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

[Brent L.]

I wonder if this could be so bad that it ends up not being financially feasible for them to help the consumers in this situation.

[Helikaon]

Originally Posted by rdandura

That will never happen again thanks to Criterion. You'll have to download or stream it now. I am beyond angry at this, and everyone at criterion deserves the worst possible punishment for this kind of issue.

And now I will never be able to own a physical copy of Gomorrah either.

You need professional help, mate. I'm serious.


A lot of helpful info in this thread, thanks! I've checked all my discs and the ones 'in danger' seem to be second pressings so they are all right.

[Brent L.]

I just completed a complete scan of my Days of Heaven BD using VSO Inspector. Even though it has slight bronzing (this one has the least out of all of my mentioned titles, and plays find in my players) it passed the test 100% with no errors found at all.

I'm currently scanning Gomorrah and it is 50% completed. It has already found a number of errors, which is no surprise to me at all considering I discovered where it skips and freezes last night. I am doing this just to see if it truly finds these errors.

Is it worth even scanning the ones that wont even load for me? Will that be beneficial to anyone or is it just a waste of my time?

[rdandura]

Don't know if this is relevant, but I bought a copy of the Darjeeling Limited from the criterion website last week, and it was perfect: no browning and no freezing. That disc was released in Oct. 2010.

[jscoggins]

Originally Posted by Brent L.

I just completed a complete scan of my Days of Heaven BD using VSO Inspector. Even though it has slight bronzing (this one has the least out of all of my mentioned titles, and plays find in my players) it passed the test 100% with no errors found at all.

I'm currently scanning Gomorrah and it is 50% completed. It has already found a number of errors, which is no surprise to me at all considering I discovered where it skips and freezes last night. I am doing this just to see if it truly finds these errors.

Is it worth even scanning the ones that wont even load for me? Will that be beneficial to anyone or is it just a waste of my time?

Well, it'll convince some doubters. However, if you've tested it on your PS3, PS4, and other BD players, the likelihood of the machines being at fault is next to zero.

[Dan8700]

Originally Posted by rdodolak

There can also be two different SIDs, a Mastering SID and a Mould SID, if the mastering and replicator plants are different. If so, then the Mould SID would be the important identifier.

See below, thanks for mention that.

Originally Posted by spawningblue

This. Anyone that has or hasn't had problems, please report back with these numbers. It's the only way we'll be able to narrow down the issue. As has been repeated several times, the first pressing on the cover means nothing. Everyone seems to be ignoring these posts for some reason, and they are the most important for figuring out where and when your discs were pressed.

I don't understand that either!

Originally Posted by duggie walker

I see nothing on the WALKABOUT disc except the writing around the outside edge of the printed side of the disc and there's no number like the one you mention, as far as I can see.

Can you be very precise as where this number is located?

After some takes, I managed to take a picture of the codes with my beautiful SIII Mini. Just a note, though: they are not necessarily written in the same spots, they may be far one from the other.


As all can see, there are two IFPI codes: one on the blue ring, another on the golden ring.
In the meantime, I've also verified a number of titles printed in 2011-12 and 2014.
Kes, The Killing, La Jetee, Judex and Nashville. They ALL feature L321, L322, L323 or L325 (sometimes the "blue code" and the "golden code" are the same). So, I think we can be almost certain that the defective discs feature LB** or L0**. BUT some other verifications would be appreciated...

[rdodolak]

Originally Posted by Dan8700

As all can see, there are two IFPI codes: one on the blue ring, another on the golden ring.
In the meantime, I've also verified a number of titles printed in 2011-12 and 2014.
Kes, The Killing, La Jetee, Judex and Nashville. They ALL feature L321, L322, L323 or L325 (sometimes the "blue code" and the "golden code" are the same). So, I think we can be almost certain that the defective discs feature LB** or L0**. BUT some other verifications would be appreciated...

The Mould Code SID should be stamped on the clear plastic inner ring. Here's a document on SID Code implementation; specifically, see page 4.

http://www.ifpi.org/content/library/...tion-guide.pdf

[Kyle15]

My copies of Last Year at Marienbad and Videodrome seem to be unaffected by this! I'm worried most about Marienbad since Criterion lost the license to that. The IFPI isn't on the bottom data rings however; it's on the label side on the very inner side of the disc along the hole. IFPI is clearly readable but the number is "smudged." :/

[ZoetMB]

I've tried to replay a few Criterion titles and they all loaded. I didn't try to play any end-to-end. I visually inspected all of the following and all I see is a silver mirror (and a few fingerprints). None are displaying any bronzing or other defects whatsoever.

These are the ones I inspected:
The Last Emperor
Blow Out
Everlasting Moments
Days of Heaven
Being John Malkovich
Mystery Train
The Gold Rush
Modern Times
The Great Dictator
City Lights
The Complete Monterrey Pop
A Hard Day's Night
Trilogy of Life
Seven Samurai

I think people should stop panicking. I'm sure if it's just a few titles and/or just an early pressing, Criterion will eventually make good. They probably need some time to figure out what's going on first.

Edit: Checked every chapter of Monterey Pop. No issues.

[Brent L.]

Well, my scan on Gomorrah froze just past the 50% mark and wouldn't even complete it had so many problems popping up. I'm going to pop Summer Hours in and see what happens to that one now. The BDs that wont even load to play at all, on my laptop it gives me the error that the data is corrupted. I'll see what the scan says now.

[tenia]

I had a look at my disc, and most of the discs I have have the Mould Sid # IFPI 10K6.

I have to say though that the Mastering SID #is very very VERY small and I almost needed a magnifying glass to read them (and for some, I'll need one ).

I have plenty of discs reading LB42 though, and will check them visually, "cinematographically" (fast forwing to find any freezing point) and hopefully physically through Nero CD-DVD Speed.

My Chungking Express is L321, so that's one OOP which should be safe for me at least.

[Dan8700]

Originally Posted by rdodolak

The Mould Code SID should be stamped on the clear plastic inner ring. Here's a document on SID Code implementation; specifically, see page 4.

http://www.ifpi.org/content/library/...tion-guide.pdf

Oh, thanks. Well, now, that's really nearly impossible to read! Anyway, both the discs tested ("100% free of errors") so far read "IFPI QWY9". "The Killing" reads "QWYE". But I think in this case, the other IFPIs alone should do.

Originally Posted by Brent L.

I just completed a complete scan of my Days of Heaven BD using VSO Inspector. Even though it has slight bronzing (this one has the least out of all of my mentioned titles, and plays find in my players) it passed the test 100% with no errors found at all.

Good for you! Can you read the codes? If the disc features the now infamous L0 or LB, there are two possibilities:
1. it's only discolouring.
2. and judging from the reports, most likely, it's in the process of rotting As some sources say, such discs rot slowly... therefore it's advisable to ask for a replacement in any case.

Originally Posted by tenia

I have plenty of discs reading LB42 though, and will check them visually, "cinematographically" (fast forwing to find any freezing point) and hopefully physically through Nero CD-DVD Speed.

Just run the Speed test, it's the safest way, sometimes fast-forwarding doesn't help. And thanks for the report!

ps. yes, Chungking L321 should be safe, I'm speed testing it now (81% and free of errors).

[rdodolak]

I just scanned my Gomorrah disc with VSO Inspector and it came back 100% good. Disc was purchased in Nov 2010.

Mastering SID Code: L021
Mould SID Code: 10L0

[HuggyBear73]

So for example, would the first printings of "M" all have been pressed at the same plant?

[rdodolak]

Originally Posted by Dan8700

Oh, thanks. Well, now, that's really nearly impossible to read! Anyway, both the discs tested ("100% free of errors") so far read "IFPI QWY9". "The Killing" reads "QWYE". But I think in this case, the other IFPIs alone should do.

The other, or Master SID Code, only tells you who manufactured the glass master used to stamp the disc. This is fine IF the same plant produced the glass master and replicated the disc. However, if the glass master was made in one plant and the disc was replicated in a completely different plant then the Mould SID Code is important as it would identify the specific plant where the disc was replicated.

[Brent L.]

I just tried to look at the numbers and I can make out the large text, but I can't see the tiny text that I need to see.

[pedromvu]

Here is what i found after checking SID codes on various titles, i have yet to check them all:

Mar 24 2009--The 400 Blows--------------L322
Oct 20 2009--Monsooon Wedding---------L021
Jan 26 2010--Paris, Texas-----------------L323
Mar 23 2010--Days of Heaven-------------L323
Apr 20 2010--Vivre sa Vie-----------------LB42
Apr 20 2010--Summer Hours--------------LB42
May 11 2010--M----------------------------LB42
May 18 2010--Walkabout------------------LB42
May 25 2010--Stagecoach-----------------L021
Jun 22 2010--Red Desert------------------L324
Jul 20 2010--Red Shoes-------------------L324
Jul 20 2010--Black Narcissus--------------L324
Jul 27 2010--The Secret of the Grain-----L322
Aug 17 2010--Black Orpheus--------------L325
Mar 25 2014--The Freshman---------------L324

Of all these, the only ones that show browning issue are Summer Hours and Stagecoach, also i started purchasing Criterions from around 2010, but many of the earlier ones i purchased much more recently.

So at least it doesn't appear that all LB42 or L021 are bad, since i checked them chapter by chapter, but now i fear this could mean they will end up getting bad in the future.

[tenia]

Originally Posted by Dan8700

ps. yes, Chungking L321 should be safe, I'm speed testing it now (81% and free of errors).

I'm also Speed testing it now and it's also fine (84.2% and 100% green !).

[Brent L.]

I've scanned three so far and each one starts popping up with errors at exactly 50.5% and then freezes as the errors just continue to pop up, one after the other.

[Hayabusa85]

Have a ton of titles with browning but don't have the patience to test them right now. Summer Hours and Walkabout have playback issues for sure out of the brief tests I did do. Oddly Che Part 1 has bad browning but Che Part 2 doesn't look too bad. But this has lead me to a stupid theory that the cases are at fault Che Part 1 was still in the original case but I had Che Part 2 in a case from a newer release that was broken since I figured the slip box hides a broken case better than a loose release. Would it be as dumb a theory as I feel it is to think that the case has something to do with it because of that? Maybe the smashed open area was helping?

Even if they offer a replacement program I am not too optimistic. First the OOP titles could be an issue. Second as a Canadian I don't picture it being a good scenario. First if they expect us to pay the shipping on the defective discs that won't be cheap. Then if they ship replacements via UPS that will be well over $100 in brokerage fees and the nonsense they pull. And based on buying from them they use UPS if you order more than one Blu-ray basically.

This issue has me reconsidering my future Criterion Blu-ray purchases no matter the outcome.