Early Blu-rays that may have playback issues (Criterion, Well Go USA, etc.)

[darkness2918]

For those that may wondering how long it might take to get discs back from WellGo USA they got my discs on a Monday & by Thursday I had my 3 discs back. They sent them back in a priority mail flat rate envelope which was the same way I sent it in to them.

[mande2013]

All the discs in my Hitchcock Essentials Collection box set have bronzing on the inner ring. Perhaps it's always been there. The discs all play fine though. I don't know.

I remember my first copy of Walkabout was bronzed right away, so I don't know, maybe the discoloration is something that just happens to BDs without affecting playback. It could just be the nature of the format in some cases.

[mande2013]

Originally Posted by Torrente

I would say "no" for the 2 Metropolitan.
I've checked mine last week, they're not from QOL and at this point "only" 2 discs from this great company are dead (and they made a LOT).

"No" also for the Brotherhood of the Wolves. Checked mine also.

But I'm afraid my Vampires blu-ray is dead (I'm so pissed off as it's one of the few times a french disc was the best disc available worldwide and I love Big John's movies) along with the first 2 discs of my Underworld set. All made by QOL. The second Underworld is not "dead" per se, it's just showing strange stains right now but I think it's a just a question of time before it refuses to load.

Anyway you can't be sure just by trusting me, I'm afraid, because it's not a case where there's 100% failure on each disc QOL or other companies made, it's a lottery.
For example, my Silent Hill 2 discs set plays flawlessly.
This is the problem for us, not being sure, not knowing when our discs would fail...
A disc you checked yesterday might be dead the next day.
It's what happened to me with Tucker & Dale. It died 1 week after I watched it for the first time. And other members who received replacement for the Incredible Hulk got their copy dying several days after they checked it on arrival.
It's really sad, and I'm sorry to sound so depressing, but I lost faith in french companies right now.
The worst ones (the ones that refuses to say a word about the problem) are Gaumont, Pathé, Europa Corp.
At least the others spoke to us.
The main problem with Gaumont is that they only said that they would agree to send replacements occasionally but that they would send discs from the same batch as there is simply no other pressing than the first one they made. So it's a win or miss situation. But most of us would receive the same faulty discs anyway, I guess.

The undersides of my Pathe disc of The Leopard and of my Gaumont disc of A Man Escaped are rather dubious looking to say the least, although they play fine still. My Pialat Gaumonts seem okay though, as does my Madame de...

In any case, I may have to double dip and just buy Criterion's A Man Escaped. Criterion messed up their blu-ray release of Madame de..., which is why I bought the Gaumont, so I don't know. And Gaumont is the only company to have released A Nos Amours on blu-ray in any capacity.

[mande2013]

So I'm assuming it's essentially a myth that the elements cause disc decay and what not, and that it's all merely caused by poor manufacturing, save for rare cases such as direct exposure to sunlight and extreme temperatures or if you completely submerge a disc in fluid.

[Brian81]

Originally Posted by mar3o

I actually didn't know that about HD-DVD. Wow. What happened for those discs to fail?

If HD DVD had won, at least there'd (likely) have been replacements available.

[TheHumanTornado]

I have a question.

I had emailed Jon some time ago about my Eraserhead blu. I also inquired about the bubbling issue on my Stagecoach disc. He instructed me to send them together. I received my Eraserhead replacement quickly. It has been at least 3-4 months and never received a replacement for Stagecoach.

I don't believe it ever made their official list but still concerned it may never be replaced. I emailed him about a month ago to inquire but no response.

Any thoughts from you all on this?

[neo_reloaded]

I assume this is not a big deal, but has anyone seen splotches on the label side like in the picture below? It's not a scratch or something that can be wiped away or anything that feels different from the rest of the top of the disc - but the appearance does look odd. The movie played fine and I haven't had a chance to scan the disc yet.

(click for bigger)

[Brian81]

Originally Posted by neo_reloaded

I assume this is not a big deal, but has anyone seen splotches on the label side like in the picture below? It's not a scratch or something that can be wiped away or anything that feels different from the rest of the top of the disc - but the appearance does look odd. The movie played fine and I haven't had a chance to scan the disc yet.

(click for bigger)

If it wasn't there when you got it, and it won't wipe or wash away, then yes - I'd assume something is wrong. DIscs aren't supposed to undergo changes.

[neo_reloaded]

Originally Posted by Brian81

If it wasn't there when you got it, and it won't wipe or wash away, then yes - I'd assume something is wrong. DIscs aren't supposed to undergo changes.

I never said it changed... For all I know, it was always like that.

[Brian81]

Originally Posted by neo_reloaded

I never said it changed... For all I know, it was always like that.

That's why I said "if"... Well, at the least, you know what it looks like now (a reference if there is any future change).

[neo_reloaded]

The question still stands if someone has seen something like this before.

[fdm]

Originally Posted by neo_reloaded

The question still stands if someone has seen something like this before.

Not sure, since I kinda sorta usually don't open my discs until it's time to play them. But, just opened my copy of that, and I don't see anything like it on mine. It could be cosmetic, but then again maybe it's not. If scotch tape wouldn't change its appearance, or maybe a little water (looks like a few drops of something got splashed onto the disc), I'd take it back and get another one.

[mande2013]

Originally Posted by fdm

Not sure, since I kinda sorta usually don't open my discs until it's time to play them. But, just opened my copy of that, and I don't see anything like it on mine. It could be cosmetic, but then again maybe it's not. If scotch tape wouldn't change its appearance, or maybe a little water (looks like a few drops of something got splashed onto the disc), I'd take it back and get another one.

As for waiting until it's time to play them to open them, what if the disc happens to have like a minor surface scratch on the underside? If it doesn't affect the playback, would you just live with it?

[fdm]

Originally Posted by mande2013

As for waiting until it's time to play them to open them, what if the disc happens to have like a minor surface scratch on the underside? If it doesn't affect the playback, would you just live with it?

Let me preface it by saying I'm kind of a special case, I have a pretty huge stash...

Minor scratches, not so much. Used discs bother me, new discs with significant scratches bother me (fingers crossed when I get around to playing Twin Peaks... I really dislike discs packed only in cardboard, especially the ones with slots), disc(s) loose in their case and rattling around bother me, but I just don't have the inclination to open much of anything else until it's time to watch them. Kind of like the lottery (e.g., bronzing Criterions.)

(When I unwrapped some of my old dvds to trade n save at best buy, a few of them were pretty sad looking. Just have so many that have sat for so long, couldn't do much with them at this point anyway. Doubt I'll even ever get to them all, but for those I do, if there's an issue I'll deal with it then. (The "luxury" of so many discs, so little time.) Exception: I always open Warner Archive DVD(-R)s and from now on will be doing so with their blu-rays as well (just because of how bad some of their DVDs have been).)

[mande2013]

The only time I'll buy used is if it's an OOP Criterion or something. I don't believe in buying media, including books, used unless the actual item is a bonafide collectors item. I mean is a Nolan Ryan Rookie card "used"?

I don't know though. I remember at the time being really bothered when my Criterion blu rays of Rosemary's Baby and Late Spring had a few minor scratches right out of the shrink wrap. I knew deep down just by looking at the scratches they wouldn't affect the playback in any way, but still. Either way, it's probably better for one's psychological health to learn to live with stuff like that than to try and rectify the problem if it's not really worth rectifying. Trade in my potentially bronzing Pierrot Le Fou though? Sure.

[I KEEL YOU]

That French scandal is getting worse. Way worse. Apparently, now people are saying that those QOL discs might be ruining their blu ray PLAYERS, an Oppo of all things!

They're saying that tiny pieces of the poor quality rotten glue used by QOL are being left inside the player and are ruining the lenses.

Rotten discs are one thing, but the possibility of ruining very expensive blu ray players are something else. What's next? Health hazards?

[jscoggins]

Originally Posted by I KEEL YOU

That French scandal is getting worse. Way worse. Apparently, now people are saying that those QOL discs might be ruining their blu ray PLAYERS, an Oppo of all things!

They're saying that tiny pieces of the poor quality rotten glue used by QOL are being left inside the player and are ruining the lenses.

Rotten discs are one thing, but the possibility of ruining very expensive blu ray players are something else. What's next? Health hazards?

Ouch!

[davidthenikonuser]

Originally Posted by I KEEL YOU

That French scandal is getting worse. Way worse. Apparently, now people are saying that those QOL discs might be ruining their blu ray PLAYERS, an Oppo of all things!

They're saying that tiny pieces of the poor quality rotten glue used by QOL are being left inside the player and are ruining the lenses.

Rotten discs are one thing, but the possibility of ruining very expensive blu ray players are something else. What's next? Health hazards?

That sucks.

That's why I just buy a cheap under $100 player.

[Brian81]

Originally Posted by I KEEL YOU

That French scandal is getting worse. Way worse. Apparently, now people are saying that those QOL discs might be ruining their blu ray PLAYERS, an Oppo of all things!

They're saying that tiny pieces of the poor quality rotten glue used by QOL are being left inside the player and are ruining the lenses.

Rotten discs are one thing, but the possibility of ruining very expensive blu ray players are something else. What's next? Health hazards?

Who did they manufacture discs for?

[jscoggins]

Originally Posted by Brian81

Who did they manufacture discs for?

Many different companies, including the American Hollywood majors.

http://www.blurayenfrancais.com/foru...hp?id=5078&p=1