Warner DVD's not working thread - watch to make sure they still play (3 Viewers)

[jcroy]

Did you check to see if it's from the factory that produced the problem discs? I never had a problem with that one either until a month ago. I have multiple players and it wouldn't work on any of them and it started in the same spot so clearly a defect. Same with It Happened on 5th Avenue which is from that same factory with the IPFI 2U code.

Some copies of The Shoes Of The Fisherman have French subtitles for Canada. Do you have that version?

(On a more general tangent, as a long offtopic rant).

The Technicolor (formerly Cinram) plant at Olyphant, PA with IFPI 2U** mould code, was also pumping out crappy audio cd discs. Not just Warner mid->late 2000s era dvds.

There is a list of just about every audio cd disc manufactured with IFPI 2U** at discogs, where they obsessively document everything.

https://www.discogs.com/label/479093-Cinram-Olyphant-PA?sort=year&sort_order=desc&page=1

Anecdotally, my copies of David Bowie's "Lets Dance" and Metallica's "And Justice For All" had IFPI 2U** where it was obvious they were not manufactured very well. Lousy manufactured cd discs will only rip properly (in secure modes on the EAC ripper) at a slower speed. (I picked up these two titles around 7-8 years ago at wallymart from the $5 dump bins).

So over the past 5 years or so, I've been picking up old discarded cds at thrift shops or used record stores, of older pressings of cds I currently own which have IFPI 2U**. I'll only pick up newer pressings if I can determine that they were manufactured by Technicolor Mexico (IFPI KK**), Sony Austria (IFPI 94**) or BMG/Arvato Germany (IFPI 07**).

I actively avoid dvds/blurays which are manufactured by Optimal Media GmbH Germany (IFPI 97**), such as the Beatles deluxe re-releases over the past 7-8 years. They're just as bad as IFPI 2U** straight out of the package.

https://www.discogs.com/label/313190-Optimal-Media-GmbH?sort=year&sort_order=desc

 

[jcroy]

Does anyone know if the effected DVD plants, that caused these DVD failures, were used for overseas releases too? just wondering if buying older DVD releases from Europe or Australia is better option.

It appears each of Technicolor's disc pressing plants, were all run independently of one another. The IFPI 2U** plant (in Olyphant, Pennsylvania) which was pumping out all those defective cd and dvd discs, no longer exists.


A lot of equipment from the Olyphant plant was auctioned off in 2018. Currently unknown where all that equipment went to.

Technicolor unloads thousands of items at auction

OLYPHANT — Myron Bowling babbled from his rolling auctioneer's perch, nodding knowingly to the keen-eyed buyers crowded below him who gestured subtly to bid.

www.thetimes-tribune.com

The actual pressing plant building went under the demolition wrecking ball in 2020.

Demolition underway at old Specialty Records facility

The building that housed one of the largest employers in Lackawanna County is being torn down to be replaced with something new.

www.wnep.com

 

[cronosmantas]

 

[Robbie^Blackmon]

Maybe I've asked before but what is a reliable email address to inquire about the impossibility of replacement discs? I've just scooped up a handful that no longer work as I check thru the WB titles in my collection. Surprisingly, my only emotion is being a bit miffed-- not thoroughly enraged.

I think I'm becoming an adult? Lulz!!

 

[Jeff Fearnside]

Maybe I've asked before but what is a reliable email address to inquire about the impossibility of replacement discs? I've just scooped up a handful that no longer work as I check thru the WB titles in my collection.

Were you being intentionally ironical in asking about the "impossibility" of replacements, or was it a Freudian slip?

Anyway, my guess is that we're stuck with these and can only hope they get released on Blu-ray or 4K UHD-BD someday sooner than later.

 

[Robbie^Blackmon]

Were you being intentionally ironical in asking about the "impossibility" of replacements, or was it a Freudian slip?

Anyway, my guess is that we're stuck with these and can only hope they get released on Blu-ray or 4K UHD-BD someday sooner than later.

Snarky is the term, I think but, yeah. I've read a few unverifiable reports of folks who have had great success getting discs replaced-- pretty common titles, a few single discs from previously box-only sets and some titles now available only on dvdr from The Archive.

I've attempted to contact the WB with a basic email, but I'm not holding my breath on a response. It's just that the whole disc failure issue is such a thing, currently, I don't want to miss out if there's any chance of replacing some of these expensive sets that I've had for quite a while.

One of the faulty (Fawlty?!!) sets was, of course, Animaniacs Vol. 2 which had been in shrink since I got it last of the 3 and never had time to even watch. Until now. And I just opened it a while ago. And it won't play. All discs are FUBAR. And, now I can't watch!

I've got stacks of others, like Keeping Up Appearances, WB Comedy Teams box set and such that have discs where layer 2 has gone bad. But now I'm holding complete sets that won't play and won't do that "thing-that-we're-not-supposed-to-discuss-here", either.

I think I have as much chance of getting any disc replaced as, say, getting the right order at drive-thru, but there's always a chance.

 

[Robbie^Blackmon]

Nevah mind. We're on it. Got in contact with Customer Service and they're going to see which titles (the ones I have a receipt/invoice for) can be replaced.

Pretty fast service with a near-immediate response. I don't expect the constellations to shift or anything, but at least they're willing to make good wherever possible. Big plus!

 

[Jeff Fearnside]

Snarky is the term, I think but, yeah. I've read a few unverifiable reports of folks who have had great success getting discs replaced-- pretty common titles, a few single discs from previously box-only sets and some titles now available only on dvdr from The Archive.

I wasn't trying for snarky--sorry it came across that way. I actually appreciate your posts more than you know, as I, too, have suffered from failed discs. It's good to know there may be hope in getting these replaced outside of the long-shot of them being upgraded. My only experience with trying this was with Val Lewton's The Ghost Ship (1943), not the DVD but the incorrectly mastered Blu-ray with the missing rotoscoped moth. I even sent them the UPC code and a picture of the cover. Instead--twice!--I received a copy of Ghost Ship (2002). Oh, well. I ended up buying the correct version of what I wanted from Warner Archive UK.

 

[Jack P]

My first Warner DVD to go bad on me. "Executive Suite." A regular Warner release from about a decade ago (not Warner Archive). When I got a replacement from Amazon I noticed it was a DVD-R of the Warner Archive variety.

 

[Robin9]

My first Warner DVD to go bad on me. "Executive Suite." A regular Warner release from about a decade ago (not Warner Archive). When I got a replacement from Amazon I noticed it was a DVD-R of the Warner Archive variety.

Oh dear. I like that film a lot and I'd be very sorry to have my DVD go bad. I'll watch it again in the next few days.

 

[Robbie^Blackmon]

I wasn't trying for snarky--sorry it came across that way. I actually appreciate your posts more than you know, as I, too, have suffered from failed discs. It's good to know there may be hope in getting these replaced outside of the long-shot of them being upgraded. My only experience with trying this was with Val Lewton's The Ghost Ship (1943), not the DVD but the incorrectly mastered Blu-ray with the missing rotoscoped moth. I even sent them the UPC code and a picture of the cover. Instead--twice!--I received a copy of Ghost Ship (2002). Oh, well. I ended up buying the correct version of what I wanted from Warner Archive UK.

Nah, I didn't use that as a swipe at you, only I was explaining my use of "impossibility" in context.
Below are my titles I have laboriously inventoried, photographed, documented and checked so far (the most frustrating ones?) and, did you know?: Amazon selectively removes old invoices? I've got a history that only goes back to 2001, but I bought things prior to that and also had orders archived. Guess what? There are no orders archived anymore! How convenient?!!

I have pages of order summaries that, at the bottom, it says "Page 1 of 6" or whatever, but for one year there's only 1 order left on the page. I think they do this for complete sets available for streaming so that people who bought complete sets back in the day have no "claim" to access the streaming version. Like, no, "I paid for this already, so I should be able to watch it on your server" thing.

Classic Comedy Teams Collection, dvd (Abbott & Costello disc works!)
012569831490
Gold Raiders/Meet the Baron, dvd (single disc, original purchase before box set. Found to be defective during my recent search.)
012569837812
Flintstones Complete Series, dvd (The one that looks like a stone television)
883929276264
Tiny Toons, Series 1, Vol 2, dvd
883929005529
Tiny Toons Vol 3, dvd
883929254835
Tiny Toons Vol 4, dvd
883929254866
Flying Down to Rio, Single Release, dvd
053939756821
TCM Laurel & Hardy 2-Film Collection, dvd
012569678880
Tex Avery’s Droopy, dvd
012569793231
Pinky and the Brain Vol 1, dvd
012569405028
Pinky and the Brain Vol 2, dvd
012569824638
Pinky and the Brain Vol 3, dvd
085391122449
Pinky, Elmyra and the Brain, dvd
883929339952
Animaniacs Vol 1, dvd
012569404922
Animaniacs Vol 2,dvd
012569824621
Animaniacs Vol 4, dvd
085391136194

Discs for which I conveniently have no receipt:
Animaniacs Vol 3, dvd
085391122432
Austin Powers in Goldmember – InfiniFilm, dvd
794043607820
F-Troop The Complete First Season, dvd
012569807747
F-Troop The Complete Second Season, dvd
085391130307
Looney Tunes Golden Collection Vol 1, dvd
085392791828
Looney Tunes Golden Collection Vol 2, dvd
085393128425
Looney Tunes Golden Collection Vol 3, dvd
012569688902
Looney Tunes Golden Collection Vol 4, dvd
012569802728
Looney Tunes Golden Collection Vol 5, dvd
085391121725
Looney Tunes Golden Collection Vol 6, dvd
085391178712
Keeping Up Appearances: The Full Bouquet 8 dvd box set
794051202529
Keeping Up Appearances: Hats Off to Hyacinth, dvd (2 dead replacements)
794051195128
(2 separately purchased copies of disc 8 from the set bought to be replacements which were also bad. With 3 discs in hand, 1 will not play, the other 2 will not play the video on the second layer. 6 of the 8 discs in the set will either not play or will not play the second layer.)
Tiny Toons, Season 1 Vol 1, dvd
085391171867
Tom & Jerry Spotlight Collection 1, dvd
012569587823
Tom & Jerry Spotlight Collection 2, dvd
02569673243
Tom & Jerry Spotlight Collection 3, dvd
012569797253

 

[TheSteig]

My first Warner DVD to go bad on me. "Executive Suite." A regular Warner release from about a decade ago (not Warner Archive). When I got a replacement from Amazon I noticed it was a DVD-R of the Warner Archive variety.

That movie also crapped out on me years ago, so far there is a DVDr but a Blu-ray of the movie would be much more appreciative !

 

[cronosmantas]

Most of the seasons of The West Wing are dead, especially season 6 and 7

 

[jcroy]

Most of the seasons of The West Wing are dead, especially season 6 and 7

I gather these are the individual season 6 and 7 sets manufactured before 2010 ?

My copy of the West Wing is a complete series set in a special "briefcase" packaging, which I purchased around a decade ago. These discs were all IFPI KK** (ie. Technicolor Mexico), where each disc was labeled sequentially from 1 to 45.

I discussed this briefly almost a decade ago in another thread on here.

Universal Studios & Warner Brothers Reissued DVD Sets

wal-mart will carry anything. still hoping for season 1 of black sheep squadron, kojak, airwolf, the two v movies and subsequent series.

www.hometheaterforum.com

 

[cronosmantas]

I gather these are the individual season 6 and 7 sets manufactured before 2010 ?

My copy of the West Wing is a complete series set in a special "briefcase" packaging, which I purchased around a decade ago. These discs were all IFPI KK** (ie. Technicolor Mexico), where each disc was labeled sequentially from 1 to 45.

I discussed this briefly almost a decade ago in another thread on here.

Universal Studios & Warner Brothers Reissued DVD Sets

wal-mart will carry anything. still hoping for season 1 of black sheep squadron, kojak, airwolf, the two v movies and subsequent series.

www.hometheaterforum.com

Yep, the individual seasons manufactured before 2010.

 

[cronosmantas]

All the seasons of the TV series Entourage. Disc rot to the max​

 

[Jesse Skeen]

They really should just replace any defective or rotted title that gets sent to them, even if it’s out of print they should still have the disc images available to make more. This is just a ridiculous situation, and from the company that promoted DVD from the start also.

 

[cronosmantas]

Matrix Box Set - Discs are Dead