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

[wormraper]

Originally Posted by SlipcoverLover

So they're "rushing" these discs that were probably rushed in the first place?

never said they were rushing the discs. they're a small company about the size of scream factory.. they've probably been going crazy trying to track down the responsible discs and are inundated with hundreds of emails regarding it and this just happened Friday.

[Nage]

from what is said should we wait to send in our wellgo disc or just send it?

[BobbyMcGee]

Little by little I am working my way through my Criterion collection. Here are the results so far:

A few notes first,

- By "IFPI", I mean the code found on the clear inner ring (Mould). Used a magnifying glass but they were still difficult to read so please excuse any mistakes.

- By "inner ring", I mean the ring that typically appears white. Is this white stuff a sealant of some sort? I noticed that many of the Criterion Blu-rays I looked at, this white ring appeared uneven (if it wasn't bronzed), like looking at a crescent moon.

- Decided to do a quick chapter skip test, to find any readily apparent issues. I found a few and noted them below, still need to do a VSO check on each disc.

- Provided a picture for some. Others were too hard to capture with my smartphone's camera.


8 ½:
No Bronzing
No issues with chapter skip
IFPI: OWXI

Bigger Than Life:
Bronzing on inner ring
No issues with chapter skip
IFPI: 10K6
Picture:

[Show spoiler]

Che:
No bronzing
No issues with chapter skip
IFPI: OWXT (Pt. 1) and OWYD (Pt. 2)

Days Of Heaven:
Bronzing on inner ring
No issues with chapter skip
IFPI: 10K7

Howard’s End:
Bronzing on outer ring
Stops working at chapter 21
IFPI: 10K7
Picture:

[Show spoiler]

In The Realm Of The Senses:
No bronzing
No issues with chapter skip
IFPI: OWY9

Gomorrah:
Bronzing on inner ring
No issues with chapter skip
IFPI: 10K7

Kagemusha:
No bronzing
No issues with chapter skip
IFPI: OWY9

M:
Bronzing on inner and outer ring
Does not work at chapter 1
IFPI: 10K7
Picture:

[Show spoiler]

Monsoon Wedding:
Bronzing on inner and outer ring
Stops working at chapter 15, skips to end of film credits
IFPI: 10K7

A Night To Remember:
No bronzing
No issues with chapter skip
IFPI: OW2L

Paris, Texas:
Bronzing on inner and outer ring
No issues with chapter skip
IFPI: 10K7

Pierrot Le Fou:
No Bronzing
No issues with chapter skip
IFPI: 10K6

Seventh Seal:
Bronzing on inner ring
No issues with chapter skip
IFPI: 10K6

Stagecoach:
Bronzing on inner and outer ring
No issues with chapter skip on main feature or Bucking Broadway
IFPI: 10K6

Vivre Sa Vie:
No bronzing
No issues with chapter skip
IFPI: OWY9

Sanjuro:
No bronzing
No issues with chapter skip
IFPI: OWYJ

Yojimbo:
No bronzing
No issues with chapter skip
IFPI: OWXT
NOTE: Noticed an odd abnormality beginning at chapter 8. The man sweeping with a broom, his back looks pixelated. See pic.
Pic:

[Show spoiler]

Need to replace the following:

- In red, not on Criterion's official list.

1. Bigger Than life (Bronzing / 10K6)
2. Days Of Heaven (Bronzing / 10K7)
3. Howard's End (Bronzing / 10K7 / Playback issues)
4. Gomorrah (Bronzing / 10K7)
5. M (Bronzing / 10K7 / Playback issues)
6. Monsoon Wedding (Bronzing / 10K7 / Playback issues)
7. Paris, Texas (Bronzing / 10K7)
8. Pierrot Le fou (10K6)
9. Seventh Seal (Bronzng / 10K6)
10. Stagecoach (Bronzing / 10K6)

[jscoggins]

Originally Posted by BobbyMcGee

- In red, not on Criterion's official list.

1. Bigger Than life (Bronzing / 10K6)
2. Days Of Heaven (Bronzing / 10K7)
3. Howard's End (Bronzing / 10K7 / Playback issues)
4. Gomorrah (Bronzing / 10K7)
5. M (Bronzing / 10K7 / Playback issues)
6. Monsoon Wedding (Bronzing / 10K7 / Playback issues)
7. Paris, Texas (Bronzing / 10K7)
8. Pierrot Le fou (10K6)
9. Seventh Seal (Bronzng / 10K6)
10. Stagecoach (Bronzing / 10K6)

Really great work, BobbyMcGee. Thanks for confirming that the 10K6/10K7 discs are the bad ones.

[BobbyMcGee]

Originally Posted by jscoggins

Really great work, BobbyMcGee. Thanks for confirming that the 10K6/10K7 discs are the bad ones.

No prob. Thanks for taking charge of this here on this message board. Its been a great help to me.

[wormraper]

Where the hell do you find the 10K codes? All I can find are the LB and L0 codes

[jscoggins]

Originally Posted by wormraper

Where the hell do you find the 10K codes? All I can find are the LB and L0 codes

These are the smallest. They're usually printed on the disc art side on the plastic rings. Since they're not reflective, they won't catch the light or your attn. You really have to look for them.

[Lino11]

Anyone other than Freeza find it hilarious that Well Go copied and pasted Criterion's exact exchange program announcement? It's pretty much word for word, wtf??

[wormraper]

Originally Posted by jscoggins

These are the smallest. They're usually printed on the disc art side on the plastic rings. Since they're not reflective, they won't catch the light or your attn. You really have to look for them.

Ahhh. The top side huh? No wonder I missed them. Time to bring out the magnifying glass again

[tedopolous]

Originally Posted by Lino11

Anyone other than Freeza find it hilarious that Well Go copied and pasted Criterion's exact exchange program announcement? It's pretty much word for word, wtf??

Yeah, which is why I'm taking some of Well Go USA's "info" with a grain of salt, like "All of these titles have since been re-pressed at a different pressing plant" is likely not correct.

[fdm]

Originally Posted by BobbyMcGee

Yojimbo:
No bronzing
No issues with chapter skip
IFPI: OWXT
NOTE: Noticed an odd abnormality beginning at chapter 8. The man sweeping with a broom, his back looks pixelated. See pic.
Pic:

[Show spoiler]

I've seen something like that once (or twice?) on blu-ray, think it may have been one of the Zatoichis, I recall there were some venetian blinds behind the person too... Maybe Criterion needs to fix their venetian blind encoding software.

[kuro_sawa]

This thread is so confusing so I am just going to post and ask - are you guys sending your discs in?

I just saw the post at criterion.com. Has anyone gotten a disc back? Should I send in a disc not on the list?

[jw007]

Originally Posted by PGW

I don't want to ruin your day but... give it time. Until now it's been sealed and airtight and it makes sense the disc wouldn't oxidize. Now that it's exposed to air, however...

Originally Posted by jayembee

Hate to break this to you, but the shrink-wrap and the case are not at all airtight. Plus, there's air inside the case to begin with (the packages aren't assembled in a vacuum). If the coating is vulnerable, then the data surface is oxidizing right from the get go. The same thing happened with laserdiscs: some new, sealed LDs had laser rot right out of the sleeve.

Thanks jayembee for clarifying this. I was actually concerned for about 1.93 seconds that oxidation would occur upon opening the wrap.

[jscoggins]

Yeah, shrinkwrap isn't airtight. During the past two weeks, people have been opening shrinkwrapped Criterions/Well Gos and finding bronzed discs.

Originally Posted by kuro_sawa

This thread is so confusing so I am just going to post and ask - are you guys sending your discs in?

I just saw the post at criterion.com. Has anyone gotten a disc back? Should I send in a disc not on the list?

Do not send anything w/o first hearing back that they will actually exchange/replace it. Otherwise, the company (Criterion, Well Go, anyone in the world) has plausible deniability.

[joie]

Originally Posted by kuro_sawa

This thread is so confusing so I am just going to post and ask - are you guys sending your discs in?

I just saw the post at criterion.com. Has anyone gotten a disc back? Should I send in a disc not on the list?

I sent 8 1/2 after receiving a reply to my email describing the bronzing,
playability issue and asking for a replacement. The reply told me to be sure to include a return address with the returned disc, so I got the impression they'd send a replacement.

p.s. I wouldn't send one back without them asking for it back.

[Lino11]

Whoa, wait... what do you guys mean, wait for a reply from them before you send your discs in?

The announcement specifically said do not email us, just send it in with a return address.

I mean, the OOP discs and discs not mentioned as the initial 7 is another story... but why wait for an answer, I'd assume they're not likely to answer you at all if you're just regurgitating their announcement. Or it might be weeks before they answer you.


Well, I sent in three discs: Walkabout, M, and 7th Seal.

[rdodolak]

Originally Posted by wormraper

just got this from Well Go USA

Other than the titles, address, and a few select word changes did WellGo just copy Criterion's email word for word?

[zeze]

Originally Posted by wormraper

just got this from Well Go USA

Thats all the titles? What about Blood and Triple Dog?

[jscoggins]

You guys want to add plagiarism to the list of complaints?

[AUS1969]

Why not make this a sticky?