Problems Playing Captain America Blu-ray

[QuantumRand]

A friend of mine had rented Captain America on Blu-ray, but it would start having playback problems (rendering and buffering issues) around half way through the movie. I brought my copy over to watch it together, but it did the same thing at the same exact place.

Now, I hadn't watched my copy before, but we assumed it was his player, so we took it back to my place. Still the same thing happened.

Oddly, cleaning the disk let it play about an extra 30 seconds before having issues, but ultimately didn't work. I thought I'd give MakeMKV a try and just play it back from an MKV file, but MakeMKV hung at about half way through for a while and then said it failed to copy.

Has anyone else had issues with Captain America on Blu-Ray? Anyone have any idea why it's not working?

Thanks.

[Guest]

Take it back for a replacement.

[QuantumRand]

Well I finally got it to work after cleaning it with Windex and then using compressed air to dry/clean it. I'm going to go exchange it when I get a chance though. I am concerned that two separate disks had the same playback problems in the same part of the movie. Could it be poorly mastered or something?

[setarip_old]

I doubt that you'd be able to clean away mastering defects with Windex and compressed air...

[Ghitulescu]

You don't need to be worried about mastering errors.
Generally this error is given by the previous watchers that scratched, dirtied or somehow damaged the disc. Rental discs are usually so.

[QuantumRand]

I doubt that you'd be able to clean away mastering defects with Windex and compressed air...

I was just thinking at if it were poorly mastered, it may be missing some of the redundancies, making it more prone to dirt?

You don't need to be worried about mastering errors.
Generally this error is given by the previous watchers that scratched, dirtied or somehow damaged the disc. Rental discs are usually so.

My copy was a brand new, never before watched retail copy. I bought it a little over a month ago, and never even took off the shrink wrap until we were going to watch it the other day. My friend's was the rental. What bothered me was that they both had problems at the same spot, roughly 1:03:00 into the movie.

[diogen]

How old are the players you used? Firmware updated?
Can you try a PC as a player?

Diogen.

[Ghitulescu]

My copy was a brand new, never before watched retail copy. I bought it a little over a month ago, and never even took off the shrink wrap until we were going to watch it the other day. My friend's was the rental. What bothered me was that they both had problems at the same spot, roughly 1:03:00 into the movie.

Have you somehow noticed anything in particular that was linked to the defect? Like spots (even large ones), ringing (like those made by a Z-CLV recorder)... Have you checked whether the defect is linked to a particular spot on the logical structure (change of layer, seamless branching etc...), defects noticeable of course, only after ripping it....

[setarip_old]

@QuantumRand

In light of the fact that you were able to resolve the problem with your purchased disc by using such superficial means (Windex and canned air), it would suggest that there is no extraordinary problem to be resolved or discussed further - and really no reason to return the disc...

[QuantumRand]

How old are the players you used? Firmware updated?
Can you try a PC as a player?

Diogen.

My friend has a PS3. I use a PC.

Have you somehow noticed anything in particular that was linked to the defect? Like spots (even large ones), ringing (like those made by a Z-CLV recorder)... Have you checked whether the defect is linked to a particular spot on the logical structure (change of layer, seamless branching etc...), defects noticeable of course, only after ripping it....

No noticeable defects on my copy. We've since returned the rented copy, so we can't check that one anymore. I'm not sure how I could check the actual logic structure. I do know that when MakeMKV was doing its thing, it said something like "Source file is corrupt or improperly mastered, attempting work around."

@QuantumRand

In light of the fact that you were able to resolve the problem with your purchased disc by using such superficial means (Windex and canned air), it would suggest that there is no extraordinary problem to be resolved or discussed further - and really no reason to return the disc...

I took the disk back to BestBuy today. Apparently they won't let you exchange a Blu-ray once it has been opened...Pretty ridiculous. I can understand not allowing a return, but an exchange? wtf.

Anyway, looks like I'm stuck with my copy regardless. Fortunately, I was able to get MakeMKV to work for a full run, so I do have a backed up copy now.

[hello_hello]

I took the disk back to BestBuy today. Apparently they won't let you exchange a Blu-ray once it has been opened...Pretty ridiculous. I can understand not allowing a return, but an exchange? wtf.

I get angry over stuff like that. I'm not sure I'd be able to refrain from just leaving the old copy, grabbing a new one off the shelf and walking out with it. And they wonder why people just pirate movies instead.....

Maybe print out this BestBuy page and take it to the store if you go back to try to exchange the disc again.
Return & Exchange Policy (http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Help-Topics/Returning-Online-Purchases/pcmcat260800050014.c?id=pcmcat260800050014)
"Opened computer software, movies, music and video games can be exchanged for the identical item but cannot be returned for a refund"

Admittedly you're supposed to return it within 30 days, so you might want to try again fairly quickly, although I'd just tell them you already tried to return it (if you're dealing with someone else) so it's their fault the 30 day deadline has passed.

I once bought a spindle of Laser DVD-Rs from a major retailer which turned out to have a fake Verbatim dye ID. I didn't open the spindle till months after I bought them, but I returned them once I discovered what was going on. I found some info on the internet which I printed out and took with me when I returned them, but even with proof they were "fakes" I had to make a fair bit of noise before I got a refund.

I'm in a different country, but where I am we have a government agency for handling complaints regarding consumer purchases, and laws which state goods sold must be suitable for the purpose for which they're sold, or they must be fixed or replaced etc. Often just threatening to lodge a complaint will have stores rethinking their bluff. If you bought an MP3 player and it didn't work they'd exchange it, so I've no idea what's so special about discs.

[QuantumRand]

Well, I took another trip to BestBuy and used your advice, Hello_hello.

This time they said they would exchange it, but I would have to pay $9 since it had been over 30 days. What's more, they said making a return (yes, a return) past the 30 days meant I would not be able to return anything else for a year.

I actually got very frustrated with that, since first of all, I was making an exchange, not a return. Second, it seems to be a defected item to begin with! At that point I was talking pretty loudly (not quite yelling) and asked to speak with the store manager. Surprisingly, they denied that request and asserted that if I did not leave the store, they would have security escort me out and they would call the police.

I tried to calm down a bit and asked if I could get their refusal to do the exchange in writing. They said no and again threatened me if I didn't leave.

The whole experience was truly remarkable. I had never even remotely had something like that happen to me. I've never been a big fan of BestBuy. It seems like every time I bought something there, I got screwed. Needless to say, I won't be shopping there again. No wonder they're going bankrupt...

[hello_hello]

I think by that stage I'd probably have let them call security and the police, just to cause them as much inconvenience as possible. Then again, where I am I'm pretty sure the security can't do much. If they use any force you can probably change them with assault and the police will just ask you to leave.

It's all obviously ridiculous. They'll either exchange something or they won't. Why charge $9 because it's over 30 days? Would it have been less defective before 30 days were up? I'm surprised they wouldn't let you talk to the manager. That's his job. Although I asked to speak to the manager at a phone store a while back because they weren't being co-operative about a phone repair, and what really annoyed me more than being told no, was I knew what the manager looked like, and they actually grabbed someone else who pretended to be the manager. I walked out because by that stage I thought if I didn't I'd lose the plot, went home and called their head office and told them what happened and they weren't impressed. They helped me sort the problem out, which was the main thing, while promising they'd look into it.

I know it's only a disc but there's a principle at stake. If BestBuy have an email or phone number to lodge complaints I'd use it, even if it doesn't get you anywhere. You never know though..... head office mightn't be impressed their staff are helping them to go broke.

[Ghitulescu]

All vendors are nice and shiny till one has to get some money back (or to cause them a monetary loss). Then that one will see the differences among them.
In Germany, the shops that accept the items back "no questions asked" are generally more expensive, as they cover the cost of the returned item from the selling price.
The "budget" shops are more likely to cut the costs this way.

[CWR03]

This time they said they would exchange it, but I would have to pay $9 since it had been over 30 days. What's more, they said making a return (yes, a return) past the 30 days meant I would not be able to return anything else for a year.
They have their policies just like everyone. I'm surprised that they wouldn't exchange it within the 30 days, but I can understand why they'd treat is at a return after that point.

I would think you'd be able to mail it to whatever company who released it for an exchange.

[QuantumRand]

I have an update for you all.

Since it looked like I wouldn't be able to exchange it, I figured I'd try playing the disc one more time, and if it worked, I'd just keep it as is. Unfortunately, it started having issues half way through again. Cleaning it didn't work this time.

I took it back to Best Buy and fibbed a little bit, saying that "I tried exchanging it before the 30 days was up, but they said I couldn't because it was opened." This time, I had a print out of the return policy as Hell_hello suggested. The customer service lady said she could exchange it, but only if I had the shrink wrap with the little metal strip on it (yeah, I call BS on that, but whatever). I actually knew where the shrink wrap was, so joke was on her!

I asked if I could get that in writing. She said "No, just bring it in and they'll take care of me." I took her word for it and ran home and got the shrink wrap out of the waste bin.

When I got back to Best Buy, I got a different customer service rep who said I couldn't return it passed the 30 days no matter what. Fortunately, I remembered the girl's name and asked for her. They said she had already gone home. I was about to simply go to the movie section, open up another copy of the movie and swap out the disc (it would have been a really bad idea, I'm sure) when I saw the girl helping another customer. They blatantly lied to me about her going home.

I called them out on it and dragged the service rep over to the girl and said "That's her." She claimed she didn't remember me, but after a lot of pushing, they finally agreed to exchange the movie. Subsequently, after exchanging the movie, the store manager said "Now get out of my store. You're banned from coming back here." I didn't really care. I'm never shopping at Best Buy again.

[hello_hello]

Wow. The staff are obviously well trained in lying, but I guess at times persistence can pay off. So I've got to ask..... does the new disc play okay??

[QuantumRand]

Wow. The staff are obviously well trained in lying, but I guess at times persistence can pay off. So I've got to ask..... does the new disc play okay??

After a quick online search, it seems like Best Buy is notorious for stunts like this, especially among people who purchase the product replacement plans.

I haven't played the new disc all the way through. I just skipped to the part where it was having issues with other copies. It actually stuttered a little halfway through the movie, but nowhere near as badly as the other two. I took it out and cleaned it and it played successfully after that.

I'm not convinced it'll last though, considering how my first copy acted. Fortunately, I do have that one successful MakeMKV copy from when my first disc was briefly working. I think I'll probably pick up a BD-R from Frys (screw Best Buy) and back it up to that in 1:1 form. Copying my whole Blu-ray collection hasn't left enough room on my HDD for a 32GB movie, haha.

[Ghitulescu]

A bank closed one man's credit line and took his mortgaged house. That man took a Winchester and shot the clerk, because he told the man, he can't reopen that credit line.

I took it back to Best Buy and fibbed a little bit, saying that "I tried exchanging it before the 30 days was up, but they said I couldn't because it was opened." This time, I had a print out of the return policy as Hell_hello suggested. The customer service lady said she could exchange it, but only if I had the shrink wrap with the little metal strip on it (yeah, I call BS on that, but whatever). I actually knew where the shrink wrap was, so joke was on her!

I asked if I could get that in writing. She said "No, just bring it in and they'll take care of me." I took her word for it and ran home and got the shrink wrap out of the waste bin.

When I got back to Best Buy, I got a different customer service rep who said I couldn't return it passed the 30 days no matter what. Fortunately, I remembered the girl's name and asked for her. They said she had already gone home. I was about to simply go to the movie section, open up another copy of the movie and swap out the disc (it would have been a really bad idea, I'm sure) when I saw the girl helping another customer. They blatantly lied to me about her going home.

I called them out on it and dragged the service rep over to the girl and said "That's her." She claimed she didn't remember me, but after a lot of pushing, they finally agreed to exchange the movie. Subsequently, after exchanging the movie, the store manager said "Now get out of my store. You're banned from coming back here." I didn't really care. I'm never shopping at Best Buy again.

If you think that man was right shooting an innocent man with family, dog an stuff for the wrongdoings (or hardly beloved decisions) of the management, then you have been right, too.

The service personal follows the indications of the management, otherwise risking their jobs. Your fight is not with defenceless people like vendors but with the decision factors.

You did several mistakes here. One, that you went to the shop to return the object without actually having it upon you. Secondly, that you went against people, and not against the system (return policies, rights, obligations of the parties etc.) - it looked like they did you a favour, not that you exercised your right. Thirdly, you brought back the disc way too late.

In Germany one cannot legally return an opened medium. Because that medium could have been copied meanwhile. I took that DVD back, and they accepted, not because I've said that a certain lady told me so, but because I have bought a supposingly working item, that did not worked on my player, thus their part of the contract has not been fulfilled, so I am generous enough asking them to replace my defective copy with another, instead of directly asking my money back. I got my money back (no available replacement) but no house interdiction as a bonus ;). I still buy from them.

[Asmodian]

You did several mistakes here. One, that you went to the shop to return the object without actually having it upon you. Secondly, that you went against people, and not against the system (return policies, rights, obligations of the parties etc.) - it looked like they did you a favour, not that you exercised your right. Thirdly, you brought back the disc way too late.

Well QuantumRand did have it just not the shrink wrap it came in. It was also standard policy to allow exchange and the clerk said if he had the shrink wrap they would do it but when it was presented they didn't want to do it. They should just say "Yes" or "No"; a "No, but we would if this lie" is not a good way to get a customer to leave. Getting frustrated and raising your voice is a few steps below a Winchester.

@QuantumRand
I think your real error was raising your voice, just be very polite and patient but don't leave until they have dealt with the issue. This helps keep it between you and Best Buy rather than between you and the manager or clerk. Of course I also would also never shop there again after an experience like that.

[hello_hello]

If you think that man was right shooting an innocent man with family, dog an stuff for the wrongdoings (or hardly beloved decisions) of the management, then you have been right, too.

What an irrelevant analogy.

The service personal follows the indications of the management, otherwise risking their jobs. Your fight is not with defenceless people like vendors but with the decision factors.

Which means what, when if you return something, it's the service personal you deal with?

You did several mistakes here. One, that you went to the shop to return the object without actually having it upon you.

So when he said he took this disc back, what leads you to believe he didn't have the disc on him?

Secondly, that you went against people, and not against the system (return policies, rights, obligations of the parties etc.) - it looked like they did you a favour, not that you exercised your right.

Rubbish. He printed out a copy of the stores return policy and took it with him after being told he couldn't return the disc because he'd opened it.

Thirdly, you brought back the disc way too late.

I think he's aware the 30 days had past, but it's hard to return a defective product before you're aware it's defective.

In Germany one cannot legally return an opened medium. Because that medium could have been copied meanwhile.

I doubt that's true.

I took that DVD back, and they accepted, not because I've said that a certain lady told me so, but because I have bought a supposingly working item, that did not worked on my player, thus their part of the contract has not been fulfilled

So which is it? You can return it because their part of the contract hasn't been fulfilled, or you can't return it because it's been opened?

so I am generous enough asking them to replace my defective copy with another, instead of directly asking my money back. I got my money back (no available replacement) but no house interdiction as a bonus ;). I still buy from them.

QuantumRand also asked for a replacement, not a refund. What point are you trying to make?

[Ghitulescu]

What point are you trying to make?

That you read the letters but don't understand their meaning.

You can't give back an opened medium just because you don't like it (as it is the case with other things, like clothes, footwear, various hardware). But you can argue it is defective (and thus incopiable) and that fact alone invalidates the contract you made with them when paying for the article.


And the analogy is almost perfect. The clerk lady was told not to receive any opened discs under no circumstances. So the other clerk. They have received internal instructions on how to deal with stubborn cases. If the clerk was in the position to take it back, wouldn't s/he do so? Why did she lie? Maybe because the value of any returned item was subtracted from her earning, even if the return was justified. So our OP put that lady's job into peril, for his own lack of care. Not the life, I agree, but there have been cases when the termination of employment drove people to suicide.

[QuantumRand]

Just a few details I didn't mention. I am (well was, I canceled the card shortly after this) a Best Buy RewardZone member. As a RewardZone member, I'm supposed to have 45 days to return/exchange things. Apparently that only applies when you use the Best Buy RewardZone credit card to purchase the item, despite the return policy's complete lack of saying so. I had bought it with a gift card, so according to them, I wasn't eligible for the extended return period.

@Asmodian: I did try to stay polite. I certainly never directed my anger at the employees themselves, at least not in front of them. I never became irate or used foul language or anything like that. All I did was raise my voice a little. It's hard to stay cool after several trips back to the store when they're clearly lying to you.

[Ghitulescu]

Just a few details I didn't mention. I am (well was, I canceled the card shortly after this) a Best Buy RewardZone member. As a RewardZone member, I'm supposed to have 45 days to return/exchange things. Apparently that only applies when you use the Best Buy RewardZone credit card to purchase the item, despite the return policy's complete lack of saying so. I had bought it with a gift card, so according to them, I wasn't eligible for the extended return period.

Oh yes, they use a lot of tricks ... knowing that it's not convenient for the customer to call his attorney each time, or for that attorney to lose his time on 5$ cases, time better spent on 50.000$ ones.

[hello_hello]

That you read the letters but don't understand their meaning.

I'm pretty sure I understood their meaning. What I don't understand is why you bothered writing them.

You can't give back an opened medium just because you don't like it (as it is the case with other things, like clothes, footwear, various hardware). But you can argue it is defective (and thus incopiable) and that fact alone invalidates the contract you made with them when paying for the article.

We're all well aware of that, but exchanging the medium because it was defective is exactly what QuantumRand was attempting to do. He wasn't trying to return it for a refund. If you didn't understand that, then what point were you trying to make?

And the analogy is almost perfect. The clerk lady was told not to receive any opened discs under no circumstances. So the other clerk. They have received internal instructions on how to deal with stubborn cases. If the clerk was in the position to take it back, wouldn't s/he do so? Why did she lie? Maybe because the value of any returned item was subtracted from her earning, even if the return was justified. So our OP put that lady's job into peril, for his own lack of care. Not the life, I agree, but there have been cases when the termination of employment drove people to suicide.

Are you serious? Attempting to exchange the faulty disc was putting an employee's job at peril, or the return would be coming out if her pay? And finally you finish up with equating QuantumRand's attempts to return a faulty discs with employee suicide? Wow!! Now I've read everything....
And in what way was any of that caused by QuantumRand's lack of care? Was attempting to return a faulty disc with it in his possession, contrary to your earlier claim, with a printed copy of the stores return policy, somehow doing so with a lack of care? Should he really have to do anything to exchange a faulty item other than take it back to the store and ask for an exchange? I really have read everything now....

[QuantumRand]

Hey guys, considering that I was eventually able to exchange the disc for a (mostly) non-faulty one, resulting in my being "banned" from the store (I can't imagine they'd even notice if I did come back, not that I'd ever want to), how about we let this thread sink down to the bottom of the pile now? No need to start arguing about things. As far as I'm concerned, my problem is solved.

[Guest]

Closing at request of OP.