Show Us Your Scratches, A Thread of Damaged Discs

[MrGarmonbozia]

As you can see, most of these scratches are right on the edge of the disc.

Any thoughts on what exactly is causing it?

Seems to me it's how it's taken out of the machine or something but I have no clue what a Bluray making machine looks like.

[MrGarmonbozia]

Well, perhaps I do now...
Clearly not the plant in question, though:

[MrGarmonbozia]

Where it all began:

[MrGarmonbozia]

Well, now I'm heading into the manufacturing process rabbit hole. Interesting article about another plant: https://www.amusingplanet.com/2011/0...ing-plant.html

[zeze]

Most of my discs come scratched now. Universal, Paramount, Crunchyroll/Funimation, Viz, etc. It doesn't really seem to matter the studio (except for Sony and WB where I haven't gotten a scratched disc yet). The last disc I bought Jujutsu Kaisen Part 1 had 10 scratches on 1 disc alone.

I was originally exchanging the discs that came scratched but with the replacements also coming scratched it has become pointless, so I'm just watching them now and if there are no playback issues I am just keeping them. This might pose a problem later on when I have to buy a new player but there really is not an alternative now except for not buying the discs at all. Can't really do this with box sets though as I can't watch all of it before the return period is up so I just get a replacement and try to frankenstein a set together with the least amount of scratches.

With that said the problem is so widespread now that I have significantly cut back on the amount of movies I buy as it is fustrating spending so much money on these discs and most of them come scratched. I'm only buying must-buys now and anything I am on the fence about I will just not get it.

[Jobla]

I'm just not seeing scratches on my new discs. However, I am now checking them more closely than I have in the past. I'll mention any titles that appear scratched, if I receive a disc with scratches.

[Freeza]

Originally Posted by Jobla

Do we really believe that certain labels, such as Shout and Criterion, are getting more scratches than discs from other labels? I believe that there's only one replicator in the Americas, the one in Mexico. I have a hard time believing that certain labels are being targeted.

Are the discs packaged in the same location they're manufactured? Or are they pressed, stuck onto spindles and transported elsewhere for packaging? The latter would make more sense in regards to specific labels having worse issues with QC.

As someone who purchases a lot of discs (6713 according to the list here currently), and is a Criterion completist, I can say with certainty that Criterion is far and away the label I have the most issues with as far as scratched discs. And where they're concerned, by scratched discs I'm not talking light or barely noticeable scratches/scuffs/smudging, I'm finding a majority to look like this photo from MrGarmonbozia in post #3. Most scratches I find on other discs do not compare to the severity of those I encounter on a regular basis on Criterion discs. Just last night I watched Ratcatcher and After Life, and both discs had scratching practically identical to said photo (both played fine, but will they on other players? Years down the road?).

Originally Posted by MrGarmonbozia

[Freeza]

Originally Posted by zeze

Most of my discs come scratched now. Universal, Paramount, Crunchyroll/Funimation, Viz, etc. It doesn't really seem to matter the studio (except for Sony and WB where I haven't gotten a scratched disc yet). The last disc I bought Jujutsu Kaisen Part 1 had 10 scratches on 1 disc alone.

I was originally exchanging the discs that came scratched but with the replacements also coming scratched it has become pointless, so I'm just watching them now and if there are no playback issues I am just keeping them. This might pose a problem later on when I have to buy a new player but there really is not an alternative now except for not buying the discs at all. Can't really do this with box sets though as I can't watch all of it before the return period is up so I just get a replacement and try to frankenstein a set together with the least amount of scratches.

With that said the problem is so widespread now that I have significantly cut back on the amount of movies I buy as it is fustrating spending so much money on these discs and most of them come scratched. I'm only buying must-buys now and anything I am on the fence about I will just not get it.

Aside from the 'cutting back', this is almost exactly where I am right now. In the past I'd exchange, but now I watch and hope for the best.

[Freeza]

Originally Posted by Jobla

I'm just not seeing scratches on my new discs. However, I am now checking them more closely than I have in the past. I'll mention any titles that appear scratched, if I receive a disc with scratches.

Hold them near a light source then slowly rotate the angle. It's amazing how much scratching can be invisible to the naked eye without.

[a priori]

The scratched disks situation has definitely changed my purchasing patterns recently. Especially given how much easier it is to purchase imports with the advent of sellers like Orbit, Diabolik, Grindhouse, and Atomic, I'm buying far fewer U.S. releases.

My purchases so far in 2023 (number of disks):

Imports
Eureka (UK): 5
Curzon (UK): 9
NeoFilms (Hong Kong): 1
Third Window (UK): 1
Shochiku (Japan): 2
Network (UK): 1
BFI (UK): 12
Radiance (UK): 2
20th Century Fox (Japan): 1
Second Sight (UK): 6
Palace Films (Australia): 1
Indicator (UK): 1
Wicked Vision (Germany): 1
Studio Canal (France): 4

[Curzon (2 4K disks), were the only ones with scratches.]

U.S. Disks
Arbelos: 1
Lionsgate: 1
Warner: 1
Sony Classics: 1
Cohen/Kino Lorber: 4
Criterion: 0 [I used to buy a lot of Criterions]

[None had scratches.]

[meremortal]

Timely thread. Bought a blu at the thrift for $3 and forgot to take a look; it has several scratches.

[PGW]

Originally Posted by MrGarmonbozia

"To make matters easier for both of us, I will take some time to go over the sets in the coming months and, scratches or not, should the discs play I will be fine with it.

None of you should be.

Different players have different levels of tolerance for error. A scratched disc might play fine today on your current player... but will it play on your NEXT one?

Besides, as you say, we-the-consumers are buying new product BECAUSE it's new, and we deserve product in new condition. They have an obligation to give us what we're paying them for.

[MrGarmonbozia]

Originally Posted by PGW

None of you should be.

Oh, I agree but, as other posters have said, it's now become so tome consuming to return, replace, get more scratched discs, and repeat this process that we're actually keeping the damaged product if it plays.

I suppose the question here is, outside of no longer purchasing discs, what can we do about it when the labels like Criterion and Shout (two of the bigger culprits) reply that they will only replace for damage THEY consider to be significant when, really, ANY damage to product that is stated to be NEW should be replaced.

Personally, I do feel like there are grounds for a lawsuit but somebody with more time and money would probably be better served to launch such a thing.

Another poster in another thread mentioned given the plant bad Google reviews.

A frustrated friend of mine stated to take this to social media and tag the companies with the photos so more of the damage gets out publicly.

I guess my starting this thread is my first step in discussing this with other collectors to see just how big a problem it is or if I have the absolute worst luck with my purchases this last year or so.

To me, it is not streaming services that will have me finally turning away from many a year collecting physical media...it's this.

[MrGarmonbozia]

Well, with other posters mentioning possible freezes, etc. in other players, I popped the scratched Streetfighter disc in my usual player (I had tested it in the PS4 initially) and, sure enough, it freezes up not long into the film and on one of the special features.

I have written SHOUT to see if this is "significant" enough to merit a replacement.

Here is their policy that they initially directed me to regarding scratched/damaged discs:

Scratches bigger than ½ inch are grounds for a replacement (visual proof required). For discs with scratches smaller than ½ inch: we will replace the disc only if the customer confirms playback has been affected. Cosmetic scuffs that do not affect playback do not qualify for a return.

[Crispy Noodle]

Originally Posted by PGW

None of you should be.

Different players have different levels of tolerance for error. A scratched disc might play fine today on your current player... but will it play on your NEXT one?

Besides, as you say, we-the-consumers are buying new product BECAUSE it's new, and we deserve product in new condition. They have an obligation to give us what we're paying them for.

There's also the fact that the scratches kill any resell value. I don't sell many discs, but there have been blind buys that I flip. Scratches pretty much eliminate that option.

[MrGarmonbozia]

Originally Posted by Crispy Noodle

There's also the fact that the scratches kill any resell value. I don't sell many discs, but there have been blind buys that I flip. Scratches pretty much eliminate that option.

Exactly. There's a used media shop in town that will not touch smaller scratched discs, let alone some of these larger, Freddy Kruger looking ones.

[hallowdrew]

It's also great fun trying to juggle micro-angling the disc to highlight the scratch(es), getting the cell phone camera to focus on the scratches, and finding the perfect moment to take the photo....all at the same time. Scratches on a polished mirror-like surface ain't easy to photograph clearly (at least on my phone, they constantly waver between in-focus and out of focus), and the scratching is very often worse than the photo conveys.

Originally Posted by MrGarmonbozia

Well, with other posters mentioning possible freezes, etc. in other players, I popped the scratched Streetfighter disc in my usual player (I had tested it in the PS4 initially) and, sure enough, it freezes up not long into the film and on one of the special features.

I have written SHOUT to see if this is "significant" enough to merit a replacement.

Here is their policy that they initially directed me to regarding scratched/damaged discs:

Scratches bigger than ½ inch are grounds for a replacement (visual proof required). For discs with scratches smaller than ½ inch: we will replace the disc only if the customer confirms playback has been affected. Cosmetic scuffs that do not affect playback do not qualify for a return.

[toodeepuntilnow]

Some of the larger studio releases I’ve had minor problems with but almost everything from Scream has been problematic that I’m at a point where I don’t want to buy their stuff even though they release tons that I want. Luckily the recent site exclusives were fine. I just ordered a ton in their 4K sale so that should be interesting/infuriating.

VS did send me a replacement for Video Violence that was worse looking than the original but all the other boutiques have been good.

[MrGarmonbozia]

Originally Posted by hallowdrew

It's also great fun trying to juggle micro-angling the disc to highlight the scratch(es), getting the cell phone camera to focus on the scratches, and finding the perfect moment to take the photo....all at the same time. Scratches on a polished mirror-like surface ain't easy to photograph clearly (at least on my phone, they constantly waver between in-focus and out of focus), and the scratching is very often worse than the photo conveys.

Ha! I totally know the feeling. I've now received so many of these that I actually have a set up to best bring out the scratches. It's a desk lamp angled just write on a table cloth. I just leave it set up that way now figuring more scratched discs are coming.

What's even nuttier is I have heard SHOUT actually asked some people to make VIDEOS of their discs freezing. I mean, seriously...how many people are trying to take advantage of them to get a free Streetfighter disc vs how may discs are actually scratched and problematic?

[hallowdrew]

Yeah, when I first read about people mentioning SF requiring video of the movie freezing on their home screen I thought they were joking.