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Samsung Sued Over "Defective" Blu-ray Players

Mon Feb 11, 2008 at 09:00 AM ET
Tags: Samsung, Technical Glitches (all tags)

An early adopter is taking on Samsung, filing a class action lawsuit against the electronics manufacturer over compatibility issues with its BDP-1200 and certain Blu-ray discs.

According to court papers filed late last week, Connecticut resident Bob McGovern is suing Samsung on behalf of "thousands, and perhaps tens of thousands" of consumers who purchased Samsung's 1200 Blu-ray player, only to later find the player incompatible with "numerous Blu-ray disc titles."

The suit goes on to say that although Samsung was "fully aware" of the incompatibilty issues at the time of the manufacture and sale of the player, it has not updated or repaired the player. Court papers do not list the affected titles by name, nor do they describe the source of the alleged incompatibility, stating only that the player suffers from "defective design and/or manufacturing."

As we've previously reported, the highly anticipated Blu-ray release of 'Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer' and 'Day After Tomorrow' this past October were greeted with playback problems on several players, including Samsung's BDP-1200. Although Samsung later issued a firmware upgrade which was said to correct the problem, some early adopters have reported continued incompatibility issues with these and several other Blu-ray discs and the BDP-1200.

See what people are saying about this story in our forums area, or check out other recent discussions.

Related links:
McGovern vs Samsung Electronics (PDF) [Courthouse News Service]
Discs mentioned in this article: (Click for specs and reviews)
Fantastic Four: The Rise of the Silver Surfer (Blu-ray)
The Day After Tomorrow (Blu-ray)
Earlier on High-Def Digest:
Playback Problems Reported on 'Silver Surfer,' 'Day After Tomorrow' Blu-ray Discs (Oct 04, 2007)
Samsung Firmware Update Corrects Playback Issues on New Fox Titles (Oct 10, 2007)

Warner Confirms 'T3' Blu-ray Problems; Replacement Program Expected

Fri Dec 21, 2007 at 11:00 AM ET
Tags: Technical Glitches, Warner (all tags)

Confirming online reports of an encoding defect on its recently-issued Blu-ray release of 'Terminator 3,' Warner has begun taking consumer information in anticipation of a future disc replacement program.

One of Warner's more eagerly awaited Blu-ray catalog titles, 'Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines' finally hit stores this past Tuesday, but excitement soon turned to disappointment for some early adopters when it was discovered that regular playback of the disc is being limited to 1080i output -- not the industry standard 1080p, as listed on the box art.

According to early reports, it would seem something went wrong while encoding the movie's picture-in-picture "In Movie Experience" track. (As we've previously reported, 'T3' is the first Warner Blu-ray title to include an IME, although instead of utilizing the format's newly released Profile 1.1 technology to power two concurrent streams of audio and video, Warner has stated that it planned to burn a PiP window onto a second high-def encode of the film itself, effectively matching the PiP experience without requiring Profile 1.1-compliant hardware.)

We spoke with a Warner rep late Thursday, who confirmed to us that the studio is aware of the 'T3' issue and is investigating its source, but said that they have no immediate plans to recall Blu-ray copies of the title currently on store shelves.

Instead, the studio has begun taking consumer information via its Customer Support hotline in anticipation of a future disc replacement program. To arrange for a replacement disc, you can contact Warner Home Video at 1-800-553-6937.

At press time the studio was unable to provide a timeline for when corrected 'T3' discs might be sent to affected consumers, nor when any new pressings might hit stores. Needless to say, we'll keep you posted.

See what people are saying about this story in our forums area, or check out other recent discussions.

Discs mentioned in this article: (Click for specs and reviews)
Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (Blu-ray)
Earlier on High-Def Digest:
Warner Sets Record Straight on 'T3' Blu-ray PIP Track (Oct 22, 2007)

'Goblet of Fire' Blu-ray Disc Replacement Details

Thu Dec 20, 2007 at 01:00 PM ET
Tags: Technical Glitches, Warner (all tags)

A week after reports first surfaced of misplaced discs in the Blu-ray edition of its Harry Potter giftset, Warner has kicked off a disc exchange program for affected consumers.

Though the studio has yet to issue formal comment on what exactly caused HD DVD copies of 'Goblet of Fire' to find their way into Blu-ray versions of its 'Harry Potter: Years 1-5' giftset, Warner has set up a dedicated phone line to deal with the issue, and has apparently begun sending out replacement discs.

According to customer service reps, the studio is sending out single-disc Blu-ray editions of 'Goblet of Fire' as a temporary measure while replacement discs matching the giftset are being manufactured. The studio will then send out yet another version of the disc, with artwork that matches the four other discs in the set.

Affected consumers wishing to participate in this exchange program should call 1-800-553-6937.

(Thanks to Nathan for the tip!)

See what people are saying about this story in our forums area, or check out other recent discussions.

Discs mentioned in this article: (Click for specs and reviews)
Harry Potter Years 1-5 Giftset (Blu-ray)
Earlier on High-Def Digest:
'Potter' Giftset Inadvertantly Goes Purple (Dec 13, 2007)

'Blade Runner' Blu-ray Suffers Manufacturing Glitch

Thu Dec 20, 2007 at 09:00 AM ET
Tags: Technical Glitches, Warner (all tags)

In what's becoming an all-too-familiar refrain, consumers have discovered an apparent manufacturing glitch in some Blu-ray copies of Warner's newly-released 'Blade Runner' Collection.

As we've previously reported, Ridley Scott's sci-fi epic hit both high-def formats earlier this week in two landmark five-disc collections containing five cuts of the film, including the first-ever home video release of the film's fabled "workprint."

Unfortunately, some Blu-ray fans popping in the set's fifth disc (which is meant to contain the workprint) are instead finding a mislabeled duplicate of the first disc, containing the film's final cut.

Warner has yet to comment on the 'Blade Runner' snafu, but coming only a week after some Blu-ray editions of its 'Harry Potter: Years 1-5' giftset were found to include HD DVD editions of 'Goblet of Fire,' the studio would seem to have some explaining to do.

Affected consumers can contact Warner customer support at 1-800-553-6937.

See what people are saying about this story in our forums area, or check out other recent discussions.

Discs mentioned in this article: (Click for specs and reviews)
Blade Runner (Ultimate Collector's Ed.) (Blu-ray)
Blade Runner (Complete Collector's Ed.) (Blu-ray)
Harry Potter Years 1-5 Giftset (Blu-ray)
Earlier on High-Def Digest:
'Potter' Giftset Inadvertantly Goes Purple (Dec 13, 2007)

'Black Pearl' Blu-ray Disc Exchange Details Revealed

Wed Dec 19, 2007 at 11:00 AM ET
Tags: Technical Glitches, Disney (all tags)

Framing issues be gone! Disney has kicked off a disc replacement program for the Blu-ray edition of 'Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl.'

As we've previously reported, trouble first began brewing for 'Black Pearl' on Blu-ray this past September, when reports first surfaced online that select scenes on the disc suffered from framing problems that wreaked havoc with the film's intended compositions.

Although Disney remained mum on the subject for several months, the studio issued a statement in late November promising that a corrected disc was coming "very soon," along with a corresponding replacement program for consumers unhappy with their earlier purchase.

Making good on its promise, the studio began collecting information from those interested in exchanging discs late last week, with Disney customer service reps telling those calling in that the corrected discs have already been pressed, and would ship to consumers within 2 business days.

This program is being provided for free to consumers who purchased earlier versions of the 'Curse of the Black Pearl' Blu-ray disc. No shipping and handling charges apply.

In order to participate, call Disney's customer service line at 1-800-723-4763, and have your name, address, phone number and UPC number ready. You can also email the information directly to disneyinfo@disneyhelp.com.

For Canadian customers, the customer service number is 1-888-877-2843.

To read about experiences consumers have had with the program thus far, visit this thread in our forums area.

At press time, there was still no official word from Disney on when the corrected discs are expected to hit retail, nor how (or if) they might be differentiated from earlier pressings on store shelves.

Discs mentioned in this article: (Click for specs and reviews)
Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl (Blu-ray)
Earlier on High-Def Digest:
Disney to Offer 'Pirates' Blu-ray Framing Fix "Very Soon" (Nov 30, 2007)
Disney Investigating Reported Framing Issues on 'POTC' Blu-ray (Sep 07, 2007)

'Potter' Giftset Inadvertantly Goes Purple

Thu Dec 13, 2007 at 11:00 AM ET
Tags: Technical Glitches, Warner (all tags)

An apparent manufacturing mixup has some early adopters crying foul after an HD DVD edition of 'Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire' was discovered in some Blu-ray editions of Warner's 'Harry Potter Years 1-5 Giftset.'

Although the problem doesn't appear to be widespread, consumers who've picked up the set from various retailers have reported the same issue on threads at AVSForum and Blu-ray.com.

Those affected say the disc is labeled as an HD DVD and indeed will not play on Blu-ray players.

Warner has yet to issue an official comment on the apparent snafu, but we'll pass along any further information as it comes in.

See what people are saying about this story in our forums area, or check out other recent discussions.

Related links:
I'm furious with Warner right now! Harry Potter BD gift sets with HD DVD discs inside [AVSForum]
HD DVD in my Harry Potter boxset [Blu-ray.com]
Discs mentioned in this article: (Click for specs and reviews)
Harry Potter Years 1-5 Giftset (Blu-ray)
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (HD DVD)

Disney Confirms Packaging Gaffe on 'At World's End' Blu-ray

Tue Dec 04, 2007 at 02:56 PM ET
Tags: Disney, High-Def Disc Packaging, Technical Glitches (all tags)

An unusual packaging blunder had early adopters scratching their heads on the eve of Disney's highly anticipated 'Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End' Blu-ray release.

Due to hit stores today, the third flick in the 'Pirates' series is one of Disney's biggest Blu-ray guns of Q4, but as several eagle-eyed tipsters pointed out to us over the last few days, the back of the box promotes video specs with considerably less firepower than is the industry norm.

Specifically, the packaging for 'At World's End' indicates a 1080i/MPEG-4 encode for the main feature -- this, despite the fact that the high-profile release had been announced as sporting a full 1080p transfer. (Although 1080i is not unusual when it comes to supplemental material, true 1080p is standard for encoding of the main feature itself among major studio releases. Indeed, all of Disney's previous Blu-ray releases have featured full 1080p video.)

So what gives? We here at High-Def Digest received our own final copy of 'At World's End' last week from Disney, and after putting it through its paces on multiple players, we found the encode of the feature film to be true 1080p, contradicting the packaging.

We've since contacted Disney about the apparent labeling snafu, and a rep confirmed that copies of the release were indeed incorrectly marked as 1080i. At press time, the studio was not planning a recall of the mislabeled copies of 'At World's End,' but said that the error would be corrected on future pressings of the title.

This is not the first time that Disney has encountered rough waters with the 'Pirates' franchise on high-def. As we've previously reported, the studio's Blu-ray release of 'Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl' suffered from framing issues that wrecked havoc with the film's original theatrical compositions. (Disney has since announced that it plans to fix the issue in future pressings, and will offer a disc exchange program for affected consumers.)

Packaging gaffe aside, our own Peter Bracke gave 'Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End' the thumbs up in his recently-posted review of the Blu-ray disc. To read Peter's complete review, click here.

See what people are saying about this story in our forums area, or check out other recent discussions.

Discs mentioned in this article: (Click for specs and reviews)
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (Blu-ray)
Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl (Blu-ray)
Earlier on High-Def Digest:
Disney to Offer 'Pirates' Blu-ray Framing Fix "Very Soon" (Nov 30, 2007)
Disney Investigating Reported Framing Issues on 'POTC' Blu-ray (Sep 07, 2007)

Disney to Offer 'Pirates' Blu-ray Framing Fix "Very Soon"

Fri Nov 30, 2007 at 11:00 AM ET
Tags: Technical Glitches, Disney (all tags)

Months after they were first reported by fans, Disney has confirmed framing issues with the 'Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl' Blu-ray, promising a fix (and a corresponding disc exchange program) "very soon."

Disney first released 'Curse of the Black Pearl' on Blu-ray last May to largely stellar critical reaction (our own Peter Bracke raved about it in his review), but months later reports surfaced online that select scenes on the disc suffered from severe framing problems that wreak havoc with the film's intended presentation.

When we first brought the apparent issue to Disney's attention this past September, the studio would only say that they were investigating the problem. Now, with next week's Blu-ray release of the third film in the 'Pirates' series on the horizon, Disney has finally issued official word on the controversy, acknowledging the framing issue, and promising that all future Blu-ray pressings of 'Curse of the Black Pearl' will correct the problem.

For customers of the original, mis-framed Blu-ray edition of 'Pirates, Disney said it would also be offering a free disc exchange program. Although the studio told us that they've not yet set an exact date for release of the corrected discs, a studio rep promised that it will be "very soon."

Needless to say, we'll keep you posted as more details about the corrected disc and the exchange program emerge. Watch this space!

In the meantime, be sure to check out Peter Bracke's comprehensive Blu-ray review of 'Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End,' due in stores next Tuesday.

See what people are saying about this story in our forums area, or check out other recent discussions.

Discs mentioned in this article: (Click for specs and reviews)
Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl (Blu-ray)
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (Blu-ray)
Earlier on High-Def Digest:
Disney Investigating Reported Framing Issues on 'POTC' Blu-ray (Sep 07, 2007)

Paramount Recalls 'Jack Ryan' HD DVD

Thu Oct 18, 2007 at 12:00 PM ET
Tags: Technical Glitches, Paramount (all tags)

Following reports of a packaging error, Paramount has issued a recall of its forthcoming HD DVD release of 'The Jack Ryan Collection.'

As we first reported Tuesday, early copies of the highly anticipated release found their way into consumers hands earlier this week, but fans who were initially delighted to snap up a sneak peek began noticing something strange as they dived into the four-disc set.

Despite the "Special Collector's Edition" label clearly stamped across the front cover of each disc in the set, and a list of bonus features promoted on the box art (including audio commentaries, featurettes, and more), no one was able to find the advertised supplementary material on any of the actual discs.

As these reports began to surface, fan reaction was swift and predominantly negative in our forums area, with most wondering how a mistake like this could slip by the studio.

Today, Paramount has issued a street delay for the disc, and is asking all retailers return their stock to the distributor. No new street date has been announced, and at press time it wasn't clear whether the studio is planning to ultimately release the existing barebones discs with new corrected packaging, or with new feature-packed discs. We'll let you know as more information comes in.

The text of Paramount's email to retailers follows below:

Please be advised that there are typographical errors on the packaging for the Jack Ryan Special Collector's Edition HD-DVD. The packaging inadvertently notes special features that are not on the HD-DVD. As a result, this product is being recalled and street date is being delayed.We ask that you do not sell or rent this product to consumers and that you stop shipments to additional destinations. A Paramount Home Entertainment Representative will contact you with an RA number to facilitate sending the product back to Paramount Home Entertainment's manufacturing facility. Returned product should include any unit previously shipped to retailers or other destinations as well as your on-hand inventory. We will provide further information on the availability of new product shortly. Should you have any further questions, please contact a Paramount Home Entertainment Representative. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused you.

Thanks to Shannon and Brian for the tip!

See what people are saying about this story in our forums area, or check out other recent discussions.

Related links:
'Jack Ryan Collection' Packaging Snafu? [High-Def Digest Forums]
Discs mentioned in this article: (Click for specs and reviews)
The Jack Ryan Collection (HD DVD)
Earlier on High-Def Digest:
'Jack Ryan' Special Edition HD DVD Not So Special? (Oct 16, 2007)

'Jack Ryan' Special Edition HD DVD Not So Special?

Tue Oct 16, 2007 at 11:00 AM ET
Tags: Technical Glitches, Paramount (all tags)

In what may end up being the biggest packaging blunder yet for a high-def title, Paramount's 'Jack Ryan Collection' HD DVD appears to have shipped to retail in a deluxe "Special Collectors Edition" box set that contains none of its advertised bonus features.

First announced earlier this summer, the four-disc 'Jack Ryan Collection' was originally planned for dual-format release on September 25. Although the studio would eventually scrap the Blu-ray version and push back the street date by nearly a month to October 23, the box set remained among the more highly-anticipated titles of the season.

Now, with the set's official street date only a week away, the HD DVD edition of 'The Jack Ryan Collection' has begun shipping to retail, but fans who were initially delighted to snap up early copies of the set began noticing something strange as they dived into the four-disc set.

As first reported yesterday by fans on several forums (including our own), despite the "Special Collector's Edition" label clearly stamped across the front cover of each disc in the set, and a list of bonus features promoted on the box art (including audio commentaries, featurettes, and more), as yet no one has been able to find the advertised supplementary material on any of the actual discs.

We here at High-Def Digest received our own copy of the final product direct from Paramount on Monday, and after combing through each disc, we too were unable to find a single supplemental feature anywhere on the entire set.

At press time, Paramount had not yet responded to a request for a comment on the apparent packaging snafu, but we'll keep you posted as soon as any official information comes in on the matter. Stay tuned...

(Thanks to Eddie for the tip!)

See what people are saying about this story in our forums area, or check out other recent discussions.

Discs mentioned in this article: (Click for specs and reviews)
The Jack Ryan Collection (HD DVD)
Earlier on High-Def Digest:
'Top Gun,' 'Jack Ryan Collection' Lead Paramount Fall Blu-ray, HD DVD Action Wave (Jun 12, 2007)
Paramount Shuffles Fall Blu-ray, HD DVD Line-Up; 'Face/Off,' 'Jack Ryan Collection' See Delays (Aug 17, 2007)


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