Meaning of Life finally coming to DVD

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• 1 - angry customer

  Sep 13, 2003 at 4:38 pm

  Horrible video problems plague this DVD. Check out the reviews at Amazon.com. Universal needs to issue a recall on this atrocity!!!

• 2 - Jim Carruthers

  Sep 13, 2003 at 5:03 pm

  There was an article in the paper today that Monty Python and the Holy Grail would be coming to Broadway.
  
  All singing, all dancing, all nonsense.
  

• 3 - Phillip Winn

  Sep 15, 2003 at 5:49 pm

  Emails to Universal regarding the video defects results in the following response email:
  
  "Thank you for contacting Universal Studios. With the advent of cutting-edge technology in the DVD format, a small number of DVD players do not have the technical capability to take full advantage of the Monty Python's The Meaning of Life disc format. Universal Studios Home Video has become aware of a player specific issue which results in the appearance of jagged video interlacing, on disc 1 only. Disc 2 is NOT affected. Consumers with an incompatible player may mail back Disc 1 to Universal and receive a replacement. To obtain a pre-paid USPS envelope in which to mail back the original Disc 1, please call 1-800-433-4673. Replacement discs are currently scheduled to be available mid-November 2003. We appreciate your patronage and hope you continue to enjoy our products."

• 4 - Tom Johnson

  Sep 15, 2003 at 7:03 pm

  I checked out my copy last night and it looked fine. I admit, I don't really know what I'm looking for, and I'm not nearly as picky about DVDs as I am about music. It looked clear and clean to me. I really don't want to go and send my copy back to Universal and be without it for who knows how long, all for a problem I can't even see. Can someone post a screenshot of what the problem is? I'm very curious to see.
  
  Earlier this year Peter Gabriel released his Secret World Live on DVD finally, and as soon as it hit stores the complaints came in. Someone had a screenshot that showed nasty, blocky jpg-like distortion that was VERY obvious, and a huge step down in quality from the excellent VHS tape I owned. I can't say I see anything of the sort with The Meaning Of Life . . .

• 5 - Phillip Winn

  Sep 19, 2003 at 11:25 am

  It turns out the problem only shows up with progressive-scan DVD players.
  

  Universal's new DVD of Monty Python's Meaning of Life: Special Edition is defective - yet ANOTHER defect in a Universal title. Only Disc One (the movie disc) is affected, but it's definitely a defect in the authoring of the disc. It appears that the software "flags" on the disc that allow progressive scan DVD players to de-interlace the video signal have been screwed up. As a result, the 3-2 pulldown is incorrectly done on almost all progressive DVD players, resulting in constant jagged edges throughout the film. We have confirmed this on our own equipment. This is a defect of ALL copies of the disc, but you'll only notice the problem on progressive players. So you folks with the best technology are screwed. Universal seriously needs to get its act together with regard to it's Quality Control department. Judging by the many e-mails we're getting, Bits readers are getting awfully tired of having to send in discs for replacement. In any case, call Universal's Meaning of Life customer "service" hotline at 1-800-433-4673 to arrange to have your copies replaced... by sometime in mid to late November (with any luck).

  
  
  From The Digital Bits (temporary link, should be good for a week or so, scroll to fifth paragraph.)

• 6 - Peter Williams

  Nov 25, 2003 at 4:38 pm

  Just a note: Got the replacement. Problem is STILL there. I think they got the returns, then just repacked them:) Unbelievable!
  

• 7 - Jack Douglas

  Nov 25, 2003 at 7:05 pm

  I, too, sent off the defective DVD and I, too, was given another equally defective DVD as a replacement. Sheesh!

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