The truth about PS2 DVD problems

After spending 30 minutes on the phone with Sony tech support just a minute ago, I learned there is a major problem with the PS2 DVD player.

Sony uses an anti-piracy chip which detects the color of the CD inside the drive.  CDRs are gold, and it just so happens that 90% of all DVDs are gold-backed.

This is what tech support told me.  He also said that Sony is working with DVD makers to eliminate the gold-backing.  In any case, I was told that when the situation is rectified there will be a fix at no charge to PS2 users.

All PS2s react differently to the same DVDs as you can see.  Here\'s what disturbs me.  I told the tech support guy I was going to buy some DVDs and his advice to me was "don\'t."

If you don\'t have DVD problems then great; if you do this is probably why.  I have intended this post for information to those of us who do experience glitching, audio pops, and the "Unable to read disc" black screen.  

ive known for some time now that gold backed DVD\'s are pisspoor.  my unit DVD player skips randomly, on NEW disks too.  the silver backed ones work flawlessly.

mm

My brother just went out looking for a dvd player with his friend.  The salesman at one of the local electronic stores said that Sony dvd players have degraded in quality over the years.  Anyway they said they did not recommend buying the sony dvd players.  Now my friend has had a sony for about a year and it has worked flawlessly.  So, who knows?

Goldbacks aren\'t really pisspoor, its how their layer them.  Some companies think they can fit their enitre moviex2 and then layer another slew of options, while forgetting the compession techniques and botching over the DVD.  From what I hear \'The Cell\' is the prime cadnidate for this.  I\'ve heard that the movie just stops mid-way into the movie and the dvd player (reguardless of brand) turns off.

I don\'t think the quality of the DVD\'s matter as much as how the companies "use" them.  BTW, players can\'t deterate over years, they can get dusty, but thats about it.

Thanks for the info, Rob.  That really explains why many have been having problems.  Hopefully Sony will learn from their mistakes or maybe even do a recall for those with DVD playing troubles.

Originally posted by EmperorRob
I told the tech support guy I was going to buy some DVDs and his advice to me was "don\'t."

Haha. screw that noise!!  Don\'t let the ****ty compatibility problems of the PS2 deter you from buying DVD movies.

Originally posted by Spyork
Anyway they said they did not recommend buying the sony dvd players.

Good advice.

Originally posted by Huddy
BTW, players can\'t deterate over years, they can get dusty, but thats about it.

Players can screw up overtime due to normal use, which is expected, just as a VCR, TV, or psx would mess up.  Even Panasonic\'s flagship player, the HD-1000, has been known to have the same laser aligning problem that is plauging the lower model players.

Just fyi- Pioneer\'s players have the least returns and/or damage reports.

[Living-In-Clip]

Originally posted by Huddy
Goldbacks aren\'t really pisspoor, its how their layer them.  Some companies think they can fit their enitre moviex2 and then layer another slew of options, while forgetting the compession techniques and botching over the DVD.  From what I hear \'The Cell\' is the prime cadnidate for this.  I\'ve heard that the movie just stops mid-way into the movie and the dvd player (reguardless of brand) turns off.

I don\'t think the quality of the DVD\'s matter as much as how the companies "use" them.  BTW, players can\'t deterate over years, they can get dusty, but thats about it.

 

I\'ve got "The Cell" and it works perfect. Had no problems what so ever with it. Infact, I got around 100 DVDs and have had no problems with any of them.

Still, its just another reason to own a stand alone player.

That\'s another thing, when I told the tech support guy about my prob he said he had had the same situation with Gladiator only in a different spot in the movie.  That makes me think that it\'s machine dependant and that each machine reacts differently.

I found it interesting that Sony expects the DVD industry to comply with them in not producing Gold CDs.  I don\'t like that resolution.  But that\'s my opinion.