Lord of the Rings EE--Locks up on PS 2 (1 Viewer)

[Brad Cook]

Anyone out there have problems playing their copy of Lord of the Rings EE on their PS 2? Mine locks up at the layer change on disc 1 (don't know if it does the same at the layer change on disc 2) and the scene with Saruman and Gandalf talking jumps around and becomes pixelated.

This is the first time I've had a problem like this on my PS 2. The disc worked fine in my iMac and my Sony DVD player, so I know it's not a manufacturing defect. And, of course, I can still watch the movie on a different player, but I was curious if anyone else has had the same problem.

Thanks.

- Brad

 

[MancusoB]

I don't recall having the problem on my PS2... I'll check it again this evening.

Do you have the latest DVD driver in your PS2? They come with the Sony branded remote.

 

[Brad Cook]

I don't think I have the latest driver. We bought it in Dec. 2001, and I have yet to pick up a remote control for it. (I actually prefer to watch DVDs on my iMac.)

Is there another way to get the driver? And which version number is the latest one?

Thanks.

- Brad

 

[MancusoB]

Man, I couldn't tell you what the latest driver is. I'll look at it tonight and report my findings.

The Sony-branded remote comes with a disk that updates the driver to a memory card on the PS2. It takes up about 2MB. I'm not sure if there are any other ways to update the driver.

 

[Brad Cook]

That's cool. I'm sure I have an older driver, so I'll have to look into that remote.

Thanks.

- Brad

 

[Dan Rudolph]

Worked fine on mine as well. I have DVD driver 2.10. You could just copy the driver from someone who does have the remote as well.

 

[DaveGTP]

I have one of the early batches of PS2s (my g/f had it on reserve, I didn't even want one at the time). We got ours in November the year they came out (I tried to get her to sell it for the $500-800 they were going for on ebay). We have not updated the firmware (I didn't buy the remote). I have watched LOTR:EE at least 5 times, it works fine (it does skip fairly badly on layer changes)!! I would have been VERY angry if it had locked up, as this is my favorite movie.
Is the disc in good shape, not dusty or anything? I just ordered a Panny CP72 DVD changer from Crutchfield to minimize PS2 wear and tear; my PS2 has developed problems with the drawer sticking shut, and the disc read errors that are common with the early batches. I have not ever had it freeze up on a DVD (just on Twisted Metal Black sometimes and FFX once when the disc got dirty). The PS2 seems very tempermental about dusty discs...

 

[Brad Cook]

Well, the first time it seemed to lock up completely on the shot of Isengard, as I recall. I figured it was the layer change when it paused for a few seconds, but when the screen remained frozen for several more, I popped the disc out and cleaned it.

When I put it in and went back to that scene, it was able to get past that shot, but then it skipped really badly during Gandalf and Saruman's talk. As far as I was concerned, it was unwatchable, so I took it out and tried it in my iMac and Sony DVD player, both of which handled the layer change without a hiccup.

I should also note that the PS 2 skipped a bit during the previous scene, when Frodo and Sam run to watch the elves leaving Middle Earth. Again, the disc was fine in the other players.

So it does seem like it's a firmware issue, if it's skipping badly at the layer change for you too, Dave. I guess we both need to update our drivers.

- Brad

 

[MancusoB]

Didn't skip on mine, and the driver is 2.10...

However, I have had other discs in the past have trouble with layer changes on the PS2. Often, I have to tell the PS2 to "analyze" the disc and it will play fine.

To do the analyze thing, eject the disc and get back to the PS2's main menu. Select triangle at the main menu screen, select "console" and hit triangle again. Turn analyze on, then put the disc back in. Or something like that.

Cumbersome, I know. Makes a dedicated DVD player look all the more attractive, huh?

 

[Brad Cook]

Thanks for the tip on analyzing discs.

My PS 2 is actually one of four DVD players I have (a Sony, my iMac, and my PowerBook), so I have other options if a DVD acts weird on it. That was the first time that happened, though, and I've watched a bunch of DVDs on it.

- Brad

 

[Ryan FB]

I've watched LotR:EE on my PS2 about 3 times all the way through w/o lockup problems (and I have a very early run PS2 w/o updates, bought it the month they came out). However, on some DVD's (which are clean and work fine on other players) it will consistently make very odd noises, give me a disc read error, and then refuse to play at all . I'll have to try the analyze thing and see if that helps any, thanks for the tip.