Has Blu-Ray failed?

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Some Blu-Ray discs require an internet connection to verify your hardware is intact, unaltered and your key is valid to access all features. It's not common but it still exists on some discs

Which ones?

 

[Bob The Skutter]

Although my blu-ray player has been connected to the net and had it's firmware updated a couple of times it is disconnected from the network most of the time, and I have never come across this either. I remember there being a fuss about that being part of the security feature set when they first released blu-ray, but I've never actually heard of a single disc that included it.

 

[Trekker4747]

Once in a while I'll put in a newly purchased BD and my player will get its panties all in a twist about needing an update causing me to have to move and unhook things since I don't have WiFi in my place and no hard-connect to the player. But I think that's happened, maybe, twice and really could be solved by me buying a WiFi device for my network.

The whole thing where it needs to be constantly on the internet to verify? Bullshit.

 

[Bob The Skutter]

^That's more to do with firmware updates needed to play the disc rather than verifying the disc though.

 

[Teelie]

Some Blu-Ray discs require an internet connection to verify your hardware is intact, unaltered and your key is valid to access all features.

Man... we've been really lucky then.

We own nearly a hundred Blu-Ray discs and receive two to four a week from Netflix and have never had an issue playing a movie.

Where did I say they were unplayable? I said all features which includes some interactive stuff and other special add ons that most likely you're not using. I don't know who said "constantly" connected either but I suspect that's someone's interpetation or exaggeration of an actual quote.

Which discs I can't remember off hand but it's already been mentioned about the Avatar disc having problems and I do remember Batman: The Dark Knight also had issues. If you want me to go and find every little thing that's happened because of this I can but it will take a while. Or you could just do a search.

For now I'll just toss this link out to reinforce the technology is not perfected and can potentially screw adopters still because they like to make sure the DRM is intact and that you can't watch anything they didn't get a nickel out of.

One upon a time in a galaxy far, far away, most consumer products were expected to work "off the shelf" and didn't require frequent "firmware updates" to do so. With the new generation of HD DVD and Blu-ray video players, however, this is the norm: firmware updates are to be expected because the players are constantly evolving and are built around a DRM scheme (AACS) that can be "updated" in the event that a hack is found. Blu-ray goes one step further and adds another layer of anti-copy technology known as BD+, but the latter is only now starting to be used. As it turns out, it appears that it's causing problems for many honest customers.

 

[Amaris]

Some Blu-Ray discs require an internet connection to verify your hardware is intact, unaltered and your key is valid to access all features.

Man... we've been really lucky then.

We own nearly a hundred Blu-Ray discs and receive two to four a week from Netflix and have never had an issue playing a movie.

Where did I say they were unplayable? I said all features which includes some interactive stuff and other special add ons that most likely you're not using. I don't know who said "constantly" connected either but I suspect that's someone's interpetation or exaggeration of an actual quote.

Which discs I can't remember off hand but it's already been mentioned about the Avatar disc having problems and I do remember Batman: The Dark Knight also had issues. If you want me to go and find every little thing that's happened because of this I can but it will take a while. Or you could just do a search.

For now I'll just toss this link out to reinforce the technology is not perfected and can potentially screw adopters still because they like to make sure the DRM is intact and that you can't watch anything they didn't get a nickel out of.

One upon a time in a galaxy far, far away, most consumer products were expected to work "off the shelf" and didn't require frequent "firmware updates" to do so. With the new generation of HD DVD and Blu-ray video players, however, this is the norm: firmware updates are to be expected because the players are constantly evolving and are built around a DRM scheme (AACS) that can be "updated" in the event that a hack is found. Blu-ray goes one step further and adds another layer of anti-copy technology known as BD+, but the latter is only now starting to be used. As it turns out, it appears that it's causing problems for many honest customers.

That article is from 2007. We're talking about 2009/2010 hardware. Things have changed significantly in those 2-3 years. When that article came out, Blu-ray was brand spanking new and the players were nearly $1000. Again, I'm using a $78 Blu-ray player, playing Blu-ray movies that came out last week, and haven't had a single issue. I am not the exception, either. Some Blu-ray players are having trouble. Some. That does not negatively affect the technology as a whole.

I doubt the technology will fail.

While DVD is still the dominant market share, Blu-ray is moving up fast.

 

[Bob The Skutter]

Also, products were expected to work off the shelf, and did, but often were buggy and had production problems that you just put up with until you got a newer better model. And before software there were mechanical and technical problems, often needing repairs. The good old days were anything but.

 

[Trekker4747]

I miss the good ol' days of taking a VCR apart once every couple of months to properly and thoroughly clean the heads.

 

[doubleohfive]

I miss the good ol' days of taking a VCR apart once every couple of months to properly and thoroughly clean the heads.

I don't.

 

[Trekker4747]

And don't give me any of that "you could've just used a cleaner tape!" stuff. That was the worst way to do it. That's like changing the air-filter in your car by taking it out, rapping it on the bumper a couple of times and putting it back in. To do it right you had to open it up and clean the heads manually!

Those were the days!

 

[RoJoHen]

I don't think anyone in my family ever cleaned a VCR.

 

[Trekker4747]

I don't think anyone in my family ever cleaned a VCR.

Why did you hate your tapes?

 

[RoJoHen]

I personally didn't know any better when I was younger. When I was older, the VCR was inside the TV, so I have no idea how you would take that apart. I haven't used a VCR regularly since I was 15.

 

[hamudm]

I'm not understanding people complaining that blu-rays are too expensive to purchase. I have about 150 blu-rays and I've paid $10 (sometimes less) for a good chunk of them. Recently, I purchased The Prestige, The Informant, Zombieland, Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans and Hot Tub Time Machine -- all for $10 each.

 

[Trekker4747]

I was at Best Buy today buying some DVDs.

Karate Kid (2010) DVD: $18.00
Karate Kid (2010) BD: $25.00
Karate Kid BD Combo Pack (1984 and 2010 versions): $36.00

So, okay, a $7 difference between the DVD and BD versions. Not too bad considering the upgrade in quality. I've no idea if the BD copy has more special features.

 

[RandyS]

And don't give me any of that "you could've just used a cleaner tape!" stuff. That was the worst way to do it. That's like changing the air-filter in your car by taking it out, rapping it on the bumper a couple of times and putting it back in. To do it right you had to open it up and clean the heads manually!

Those were the days!

Yes they were. I cleaned my VCR's myself (once I learned how), and ended up saving an assload of money on cleaning and repair costs.

And I agree about the cleaner tapes, I hated those. I used one once, and it actually made the head dirtier.

 

[Trekker4747]

I actually miss it because I was a teenager then and loved taking things apart, hell I still do. Taking the VCR apart was fun and I even took it apart once to repair it. Taking the tape apart to fix it when the tape broke off the spool, fun days.

Stupid DVD players and their non user serviceable parts!

 

[doubleohfive]

I actually miss it because I was a teenager then and loved taking things apart, hell I still do. Taking the VCR apart was fun and I even took it apart once to repair it. Taking the tape apart to fix it when the tape broke off the spool, fund days.

Stupid DVD players and their non user serviceable parts!

Oh, it definitely sounds like your user needs to be serviced.

 

[Trekker4747]

I actually miss it because I was a teenager then and loved taking things apart, hell I still do. Taking the VCR apart was fun and I even took it apart once to repair it. Taking the tape apart to fix it when the tape broke off the spool, fund days.

Stupid DVD players and their non user serviceable parts!

Oh, it definitely sounds like your user needs to be serviced.

My place or yours?

 

[emacs]

I'm not understanding people complaining that blu-rays are too expensive to purchase ...

i suppose they forget that the MSRP of cassette tapes, VHS tapes, CDs and DVDs was also relatively high within the first few years on the market.