Apollo 13 disc went bad-I think. (1 Viewer)

[Johnny Angell]

I have a Panasonic A120 and just discovered my Apollo 13 special edition disc is bad. It pixelates and freezes. At the menu (if I get there) , the soundtrack playback is bad.
I have tried cleaning it, but there is no improvement. I have played this movie many times before with no problem. I can see no visible problem. I tried 'The Contender' and it worked fine.
Lately, though, it seems I've had a few discs that wouldn't play at first until I cleaned them using CD wipes. That has always worked, til now. Is it possible I need to have my player serviced?
This was one of my first DVDs, don't even know where I bought it, or if I have the receipt. Is there any chance the studio will replace it?
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Johnny

 

[Antonio_M]

Why are you going to try and replace the DVD when you feel that it could be your player that needs servicing?

 

[Johnny Angell]

I'm asking two questions, or at least I tried to: 1) Will studio's replace defective DVDs, and 2) Do DVD players need cleaning or servicing?
I didn't say I was going to replace it, but can I? I acknowledge the possibility that the fault is with the player. Though I hasten to point out that cleaning all the others problem DVDs fixed the problem.
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Johnny

 

[Ed Vandeweerd]

Hi Johnny,
What you describe sounds like your Player made need a firmware upgrade. I had the same problem on my Tosiba 3109 a few months back. A Buddy of mine suggested that I send the player in for a firmware upgrade to the manufacturer. I called the manufacturer I paid the courier costs 1 way and the manufacturer handled the rest. I had my player back within a week with no further difficulties.
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Ed Vandeweerd
[email protected]
my collection

 

[Antonio_M]

I don't see why his player might need a firmware upgrade since he played this DVD multiple times before with no problem.
I know that I had a problem like that with The Man In The Iron Mask. It played for a month fine..then, a week later, it died out. All I saw was a black screen. Only the pan and scam side played on that flipper (EWK!).
You may want to try and see if you can play that DVD in a friend's house, or a display player in an Electronic Store.
I mean you play another title besides Apollo 13 and it plays fine, so it can't be the player.
[Edited last by Antonio_M on August 20, 2001 at 01:06 AM]

 

[Jeff]

You shouldn't need to clean DVD's unless they are dirty rental ones.
The only way you will know if it's the disc or your player is to try the DVD in another DVD player.
Jeff

 

[Ed Vandeweerd]

Antonio,
I had the same problems that were described earlier on in the post. I had u-571 and Jaws which had been working fine in my player with freezing & pixelization problems. talked to a buddy in the biz who suggested the Firmware upgrade. I thought I'd give it a try. My player was gone for a week at Toshiba. When it came back the problems that I had previously had with both Jaws and U-571 were non-existent. That for me was the true litmus test! Your Manufacturer may do this at No Charge. I think it's worth checking out rather than going to the expense of replacing hardware or software outright. I know I don't have the money to do that!
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Ed Vandeweerd
[email protected]
my collection