I just recently added the "Men in Black" release 82656 to my collection. I was dismayed at the shear number of rotters reported (apparently all made by DADC USA). But this release was also made by Pioneer USA. As quickly as I could I checked my mint marks, only to be dismayed to find that mine had been made by DADC USA. D*mn!

Quickly I rushed the discs to my Pioneer LD-V8000. This is what I found - ROT!

VIDEO:

Side 1: Moderate speckling.
Side 2: Lite to Moderate speckling.
Side 3: Very lite specking.

AUDIO:

Analog Left - Commentary Track: Crystal clear!
Analog Right: Static. To be expected, due to AC-3.
Digital Tracks: Nothing! (A clue in this).

I've never before found a rotter with such clear audio, albiet only on the left. I have no AC-3 decoder. Why the analog sounds clearer to me than the shy and very quiet digital tracks is a mystery.

Oh wait! I have only one set of audio outputs hooked up to my switcher. Since I could hear the commentary track (and clearly to boot) I obviously have the analog outputs going to the switcher. LOL! My wife just walked in an spoke to me. As I thought I was the only one still up I jumped 10 feet straight up into the air! LOL! So, I went back and checked, and sure enough I had only the analog tracks hooked up. Silly me. LOL!

I have so many video sources I'm having to use two switchers with this setup, the livingroom setup has three switchers! I guess I'm going to have to buy a couple of more switchers. LOL! Dual Satellite Receiver, LaserDisc players, DVD players, VCRs, and between the two setups 8 videogame consoles!

Should I ask "thoughts?" Or, should I just forget it and not even post this?

STAY AWESOME!

Hello cessnaace,

I have just read your post about ''MEN IN BLACK ROT''

I have this title in my collection and the last time I played it it was fine, but may not be the next time round.

Maybe mine is a Pioneer pressing. . . . That would reassure me.

What you wrote;
I have so many video sources I'm having to use two switchers with this setup, the livingroom setup has three switchers! I guess I'm going to have to buy a couple of more switchers. LOL! Dual Satellite Receiver, LaserDisc players, DVD players, VCRs, and between the two setups 8 videogame consoles!

Should I ask "thoughts?" Or, should I just forget it and not even post this?


LAUGH OUT LOUD!!!!!!!!. . . . . Genuinely I can relate

Sincerest Regards to you

I got several copies of Men in black included with some LD players I bought. I believe at least one of them was rotted but I'm not too bothered as I am not a big fan of that movie anyway.

Switchers - we could have a separate topic on that.
Most people on this forum probably use some form of AV/Receiver Amp which to the rest of the world is difficult to comprehend as everyone else just wants a simple setup with no wires. It does serve a purpose though as it usually provides an easy means of switching between a finite number of different sources easily - usually by remote. If you have purchased a more expensive one you will probably not run into switching problems as there will be enough sockets to cope with your requirements. If you have many devices then the simplicity of the initial setup usually needs to be compromised through the addition of a switcher.

In my case I piggy backed my LD player through a DVD recorder which itself was then connected via HDMI to the AV Receiver Amp. This meant I used only 1 HDMI socket on the AV Receiver. It means I must turn on the DVD recorder in order to watch laserdisc but I don't mind since it also provides a means of recording laserdisc and upscaling before it goes to the AV Receiver.

I have a LD player, Blu ray, 2 DVD recorders, Sky box and Sony Walkman X series cradle attached to the AV/Receiver. I've still quite a few free sockets on the AV/Receiver so haven't yet reverted to the dreaded switcher yet but I have to use one of those in my other CRT setup.

So far I've decided to keep my audio equipment separate from my video setup mostly for reasons of practicality and space. So I really have a third setup (audio only) for listening to music from various sources situated in another room as I don't like monopolising the TV if I'm only listening to music.

Hello laserdisc_fan,

The subject of having a separate audio system setup away from the video is a sound one, and also can simplify things.

I shall be doing something similar with my audio and video, but at the moment I am still paying for my equipment support stands that are presently with a retailer.

Once I have received these items I shall take some annual leave and spend the time to set it all up.

The good news about the stands is that they are made of solid Oak, so will be great for the sound.

I will also be installing a system in my Bedroom, all of this will hopfully be completed by the end of June.

Enjoy reading your post's

Regards

Your laughter has earned you a new friend here. By the way, I have a ton (tonne?) of friends in the U.K. through both Face Book and YouTube. I've always loved England, although I've never been there. I have a huge collection of PAL DVDs just so that I can watch all of those truely British comedies. Many have since been on DVD here, but many still haven't.

SOME of the British TV Shows that I have on DVD:

2point4children
The Avengers
Blake's 7
Bottom
Captain Scarlet
Cold Feet
Coupling
Dick Turpin
Doctor Who (70s)
George & Mildred
Gimme Gimme Gimme
The Good Life (shown here as Good Neighbors)
The Goodies
Joe 90
Man About the House
Midsomer Murders
On the Buses
Poirot
Red Dwarf
Robin's Nest
Sherlock Holmes (w/Peter Cushing)
Sherlock Holmes (w/Matt Frewer)
Space: 1999
Spaced
Steptoe & Son
Strange Report
Thunderbirds
Tommy Cooper
To the Manor Born
UFO
The Vicar of Dibley
Yes, Minister
Yes, Prime Minister


STAY AWESOME!

Men in Black (like The Fifth Element) was pressed by both Pioneer and DADC. For both titles, the DADC pressings totally suck and finding a good copy would be nearly impossible. The Pioneer pressings (of both) should be rot free.

Why sony allowed DADC USA to get so bad is a mystery for the ages. Surely they must have seen how much money they were losing in returns. If I remember correctly "Willow" was the first THX Certified title made by DADC USA, ironic as it seems the entire run was bad. Sony's Japanese and Austrian facilities didn't seem to have a problem, as I've had good luck with the titles they made.

The best info I've heard was from a fellow collector who knows someone who worked at DADC USA. Their answer? High employee turnover.

STAY AWESOME!