thanks!

Re: Analysis on HD DVD Combo discs

I had a problem last night with Hot Fuzz freezing at approximately 58 minutes into the movie. This is a repeatable problem as it freezes in he same place every time I play it in HD DVD.

Are you still doing the exchange program?

Should I send this in?

Thanks,

Steve


UPDATE: Kevin I have sent you a PM and email to make sure that you are still doing the tests berore I send in my copy of "Hot Fuzz" HD DVD combo disc. Please respond. BTW, I am in Bellevue WA only 20 minutes away from Microsoft.

Re: Analysis on HD DVD Combo discs

Steve-
I think Kevin is out of the country at the moment, but I know they were trying to get 50 discs and they are no where neat that so feel free to sent it in.

Re: Analysis on HD DVD Combo discs

OK .. I'll take a shot. I'm mailing in my copy of "Hot Fuzz" HD DVD combo disc today.

Re: Analysis on HD DVD Combo discs

Got a 300 Combo disc that locks up my player at the exact same time every time i try to play it. Going to be sending it out to you guys tomorrow.

Re: Analysis on HD DVD Combo discs

I have sent you The Departed combo disc. I mailed it today

Re: Analysis on HD DVD Combo discs

Hi, I have been in China and haven't had good internet access to the US (very spotty and belive it or not The Digital Bits seems to be blocked from over there!)

At any rate, we have not yet received the 50 discs, so please send it in.

- kevin

Re: Analysis on HD DVD Combo discs

Hi, we take the disc that you send us and start to do analysis on the disc. We take a disc that we have tested and put in the case that you sent us and send it back to you. We don't send shrink wrapped discs because we have someone physically watch the disc on a HD DVD player before we send it back out to you.

- kevin

Re: Analysis on HD DVD Combo discs

I've sent you a PM regarding this.

Re: Analysis on HD DVD Combo discs

Yes, I have been in China for the last two weeks for DVD Forum activities. Internet access to US web sites was sketchy from there, so I tended to give up on alot of US web access.

Re: Analysis on HD DVD Combo discs

Kevin,

I understand that, but your original post stated that I would be sent a replacement, working disc, but I just received the original, non-working disc.

-pointless