From: bill@bilver.uucp (Bill Vermillion)
Subject: Re: JFK = Still Defective!
Organization: W. J. Vermillion - Winter Park, FL
Date: Fri, 14 Aug 1992 20:55:18 GMT

In article <14290@mindlink.bc.ca> Mike_Quigley@mindlink.bc.ca (Mike Quigley) writes:
>> Bill Vermillion writes:
>> Posted: Fri, 14 Aug 1992 04:29:5
>> 
>> Org.  : W. J. Vermillion - Winter Park, FL
>> 
>> A great many, if not the majority, of the disks from the first pressing
>> run of JFK were defective.   I had wavy lines on part of side 1, laser
>> lock at about 45 minutes into side two.   Replacement from a new
>> pressing run is good.
>> 
>> This was only the second time I have had laser lock in any LD since
>> 1983 - out of about 300 disks.
>> 
>> I suspect the dealer didn't get replacement stock.  The new ones have a
>> heavier jacket also.  The first jacket was supposed to have been the
>> problem, but I think there were other problems too.

>I forgot to mention in my original posting -- this was a copy which had "***"
>under the price code, which is supposedly from the second pressing. All that
>worries me about this problem is that the dealer I'm sure will find there is no
>defect at all (at least when played on his machine)... should make for an
>interesting argument. I looked at a couple of new players yesterday, but I'm
>not willing to spend $600 and up just to see that one disk. My position is if
>the disk is viewable, then it can be sold to someone else.

I didn't know about the *** under the bars.   My replacement has that.

Now, if your 2nd disk plays at the dealer but not on your machine, then
I suspect your machine may need an adjustment.  That is providing the
dealer is not using an 'industrial strength' LD player.

Years ago, I had heard that some dealers used to use the PR-1810
(Pioneer industrial unit) to play disks that customers complained
about.  This machine would play about anything.   So they didn't
exchange the disks and pointed to the customers machine.

A friend of mine borrowed a disk.   He didn't tell me he was going to
tape it.    He put it in, put the tape on, and left.    When he came
back he found that the machine had warmed the disk enough that it
sagged and there was a nice circular scratch in the disk to give
problems with the ending titles.

The 1810 virtually ignored this, while another machine had fits with
it.

My first JFK was interesting.  The player is an LD-W1 (2 disk machine).
I would get lock on side 2 at about 45 minutes.    If I put it in the
bottom drawer, so it was side D, it would not lock , but it had many
wavy lines in the picture.  If I put in in the first drawer upside down
so it acted as A it wasn't as bad as if it were D.

So slight difference in adjustment can make a disk playable or
unplayable.

As to spending $600 on a new machine I agree with you.  The most I have
ever paid for any LD player is $585.  That was my LD-W1 - list price is
$1700, but it was discontinued.   I have never bought a current
production model, and have always bought the previous model and have
never had a problem.  They have all been new with warranty however.

My 660 was $300.  My 1820 was $199 - new with Pioneer stickers on it -
around 1984/85.  My 838 was $299.   So I've owned four. 

I got the 1810 to get remote control. The 660 was manual top loader.
I got the 838 because I needed room and it was a tray load so didn't
have to be on the stack, and I got digital sound.    

I didn't need the LD-W1 but the price was SO good, and the features
were so nice, I decided to be nice to myself.  :-) 

Look around.  You might be surprised at what you can find at times.


-- 
Bill Vermillion - bill@bilver.oau.org  bill.vermillion@oau.org
                - bill@bilver.uucp 
                - ..!{peora|ge-dab|tous|tarpit}!bilver!bill

Newsgroups: rec.video.releases