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

[jjlikesonions]

Originally Posted by Aunt Peg

**Bronzing Alert.

Anyway, I would suggest checking any discs from Central Motion Picture Corporation.

My Tsai Ming Liang boxset, Terrorizers BD Anniversary, Hou Hsiao Hsien DITW/ATTLATTD BD, and That Day on the Beach BD are all good. But I jusy bought The Personals on ebay. The DVD ver. is good but the blu ray is complete bronzed and unreadable.

Any chance emailIng CMPC or Sony Music Taiwain would help? Is a replacement disc an unreasonable hope?

[Fat Phil]

Been doing a re-watch of HBO's The Pacific (the UK's metal box release) this week and discovered that Disc 5 is as dead as a dodo. No signs of bronzing etc and clean as a whistle, but it can no longer be read by any of the four players I have. That sum'b*tch just decided to up and die apparently 'cause it worked fine last time. Fortunately, I can buy a replacement box set for only £13 but a random disc fail is always a pain in the balls.

[drush9999]

I should keep a list of BDs that's failed over time for me (all played fine originally):

The Lady Vanishes (Criterion)
The Lord of War (Lionsgate)
Bangkok Dangerous (Lionsgate)
True Romance (UK Tarantino XX Collection)
The Losers (UK Optimum/Studio Canal)

Thankfully got free or cheap replacements

[I KEEL YOU]

Yeah, I was really hoping for that HBO would stay clear of disc problems, because they have so many box sets that are way more annoying to replace than single movies with a single disc.

[MassiveMovieBuff]

Now I'm scared for my Entourage blu ray series.

[neo_reloaded]

Why is no one reporting IFPI mould numbers (see the first post of this thread or the numerous times I've quoted it)? UK HBO discs are pressed at a European plant, so a US member now worrying about his US HBO discs is nonsensical. The HBO ownership has no relevance in this case, but that fact is obscured when people focus on the label (Lionsgate, HBO, etc.) instead of the replicator (which can be identified by the IFPI mould number).

[MassiveMovieBuff]

Damn you lionsgate! I just received my used copy of Drop Zone today and of course it's infected with disc rot (which I was worried about to begin with). The extra stinger is that this title is OOP so I can't even own it on blu ray.

EDIT: Looks like there is an OOP region A Canadian release that is available from third parties by Maple Studios. Hopefully they arent associated with lionsgate!

[mca213]

my Basic Instinct is now unplayable.... damn

[neo_reloaded]

Originally Posted by MassiveMovieBuff

Damn you lionsgate! I just received my used copy of Drop Zone today and of course it's infected with disc rot (which I was worried about to begin with). The extra stinger is that this title is OOP so I can't even own it on blu ray.

EDIT: Looks like there is an OOP region A Canadian release that is available from third parties by Maple Studios. Hopefully they arent associated with lionsgate!

They ARE associated with Lionsgate - most Maple titles are a direct port of Lionsgate discs. BUT Lionsgate is not the problem, as I explained right above your post; the Maple discs are normally fine because they used a different replicator.

[Torrente]

I thought Maple was only the name of the distributor in Canada for Lionsgate titles, and that the discs/releases where exactly the same.
That's good to know!

[Aunt Peg]

Well I've been working my way through the Eric Rohmer French Blu Ray box set with mixed results. The four seasons films from the 90's (Winter, Summer, Spring, Autumn) all played fine.

As did Boyfriend & Girlfriends (aka My Boyfriends Girlfriend).

However, Full Moon Over Paris is dead - doesn't surprise me as its some of the discs from this era that I have had problems with.

Anyway, I purchased the Arrow box set which contains a number of these titles so I covered, not to mention that DVDs are included but I have to admit this has put me off purchasing any French discs.

[a priori]

Originally Posted by Aunt Peg

Well I've been working my way through the Eric Rohmer French Blu Ray box set with mixed results. The four seasons films from the 90's (Winter, Summer, Spring, Autumn) all played fine.

As did Boyfriend & Girlfriends (aka My Boyfriends Girlfriend).

However, Full Moon Over Paris is dead - doesn't surprise me as its some of the discs from this era that I have had problems with.

Anyway, I purchased the Arrow box set which contains a number of these titles so I covered, not to mention that DVDs are included but I have to admit this has put me off purchasing any French discs.

So far, have all the unplayable Potemkine Rohmer box blu-rays started bronzing?

[Aunt Peg]

Originally Posted by a priori

So far, have all the unplayable Potemkine Rohmer box blu-rays started bronzing?

None of them. They all have are darker rings on the inside which can be another sign. Has to do with the pressing company on which there is information on this thread going back pages.

[TheBang]

I thought I'd try to add a little helpful information to this thread. First of all, I tried to take a picture of a Mould SID code on a Blu-ray. It was tricky to do without a proper macro lens, but I think I got enough detail to be illustrative:



Unlike audio CD Mould SID codes, DVD and Blu-ray Mould SID codes are on the innermost portion of the hub, and are usually stamped on the artwork side (i.e. they are usually not readable from the data side). The Mould SID code in this photo reads "IFPI 2UEL" The etchings can be hard to read (or find) and you may need a flashlight and a magnifying glass or eye loop.

A Mould SID code is always in the form of "IFPI XXXX". If you find a SID code that starts with an L, like "IFPI LXXX", that is a Mastering SID code. Mastering SID codes are not that useful for this thread because it refers to the data master on the disc, and a master could be pressed at multiple facilities. The Mould SID code tells us where this particular disc was pressed.

[geomon]

My copy of For All Mankind is bronzed and almost unplayable. Thankfully it's not out of print.

[jjlikesonions]

Ordered a copy of Sympathy For Mr. Vengeance on Tartan Palisades (Kino) and it's bronzed. Doesn't play. The Mould code is "IFPI LM43".

[neo_reloaded]

Originally Posted by jjlikesonions

Ordered a copy of Sympathy For Mr. Vengeance on Tartan Palisades (Kino) and it's bronzed. Doesn't play. The Mould code is "IFPI LM43".

That seems like the master code, not the mould code. Based on the info I could find, the mould code is likely M5**, which corresponds to a Singapore replicator. I've never seen Kino use that (or any non-US/Mexican) replicator, so it's likely that Palisades Tartan was in charge of replication/manufacturing decisions and then just shipped finished product to Kino for distribution.

[jjlikesonions]

Originally Posted by neo_reloaded

That seems like the master code, not the mould code. Based on the info I could find, the mould code is likely M5**, which corresponds to a Singapore replicator. I've never seen Kino use that (or any non-US/Mexican) replicator, so it's likely that Palisades Tartan was in charge of replication/manufacturing decisions and then just shipped finished product to Kino for distribution.

Interesting. Is there a reason they wouldn't list the mouod code, or list it incorrectly by mistake? I couldn't get a good pic, but the info on the disc is: "IFPI LM 43" printed in two spots (one shorter text, one taller text), "MR VENGEANCE L1", "MR VENGEANCE L0" , "3/5/2010-3:36:16 PM", "3/2/2010-11:04:00 PM" and two different barcodes. That's it.

[neo_reloaded]

Originally Posted by jjlikesonions

Interesting. Is there a reason they wouldn't list the mouod code, or list it incorrectly by mistake? I couldn't get a good pic, but the info on the disc is: "IFPI LM 43" printed in two spots (one shorter text, one taller text), "MR VENGEANCE L1", "MR VENGEANCE L0" , "3/5/2010-3:36:16 PM", "3/2/2010-11:04:00 PM" and two different barcodes. That's it.

There's a picture a few posts up on this page that shows what a mould code looks like - it's very hard to read and is on the actual clear plastic at the very center of the disc.

I don't have your disc in front of me so I can't be sure, but LM43 is a master code that has been used on other discs, and I can't find any evidence of LM** even existing as a mould code - so based on that info, I believe LM43 is the master code and M5** is the mould code. But maybe the factory made a mistake or it's a bootleg or some other weird scenario, who knows. Where did you purchase it - Amazon, directly from Kino, ebay, somewhere else?

[jjlikesonions]

Originally Posted by neo_reloaded

There's a picture a few posts up on this page that shows what a mould code looks like - it's very hard to read and is on the actual clear plastic at the very center of the disc.

I don't have your disc in front of me so I can't be sure, but LM43 is a master code that has been used on other discs, and I can't find any evidence of LM** even existing as a mould code - so based on that info, I believe LM43 is the master code and M5** is the mould code. But maybe the factory made a mistake or it's a bootleg or some other weird scenario, who knows. Where did you purchase it - Amazon, directly from Kino, ebay, somewhere else?

Yeah, when I look at the spot indicated for mould code in the picture of the first post of this thread, its the LM43. When I look really close to the hole, the color is a bit faded, and so maybe the mould code faded away? But I kinda doubt it because it would've needed to be VERY close to the center hole.

I bought from a third party on Amazon's marketplace. They accepted my return, so I'm not too upset. But I'm wondering if I should try to buy directly from Kino, or would I be risking the same issue. Will all discs from the same batch likely bronze? The UPC they have listed for the available release on their store is the same UPC as my defective one. What are the chances that the discs they have are all from the same defective batch? I don't know how bluray pressings work. Do they press them all at once, or do they just press batches over time based on demand?

I guess if I were lucky, someone else reading this would have a copy and be able to check before I try to buy another. or I can pray for Arrow to release this eventually.

Also, I sent Kino an email already just for good measure.