MAJOR rant and frustration about rental/library dvd's!

B

BAM

Cathlete
I am SO angry right now that I'm about to explode! (Phew! Thank goodness for this forum! :p) Please let me know if you've experienced this and/or if there's anything that can be done to get around this promotional, controlling, ludicrous act of manipulation! ARGH!

Okay, okay, deeeeeeep breath. This is only about the second or third time I've experienced this. I took out some dvd's from my library. I decided to watch one of the movies NOW, not in 20 minutes after the dvd finishes showing me previews, promotions and advertisements of which I CAN NOT fast forward through, replace with the main menu or even STOP. Can you imagine that? I can't even stop the dvd. :mad: This went on for 20 minutes. When the previews finally stopped playing, it went into the main menu for about one minute then started playing the movie on its own. I was afraid to go back to the main menu to look at the set up for fear of starting the entire process all over again. I had this same experience with a rental that I paid for. Is this how all newer dvd rentals are being manufactured? What if for some reason you couldn't watch the entire movie in one sitting? That means you have to suffer through all the cr@$ again? I could continue to list a million reasons how maddening this is but I'd lose anyone who might still be reading and if you are.......thank you for indulging me. ;)

Rant over as far as words on this screen go but still seething inside! ARGH! :mad:

Bam
 
Bam:
I never rent DVDs, but here is my experience. I typically buy movie DVDs, that I like, after seeing them on the movie channel. And trying to save money, I buy them used on Amazon.com.

I made the mistake of buying a used copy of "The Box" (2010) (a fairly good movie starring Cameron Diaz), which was advertized as "rental" by Amazon. So I had the same trouble as you did, watching about 20 minutes (at least) of pomo movie ads -- and as with you there was no way of avoiding them through the menu feature.

So don't buy "rental" movies off of Amazon. And if one gets stuck with 20 minutes of ads, be prepared to go off and do the dishes in the kitchen.
-- David
 
I've experienced this as well, but I think I was able to use the fast-forward button and jumped through them pretty fast. I agree that it is extremely annoying when you've paid for the movie and still have to sit through the previews. So try the FF button next time and see if it works for you.
Paula
 
I personally like previews, because it gives me an idea of what to rent next. However, if it's really that big of a deal, use the time for something constructive - liking making your popcorn. This just really isn't worth expending that much energy on. Know it's there, and plan for it.
 
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I rent movies from netflix. I don't recall this happening with any of them. The few times I couldn't get right to the menu, I was able to FF. Also, my dvd player will start where I left off if I need to restart. Sorry you had this experience. It sounds frustrating. Melissa
 
YES! This has happened more and more lately to me also. I rent from the library all the time. Previously, you could fast forward or go to the next chapter to skip each preview (so for 10 previews, would have to hit 'next chapter' 10 times) just to get to the main menu.

But lately I have noticed I can't even FF or hit NEXT. It just gives me that red circle symbol meaning "no!" When it 1st started happening, I thought my remote buttons were dying but then I started noticed I couldn't FF or NEXT on other players so realized this was something the DVD manf did.

Then just yesterday I went to watch a movie I bought, Baby Mama, and that wouldn't let me FF or NEXT through the previews. I couldn't believe it. I bought the movie brand new. What pissed me off is that I was baking and just let the previews play for X minutes then when it *finally* got to my movie, it went to the main menu. So I had to wait until I could stop mixing during my baking, go and wash my hands, go and find the remote and press play. Then had to sit through the "You will be sent to prison if you copy this DVD" message. In English...and in French.

Sounds trivial, but I was in a time crunch and just wanted to pop in a video and bake. Funny thing is, I purposely wanted to watch my bought video and not deal with the library video due to those specific problems.

I miss VCRs...
 
No. I don't rent.
But even when I buy and I get a video that makes me sit through the opening credits, the logo, the FBI warning, and the medical warning I get extremely annoyed. I am talking workout videos here.

At least when we had VHS we could fast forward through all that. There are some makers/producers who don't give that option to jump ahead.

So yes BAM, I feel your frustration.
 
Thanks everyone for understanding my ARGH! :D At least if you can FF, it's not a problem but when you can't do that or even stop your dvd, I think that's going too far.

Gobias, I can't believe you couldn't FF on a dvd that you purchased. That's just not right.

What is this world coming to when your dvd disc actually controls your dvd player? Hmmmm, I wonder if it can see me as I'm laying on the couch watching the movie with my glass of wine, chocolate caramels, popcorn, chips and salsa, cheese and pepperoni (just to name a few) and then continue to watch me as I go through funky gyrations trying to work it all off. Am I going to be seeing myself on youtube pretty soon? :p

Bam
 
I wish I were sitting there enjoying your snacks! They sound delicious. Forget about the movie, just sit and eat and stare at the blank tv. Melissa
 
2121 said:
I wish I were sitting there enjoying your snacks! They sound delicious. Forget about the movie, just sit and eat and stare at the blank tv. Melissa
Click to expand...

ROTFLMAO! Too funny! :D Hey, come and join me. Believe me, I have PLENTY to share. Then, we can both watch ourselves on youtube! :)

Bam
 
Some non-rental purchased workout dvds are like this also... and then there is the required warning about copying. My usual routine is now to start up the dvd, go change into my workout clothing, fill my water bottle, and then come back to the actual workout :D All that has to be done anyway, so no time is wasted.
 
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