Faulty Discs?

[DaveSimonH]

Originally Posted by Eidolon

Its more manufacturing problems more than anything. I had a box set of Sapphire and Steel DVDs, where all but one of the discs suddenly went black. Never seen that before. Network replaced them for me and thankfully the replacements haven't had any problems.

True, my point was more saying if there was a bad batch/manufacturing fault, at that point how you stored it is irrelevant.

I've also had more than my share of dodgy discs on release, I've taken part in at least 5 separate disc replacement programs. Also had to return a 'Wrath of Khan' disc to a store, was sealed but had a deep scratch. Apparently scratched discs are a common issue now, for Shout Factory & Criterion releases in the US.

[GreatUncleBaal]

Originally Posted by the13thman

The criss-cross pattern from disc wallets will imprint on the playing surface of a Blu-ray so I would never keep them stored that way.

Been keeping discs like this for 20ish years now (I move country for work, irregularly)
all the problems I have had, have been discs in original boxes,
not one disc has criss crossed.

Babylon 5 dvd box set was a fault with the manufacturing plant,
Blues Brothers blu, was a faulty batch,
Lionsgate & EIV blus, where most copies have gone the same way.

[DaveSimonH]

Originally Posted by GreatUncleBaal

Been keeping discs like this for 20ish years now (I move country for work, irregularly)
all the problems I have had, have been discs in original boxes,
not one disc has criss crossed.

Babylon 5 dvd box set was a fault with the manufacturing plant,
Blues Brothers blu, was a faulty batch,
Lionsgate & EIV blus, where most copies have gone the same way.

Binder storage is probably OK if they are stored properly, ie vertically not horizontally. You don't want the weight of the discs potentially causing damage.
I think that was the issue with my disc, where the plastic flap part at the top edge of the disc panel, it seemed to press into the disc. I'd stored the binder horizontally and I think even was laying under a pile of clothes at one point...

All the other discs were fine though. It was all cheaper stuff from CeX & musicMagpie, but it would have been a shame if I had damaged them due to carelessness. Especially odd I did that, given I've always stored my DVD binders vertically.
After that experience though, I'll leave my binders to DVD only, especially as I find the solution fairly limiting (the 200+ disc binders especially).

[GreatUncleBaal]

Originally Posted by DaveSimonH

Binder storage is probably OK if they are stored properly, ie vertically not horizontally. You don't want the weight of the discs potentially causing damage.

Yeah, that was my initial thoughts, just in case.

[HotRats]

My copy of Crank 2 is as dead as everyone else's.

Also dead:

Unknown (Optimum, first version with DVD). Gave up about half hour in, no visible deterioration.

GBH (the Michael Palin series) DVD box. Dead halfway through the first episode, no visible deterioration.

[Simon_LDT]

Originally Posted by HotRats

My copy of Crank 2 is as dead as everyone else's.

Also dead:

Unknown (Optimum, first version with DVD). Gave up about half hour in, no visible deterioration.

GBH (the Michael Palin series) DVD box. Dead halfway through the first episode, no visible deterioration.

So now possibly Optimum releases are potentially rotting?

[oddbox83]

Yup. This week I found my 2011 Optimum Blu-ray of Man Who Fell to Earth has started to bronze. I initially thought I'd got it to read to make a back-up but there's an unreadable sector 1hr30 into the main movie. Two different drives wouldn't read it on multiple attempts with different software.

[Eidolon]

That's of concern for me, I have quite a few Optimism releases, such as Hardware, The Orphanage and some Ghibli stuff. Hoping that the ones I have are safe at least. My T2 Skynet Edition seems fine at the moment.

[oddbox83]

Originally Posted by Eidolon

That's of concern for me, I have quite a few Optimism releases, such as Hardware, The Orphanage and some Ghibli stuff. Hoping that the ones I have are safe at least. My T2 Skynet Edition seems fine at the moment.

I'm rather worried, mainly about my early Hammer Blu-rays from Optimum (then Studiocanal). It's just a few in a large collection, but I'd thought "rot" was largely a myth until I've found 3 Blu-rays and various DVDs on their way out in the past 6 months though.

My copy of Quatermass and the Pit was signed in person for me by Julian Glover, so it'd be double galling to find that bronzing, even if I'd have to hang onto it whatever!

Back-up is definitely gonna be happening for favourites.

[The Awful Dr Orloff]

I'm assuming the Optimum discs were made by the same factory that made the EIV ones.

[the13thman]

Originally Posted by The Awful Dr Orloff

I'm assuming the Optimum discs were made by the same factory that made the EIV ones.

Yes, I assume so too. Optimum discs are reportedly bronzing too, I recall Eden Lake being one.

Originally Posted by DaveSimonH

Apparently scratched discs are a common issue now, for Shout Factory & Criterion releases in the US.

They are a common issue for more than just those two. I am getting them in the UK, from Germany, Australia, almost everywhere.

[chip75]

The only ICON release that's gone so far with me is Shelter, it looks like an ex-rental and under the light you can see grooves like a record. Not sure if it was cleaned before I bought it.



Tried Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell in my PC, it's recognized unlike the other disc, but with Leawo it says it's the wrong region.

[Eidolon]

There's a faint bronzing to my Ponyo and Hardware by the looks of, but both seem ok regarding playback at this point.

[oddbox83]

Originally Posted by Eidolon

There's a faint bronzing to my Ponyo and Hardware by the looks of, but both seem ok regarding playback at this point.

Eeek.

Definitely look into back-up.

I should look at all my EIV/Optimum releases like I did my Warner DVDs but part of me is scared to. Thankfully, I haven't kept many EIV releases.

[Simon_LDT]

I've dug out my Optimum copy of 'Unknown' this morning and just doing a full backup now. I did watch it again recently-ish (at some point during Covid years) but I had already made an mkv backup file of the film only and can't remember now if I watched that or the actual disc.

The drive recognises the disc and has started copying so that's a good start.

The mould code on my copy is IFPI 949J. No idea if this is a first press but I do have the slipcover and DVD included so would assume it is.

[Simon_LDT]

My copy of 'Unknown' has backed up successfully so that one is still fine for now.

What are the mould codes for the dead EIV and Icon discs?

[Eidolon]

Originally Posted by oddbox83

Eeek.

Definitely look into back-up.

I should look at all my EIV/Optimum releases like I did my Warner DVDs but part of me is scared to. Thankfully, I haven't kept many EIV releases.

Which Warner dvds have problems? I think I recall something about a Region1 Popeye cartoon sets dying from disc rot a few years ago.

[oddbox83]

Originally Posted by Eidolon

Which Warner dvds have problems? I think I recall something about a Region1 Popeye cartoon sets dying from disc rot a few years ago.

Any US releases produced at a certain Cinram plant up until c.2010. I can't recall which off the top of my head. Of the big studios, Fox also used this plant. Seems to be mainly, but not exclusively, TV shows and box sets. The DVD discs in my Bladerunner briefcase set were totally unreadable late last year. Those had obvious black clouding, a little different looking to Blu-ray bronzing.

[Eidolon]

Originally Posted by oddbox83

Any US releases produced at a certain Cinram plant up until c.2010. I can't recall which off the top of my head. Of the big studios, Fox also used this plant. Seems to be mainly, but not exclusively, TV shows and box sets. The DVD discs in my Bladerunner briefcase set were totally unreadable late last year. Those had obvious black clouding, a little different looking to Blu-ray bronzing.

I've found a list online, and some codenumbers around the disc centre to look out for.
I thankfully don't have many if the discs on the list, but all the ones I do have don't carry said numbers, and all but one I checked seemed to skip through fine.
Only one I had any issues with is Broadway Melody of 1936, where one of my machines couldn't play the bonus features, and stopped on the film about half way through, which would hint at a later related issue.
Saying that it works perfectly fine on the other machine I checked it in, so maybe it's just one of those player quirk things, it wouldn't be the first one.

[CrockettandTubbs]

Two films i bought in Oxfam will be watched quickly, then.

Forgot about this - it was Book of Eli (EiV) and Defiance (Momentum). They were only 99p each, so...

(Thanks to Ste7en for reminding me of this thread )