Complete List of DVD-Rot Known Titles? (1 Viewer)

[Michael Harris]

Dave:

I hope you find you FTETTM discs in order but the problem is real. If you do a search on the Studio Feedback section you will find an old thread discussing this and you will note that it is not player specific. I tried my bad discs on numerous players just to rule out a player problem. On disc one I can't switch from episode 2 to episode 3 and disc three is not even recognized when inserted into any of my players or DVD-ROM drives.

Again I believe that it was more of a manufacturing problem then the catch-all "DVD Rot" since I have a large number of first generation DVDs that show no problems at all.

 

[Dave Miller]

Oh, I have not doubt the problem is real and I would be very ticked off if it had ever happened to me. It's not like seven years later Best Buy is going to let us exchange these discs. My collection is well over 400 and I'm not thrilled about the prospect of that investment being ruined.

Again I believe that it was more of a manufacturing then the catch-all "DVD Rot" since I have a large number of first generation DVDs that show no problems at all.

Have any of you guys been able to pin down if the problem is "generation specific?"

Peace,

DM

 

[Andrew Bunk]

Jon,

I assume the Carlito's Way you mention is the original release and not last year's re-release?

Add Heathers SE to the list. The first batch was largely bad-Anchor Bay had a replacment program in place.

 

[Dan Rudolph]

Most first-generation DVDs were single-layer and thus not vulnerable to rot.

 

[GlennH]

It seems that the majority of these cases were earlier RSDL discs (1997-98) manufactured at the WAMO facility. However, the problem has continued to occur from time to time even on more recent pressings.

Don't get hung up on the term "DVD rot." Certainly it has nothing to do with the old "Laser rot" phenomenon. This is a layer separation issue. The layers of an RSDL disc are okay when first purchased but over time become separated, presumably due to a flaw during manufacturing. Often shows up as a disc that will play fine right up to or near the layer change where it will freeze, stutter, pixelize, whatever. To the end user, the result is an unusable disc, so it may as well be "rotted."

I have had this happen on maybe 5 or 6 discs out of over 500 I have owned. Warner has been good about replacing them, although it's a hassle to have to send them in and get a replacement. Disney only offered me the $10 replacement option for "Hunchback." So I think I will just wait for the inevitable Special Edition reissue on that one.

 

[Sam Davatchi]

Exactly, so it's not white noises appearing on DVD images like LD. If you see white noises on a DVD from time to time, there is no problem with it! Right? It's in the master.

 

[Mark Zimmer]

Right. Typically a DVD that has deteriorated won't play at all. With the case of Frankenstein Created Woman, The Witches and Heathers, it was bad lacquer that was being used by Crest National in the manufacturing process. Anchor Bay was replacing those, but since they've lost the rights to the first two and have been sold it's not clear to me whether they still will do so. But Heathers is till in print so I expect they'd honor an exchange.

Warner is much less willing to do any sort of exchange but it's worth a try.

 

[Jarod M]

My Vertigo DVD is also rotted. It won't play at all. I purchased it soon after it was first released-the orange cover version, back in the spring of 1998.

 

[Jon Moss]

Andrew,

I assume the Carlito's Way you mention is the original release and not last year's re-release?

Yeah it's the original non-anamorphic Universal release, ah well gives me a good reason to upgrade! Seems to be the luck of the draw though, my mate has the same version & his still plays perfectly..
My Region 2 version of Fox's The Big Blue (Version Longue) also breaks up on both my players when it gets past the 2nd layer :frowning:

 

[Jeff Ulmer]

I'd add How the West was Won to the list of discs that just up and died in my collection.

I did't have a problem with Contact, but The Postman and From the Earth to the Moon have rotted on me.

Both had visible degradation of the playing surface which looked almost like condensation under the plastic.

 

[Michael Harris]

It seems that the majority of these cases were earlier RSDL discs (1997-98) manufactured at the WAMO facility.

Glenn, you hit the nail perfectly on the head with you post. I was trying to remember the name of the facility and time frame. Thanks.

 

[Stacey]

Threes Company Season Two: failed right out of the box on disc 2 and 4, returned for replacement which did the same and went direct to Anchor Bay who replaced with no hassles.

Duran Duran - Arena (An Absurd Notion): Also failed right out of the box. Menu was fine, feature would not play at all. Had to replace throught manufacturer as well with no hassles.

I find it's the newer pressings I am having problems with and not any of my older titles or ones which are known to have problems (like Wicker Man).

 

[Joe Karlosi]

Typically a DVD that has deteriorated won't play at all. With the case of Frankenstein Created Woman, The Witches and Heathers, it was bad lacquer that was being used by Crest National in the manufacturing process. Anchor Bay was replacing those, but since they've lost the rights to the first two and have been sold it's not clear to me whether they still will do so.

I just wanted to advise people that the problem for FRANKENSTEIN CREATED WOMAN has not been corrected. I had a first disc that failed and Anchor Bay sent me a replacement that worked well a couple of times, but recently it, too has ceased to perform. The company has repackaged this disc as a new double feature, but my understanding is that this is not a brand new transfer, but just the same old original disc released with another film.

 

[Dan Rudolph]

My copy of Heathers won't play on most of my players (It starts freezing up near the middle). i suspect this is the reason. How do I get a replacement if they're still available??

 

[David McIntosh]

I see that Apollo 13 is mentioned in this thread. I was planning on buying that film, and so I was wondering, is the region 1 "Collector's Edition" that is currently on sale prone to rot in this manner?

Thanks.

 

[Jim_C]

Well, I can add my copy of Saving Private Ryan DTS to the list. I just threw it in today and had major problems at the end of the movie. Pixallation, freezing, and chapter jumping. This is the only disk I've had problems with but maybe I've been lucky so far. I sure hope that this is an isolated incident. I hate the thought that my disks could be rotting on the shelf. Yes, I know I'm over-reacting...

 

[Shawn_Sek]

i think i may have my first case of this. i just bought LET SLEEPING CORPSES LIE from Anchor Bay and when i pulled it from the case, there is a weird cloudy circle around the inner circle, and there was also a small sticky circle. there is nothing in the case that is small and circular so i dont know where this came from.

is this how these problem discs look? is this a known troubled disc?

thanks.

 

[Mikko Rasinkangas]

Not necessarily a case of "dvd rot", but my "Galaxy Quest" dvd doesn't work properly anymore: pixellating and stopping. It worked when I bought it. No scratches or visible deterioration on the disc.

 

[Joshua_W]

I just now discovered that my Howling SE has died.
About thirty minutes ago, I put it into my player (a five year-old Toshiba) on the "extras" side by accident, and that side seemed to play fine. I went ahead and watched a couple of items on it before changing it to the movie side.
I put it in and it played the MGM promo piece, and my screen went black like it was going to the menu and just froze there. My player was locked up and I couldn't eject the disc or even shut the power off. I had to unplug my player, plug it back in, and eject to retrieve the disc.
I tried this three times with the same results.
I've watched this DVD twice before with no problems, once when I purchased it last fall, and again about three months ago. I have not abused the DVD in any way.
Upon examining the DVD, I noticed something odd about it. On the playing surface of the movies, there are some strange markings on it. Around the center hub, it looks like there are number of concentric scratches on the surface, but whatever it is is apparently under the playing surface because I held it up to a light and the marks obviously weren't scratches. In a way, it almost looks similar to the discoloration that is common on a lot of discs, but not quite.
If anyone has this DVD, I suggest you check them now. This was a DVD-14 with the FF/PS movies on one side, and the features on the other, so it's very possible that MGM will drop the features in the future. So if you have a problem disc, check it now so you can replace it. Since this was a DVD-14 (RSDL on one side, SL on the other) there could be more problem discs out there.

 

[Mikko Rasinkangas]

If anyone has [The Howling] DVD, I suggest you check them now.

Checked. Works fine. Sony DVP-S715.