How come PS2 sucks so hard for DVDs?

[JonathanLB]

I don't get why PS2 sucks so much at playing DVDs. I mean, yeah it'll play a solid 85% of them, but that sucks pretty hard. My other DVD players in the house play anything as long as it isn't ruined from scratches or breaks or something (and my DVDs are not!).

Like 8 months ago I had a problem with the Sixth Sense DVD playing on PS2, in fact it wouldn't play it at all beyond a certain point. After an hour of the movie, it got really digitally garbled and said, "UNABLE TO READ DISC." So here I am thinking I bought a faulty TSS disc and I try it out on my computer DVD player and it works absolutely perfectly. I tried it on my really nice DVD player in the family room too and it worked fine there.

Now last night I'm watching the 2nd episode of Buffy Season Two, after watching the first episode with no problems the night before, and the thing is skipping frequently and showing this digital static every once in a while. I mostly just ignored it and watched the episode anyway because it was just merely annoying, not entirely destructive of the episode. Well, about 40 minutes through, so nearly to the end of the episode, the thing pulls that "UNABLE TO READ DISC" nonsense. I put the disc in the family room DVD player (Pioneer LD/VCD/DVD/CD player) and it worked just fine with no problems at all.

So I ask, WHY does PS2 suck so hard for DVDs?

I guess I should get a REAL DVD player for my room because this is just getting frustrating.

[Nupraptor]

Because the DVD playback "feature" was just a tacked-on gimmick to sell more units?

[imported_Lance Stormrider]

Well.......isn't it obious that Sony will give cheap crap on their ps2s hell it's like the PS2 cossts 300$(overhere) a DVD costs like 200$ DUH their DVDS sucks -DO-NOT-SWEAR--DO-NOT-SWEAR--DO-NOT-SWEAR--DO-NOT-SWEAR-.

[JonathanLB]

I guess that must be the case. Is it a low quality DVD player or what? What is the difference? The drive speed...?

I just don't get why it would not work for so many movies. I've had other problems too, but I've never actually used the DVD drive all THAT much. I have often just watched things in other parts of the house or at college, I was just too lazy to set the PS2 up and I watched stuff on my computer, also because there was a sound issue with playing movies late at night in a house with bad insulation, hehe. I used my headphones for the comp...

[imported_Lance Stormrider]

Well I've noticed the PS2 cd reader is CRAP even for the games. Sometimes it doesnt even find my NEW games I mean games that are neat neat clean not a scrtach fresh outta the box and it has difficulties reading it imagine a DVD XD

[JonathanLB]

Yeah, I hear ya.

This DVD I put in had NEVER BEEN TOUCHED by a human hand except on the outside. There was never a fingerprint on the bottom of the disc because I JUST opened this package three days ago and just touched the disc on the outside once to put it into the player. It is perfect. No dust, no anything. I really don't get what is up with that stupid player.

I really should look into getting a real DVD player, though, perhaps for x-mas or birthday or something like that. Not a really nice one, but a solid $200 one would be great.

[Brian]

I get ya and yeha it is a good idea PS2 cd Players sucks, Im looking forward to see if XBOX is better though :)

[Marcus Telcontar]

It is. One of my mates got one is da bomb for DVD playback

[Jedieb]

I was going to get a PS2. Since I've pretty much decided on taking up golf instead of getting a new game system I guess I caught a break huh?

[JonathanLB]

Yeah eb, video games are a waste of time anyway. Haha, I mean that in the best possible way. I love playing video games, but it is nonetheless a giant waste of time.

I dunno, I am hypocritical with regard to my free time and how I spend it because I look at all these video games and I think, "MAN this looks soooo cool... but I should not spend my free time escaping this world, I should try to spend it doing something useful with myself..." and like 15 hours later I'm in a theater seeing Attack of the Clones, or I'm watching my Buffy DVDs. I just figure I don't want to go overboard and spend TOO much time on various escapism and not any time on the real world, hehe. Right now, though, I definitely spend a huge amount of time on Star Wars, but hey, it's really only a three times in a life deal for me. Just the prequels and I wasn't alive for the other films, so it's very special being able to see SW in theaters. It's worthwhile to me to sacrifice some time during my summer seeing Star Wars and enjoying its release and then when it leaves theaters, back to working most of the time and seeing other movies I suppose.

The reason I see movies, though, is not for escapism usually. It's not even just for entertainment. Mainly to review them and so that I can study film and see what makes great movies in hopes that one day I can make a few movies myself, however small, or if not, at least I'll be able to be a knowledgeable film writer and that'd be great.

[Jedi Master Carr]

I've never had a problem with mine, but I do admit the player is average but it is better than probably some of the really cheap DVD players out there but that is about it.

[JMK]

Well it isn't a great DVD player, but its not meant to be a great player. If you bought the PS2 with the hopes of getting a top notch DVD player and video game system, you're screwed. :p

[Marcus Telcontar]

Games? what are them things?

Heh, that'll be the reason I would get an X-Box, for the DVD pack.

[imported_Lance Stormrider]

Im getting the XBOX soon.....I want ObiWan Kenobi so bad even though I already beat the plaine sh-t out of Darth Maul at the end :D