I freakin' hate getting locked into seeing previews when I play a DVD. I notice this happens a lot with Netflix DVDs. I suspect that this is how Netflix makes some of its revenue. They must get a deal by buying DVDs that have these special lock fuunctions in them that make my remote control useless. I just want a DVD that I pop in and then the main menu comes up. I just got a MX500 and this messes with macros as well. I know you can fast forward through a lot of them, but I should not have to. If I want to be forced to watch or fast forward through 5 minutes of commercials, then I'll watch a VHS tape.
And, for the love of God, I hereby and forever submit to all film studios and their attorneys that YES, I know the comments of the bubble-headed actors being interviewed are their own and do not reflect the thoughts of the studios and YES, I know that copying the whole or any part of the DVD is illegal. Do I have to have that stuck on my screen for 30 seconds (also iin French?) everytime I watch a Netflix DVD? I just can't wait until the day when some Madison Ave A-hole gets the idea to layer little moving logos or ticker tapes on the bottom 1/5 of my screen while I'm watching a movie.
I just needed to vent.

Try Menu. (seldom works)
Try Stop.
Try Skip +.
Try FF.

This has nothing to do with Netflix, I believe. I have the same issues as you on my purchased DVDs. As does everyone. For certain frequently watched movies for the kids, I have the pattern of fastest-route-to-movie down pat, I could do it with my eyes shut.

Press stop twice upon loading the disc once it's recognized as a DVD, but has not yet started playing the garbage you're locked into. Then play - it should start right into the movie w/out the menu either.

There is no difference between a netflix DVD and a regular DVD. I am trying to not insult you or call you a retard. I will be good.

I have the same problem with most DVDs, but if you just pop it into your computer, Windows Media Player seems to just ignore the locks and lets you skip to wherever you want

When I buy a DVD I expect some way to bypass all of junk at the beginning, INCLUDING warnings and so on. Companies are getting really bad with the "disallowed keys" these days. Makes me want to get one of those DVD players that can be set to ignore all user forbidden key settings.

Here in Canada KFC recently was recently offering free DVDs - with about 10 minutes of junk before the movie that simply can't be bypassed! First there's two LONG movie previews - can't even hit the STOP key - then a pile of company logos, then you pick the language, then start the movie from the menu, then warnings, and THEN you have to sit through a 2 minute KFC commericial.

Thank goodness for DVD players that remember where you are when you stop the disc, so you only have to go through that once!

On all of my DVD players, I can stop playback once it's recognized as a DVD video but before it searches and starts playing the previews, warnings, etc. If I stop twice there and then hit play, it starts the movie w/out any of that nor w/any menus.

What players?

nothru22 - good thing you didn't call me a retard because I may have had to call you something like an inbred, beer soaked, loser a-hole. But I'll be good, too.

The Krell DVD Standard has programming in it that directs the DVD straight to the First Chapter and plays it. They demo'd their HEAT system and pointed that feature out on their DVD player. It's great. My clients love it.

Marantz VC8100, DV8300, DV8400, Sony 300 disc (don't remember the model) and a 5-year old Apex {blush}. The Marantz play the nicest. Worst case scenario, if I'm too slow, I go to standby and back on - then clear the resume (press stop) and then play - right into the movie.

Most newer releases have this problem.. The most recent one I can think of is Shrek 2 which had a poop-load of unskippable trailers before the feature.

I'm using a Sony DVP-CX777ES with DVDLobby and have figured-out a way to overcome the problem.

For most discs, the problem is overcome automatically, becuase my defualt play movie command makes the disc start with title 1, which is usually the feature. However, for Shrek 2, the feature was actually title 10, which means there were 9 titles of garbage before the actual movie. So, for that particular movie, I have DVDLobby launch it from title 10 - and it works.

The bad thing is that it's not 100% automatic, so you still have to 'test' each movie once to determine where it really starts.

Now, if your DVD player has some sort of direct title access (perhaps press a title button followed by a digit). Maybe you can try this: Eject the disc tray and insert your disc. Leave the tray open until you're ready to start the movie. When you're ready, hit TITLE 1 and see if it starts playing at title 1. Now your movie's playing. If you want, you should now be able to press menu and go to the menu. I personnaly let the movie play and if I want to make a change (say pick DTS over DD or something) I just cycle through with the "audio" button on the remote.

I rarely use the menus, except when I want special/bonus features.

Actually, you can trace this unskippable crap by studio almost perfectly. As in, MGM will almost always do xx, Fox will almost always do yy, etc. I'm not quite that much of a fanatic to have details in my head, though.

You could light a butt and then come in and show is ready to start, I could say G/F but others things not pertaining to this post might start up. :D