Blu-ray Glitch List - Titles you might want to avoid.

[Ruined]

Thought this might be helpful to those just getting into BD :)

(UPDATED 3/30/09)

CONFIRMED CURRENT PROBLEM USA BDs
***Releases highlighted in red have problems being ignored by the studio***
****
007: For Your Eyes Only
* An issue with one of the BD-J files may cause your player to freeze
! Fox has a replacement program available: 1-888-223-2FOX

1408
* Severe jaggies persist throughout the film.
! Weinstein has not addressed this as of 1/14/09

3:10 to Yuma
* Significant chroma fringing/errors in transfer, most visible during credits (rainbow colors around edges of text).
! LionsGate does not consider this an issue

Baraka (Horrible cardboard eco-pak edition)
* Some copies freeze at 1hr 13mins mark. A batch of the initial run of discs in the poorly-made cardboard case had significant manufacturing issues which some players are more sensitive to than others.
! MPI has a replacement program available

Blade Runner (slimline case)
* Some copies do not have the final cut on Disc 1 as it should be, instead having a repeat of the workprint disc
! Warner has a replacement program available

The Descent (MPEG2)
* Significant chroma fringing/errors in transfer, most visible during credits (rainbow colors around edges of text). AUS version is unaffected.
! LionsGate does not consider this an issue

Die Hard 2
* DTS-HDMA lossless track incorrectly flagged as DTS-HD lossy, resulting in lossy output or no sound at all on some setups
! Fox has began to collect addresses of people with a problem to resend a second set of replacement discs when available (first replacement was the same disc)
Support contacts: support@foxhome.com -and- FoxDrop@4icc.com
However as of 1/8/09 Fox still has failed to send out fixed replacement discs; UK and AUS copies are not affected.

Dirty Dancing
* Master appears to have been incorrectly scaled prior to encoding, resulting in severe jaggies.
! LionsGate does not consider this an issue

District B13
* The only English subtitle option for this foreign movie is closed-captioned for the hearing impaired, resulting in sound effects being written out in the subtitles. This can be irritating for those who are not hearing impaired, an additional standard subtitle track would have been preferable.
! Magnolia does not consider this an issue

Enter the Dragon
* Master was incorrectly filtered prior to encoding resulting in severe jaggies; effective disc resolution is 960x1080.
! Warner does not consider this an issue, and states a new master must be struck to fix the problem.

Event Horizon
* Image is vertically stretched at times, resulting in "thin" faces and image distortion.
! Paramount has failed to address this issue as of 1/8/09

The Fugitive
* Master was incorrectly filtered prior to encoding resulting in severe jaggies; effective disc resolution is 960x1080.
! Warner does not consider this an issue, and states a new master must be struck to fix the problem.

Gulliver's Travels
* Aspect ratio is incorrect, cropped from 1.37:1 to 1.78:1.
! Koch does not consider this an issue.

Halloween
* Color balance during night scenes deviates from the filmmakers intentions
! Anchor Bay/Starz does not consider this an issue.

Harold and Kumar: Escape From Guantanamo Bay
* There are popping noises at branch points when listening to the fully decoded lossless DTS-MA soundtrack.
! New Line is aware of the issue, but no replacement program has been announced.

Immortal
* Right channel effects and center channel effects are swapped in TrueHD soundtrack.
! First Look Pictures has not announced a replacement program.

King of California
* Jaggies are noticable at times throughout the movie, possibly a low quality upconvert from 720p master.
! First Look Pictures has not addressed this as of 1/14/09

Led Zeppelin: The Song Remains the Same (both original release and re-release)
* 7-second TrueHD soundtrack dropout at 1:40:45, confirmed encoding error that affects all players. Lossless HD DVD version and lossy soundtracks on both versions are not affected.
! Warner has done a "silent release" of a corrected Blu-ray Disc. The files on the correctly authored disc are dated March 2008.

Let the Right One In
* Subtitle translation is incorrect.
! Magnolia does not consider this an issue and is not issuing replacements; instead, they will release a new version in the future with correct subtitles for purchase. Return your disc if you are dissatisfied with the incorrect subtitle translation.
http://iconsoffright.com/news/2009/03/let_the_wrong_subtitles_in_to.html

Lethal Weapon 2
* Master was incorrectly filtered prior to encoding resulting in severe jaggies; effective disc resolution is 960x1080.
! Warner does not consider this an issue, and states a new master must be struck to fix the problem.

Lost: Season 3
* On some copies, Disc 5 is a duplicate of Disc 1.
! Disney has a replacement program available.

Lost: Season 4
* The first 2 seconds of audio may be cut off when starting playback of an episode
! Disney has not addressed this issue as of 1/19/09

Matrix Revolutions
* Image breaks up or jumps at 1:45:46
! Warner appears to be coordinating a replacement program for this issue, but no discs are available yet. Click here (http://home.earthlink.net/~jmorg/matrix/Matrix.htm) for more info. Note that the UK version may not be affected by this glitch.

Next
* Severe jaggies throughout the film
! Paramount has failed to respond to this issue as of 1/14/09

The Night of the Werewolf/Vengeance of the Zombies
* Severe A/V lag during playback. All copies may not be affected.
! BCI does not consider this an issue

Paris, je t'aime
* The only English subtitle option for this foreign movie is closed-captioned for the hearing impaired, resulting in sound effects being written out in the subtitles. This can be irritating for those who are not hearing impaired, an additional standard subtitle track would have been preferable.
! First Look Pictures has failed to address this issue as of 1/8/09

Priceless
* The only English subtitle option for this foreign movie is closed-captioned for the hearing impaired, resulting in sound effects being written out in the subtitles. This can be irritating for those who are not hearing impaired, an additional standard subtitle track would have been preferable. Also, there are no english subtitles at all for the french extras included!
! First Look Pictures has failed to address this issue as of 1/19/09

Roy Orbison: Black and White Night
* Aspect ratio is incorrect, cropped from 1.37:1 to 1.78:1.
! Image Entertainment has failed to address this issue as of 1/8/09

Starship Troopers
* Editing error where a few frames of the movie are repeated, omitting what should actually be seen. Example: Faulty version (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHATWWwfgQI) --Corrected version (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0U2t9ZgZ4j0).
! Sony has a replacement program available

Species
* Authoring error where attempting to access the subtitle options via the main menu or the pop-up menu results in freezing of the player controls. This has been confirmed by paidgeek, a Sony insider. The subtitles can still be accessed properly via the subtitle button on the player's remote.
! No replacement program is planned for this

Sukiyaki Western Django
* Right channel effects and center channel effects are swapped in TrueHD soundtrack.
! First Look Pictures has not announced a replacement program.

The Truman Show
* Image is horizontally stretched, resulting in overly "fat" faces and distortion.
! Paramount has failed to address this issue as of 1/8/09

Unbreakable
* PCM soundtrack popping/distortion in rear right surround at 8:30-8:32. Also a popping noise is heard in the center channel at 1:28:21.
! The UK version has a 16bit/48khz 5.1 PCM track that is unaffected by this issue.
! Disney has failed to address this issue as of 1/8/09

Young Guns
* Master was incorrectly filtered prior to encoding resulting in severe jaggies; effective disc resolution is 960x1080.
! LionsGate has failed to address this issue as of 1/8/09

UNCONFIRMED or EQUIPMENT-SPECIFIC BD GLITCHES
****
Chicago
* PCM soundtrack popping/distortion
! Need more information to determine if this is a disc issue

PAST INCIDENTS - You'd be unlikely to find these problem discs in stores today, as they were fixed long ago.
****
Blade Runner
* Some copies do not have the workprint on Disc 5 as it should be, instead having a repeat of the final cut disc
! Warner has a replacement program available

Chronos
* Some copies had an issue that prevented playback in some cases
! RBFilms has a replacement program available

The Descent (OOP/AVC release only)
* Movie file(s) were located in the wrong directory, making the disc unplayable in some cases. Serious chroma errors are visible in transfer, especially on credits.
! Title was recalled

The Fifth Element (OOP/original release)
* This title does not have any glitches, but it is being included because it has a poor transfer and the manufacturer is offering a free upgrade to the newer version w/ better transfer.
! Sony has a replacement program available.

Full Metal Jacket (OOP/original release only - original cover has white background)
* Master was incorrectly filtered prior to encoding resulting in severe jaggies; effective disc resolution is 960x1080.
! Warner has released a remastered BD with new artwork that is full 1080p resolution.

The Incredible Hulk
* In Canada, some early copies of the initial run of this title mistakenly have Ang Lee's earlier "Hulk" film in the case instead of the newer Incredible Hulk film.
! Universal has a replacement program available.

Pirates of the Carribean: Curse of the Black Pearl
* Framing error
! Disney has a replacement program available

Speed
* Some copies had an issue that prevented playback in some cases
! Fox has a replacement program available

Stargate
* Early copies were missing subtitles for a portion of the movie
! LionsGate has corrected the issue with a new pressing

Terminator 3
* Some copies have the main feature encoded in 1080i when IME is not enabled
! Warner has a replacement program available

[HighlightShow]

Good thread, valuable info. Good thing I own none of those!

I have PoTC: Curse of the Black Pearl, but it is a recent version.

[Chitown021]

Thanks for the list. I had no idea there were this many issues with Bluray discs...

[CheapAssRu]

Appreciate this list!

[SteveMcQ]

Ruined, do you have a link for the 007 replacement disc? I haven't had time to open mine up and check, but if it's a universal problem, I'd like to get it swapped.

[DestroVega]

I was getting so pissed when watching Harold and Kumar as I thought the loud pops were going to ruin all my speakers... ugh.

I have what I think is a newer Black Pearl, how can I be sure?

[carpwrist]

Baraka and Chronos were made by the same people, that really sucks that their Blu-Rays are effed, they're both intense visual experiences that would greatly benefit from a full 1080p resolution.

[shadowkast]

Gonna have to check my blade runner copy; I don't think District B-13 had the audio soundeffects in subtitles, though I could be wrong

[shadowrage]

Robocop has the correct aspect ratio.

[Ruined]

Robocop has the correct aspect ratio.

Robocop was theatrically shown at 1.85:1.

However, when Criterion approached the director Paul Verhoeven about his wishes for presentation of the film on DVD, he stated that he strongly preferred his film to be presented at 1.66:1 aspect ratio. Thus, while the Blu-ray does present the theatrical aspect ratio, it fails to present the director's preferred aspect ratio.

Nitpicking a bit, though that is what this thread is about. :) In my next revision maybe I will change the wording on Robocop to indicate that it is not incorrectly matted but likewise is not in the filmmakers preferred aspect ratio.

[MotzCTG]

Good info only thing I would probably buy is PoC though. Thanks for posting :)

[CocheseUGA]

Awesome thread. Will have to check my titles.

Don't forget about the first-run Fifth Element screwup.

[Pr0JectNymPh0!]

I have "The Fugitive," still unopened. I might return and change to another title thanks to OP. Repped.

[mtxbass1]

I have the Descent and I see no chroma issues at all. How accurate is this list?

[ChernobylCow]

nice thread. Just got a PS3 and am price watching to build my BD library. Quick question, though, what is a "chroma issue"?

[shrike4242]

Looks like I have four possible issues with Blade Runner, The Descent, Enter The Dragon and 007: FYEO.

I guess I'll have to work with Fox with the replacement for FYEO, once they announce the replacement for it. Plus, talk with Warner for Blade Runner, if I run into that issue. I guess Enter The Dragon and The Descent will be issues I'll be stuck with.

[n64ra]

Glad to see this list!!

[Ruined]

I have the Descent and I see no chroma issues at all. How accurate is this list?

Take a look at the edges of the fonts in the credits:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showpost.php?p=14655826&postcount=58

Chroma-fringing/rainbow colors are clearly visible, more pronounced in the recalled AVC version (basically since its less blurry), but still there in the current MPEG2 version.

Another example, less severe: http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showpost.php?p=14608592&postcount=25

Some more updates to the list, also! :)

[bill123]

question for ya ruined. I have both starship troopers and Pirates. The pirates I got from the 5 free deal last year. How would I go about swapping those 2 out? Also would my pirates be ok? I really don't know how old the defective ones were.

[Gspoon]

thanks for the info !

now i am sad Event Horizon is one of my fav movies.
i was actually thinking about getting it on blu i guess ill stick w DVD

they (movie studios and sony ) need to get their shit together i hope this doesnt get to be a wide spread issue.

[Trakan]

I know it was fixed, but weren't there a bunch of problems with the original pressing of The Fifth Element?

[Plinko]

Damn--I was hoping to get The Truman Show. Is it that bad?

[LinkinPrime]

Thanks for the info Ruined...guess I gotta send in my Starship Troopers for replacement. Anyone have a link to the info on how to do it?

[Ruined]

I know it was fixed, but weren't there a bunch of problems with the original pressing of The Fifth Element?

Not really bad enough to be on this list.

[Ruined]

Damn--I was hoping to get The Truman Show. Is it that bad?

Judge for yourself:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1103757

Left side is the "fathead" stretched Blu-ray, Right side is a proper aspect ratio HDTV broadcast. Really obvious on the last couple of pics w/ the lady in the red sweater. Also, lots of EE on this title.

[LinkinPrime]

Plus Fifth Element was more of a bad release than a disc with glitches.

[CocheseUGA]

Not really bad enough to be on this list.

That's pretty subjective.

[Ruined]

That's pretty subjective.

Not really IMO. There is nothing glitchy about failing to use a pristine master. If it had other problems like framing errors, sound errors, etc, that would be one thing, but it was really just a master that need to be cleaned up a little.

There are plenty of Blu-rays that have masters in poor shape (Gangs of New York comes to mind), but this thread is more about Blu-ray oddities/errors that could be easily corrected by the studio without a costly restoration. Meaning that the studio can easily fix these glitches if they spend a few bucks to reencode and/or reauthor the title, none of these problems would be a costly endeavor to fix.

[CocheseUGA]

Not really IMO. There is nothing glitchy about failing to use a pristine master. If it had other problems like framing errors, sound errors, etc, that would be one thing, but it was really just a master that need to be cleaned up a little.

There are plenty of Blu-rays that have masters in poor shape (Gangs of New York comes to mind), but this thread is more about Blu-ray oddities/errors that could be easily corrected by the studio without a costly restoration. Meaning that the studio can easily fix these glitches if they spend a few bucks to reencode and/or reauthor the title, none of these problems would be a costly endeavor to fix.

Blu-ray Glitch List - Titles you might want to avoid

Fifth Element first pressing clearly falls into the bolded part.

[LinkinPrime]

Found the info on Starship Troopers:
I just got an email back from Sony regarding this issue. They have fixed the issue and are replacing the BDs like they did with the Fifth Element. Email Address is consumer@sphecustomersupport.sony.com or call them at 800-860-2878. Here is the email I got back, they will give you a reference # to put on the outside of the package:

Dear Valued Consumer,

Thank you for your e-mail. We appreciate your interest in Sony Pictures Home Entertainment products.

To receive an exchange for the Starship Troopers Blu-ray disc, please return your Blu-ray disc (case not needed) to the following address:

SPHE Consumer Support
PO Box 157
Neenah, WI 54957
Attn:

Please be sure to include your return address (no PO Boxes) and a copy of this email. Your replacement will be shipped to you via Fed Ex Ground, and please allow 3-5 weeks for delivery.

Regards,

SPHE Consumer Affairs Team
800-860-2878

http://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.php?p=1294841&postcount=93

[DesertEagleXIX]

The original issue of Full Metal Jacket has a slight dubbing problem. When Gunny is making his rounds in the second scene, his voice doesn't quite sync up.

[Ice2Dragon]

Unbreakable and a few others have the POPPING ISSUE that Harold/Kumar did.

[sendme]

Any way other then watching and listening that we can tell if the copies we have are the ones that have the Glitch. I just ordered The Decent back when Amazon had it for 13 or 14 bucks and would like to know if mine has the issue. When I watched it I didn't notice anything but I really don't watch the credits much.

[62t]

hmm my copy of For Your Eyes Only plays fine, but i will look into exchanging it. Got my copy of Pirate from 3 pack so it should be okay.

[dack]

Hmm...I can't decide if it's worth the time/shipping to return Starship Troopers...

[bullsrfive]

thank goodness i dont hav any of those titles

[MorPhiend]

I hope the Unbreakable problem gets resolved. And a few people have asked about how to tell if they have a problem version of PotC and no one has addressed it. ow does one tell if there is a "framing error"?

Also, I bought Dan in Real Life when it came out last year. Great movie, despite the fact that I hate Steve Carell. But I seem to remember having a problem with the player freezing if you tried to rewind or fast forward and it seems that about half the people who bought it had the same problem. Has this been fixed or does this title need to be added to the list? I haven't even watched the movie since the initial time I saw it because it was such a pain.

[lockey]

Hmmm. wondering if i should bite on The Fifth Element on sale at Fry's for $11.99.

[CocheseUGA]

Hmmm. wondering if i should bite on The Fifth Element on sale at Fry's for $11.99.

I believe the version that says Dolby TrueHD on the back is the good one.

[addicted2games]

Thanks OP. I didnt know about half of these problems.

[AoA]

The Fifth Element BD problem was that the additional footage added in (which was just a few seconds at a time) was NOT in high-def. It was jarringly noticeable to me.
Even though its an old problem, I got a bad disc on the Circuit City out-of-business sale. The replacement program was quick though and the best part....they didn't ask for the case back. One free BluRay case. (Disney made me send the POTC:COTBP case back with the disc)

[VipFREAK]

After experiencing how crappy Robocop was I will be seriously avoiding older movie titles and if I do get interested will do some heavy research before hand.

[ITDEFX]

After experiencing how crappy Robocop was I will be seriously avoiding older movie titles and if I do get interested will do some heavy research before hand.


Agree here. Although there are starting to be a lot of sales on older movies on blu ray, I always check review sites BEFORE buying them. If they don't look any better than my SD-DVD copy, then I skip it.

[VipFREAK]

I couldn't believe it, but it makes sense. Can't take an avatar sized pic and make it 1080p quality. I wonder how they get around that or if they are just praying the average consumer continues to be oblivious to it?

[bill123]

Found the info on Starship Troopers:


http://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.php?p=1294841&postcount=93


Thanks Linkin for the info. I definitely want to replace mine that's just ridiculous the crappy job they did. Also thanks to Ruined for putting this thread together. I'd never know about these movies without it.

[crunchb3rry]

"Halloween
* Color balance during night scenes deviates from the filmmakers intentions
! Anchor Bay/Starz does not consider this an issue."
From what I understand the "blue" color is NOT the filmmakers intention. The washed out color, that's the "corrected" color that fans absolutely loathe. I read a long time ago that original blue tint was a mistake, but the movie aired so many times on TV with that incorrect color balance that it became the accepted color. I think they released the correctly balanced color transfer once and got so much hate mail they would never do it again.

From what I understand about the Blu-Ray, it's the now-traditional blue tint transfer but the 1080p conversion lost some saturation levels. Where it's still blue at night, but not that almost neonlike blue that made the movie so unique.

[ITDEFX]

wow... you see how Sony promotes BR as being perfect... yea thanks again sony.:roll: keep this shit up and I am going to stick with current titles only.

Damn, I wonder how fucked up Terminator 1 is?

[Ruined]

From what I understand the "blue" color is NOT the filmmakers intention. The washed out color, that's the "corrected" color that fans absolutely loathe. I read a long time ago that original blue tint was a mistake, but the movie aired so many times on TV with that incorrect color balance that it became the accepted color. I think they released the correctly balanced color transfer once and got so much hate mail they would never do it again.

From what I understand about the Blu-Ray, it's the now-traditional blue tint transfer but the 1080p conversion lost some saturation levels. Where it's still blue at night, but not that almost neonlike blue that made the movie so unique.

The blue tint is Dean Cundey's preference, and he was the cinematographer/director of photography of Halloween. That counts as filmmakers intention IMO.

As for the Blu-ray...
http://bluray.highdefdigest.com/966/halloween1978.html

Unfortunately, that DiviMax version caused quite an uproar with fans when word quickly leaked out on the eve of its release that neither John Carpenter nor cinematographer Dean Cundey had approved the new master, and without their input, great liberties were taken with the film's color timing...

Sadly, this 1080p/AVC MPEG-4 sports most of the same color timing problems as the DiviMax DVD edition. Although earlier reports had indicated that Starz/Anchor Bay had planned on using the old, Cundey-approved master for this Blu-ray edition, judging from the results here, I have to assume that they just used the DiviMax master and tweaked it a little. Though the daylight exteriors are much closer to previous Cundey-approved masters (including a 1995 Criterion Collection laserdisc, as well as earlier Anchor Bay THX-certified DVD editions), the nighttime scenes -- about 3/4 of the movie -- still just aren't right. The effective blue-orange complimentary color palette is white-washed away, and though fleshtones may be more "accurate," this is just not the 'Halloween' it should be. (For a look at some comparison pics between the Blu-ray and the THX-certified, Cundy-approved transfer, see this thread in our forums area.)

Doesn't sound like they did a good job on the color timing.

[mtxbass1]

wow... you see how Sony promotes BR as being perfect... yea thanks again sony.:roll: keep this shit up and I am going to stick with current titles only.

Damn, I wonder how fucked up Terminator 1 is?

Are you really this fucking stupid, or is this some kind of act for all of us?

What does Sony have to do with how the TRANSFERS of many of these movies have come out? Sony has absolutely ZERO input in many of these "issues". It's not Sony's fault or doing that some of these movies have problems. Blame the studios who put out these glitched releases.

[Jesse757x]

has anyone received a potc replacement disc recently? I just bought a used copy and it has the framing error.

[KyleN]

Starship Troopers
* Editing error where a few frames of the movie are repeated, omitting what should actually be seen. Example:

I have watched this clip over and over and I cannot figure out what the issue is here--could someone please explain?

[dg7md]

wow... you see how Sony promotes BR as being perfect... yea thanks again sony.:roll: keep this shit up and I am going to stick with current titles only.

Damn, I wonder how fucked up Terminator 1 is?

Terminator 1 has a great transfer... kicks the SD DVD in the nuts many times over. Many older movies obviously won't have a transfer as clean as more recent movies, but that's a given due to the film's age and amount of effort it'd take to restore to a peak level. A lot of movies aren't easily restored into HD as much as others, that's why there's a parity of the quality of releases out there.

I don't condone bad transfers on this premium technology either and nobody should, but not all titles will be 5-star just by the nature of the industry and how the movie was filmed in the first place. Yes, some BDs have transfers that aren't pristine and clearly could be better, but they will always perform better than their SD counterparts. It's just a matter of if the upgrade is a significant one worthy of a purchase. Just remember that Blu-ray is still very much in its early stages and the technology is being tinkered with still to maximize the potential.

[DestroVega]

it's not that old movies have bad picture quality... it's just some do and some don't.

2001 is a movie as old as they come and looks among the best in high-def.

[ITDEFX]

Are you really this fucking stupid, or is this some kind of act for all of us?

What does Sony have to do with how the TRANSFERS of many of these movies have come out? Sony has absolutely ZERO input in many of these "issues". It's not Sony's fault or doing that some of these movies have problems. Blame the studios who put out these glitched releases.

I guess you have been lucky enough to have never seen a br promo advertising perfect picture, perfect sound right? There should be more QA involved before the disc is released for replication. To have to pay 20+ more for a movie that is a small step up from the SD-DVD version with barely any new bonus features (or any features at all) is just a slap in the face for consumers. Not to mention video and sound errors and then having to wait around for the studio to fix the problem, which in some cases may take weeks or months or may be never addressed.


Terminator 1 has a great transfer... kicks the SD DVD in the nuts many times over. Many older movies obviously won't have a transfer as clean as more recent movies, but that's a given due to the film's age and amount of effort it'd take to restore to a peak level. A lot of movies aren't easily restored into HD as much as others, that's why there's a parity of the quality of releases out there.

I don't condone bad transfers on this premium technology either and nobody should, but not all titles will be 5-star just by the nature of the industry and how the movie was filmed in the first place. Yes, some BDs have transfers that aren't pristine and clearly could be better, but they will always perform better than their SD counterparts. It's just a matter of if the upgrade is a significant one worthy of a purchase. Just remember that Blu-ray is still very much in its early stages and the technology is being tinkered with still to maximize the potential.

I am glad that Terminator 1 didn't make the glitch list. I was planning on buying T2, but found out it wasn't the extended version (hmm), and t3 had it's problems. With the new movie coming out this year, it is most likely there will be a re-release of all three movies in a pack, so I will wait for that one.

Yes it all depends on how the original film was perserved by the studio. If they did a good job preserving it over the years, and they have a hell of a mastering team, then yea it's going to look amazing on BR. Movies that just didn't stand up to the test of time, shouldn't be released to BR at all because it does bring out all the imperfections of original films (grain, scratches, etc).

[Ruined]

I have watched this clip over and over and I cannot figure out what the issue is here--could someone please explain?

The error lasts for 5 seconds directly after he says "Fall back into the compound! Fall back!" In the first faulty clip, a portion already seen from about 10 seconds back in the movie is simply repeated again. In the corrected version, there is the actual footage missing from the faulty version.

[mtxbass1]

I guess you have been lucky enough to have never seen a br promo advertising perfect picture, perfect sound right? There should be more QA involved before the disc is released for replication. To have to pay 20+ more for a movie that is a small step up from the SD-DVD version with barely any new bonus features (or any features at all) is just a slap in the face for consumers. Not to mention video and sound errors and then having to wait around for the studio to fix the problem, which in some cases may take weeks or months or may be never addressed.


And how is any of that SONY's fault? Sony does not handle the transfers. Sony does not "QA" the disc. You blame Sony for these problems and for "false advertisement" when you should be blaming the STUDIOS who are putting out these poor transfers.

And I'm not if you've noticed or not, but these problems are rather minuscule on a large number of these movies. Wow, a single line doesn't sync up, or some colors are off during the credits. WOW. Many of the things on this list the OP has provided are purely subjective. I've got about 50 blu-rays that do in fact give me PERFECT picture and PERFECT sound. What's your point?

[CocheseUGA]

And how is any of that SONY's fault? Sony does not handle the transfers. Sony does not "QA" the disc. You blame Sony for these problems and for "false advertisement" when you should be blaming the STUDIOS who are putting out these poor transfers.

And I'm not if you've noticed or not, but these problems are rather minuscule on a large number of these movies. Wow, a single line doesn't sync up, or some colors are off during the credits. WOW. Many of the things on this list the OP has provided are purely subjective. I've got about 50 blu-rays that do in fact give me PERFECT picture and PERFECT sound. What's your point?

Whatever you want to believe and whatever is the truth, Sony will, and does, take the flak for bad quality discs - whether it's their fault or not. For most people, Sony = Blu-ray, and vice-versa. So if there's a problem with BDs, Sony is going to catch hell for it.

[mtxbass1]

Whatever you want to believe and whatever is the truth, Sony will, and does, take the flak for bad quality discs - whether it's their fault or not. For most people, Sony = Blu-ray, and vice-versa. So if there's a problem with BDs, Sony is going to catch hell for it.

Of course. Idiots like ITDEFX are proof that people are going to complain about Sony when it's not even Sony's doing. No matter who puts out the technology, they're going to blame them instead of the producers of the content.

[CocheseUGA]

Of course. Idiots like ITDEFX are proof that people are going to complain about Sony when it's not even Sony's doing. No matter who puts out the technology, they're going to blame them instead of the producers of the content.

You should probably take a break.

[yukine]

Wow thanks, I was considering picking up some of the movies that are flagged as red.

[Buddycuffs]

Awesome post. This should be stickied.

[ITDEFX]

Of course. Idiots like ITDEFX are proof that people are going to complain about Sony when it's not even Sony's doing. No matter who puts out the technology, they're going to blame them instead of the producers of the content.

Dude, you really need to chill out. You are so PRO Sony fan boy. If you break it down to the basics, BR just uses other compression codecs on a higher storage disc.

Whatever you want to believe and whatever is the truth, Sony will, and does, take the flak for bad quality discs - whether it's their fault or not. For most people, Sony = Blu-ray, and vice-versa. So if there's a problem with BDs, Sony is going to catch hell for it.

This is true, because Sony is aggressively promoting BR with the Perfect Picture, Perfect Sound campaign. So everyone thinks BR=Sony/PS3=BR/Sony=$$$.
If they drop that misleading campaign, then all will be good.
Sony is taking a cut from all these studios when they release a movie on THEIR FORMAT (sony's). I can't remember the site, but it was enough to realize why BR discs are either twice or three times more expensive then the DVD counter part. Some people are starting to think that SD-DVD's are getting the shaft these days because they want people to buy BR's more. They should be more actively involved with the QA on these discs. Do you have any idea how much it costs to duplicate all those discs, only to find out a few days/weeks later that there are glitches then have to go back and fix it (if it can be fixed) and have to duplicate a new master??!?!
I raither have a movie take 6 months to come out on BR with zero glitches or problems vs having a movie that came out in 3 months with glitches.


You should probably take a break.
Agreed.

[Ruined]

updated!

[deluxeg]

I couldn't believe it, but it makes sense. Can't take an avatar sized pic and make it 1080p quality. I wonder how they get around that or if they are just praying the average consumer continues to be oblivious to it?

I don't know if you understand this, what does avatar sized pictures have to do with anything? Film can actually store MORE information than 1080p.

[Lethal04]

I got a used copy of Pirates of the Caribbean, what do I do to exchange it? Also what is a framing problem exactly, is it easily noticable? I haven't watched the movie yet, but I would like to go ahead and get a copy with no problems.

[ironman206]

Thanks for compiling the list... Has anyone else noticed that the Italian Job is extremely grainy... It bothered me so much I couldn't watch the entire film.

[VipFREAK]

I don't know if you understand this, what does avatar sized pictures have to do with anything? Film can actually store MORE information than 1080p.

I'm talking about scaling you idiot... Not storage. :roll:

[gunm]

Dang, I have Enter the Dragon.

Haven't popped it in since I got it though. It just goes to show how much I take a title being on blu-ray for granted--one should never assume PQ is going to be "better" just cause it's on the HD format. >_<

[Ruined]

I got a used copy of Pirates of the Caribbean, what do I do to exchange it? Also what is a framing problem exactly, is it easily noticable? I haven't watched the movie yet, but I would like to go ahead and get a copy with no problems.

Pirates framing problem illustrated:
http://www.highdefdigest.com/news/show/Technical_Glitches/Disney/Disney_Investigating_Reported__Framing_Issues_on_P OTC_Blu-ray/927

Exchange program:
http://www.highdefdigest.com/news/show/1219

[graf1k]

Guess I need to check my copy of Blade Runner.

Awesome thread, Ruined!

[deluxeg]

I'm talking about scaling you idiot... Not storage. :roll:

I am not talking about storage either I am talking about picture information ie. resolution. Film is a higher resolution than 1080p so what scaling are you talking about? It's not like they are selling upconverted DVD's as blu-ray discs.

[thewatcher]

this is a real issue for people without the right equipement yet. I dont yet own a HDMI compatible reciever to enjoy the HD audio codecs and I own Die Hard 2 with no way to test.

Should I replace it anyway?

[Ruined]

this is a real issue for people without the right equipement yet. I dont yet own a HDMI compatible reciever to enjoy the HD audio codecs and I own Die Hard 2 with no way to test.

Should I replace it anyway?

Fox has no replacement available yet, and all copies are affected. The only way to get a fixed DH2 is to import the regionfree UK or AUS versions. But you can put your name on the list in case for if/when Fox sends out replacements.

[Plinko]

Judge for yourself:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1103757

Left side is the "fathead" stretched Blu-ray, Right side is a proper aspect ratio HDTV broadcast. Really obvious on the last couple of pics w/ the lady in the red sweater. Also, lots of EE on this title.

Thanks for the post. I appreciate it.

[Camwi]

Thanks for making this thread. I'm sure I'll find the information very useful in the future (when I have money).

[Ruined]

update! :)

[Deadpool]

Wow awesome thread Ruined! :applause::applause:

[h3llbring3r]

Any word on the Young Guns issue? I picked this up on sale @ $10 without researching it.

[Ruined]

Any word on the Young Guns issue? I picked this up on sale @ $10 without researching it.

As far as I know there has been no correction.

[h3llbring3r]

As far as I know there has been no correction.

FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU . . . oh well, only $10 for a movie I ALREADY OWNED ON DVD. Glad I saw the post on POTC, I almost bought that one.

[UjnHunter]

Oh man! I just bought Sukiyaki Western Django :(
Ah well, it was only $10.99

[grap3fruitman]

Hey I was wondering if I'm the only person that has an issue with the PCM audio track on 2001: A Space Odyssey. I get this annoying humming with that track but not with the Dolby Digital one. I've only got my PS3 to test this on. Can anyone else confirm that I'm not the only one suffering from this?

[thelonepig]

Saints & Soldiers BD won't play the special features, though it could be a compatibility problem, I suppose (UK import). When a special feature is chosen, the screen goes black like it's getting ready to play but then goes right back to the main menu.

The movie itself seems to be okay, but I haven't watched more than the first five minutes.

[voidedx]

Hellboy (1) looks really bad on Blu-Ray. The graininess is off the charts. I couldn't even watch half of it because I was constantly irritated from the bad quality.

On a side-note, The Golden Compass Blu-Ray has incredible quality and even repairs a bad lighting shot seen in the theaters.

[thelonepig]

Hellboy (1) looks really bad on Blu-Ray. The graininess is off the charts. I couldn't even watch half of it because I was constantly irritated from the bad quality.

On a side-note, The Golden Compass Blu-Ray has incredible quality and even repairs a bad lighting shot seen in the theaters.

I've got both live-action Hellboy movies on Bluray and they both look excellent. I don't know what would cause the graininess.

[graf1k]

Yeah, the extras on that disc are PAL so they aren't going to play on a Region A player. Not a glitch.

Saints & Soldiers BD won't play the special features, though it could be a compatibility problem, I suppose (UK import). When a special feature is chosen, the screen goes black like it's getting ready to play but then goes right back to the main menu.

The movie itself seems to be okay, but I haven't watched more than the first five minutes.

[yukine]

Hellboy (1) looks really bad on Blu-Ray. The graininess is off the charts. I couldn't even watch half of it because I was constantly irritated from the bad quality.

On a side-note, The Golden Compass Blu-Ray has incredible quality and even repairs a bad lighting shot seen in the theaters.
Maybe you have a bad disc? As Hellboy received a good review for picture quality by High-Def Digest: http://bluray.highdefdigest.com/797/hellboy.html#Section3 and is also listed as Gold on the PQ tier at AVS: http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=858316

[thelonepig]

Yeah, the extras on that disc are PAL so they aren't going to play on a Region A player. Not a glitch.

I looked around online before I imported it to make sure it would play and ran across this review: http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/movies.php?id=2530&show=review

(Note: Even though this Blu-ray release is marketed as Region-B, it is in fact Region-Free. The main menu is not in PAL, and you won’t have any issues playing the disc’s content on your Region-A PS3 or SA).

At least I can watch the movie though. Thanks for confirming my suspicion.

[darkdaze73]

As far as Starship Troopers goes, is this limited to the US release? I was thinking about buying the uk import version of this from someone.

[Ruined]

As far as Starship Troopers goes, is this limited to the US release? I was thinking about buying the uk import version of this from someone.

Yes, only the US version is affected; UK version should be fine.

[Ruined]

Hellboy (1) looks really bad on Blu-Ray. The graininess is off the charts. I couldn't even watch half of it because I was constantly irritated from the bad quality.

Grain does not make a movie "look bad." Film, which most movies are shot on, inherently has grain. It is naturally there. If you use DNR to remove the grain, you remove the fine detail as well because the fine detail is actually stored in those film grains. So you have the choice of either watching with grain and getting the full detail as seen in the theaters, or you can DNR out the grain and get effective lower resolution and a video-like look.

Personally, I far prefer grain & theatrical-like look than trying to DNR everything (losing fine detail in the process) to look like a video game/wax museum. Film grain is to Blu-ray what "black bars"/widescreen was to DVD; it takes some adjusting to, but in the end you are getting higher quality with the grain intact. There is little point to high resolution/Blu-ray if you filter out tons of fine detail.

[darkdaze73]

Yes, only the US version is affected; UK version should be fine.
Thanks

[h3llbring3r]

Grain does not make a movie "look bad." Film, which most movies are shot on, inherently has grain. It is naturally there. If you use DNR to remove the grain, you remove the fine detail as well because the fine detail is actually stored in those film grains. So you have the choice of either watching with grain and getting the full detail as seen in the theaters, or you can DNR out the grain and get effective lower resolution and a video-like look.

Personally, I far prefer grain & theatrical-like look than trying to DNR everything (losing fine detail in the process) to look like a video game/wax museum. Film grain is to Blu-ray what "black bars"/widescreen was to DVD; it takes some adjusting to, but in the end you are getting higher quality with the grain intact. There is little point to high resolution/Blu-ray if you filter out tons of fine detail.

That depends on whether the grain was artificial or inherent to the film media it is shot on.
Some spec effects films, CGI, IMAX shot, 1080p+ video shot, and animated CGI movies now have added film-grain purely for effect.

If it is intentional and natural to the film, like in Reservoir Dogs and it is inherent to the film, then that is fine; If it's added for "credibility" or appearance with Magic Bullet software . . .etc. and only for effect then it's crap and shouldn't be in the Blu version IMHO.

To me it's like people who prefer the audio of a Vinyl LP over a CD because they like the pop and crackle-calling CD's artificially bright. It's a thin argument.

[gunm]

You missed Ruined's point--he was specifically referring to a shot on film movie.

[Ruined]

You missed Ruined's point--he was specifically referring to a shot on film movie.

Which is 99% of non-animated movies that have been made. Recently there have been a select few shot on digital, but even recently the ratio is very small. Most movies pre-2000 and most movies still going forward are shot on film.

The movie in question (Hellboy) was shot on 35mm film, not digitally:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0167190/technical
This is the most common way film is shot.

Thus if you filter out the grain, you also filter out the fine detail and defeat the purpose of having a high resolution format in the first place. Sony's transfer of it is great.

[h3llbring3r]

You missed Ruined's point--he was specifically referring to a shot on film movie.

I was actually agreeing with him, just expounding on the idea. Some movies shot on film, like indie titles artificially enhance and/or add granularity for grittiness, but even then as long as that is the directors intent it's a good thing.

[One4Deuce]

Damn, that District B13 issue would really annoy me I think and I was planning on getting it. Well, I guess I just saved myself some money. Thanks, great thread.

[bvcxz11]

Thanks OP.I expected this list to be only a few obscure titles,but sheesh,this is BS.I have a PS3,but have not been buying any Blu Ray movies & I think I'll stick with dvds for a while longer.

[h3llbring3r]

Lionsgate is apparently just ignoring emails about their flaws in the HD masters of their Blu's.
I have decided to put a short but to the point review on Amazon (a lot of good it will do, I know).
http://www.amazon.com/review/R1IU1OIKHNZPCG/ref=cm_cr_rdp_perm

If you guys wanna vote it up maybe they will notice- doubt it.
I also encourage anyone else who bought this to do the same.

[yukine]

I think companies take Amazon reviews pretty seriously, I voted for it.

[h3llbring3r]

I think companies take Amazon reviews pretty seriously, I voted for it.

Thanks man, I hope so. I just keep getting automated email responses.

RE: Since it is on page before this one.
Lionsgate is apparently just ignoring emails about their flaws in the HD masters of their Blu's.
I have decided to put a short but to the point review on Amazon (a lot of good it will do, I know).
http://www.amazon.com/review/R1IU1OIKHNZPCG/ref=cm_cr_rdp_perm

If you guys wanna vote it up maybe they will notice- doubt it.
I also encourage anyone else who bought this to do the same.
Any other flawed disc reviews you guys have would be great; I would be glad to make this a campaign.

[1969iggy]

I voted "helpful"... i assume that's what you mean in "voting it up".... Shame. If it's worth doing... it's worth doing right. And that flick does bring back H.S. Memories... :)

[eterral]

On a few of my disc's I get this wierd Motion Blur with things like faces or people moving. Would this be a flaw with the transfer or maybe something more likely wrong with my set?

[joeyatog]

i have the Enter The Dragon blu-ray and it does have a few scenes with some poorly mastered details. But for the most part, it looks amazing! the colors are impressive and it's a great deal as you can usually find it for around $15.

[Ruined]

i have the Enter The Dragon blu-ray and it does have a few scenes with some poorly mastered details. But for the most part, it looks amazing! the colors are impressive and it's a great deal as you can usually find it for around $15.

Check out these direct screengrabs of Enter the Dragon at full size on a digital monitor:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showpost.php?p=12662433&postcount=2

With the noticable amount of jaggies, the transfer falls very short of "amazing."

[joeyatog]

Check out these direct screengrabs of Enter the Dragon at full size on a digital monitor:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showpost.php?p=12662433&postcount=2

With the noticable amount of jaggies, the transfer falls very short of "amazing."

i also said there were several scenes that didn't look that good. but for the price, and the unlikelyhood of a double dip, i doubt we will see a better version anytime soon.

[h3llbring3r]

i also said there were several scenes that didn't look that good. but for the price, and the unlikelyhood of a double dip, i doubt we will see a better version anytime soon.

As with the Lionsgate titles where this happened with the effective resolution was cut in half (like Enter the Dragon) I consider these titles critically flawed.

[Ruined]

i also said there were several scenes that didn't look that good. but for the price, and the unlikelyhood of a double dip, i doubt we will see a better version anytime soon.

The thing is, the entire movie is 960x1080, not just parts of it - and the whole thing is aliased.

IMO a superb DVD upconverting player like the Pioneer BDP-51FD Blu-ray player w/latest firmware would do a better job with the latest DVD edition of Enter the Dragon than we see with the Blu-ray. The detail may not be as good, but at least you don't get stuck with the pixelated-jaggies look.

[joeyatog]

The thing is, the entire movie is 960x1080, not just parts of it - and the whole thing is aliased.

IMO a superb DVD upconverting player like the Pioneer BDP-51FD Blu-ray player w/latest firmware would do a better job with the latest DVD edition of Enter the Dragon than we see with the Blu-ray. The detail may not be as good, but at least you don't get stuck with the pixelated-jaggies look.

I see, thank you for informing me. Good thing I didn't pay for this Blu-Ray! =p

[thehoweller]

Is there a thread like this for HD-DVDs?

If not there should be, the newest version of Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow refuses to work in the 360 HD-DVD player. I'm sure there are others like the above.

[sithmonkeyba]

I couldn't get past the title screen on two different copies of babylon ad. I don't need to watch anymore vin diesel movies anyway

[Ruined]

New title added:

Let the Right One In
* Subtitle translation is incorrect.
! Magnolia does not consider this an issue and is not issuing replacements; instead, they will release a new version in the future with correct subtitles for purchase. Return your disc if you are dissatisfied with the incorrect subtitle translation.
http://iconsoffright.com/news/2009/03/let_the_wrong_subtitles_in_to.html

[ITDEFX]

is it me or does the re-issue (2007) of The Fifth Element have a few scenes that have some frame jerking?

[Ice2Dragon]

is it me or does the re-issue (2007) of The Fifth Element have a few scenes that have some frame jerking?

Can u name a few scenes you noticed it in and I can check? I dont recall any but its been a year since Ive watched it.

[ITDEFX]

Can u name a few scenes you noticed it in and I can check? I dont recall any but its been a year since Ive watched it.

I'll rewatch it but I noticed in the first 30 mins of the movie.

[crazylikeafox11]

Is anyone else experiencing the sound being off in Hellboy 2? The entire movie looks like it was dubbed over in English from Chinese or something like in the old Godzilla movies.

[joeyatog]

Is anyone else experiencing the sound being off in Hellboy 2? The entire movie looks like it was dubbed over in English from Chinese or something like in the old Godzilla movies.

Hmm, i didn't have any audio issues with my hellboy 2. in fact, it's one of the best mixes i've heard!

[Deadpool]

Hmm, i didn't have any audio issues with my hellboy 2. in fact, it's one of the best mixes i've heard!

Same here. It might be an issue with you getting lag from your receiver.

[crazylikeafox11]

Yeah so far all of my blu-rays have played just fine on my PS3 (probably should have mentioned that's what I was using before). I'll try it again later.

[crazylikeafox11]

Update on my Hellboy 2 audio sync problem. It seems that the issue occurs on all discs with Ucontrol (Incredible Hulk, Heroes). Seems to be a little better when I change the settings of my ps3 to bitstream from linear PCM.

Anywho, it's not the disc (I had my brother test it in his blu-ray player and it played just fine); guess I need to take a look at my settings.

[bill123]

Question for you guys I have a copy of starship troopers is there a way to tell if I have the glitched version? Like with the first run Fifth Elements?

[HCHecxz]

(Terminator 3
* Some copies have the main feature encoded in 1080i when IME is not enabled
! Warner has a replacement program available)

I just purchased this one last week from Best Buy, how can I tell my copy is like this?

[BadAssSamurai]

(Terminator 3
* Some copies have the main feature encoded in 1080i when IME is not enabled
! Warner has a replacement program available)

I just purchased this one last week from Best Buy, how can I tell my copy is like this?

Does your TV's remote have an info or display button? That may work.

[asianxcore]

I just purchased this one last week from Best Buy, how can I tell my copy is like this?

Look at the barcode on the back of the case.

The old 1080i version is:
085391186304

The new disc is:
883929016938

[Megalith]

I didn't see Aliens Vs. Predator: Requiem on the list.

When the Predator ship is entering Earth's atmosphere and is about to plummet into the lake, there's this weird audio error (crackle and pop) that occurs.

[Ironcross13]

Just wanted to let youse guys know there is now a replacement program for Matrix Revolutions. Call 1-800-553-6937. You are asked for your name and address. Was told I should receive corrected copy in about week.

[Mako1215]

You figure everyone would make sure there movies were perfect before they released them.

[Seasick Pirate]

Robocop was theatrically shown at 1.85:1. However, when Criterion approached the director Paul Verhoeven about his wishes for presentation of the film on DVD, he stated that he strongly preferred his film to be presented at 1.66:1 aspect ratio. Thus, while the Blu-ray does present the theatrical aspect ratio, it fails to present the director's preferred aspect ratio..
_

Does the jacket list the aspect ratio wrong, or does it say that it's shown this way to "preserve the director's vision" or something similar?
I've only ever owned Criterion's Laserdisc and DVD of Robocop. I'm just curious to how this compares. I might check it out.

[probablysober]

I don't know if this helps or has already been answered yet but I picked up the Pirates Trilogy off of amazon (and noticed the mentioned framing issues after it arrived of course).

After watching the movie while reading up and looking at screen captures I didn't encounter any of the framing issues.

I read a few posts on other sites on how to determine if you have a bad copy or not but didn't come across anything concrete.

One thing I did see was a post on Endgadget HD that had comparison screen captures and one thing that may or may not be a clue if you might be buying a bad one or a fixed one. There was a picture of the case itself. The case in the picture had one of those shiny metallic covers. Mine has a regular cover without the reflective foil.

[gunm]

Got an email from Netflix advising that the copy of Crank 2 they sent me has some known issues with certain BR players and that they already requested replacements from the manufacturer. They also gave me an extra rental as compensation. I did find that the initial load up was very, very long, but there was an update patch that was interrupted when my Internet connection died, so I thought it was due to that. Beyond that, I didn't notice any other playback problems, although I didn't go through all the extras and such. Movie ended up playing back fine on my PS3 Slim w/3.01 FW, after that first time startup thing.

[sendme]

Just wanted to let youse guys know there is now a replacement program for Matrix Revolutions. Call 1-800-553-6937. You are asked for your name and address. Was told I should receive corrected copy in about week.

I was wondering when this would happen. Do you have to send them anything back or just call and give them information? I did the red2blu thing to get mine.

[ncxcstud]

Not sure if it was a glitch with the disc or just to my specific hardware (Samsung BDP-1500), but my wife and I rented True Blood: Season 1 from Netflix and on EVERY episode a box would appear where Lafayette would be talking about the scene, or another box would appear that would show a map of where Sooky was at the moment. There was no sound at all (and we made sure we selected the version of the episode to NOT have the commentary on it), but it sure was annoying to watch these episodes and have a big box just show up out of nowhere...

I tried everything to get rid of it, and nothing I did worked. This issue has only happened with True Blood, I haven't seen it on anything else at all.

[MajorSmeg]

I had a glitch with Observe and Report (Netflix) on my Samsung BD-P1500. The bonus view window with the commentary would not disappear. And there was no sound for the commentary. Never did find a fix, except to watch it on dvd instead.

[ncxcstud]

Same with me MajorSmeg...I'm assuming it is an error with the BDP-1500.

[Seasick Pirate]

The BDP-1500 (along with most of Samsung's previous BD players) are known for being problematic machines.

Do you guys have the latest firmware updates available for it?

[ncxcstud]

Yep, I do. Just downloaded the latest one last week or so. I'll see if it still does it (as I just got Observe and Report from Netflix today)... good thing I have a PS3 in the living room now :)

[TobalRox]

_

Does the jacket list the aspect ratio wrong, or does it say that it's shown this way to "preserve the director's vision" or something similar?
I've only ever owned Criterion's Laserdisc and DVD of Robocop. I'm just curious to how this compares. I might check it out.

they changed the aspect ratio because people hate when there is any unused space on their TVs because they are stupid. Criterion had it right, but the MGM DVD and blu-ray are 1.85:1 and will stay that way unfortunately. It's like how Evil Dead is now 1.85:1 despite being shot 1.33:1.

Not sure if it was a glitch with the disc or just to my specific hardware (Samsung BDP-1500), but my wife and I rented True Blood: Season 1 from Netflix and on EVERY episode a box would appear where Lafayette would be talking about the scene, or another box would appear that would show a map of where Sooky was at the moment. There was no sound at all (and we made sure we selected the version of the episode to NOT have the commentary on it), but it sure was annoying to watch these episodes and have a big box just show up out of nowhere...

I tried everything to get rid of it, and nothing I did worked. This issue has only happened with True Blood, I haven't seen it on anything else at all.

That's the "Enhanced view" you were watching which is an extra. Kind of like in the matrix with hitting enter when the white rabbit shows up or InfiniFilm DVDs from New Line. You may have clicked on that by accident from the menu, or your player may have been glitching to play that version instead. Unfortunately that is meant to be seen after viewing it normally so you may have seen things sooner than you should have and/or missed out on other stuff.

[Scorch]

Not sure if it was a glitch with the disc or just to my specific hardware (Samsung BDP-1500), but my wife and I rented True Blood: Season 1 from Netflix and on EVERY episode a box would appear where Lafayette would be talking about the scene, or another box would appear that would show a map of where Sooky was at the moment. There was no sound at all (and we made sure we selected the version of the episode to NOT have the commentary on it), but it sure was annoying to watch these episodes and have a big box just show up out of nowhere...

I tried everything to get rid of it, and nothing I did worked. This issue has only happened with True Blood, I haven't seen it on anything else at all.

Nothing like that ever happened to me. No issues with season one whatsoever on my 60GB PS3

[ncxcstud]

nope, I know what enhanced view is. On my samsung bluray player it automatically came up in the normal viewing. It shows the enhanced view box without the sound.