Technical Issues and Questions

[bottled spider]

The first printing of the Criterion Blu-ray of Walkabout got stuck at one place when played on some players. So, try the disc on another player.

Thanks for the suggestion! Like others on this thread I've had some problems switching regions on my region-free player, so I bought a backup non-region-free Blu-ray today, and the discs play fine on it. I was quick to blame the flipper discs instead of the machine because they were so cheap.

Spoke too soon. It's sticking on the new player too, just at different spots.

[kuzine]

The first printing of the Criterion Blu-ray of Walkabout got stuck at one place when played on some players. So, try the disc on another player.

Thanks for the suggestion! Like others on this thread I've had some problems switching regions on my region-free player, so I bought a backup non-region-free Blu-ray today, and the discs play fine on it. I was quick to blame the flipper discs instead of the machine because they were so cheap.

Spoke too soon. It's sticking on the new player too, just at different spots.

It's one of the discs that suffers from the browning issue, so I think you need a replacement disc here...

[bottled spider]

Fred and Ginger deserve better than this, damn it!!

[artfilmfan]

Sorry to read that the Swing Time/Top Hat disc still has issue with the second player. When the issue with the first printing of the Criterion Blu-ray of Walkabout came up, my copy played fine on the Oppo BDP-80. So, I kept it. Then, a few years later, I played the disc on an Oppo BDP-83 and it got stuck at around the 51-minute mark just like other people had reported. I contacted Criterion and they sent me a replacement disc.

I bought the TCM Astaire and Rogers set at a Barnes & Noble maybe a couple years ago as a back-up to the individually released discs that I already had. I wasn't planning to open the set, but reading about the playback issue got me curious as to what I have in the set. I opened the set this morning and was glad that it contains four individual discs.

Somebody needs to restore these great films and release them on Blu-ray. I'm sure they will sell well.

[Morbii]

I have an Oppo 981HD player that I think is really, truly dead. Perhaps it's not, though, and someone can speak up.

Recently, I had a power outage. When the power came back, the Oppo player was in some weird halfway on state, where the lights were "on" including the LCD, but nothing worked (remote, buttons on unit). All this despite a surge protector that is supposedly still protected (and nothing else attached to it was affected). At the same time, all my wired fire alarms also went apeshit which prompted me to look for an electrical fire somewhere, but there wasn't one. So, I think it was probably a pretty good surge despite nothing else taking a real hit. I unplugged it and plugged it back in and all was well.

Fast forward 2-3 weeks and I'm watching a BD. I look over and the Oppo is on again in the same state as I saw a few weeks back. I power it off and back on, but now it seems to be permanently in that state each time it powers back on. So, I unplugged it and am leaving it like that.

I do not have high hopes, but if anyone else has had something similar, please speak up!

As a secondary request, I am wondering what the in/best region free players are these days (without going obscenely overboard on cost)? I never considered getting a region free BD player as I figured it would probably be painful to try to get, but it seems they are maybe pretty easy to get. I saw someone else mention 220-electronics (which is one place a google search led me to), so I guess that may be the place to buy them? Any units anyone recommends?

[Zot!]

As I've mentioned before....Seiki SR4KP1 is unbeatable for the price. Expect a lot more cheapo product than your Oppo, but it does its job. It even runs on 110 or 220 power. I bought 3 when I found them for $30, but have not had to use more thant one, now more than 2 years in.

[David M.]

As a secondary request, I am wondering what the in/best region free players are these days (without going obscenely overboard on cost)? I never considered getting a region free BD player as I figured it would probably be painful to try to get, but it seems they are maybe pretty easy to get. I saw someone else mention 220-electronics (which is one place a google search led me to), so I guess that may be the place to buy them? Any units anyone recommends?

Yes. Get the Sony BDP-S3700. It has bit-perfect output for BD.
(Do not get the step up S6xxx model which has undefeatable noise reduction which blurs detail.)

[Morbii]

Thanks for the reply guys -- will look at these suggestions.

I got a message from oppo stating $89 for repairs plus shipping. So, it's likely time to move on and get BD support as well. I only paid $99 for the machine to begin with (half off a $200 price tag, to be fair).

[theflirtydozen]

Yes. Get the Sony BDP-S3700. It has bit-perfect output for BD.
(Do not get the step up S6xxx model which has undefeatable noise reduction which blurs detail.)

Thanks for the recommendation, David! I'm thinking about buying a backup player soon and would appreciate if I could throw some questions your way or in the case any one else knows. Any input on if the S1700 model is as robust but just without the wifi? Would any S3700 machine be region free as-is or does it need to be modded from somewhere like 220 and is it relatively easy to switch the region on these machines?

[perkizitore]

As a secondary request, I am wondering what the in/best region free players are these days (without going obscenely overboard on cost)? I never considered getting a region free BD player as I figured it would probably be painful to try to get, but it seems they are maybe pretty easy to get. I saw someone else mention 220-electronics (which is one place a google search led me to), so I guess that may be the place to buy them? Any units anyone recommends?

Yes. Get the Sony BDP-S3700. It has bit-perfect output for BD.
(Do not get the step up S6xxx model which has undefeatable noise reduction which blurs detail.)

i got the bdp-s6500 mainly for sacd support and i did not notice any noise reduction that cannot be turned off, does this affect only the newer model?

[Morbii]

Quick question:

Can U.S. (Region A) Blu-rays be played on Japanese Blu-ray players?

I would expect that this is so (even for SD content, as I *think* the Japanese also use NTSC), but I wanted to make sure there were no gotchas I was not aware of.

I would like to send some discs to a friend in Japan, and I want to make sure there won't be problems.

[domino harvey]

Japan is Region A as well, there should be no issues

[Morbii]

Pretty much what I figured. Just didn't want to find out there was something stupid like frequency differences or something. Thanks.

[Morbii]

Yes. Get the Sony BDP-S3700. It has bit-perfect output for BD.
(Do not get the step up S6xxx model which has undefeatable noise reduction which blurs detail.)

I purchased this player from 220 electronics and can now recommend it as well. At this time, I do not have any non-region A discs (though, I do have Arrow's "Bring Me the Head.." on the way), but I can confirm it plays non-R0/1(PAL) DVDs beautifully (and with seemingly less occasional stutter than even my Oppo had during the PAL->NTSC conversion). It also plays 1080i/50 blu-rays (which I couldn't play on my PS3)!

As I've mentioned before....Seiki SR4KP1 is unbeatable for the price. Expect a lot more cheapo product than your Oppo, but it does its job. It even runs on 110 or 220 power. I bought 3 when I found them for $30, but have not had to use more thant one, now more than 2 years in.

I did look into the Seiki SR4KP1, but for various reasons I passed on it:
- no wifi
- questionable about whether the region free capability would be guaranteed to survive firmware updates, and I read the initial profile was an older BD profile (so you might want to update it)
- price was >$100 where I found it at this time (so I felt for a bit more I should just get a superior machine).

Would any S3700 machine be region free as-is or does it need to be modded from somewhere like 220 and is it relatively easy to switch the region on these machines?

I believe you have to get it modded, but I could be wrong on that point. I do know that it's easy to switch regions, though (by hitting a button corresponding to the region in question on the remote while the tray is open).

[dda1996a]

Hi, I've been considering buying either a 8 or 16mm film camera, and was wondering if anyone can point me in the right direction. I've a little experience with my DSLR camera, but not with any analog cameras.
Where could I acquire a good, hopefully new one, preferably in NY? Which is the one I should go with? I'll start film school next year, so I don't have an exact purpose in mind other than the fact I adore the look of analog and film stock. I know 16 has a better image and texture, so should I spend more on it than on a super 8? How expensive are film stocks and where could I develop them?
Thanks

[Michael Kerpan]

I'd suggest spend some time looking around B&H Photo's website. I bet you can get some idea of costs there (as well as user reviews of film and equipment).

[Emak-Bakia]

For super 8, I'd recommend just hitting up a local flea market or the like, and you'll probably be able to eventually pick-up a starter camera for next to nothing. If you want something a little bit nicer, maybe start with a Canon 514XL, which can probably be found for $50-100 on eBay.

For 16mm, start with a Bolex H16. Check craigslist, since there are a lot of those out in the wild, and they're built like a tank. You can probably pick up a kit with at least a standard lens for a few hundred bucks, or less, if you're lucky. I hear the Canon Scoopics are easy to use, and I come across them cheap (under $100) every now and then, but I've never actually used one. Proprietary batteries are an issue with those. The Arri S is another classic starter camera, though I think it will be more expensive than a Bolex, and it also has the issue with the proprietary batteries.

If you pick-up just a camera body, expect to pay more for lenses than for the camera itself.

There are plenty of places you can send out film for processing and for transfers, but I prefer doing everything hands on. For getting started, and if it's not super valuable film, you can spaghetti method hand process in a standard roll film processing tank. If you have no background with shooting film, I'd also recommend starting with still photography first. Pick up a cheap SLR (seriously, they're everywhere.) If your area is anything like mine, you can probably get darkroom equipment for free or dirt cheap on craigslist. Start processing some B&W film and have fun!

I love spreading film love, so feel free to ask more detailed questions.

[dda1996a]

Does B&H have film cameras? I use my cannon DSLR quite a lot, and it even has a video function. But I just love the texture and colors of film (and watching Heart of a Dog and a lot of Mekas made it a priority).
I actually don't live in the U. S but will be traveling around this summer, so I'll have to see how I can find those cameras on Craigslist. But I prefer getting one from a store. Are those cameras really that inexpensive? I was sure they will cost quite a lot

[Emak-Bakia]

I would strongly recommend you buy used, unless you want to pay insane prices for a new camera. Now is a great time to buy used film equipment, since prices are at all time lows. Sometimes you can find used equipment cheap enough that it doesn't matter if it works or not. (And, if it doesn't work, you can make a project of it, and learn how to repair a camera/learn how it works.) If you're laying down a good chunk of change, I'd suggest buying from someone who actually knows how to use the camera and can vouch for its performance. If on eBay, buy from a seller who has tested the camera with film and notes in the description that it is working.

Another thought: if you come across one locally, maybe pick up a projector and some films to get used to handling the materials. (Though I'm not sure if this will be possible if you're travelling, since it can be cumbersome to lug this equipment around.) Eiki and Elmo were two of the finest manufacturers of 16mm projectors, and they're often very user serviceable, potentially needing nothing more than some oil and a change of belts to get running. Kodak Pageants are also great, though they frequently have issues with the sound. All three brands were often widely by institutions, and, with a little luck, can be found cheap at school sales (though the days for such finds are dwindling.)

Silent super 8/standard 8 projectors are a dime a dozen, but if you want a sound one, you're probably going to want to go with an Elmo ST, which will likely cost a few hundred bucks. Personally, I prefer working with 16mm, since I find the larger stock easier to work with, but I advocate working with film any way you can!

Looking back at your original post, I didn't address this point: expect to pay $20-40 per roll of B&W reversal film (50' for super 8 and 100' for 16.) This is also something you can pick-up used. Well, I mean, pick up old, unused stock. My latest project is shot on 50 year old 16mm Plus-X, with great results. And it's all film I picked up basically for free. If stored in decent conditions, B&W film is very versatile.

I'm not really familiar with the New York scene, but, if you're in NYC, check out Mono No Aware.

[dda1996a]

I guess I'll have to keep an eye out for Craigslist then. Re-voir.com has a few cameras, listed at 250-500 euros for, 8mm.

[John Shade]

I recently purchased the Sony 3700. Are you saying I might be able to be region free for the first time ever? I thought I would always be locked A; what do I do now? Buy a cheap region B and give it a shot or is there something else I need to do to break free?

[Emak-Bakia]

Are you in France right now? I can't comment on the market there, unfortunately, and I've never used one of those Nizos that are up for grabs on Re-voir. To me, that sounds a bit high for a beginner super 8 camera, but I'm cheap when it comes to this stuff.

[Morbii]

I don't know what you would have to do to mod an existing one, but I would have to guess it requires hardware modification. I purchased mine new (and modded) from 220-electronics.com, as did the person that recommended the player to me.

[Drucker]

Have other owners of Oppo 93 had problems with playback of discs? I found the other week that nothing would play that was BD-live enabled. It had been so long since I took out an old Universal BD, for example, that I never noticed the problem probably started when I (for the first time) updated the firmware last year.

I fixed this issue by disconnecting the internet, and therefore, killing the chance it has to even upload BD live. Universal and Columbia discs began to play again. The only one that would not play (and actually just froze at the spinning icon in the top left) seemed to be Fox discs (Raging Bull and Niagra)

So worst case I figured some major label BDs wouldn't play, and I could get a new Region A player to play those through, no big. But today I found my first Indicator titles wouldn't load at all either! The PH logo screen plays and then nothing. I'm not sure what gives, if my previous issue with the region-hacker not changing anymore did some permanent damage or what.

Anyone else had problems like this with the player? Would it be worth it to reset factory defaults?

[fdm]

I retired my Oppo 93 last year, but I just about always had its "BD-Live Network Access" setting turned to Off. Never had to disconnect its ethernet cable that way (or hardly ever had it freeze, which I recall was not unusual when I did try BD-LIve on it or maybe that was a different player). Perhaps try it that way first with those problematic discs before resorting to other measures. (My 93 was mostly for playing import discs, so usually I let another player handle the US locked discs so as not to wear it out.)