[richtoy]

Problem description:

DVD Playback stutters for few seconds while playing back DVDs using the internal DVD drive. There might also be an increase in playback speed.

Information required from MPC members by Snazio*:

Snazio would like to know the following:-
1) Does the problem always occur at the same place on a particular disk?
2) Current firmware version?
3) What is the effect of turning the player off/on from the switch on the front panel and then playing the disk again?
4) Any other observation you think may be important.

[WizarDru]

I have started to notice that the sudden 'catch-ups' appear to occur in the same locations on some discs. Four discs where it was particularly noticable were:

"Pirates of the Carribean"
"National Treasure"
"Holes"

and last night, we popped in our new copy of the "Corpse Bride" and it too suffered the problem. When I saw it occur late in the movie (during the climactic sword fight in the church), I noticed that the sound was off after the auto-ff kicked in. Thus, I paused and rewinded, and the problem occured again twice more. the fourth time, I FF-ed past the particular spot where it happened, and the movie played normally from that point on.

On the occasions when we have powered off the player and powered it back on, this fixes the problem some times, but not every time.

I am using the current public firmware (not beta).

[McCrash]

I have started to notice that the sudden 'catch-ups' appear to occur in the same locations on some discs. Four discs where it was particularly noticable were:

Could you check on some computer if the precise moment when it happens is not the beginning of the next .VOB file on the dvd ?

[Sulaco]

Originally Posted by McCrash Could you check on some computer if the precise moment when it happens is not the beginning of the next .VOB file on the dvd ?

Hi McCrash,

no, it is not occuring when the player skips to the next .VOB file.

Greetz, Andreas.

[andyh]

Suprised there aren't more posts on this one - I've only just spotted this section

I don't find that these skips are repeatable
I do see them quite often, poss 1 in 3 discs
Can be anywhere but tends to be in the second half of the disc
Running current public f/w
Typically get lipsync problems afterwards, pause/play doesn't sort but stop/play does.

[Gunner]

1) It doesn't seem to occur in the same places on the disks. Rewinding a couple of minutes and replaying runs smoothly without hiccups.
2) Latest public.
3) Haven't tested powering off the player and watching the same movie again.
4) The jumps seem to happen on random disks at random intervals.

I just watched the 2-disk R2 edition of Serenity and it had 6 or 7 jumps throughout the movie, where about half of them caused the movie to go out of sync. FF/RW made it come into sync again.

This really needs to have the absolute highest priority for the next firmware release.

[Thyratect]

Well, actually I am an owner of the LinkTheater - But as the Firmware base is the same...:

1) Does not occur at the same place, even if the movie is watched twice. Occurs on every DVD (e.g. Moulin Rouge (Had several hiccups...)), I have played so far - And yes, mostly in the second half of the movie.

2) FW 10.80 (Current beta - I guess it's possible to relate that to the Snazio...somehow)

3) Problem still persists, but usually different time / quantity ...

4) I never had any stutter, just the fast forward effect

Those Sigma based players really are great, but if this issue isn't fixed with the next release I'll probably give it back and wait for the next generation, as the main use for me IS watching DVDs

Edit: I should mention that all the DVDs have been watched with Dolby Digital/Surround sound...Dunno if it's important, but maybe it's an Audio buffering issue...

[Gilgamesh]

think I will join this list asI am having the same issues, the latest film I watched which had this issue was the R2 verion of the Pacifier

I have the latest offical FW on the device.

I have noticed that this only happens on the second layer of the DVD playback, and after three skips, the voices are out of synch to the picture

if I stop the film and restart it again it is back to normal but it is extremely annoying to have to do this while trying to enjoy a movie.

other films recently tried with the problem

Aeon Flux
Herbie
Serenity
Final Fantasy VII Advent Children

all R2

[DeGodefroi]

I also get the little freezes and then it plays very fast to catch up.
many times audio goes out of synch by approx 300 ms.
Solution: stop one time and then start again (player has bookmarked and audio is fine again.
It does not happen on the same scene/frame. It is random. Happens 1 out of 3 DVDs.
Does not matter if it is a DVD rewritable, DVDR or pressed DVDs.

It is the december firmware release I use.