Page 1 of Are The "Cheap" DVD Players Holding Back Software Releases?

Well, the title says it all.

I don`t know if this is true but I`ve heard that the release of Terminator 2 UE on R2 is being delayed due to the lack of compatibility with the "cheaper" DVD players (Scan, Wharfdale, Pro-Line etc at a guess).

Remember Gladiator?

Isn`t there some sort of specification that DVD hardware and software manufactures have to adhere to, or are some of the newer releases just too complex for them.

In which case who is at fault, the hardware or software manufactures?

Or is it going to be like PC software and PC hardware spec where players need to be continuosly upgraded/modified in order to keep up.

I didn`t have a problem with my DVD player (Pioneer 717, which incidentally...ROCKS!!) as regards Gladiator, but I can sympathize with anyone who did. That`s not to say I won`t with future releases.

Whichever way you look at it, nobody is benefiting from the situation. Whether, like me you are annoyed at the constant delays in release dates (I believe T2 UE has now been put back to April !!) or you have to have your player upgraded on a regular basis.

Yes, there was (and still is, I believe) a cross-Europe standard for DVD which unfortunately does not stretch to our American cousins.

Remember the hassles that `The Matrix` caused when it first came out, because it came with DVD-ROM material that the Proline player (and others) couldn`t handle.

I stand to be corrected, but the studios jumped the gun a little with this material and it seems that releases are being tailored to Region 1, with scant regard to the European hardware problems caused by new `added ingredients`.

The `Gladiator/Wharfedale` fiasco was a classic example of this, and I don`t think it`ll be the last problem to be experienced by British players, sadly.

Was any reason given for the T2 UE delay ?

Kevo,

I don`t often buy R2 now mainly because of the problems you describe among others.

I have R1 copies of T2 UE and Gladiator to name a couple of the titles you mention and the disks and all of their contents play fine on my 750S and on my previous Matsui 110, both deemed to be budget players.

So maybe its just yet again the maount of effort put in to R2 in comparison to R1 thats the problem, and that we`re again been given inferior quality goods for a higher price !!

Just my two penneth :-)

Cheers

Chris

Spot on Chris......
All the region 1 disc`s I attempt to play on my 750s play fine inc all the special features. But when it come to region 2. feckin hell. The card game won`t work on final destination for a start. Oh and you can`t have a look at the special play interviews on the man utd beyond the promised land movie.( I know before you start, what am I watching that rc[at]p for)

Region 2 my arse.

The main problem here is that the DVD spec is too wooly on some areas, it doesn`t clearly define how large menus can be for example, merely how many menu subtitles you can have.

The fault in my opinion should lie now with the studios who produce a disc and don`t test it with the leading players. Columbia Tristar did well to repress Gladiator so quickly, but Disney is an amusing case in point.

Here we have Buena Vista stating that it is categoricaly NOT their fault, yet players made by Sony which owns Columbia Tristar fail to play the Toy Story supplimental disc.

I wouldn`t say its the cheap players that are holding things back, especially if Sony models are causing problems. ;-)

Anyhow the bottom line is, if your producing a disc for your market you really ought to do your best to make sure it works in that market, otherwise you won`t sell much will you?