Warner DVD's not working thread - watch to make sure they still play (2 Viewers)

[Arthur Powell]

This may have been posted before, so I apologize if this question has been answered before, but there are 34 pages to go through.

Anyhow, I'm just starting to pull my head out of the sand and start looking for problem DVDs that I own. Thanks for the lists of problematic DVDs and DVD sets. I already concur with the Astaire/Rogers set and the first Esther Williams set.

My question is, is there an easy and quick way to determine whether your discs are bad? I've been FF'ing through at 5x speed and think I've caught the problems. But maybe not? But that still takes a while. Is there a way to scan them on a PC and get an immediate answer? Will scanning faster (6x or more) reveal problems or just skip over them?

Any advice or help in this matter would be greatly appreciated.

What I've noticed is that on the data side you will often see some "funkiness." What I mean by that is that there could be some purple or coffee-brownish discoloration and/or swirls. Also you can have some black pin dots all over the surfaces, and in other cases patches of the disc become nearly transparent as if something is eating up the disc. So, do a visual inspection. I haven't seen too many people comment on this so your mileage may vary.

Another way is to go to some point during the latter part of the film. With the dual layer discs, it seems like the second layer decays long before the first. You will find quite a few observations along the line in this thread that someone will start watching a film, it plays well at first, but at some point during the mid-point the playback starts stuttering, pixelating, freezing, etc. So, try to play a scene during the latter part of the film. If the disc has rotted, you'll likely have issues doing so.

 

[jayembee]

My question is, is there an easy and quick way to determine whether your discs are bad? I've been FF'ing through at 5x speed and think I've caught the problems. But maybe not? But that still takes a while. Is there a way to scan them on a PC and get an immediate answer? Will scanning faster (6x or more) reveal problems or just skip over them?

There's a free application called VSO Inspector that I've used in the past to catch problems with Criterion blu-rays that had the "bronzing" problem.

I make an attempt to do a simple check for errors of every disc I buy, as I might not get to watching it for a while, and I want to catch problems while I can still return a problem disc for replacement. Instead of speeding through the disc, I chapter-skip through it. I've found that if there's a data error, the chapter-skip will freeze trying to get past it. If it does, I'll pop out the disc, look at the data side to see if there are any noticible flaws like scratches or air bubbles that would account for it. If not, I will wipe it (always center-out) with a micro-fiber cloth in case there's some schmutz that's hanging it. I would say more often than not, it plays OK after that.

 

[Steve Armbrust]

What I've noticed is that on the data side you will often see some "funkiness." What I mean by that is that there could be some purple or coffee-brownish discoloration and/or swirls. Also you can have some black pin dots all over the surfaces, and in other cases patches of the disc become nearly transparent as if something is eating up the disc. So, do a visual inspection. I haven't seen too many people comment on this so your mileage may vary.

Another way is to go to some point during the latter part of the film. With the dual layer discs, it seems like the second layer decays long before the first. You will find quite a few observations along the line in this thread that someone will start watching a film, it plays well at first, but at some point during the mid-point the playback starts stuttering, pixelating, freezing, etc. So, try to play a scene during the latter part of the film. If the disc has rotted, you'll likely have issues doing so.

Thanks. So far all the errors I've seen have been later in the disks, at least an hour or so into the movies. So that seems to match the second-layer theory. I haven't seen any physical distortions (colors or dots) on the data sides of the disks, but perhaps that's because I just don't recognize them (or my eyesight is bad).

 

[jcroy]

If you have the patience to extract the entire dvd or bluray disc's iso, one can use a ripping program. Such programs essentially reads every sector sequentially on a disc and dumps all the data into a separate file.

I still use the old Dvd Decrypter for checking dvd discs. (It has not been updated since 2005).

I use isopuzzle for checking bluray discs, and occasionally for dvd discs.

If there's reading problems with a dvd or bluray disc, these programs will try to re-read the problematic sectors until either it's correctly read or it gives up.

 

[Steve Armbrust]

There's a free application called VSO Inspector that I've used in the past to catch problems with Criterion blu-rays that had the "bronzing" problem.

I make an attempt to do a simple check for errors of every disc I buy, as I might not get to watching it for a while, and I want to catch problems while I can still return a problem disc for replacement. Instead of speeding through the disc, I chapter-skip through it. I've found that if there's a data error, the chapter-skip will freeze trying to get past it. If it does, I'll pop out the disc, look at the data side to see if there are any noticible flaws like scratches or air bubbles that would account for it. If not, I will wipe it (always center-out) with a micro-fiber cloth in case there's some schmutz that's hanging it. I would say more often than not, it plays OK after that.

Thanks for the tip about VSO inspector. I tested that program on a couple of disks that I had already had problems with, and it did identify bad sectors and files. However, at least on my relatively old PC, it takes a lot longer to run that program than it does to just fast-forward through it while watching. I've tried doing just a surface scan, and then just a file test, both seem to identify the problems. But both take a long time. (On Bathing Beauty, it took the program 14 minutes to identify a bad file.) Though I guess the problem still could be that a 5x FF might skip over bad areas without noticing them, whereas a program like VSO inspector wouldn't. I don't know enough about this technology to know if that's a possibility.

 

[jcroy]

From what I was able figure out about vsoinspector, it counts how many reads or re-reads it has to perform on a sector. Basically the visual picture is a tally of how many read error messages it gets for each sector it reads/re-reads.

 

[cdirks]

Thanks for the tip about VSO inspector. I tested that program on a couple of disks that I had already had problems with, and it did identify bad sectors and files. However, at least on my relatively old PC, it takes a lot longer to run that program than it does to just fast-forward through it while watching. I've tried doing just a surface scan, and then just a file test, both seem to identify the problems. But both take a long time. (On Bathing Beauty, it took the program 14 minutes to identify a bad file.) Though I guess the problem still could be that a 5x FF might skip over bad areas without noticing them, whereas a program like VSO inspector wouldn't. I don't know enough about this technology to know if that's a possibility.

As I said in my long exploration of the issue of defective WHV DVDs (predominantly occurring in DVDs manufactured from 2006-08), I used DVDInfoPro (a PC program) to scan through for read errors if another program (AnyDVD) didn't first immediately find read errors. AnyDVD will find "major" issues almost immediately (usually loading issues though it does catch double-layer issues most of the time); DVDInfoPro takes from 5-10 minutes to do a full scan. If the problem is located at the double-layer, it will show up if viewing/fast-forwarding the DVD at the 1 hour 40 minute mark. Sometimes you can find the problem by first selecting "special features" and see if they all load, then select the film/feature. A double-layer issue will sometimes be indicated if when you select the "special features", it starts playing the main film. Fast-forwarding every DVD to find issues is not always fool-proof - AND it will probably wear out your DVD player faster than normal. Hope this helps.

 

[cda1143]

There's a free application called VSO Inspector that I've used in the past to catch problems with Criterion blu-rays that had the "bronzing" problem.

First I’ve heard of this Criterion problem. Care to elaborate?

Thanks

 

[jcroy]

First I’ve heard of this Criterion problem. Care to elaborate?

Thanks

This happened around a decade ago. IIRC, criterion did a recall program for most of the affected discs around that time.

These were bluray discs manufactured by Sonopress. This particular disc manufacturing facility in North Carolina closed down already and is no longer in operation (since 2015).

Arvato closing CD/DVD operation, 120 jobs lost

Arvato Digital Services, a compact disc and DVD maker, will close, affecting 120 workers.

www.citizen-times.com

 

[jcroy]

Fast-forwarding every DVD to find issues is not always fool-proof - AND it will probably wear out your DVD player faster than normal. Hope this helps.

A computer dvd drive is a more appropriate tool for doing a systematic sequential checking of sectors on a dvd disc, than a standalone dvd/bluray player. The former seems to be designed for "punishment" of that type.

 

[jcroy]

The easiest quick-and-dirty way of checking if there's problems around the layer-change of a dvd disc, is to just copy the *.vob file which overlaps the layer-change region sectors using a program like Dvd Decrypter. It only takes 15-20 seconds or so to do this, once you know which *.vob file it is.

 

[jcroy]

If there are problems around the layer-change, the copying process will choke. Dvd Decrypter will attempt to re-read the sectors, until either it gives up or you stop the copying process manually.

 

[jayembee]

First I’ve heard of this Criterion problem. Care to elaborate?

Thanks

https://www.hometheaterforum.com/community/threads/problem-with-criterion-blu-rays.334902/#post-4149772

 

[cda1143]

https://www.hometheaterforum.com/community/threads/problem-with-criterion-blu-rays.334902/#post-4149772

Thanks so much. I had no idea. Reading through all this now. I own many of these discs.

 

[cda1143]

This happened around a decade ago. IIRC, criterion did a recall program for most of the affected discs around that time.

These were bluray discs manufactured by Sonopress. This particular disc manufacturing facility in North Carolina closed down already and is no longer in operation (since 2015).....

Thanks so much. This is all news to me. I own many of these discs. Do you know if Criterion is still replacing them?

 

[jcroy]

Do you know if Criterion is still replacing them?

No idea.

 

[jayembee]

Thanks so much. This is all news to me. I own many of these discs. Do you know if Criterion is still replacing them?

Yes, they are. Criterion has always offered replacements for defective disks. Well, I don't think they're still replacing any defective laserdiscs...

In fact, I'd been dragging my feet about replacing two BDs -- one was an audio issue on the Kieślowski film White, the other with Kagemusha being unplayable. A few months ago, I contacted Jon Mulaney at Criterion about them after I'd ordered some discs from them, and one of them arrived damaged. I also mentioned the other discs, and he replied: "Please note that we are taking precautions to help delay the spread of COVID-19 Virus and out staff are now working remotely. This means that if a disc is sent in, a replacement may not be processed for at least the next month or possibly longer. If you would prefer to wait and send in your discs at a later date, we will still honor the exchange." True to my tendency toward procrastination, I've not yet sent them in.

Anyway, contacting Jon ([email protected]) about any problem discs is the first step.

 

[Mike Frezon]

But I can speak from personal experience that they are not turning around replacements as quickly as in the past (all because of COVID).

Anyway, contacting Jon ([email protected]) about any problem discs is the first step.

Agreed.

 

[Steve Armbrust]

Well, I went through most of the WB discs that I own that were manufactured during the 2006-2008 time frame, and unfortunately I have a lot of problem discs. I'll list them here for anyone who hasn't yet checked their own sets. I also sent off a note to Sherri at WB, and I've got my fingers crossed, hoping for her help.

These are the discs that don't play and the sets they are part of:

Astaire and Rogers set (I purchased part 1 first, then part 2 with the updated packaging)
Flying Down to Rio
Story of Vernon and Irene Castle

Esther Williams, Vol. 1
Bathing Beauty
Neptune's Daughter
Dangerous When Wet

Classic Musicals from the Dream Factory, Vol 2
The Pirate
That's Dancing
That Midnight Kiss
The Toast of New Orleans

Classic Musicals from the Dream Factory, Vol 3
Hit the Deck
Deep in My Heart
Kismet

Myrna Loy/William Powell Collection
Evelyn Prentice
Manhattan Melodrama
Love Crazy

Forbidden Hollywood, Vol 2
Disc 1

Film Noir Classic Collection, Vol 4 (none of the disks in this set are good)
Act of Violence/Mystery Street
Crime Wave/Decoy
Illegal/The Big Steal
The Live By Night/Side Street
Where Danger Lives/Tension

Tough Guys Collection (basically all bad)
Each Dawn I Die
Bullets or Ballots
G Men
A Slight Case of Murder
City for Conquest

Romance on the High Seas

Stanley Kubrick Directors Series
A Clockwork Orange
2001: A Space Odyssey
Eyes Wide Shut

James Cagney Signature Collection
Torrid Zone
The Fighting 69th
Captain of the Clouds

Blade Runner Four Disc Collectors Edition
Disc 1 The Final Cut
Disc 2 Dangerous Days
Disc 4 Entertainment Archive

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

 

[jcroy]

Well, I went through most of the WB discs that I own that were manufactured during the 2006-2008 time frame, and unfortunately I have a lot of problem discs. I'll list them here for anyone who hasn't yet checked their own sets. I also sent off a note to Sherri at WB, and I've got my fingers crossed, hoping for her help.

These are the discs that don't play and the sets they are part of:

.....

Blade Runner Four Disc Collectors Edition
Disc 1 The Final Cut
Disc 2 Dangerous Days
Disc 4 Entertainment Archive

I don't know which version you have.

I had the dvd version which came in a grey plastic briefcase, with some additional toy trinkets. Recently I checked the discs on the computer, where there were no problems showing up at all.

In contrast, what was completely different was I played the final cut movie disc on a 20 year old standalone dvd player, and it was skipping like crazy. Watching the same disc on the computer dvd drive, nothing funny happened at all.

Go figure.