Why does DVD packaging suck so much? (1 Viewer)

[Al.Anderson]

I think those of you having these problems should just be a little more careful.

And I think you need to have more caffeine and get with the rest of us!

But I suppose if you're an administrator in the Film&Doc Forum you must be in some sort of Zen zone that we mortals can't get to. ("No, can't start you're own Star Wars thread ...")

Or is it the Qualudes?

 

[MarkHastings]

I totally agree. I've never really had any problems with those stickers. I find it's harder to get those things off when you're either trying to do it too quickly or trying to hard. It's really not that hard.

And speaking of those security seals - I always amaze my friends when I tell them I can open a secuirty sealed CD case (i.e. with just the one seal) in less than 5 seconds, without ruining the case.

It's really easy once you know how to open these things. Again, I find that it's only hard when you make it hard.

 

[Jesse Skeen]

Stickers on the sides of the case are annoying when they leave sticky stuff behind, but in their defense they're there to make it harder to swipe discs from the stores. When there isn't a sticker there, a quick slice with a fingernail is all it takes to get the case open and the disc taken out. I've found a number of cases on the shelves that had this done to them, admittedly they sometimes manage to get the sticker peeled off too but that takes more time to do and gives them a bigger chance of being caught doing it.

 

[MarkHastings]

Yeah, I think I'd be more annoyed about getting home and finding out the disc was missing, than annoyed about getting the stickers off.

 

[JeffMc]

A friend of mine with a sizeable collection used to tell me this all the time when I mentioned how I hated security seals that would be stuck on the paper insert and rip off the artwork (no matter HOW slow and careful you are when trying to peel it off - trust me, I am beyond careful when doing this, anal as can be).

"I never had a problem" he would intone. "They always comes off quick and easy. A little sticker residue sometimes, but that's about it. Never ripped or damaged a cover."

Then I visited him and was browsing through his DVD collection and noticed QUITE A FEW with the edges of the artwork cover inserts ripped off by removing the security seals 'so reasonably easy and in just minutes.' Not to mention the fingernail gouges and other signs of sticker removal angst. I snickered when I saw all of that, but didn't say anything as I realize some people simply don't care as much for the condition of their items as others do - and that's fine. If I didn't care about the artwork edges, every security seal would be off in a flash, even the harder to remove ones. But there's usually no hope at all for the insert if the sticker is on top of part of it and you can be as careful and slow as a tortoise, but it will still usually rip the artwork in the end.

 

[MarkHastings]

That's not a description of my collection. When I say I've had no problems, this is coming from someone who is VERY anal about my collection.

 

[MielR]

That's another pet peeve of mine. Sometimes, it's impossible to get all of the plastic off. It's permanently melted/fused to the case!

 

[RickER]

I never gouge the plastic. I always start at the black edge of the case and peel from that spot. Course i only keep my DVDs in Amery cases anyway. I keep 20 or 30 single, and double Amery cases at all times. Just toss the old ones or save a few if i get rid of an old movie for a new version.

Cool how my font size changed on it own by the way, yet another peeve of mine.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

I know you're being sarcastic, but it's worth mentioning... on the inside of the Inconvenient Truth DVD, it includes a space to write in your name and the name of a recipient, and they encourage you to watch it and then share or donate it. Not something you see the studios encouraging normally.

At any rate, my point was that it would be unfair to use An Inconvenient Truth as an example of why most DVD packaging sucks, as the case was designed to be more than just pretty or eye-popping at the store.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

In my two years of working retail while in college in a major city, my experience is yes, those things have significantly decreased theft. You know how much of a pain in the ass it is to open those, so imagine trying to do it in a couple seconds with no one watching -- a lot harder to accomplish. Almost nothing with the tabs was successfully stolen, while we had tons of stuff without them that was. I did find a number of the cases where it was clear someone had thought about stealing it and may have attempted to, but abandoned the job because they couldn't get it done fast enough.

Does it prevent all theft? No, of course not. But those obnoxious cases (and they are) did make that part of my job easier.

 

[David_Rivshin]

I agree with most of the complaints listed in this thread so far. But, strangely enough, the hassle has almost turned into a ritual. Getting ready to watch a new DVD for the first time, removing the shrink-wrap, and carefully pealing off any security stickers. It's almost zen... And then I spend 10 minutes trying to peal off all the little bits of the shrink-wrap that's been heat-sealed to the spine and just refuses to go calmly.... That part just mystifies me.

BTW, for cover inserts that are torn when removing a sticker, does anyone else take a fine-point marker to them and color them back in? If you can get a decent color match I find it works pretty well, especially if that corner happens to be black.

-- Dave

 

[Tim Tucker]

I thought I was the only one to do that.

Yeah, I don't care for the packaging overkill either, but it helps if you have the right tools. I have a thin-bladed knife for the wrapper and a little tool called The Claw for the stickers. But you shouldn't have to prep for surgery just to open a DVD. At least since snapper cases no longer roam the earth, we don't have to deal with the gigantic stickers on those anymore.

Does any one know if there is a reason for heat-sealing on the spine side instead of the opening side? That would seem to be the logical solution, and I have bought DVDs that were done that way.

 

[MielR]

Yes I've done that that too... I had to use red and yellow pens on the front/back edges of my "murder by death" DVD. It came out pretty good.

I'm still pissed though- because the 3 new Star Wars DVDs have metallic/bronze edges- and I don't think there's a pen that will work on those.

 

[Seth=L]

You know what I like? I like DVD's that have been on the shelves for so long that when you take the side stickers off it leaves a nice residue for you to take another 20 minutes to get off with the sticker. I just continuously dab the sticker on the residue 'till it's all gone.

I also love how they think putting 3 stickers on the case is going to make it any harder to steal the DVD. Just take a knife and cut inside the grove around the entire groove that the stickers cover, open it up, and slide the discs into your coat pocket. They aren't saving anyone any money or time by doing this three sticker crap.

 

[TravisR]

It's proven to cut down on theft. Of course if someone wants it bad enough, they're gonna get it but it does cut down on theft. Just like how Suncoast or Borders uses those plastic lock cases. Those are easy enough to break open if you want to but it's still is a visual 'warning'.

 

[Ethan Riley]

Here's what I do:

For the shrinkwrap, I take a small pen knife and slice away at the empty space on the right hand side. This makes a good break for ripping off the shrinkwrap as a whole. However, if it's been glued to the left side--look out!

For security stickers around the three edges, I take the pen knife and carefully slice down the middle of each edge. The sticker thus sliced in two is easier to remove. More than likely, it'll shatter as you peel it away but oh well.

For security sensor tags inside the disc case itself, well that's another story. The thin black plastic ones are usually placed on the plastic insides of dvd trays and are thus very easy to peel off. Sometimes they put those flat white square ones with the weird copper sensor doodads straight onto white cardboard slipcover interiors. These are the biggest pain in the ass of all to remove. Usually I just leave them there.

For something to do while waiting for the damn, interminable FBI warning to play, I usually use the time to do some trivial thing like curing cancer. There should be enough time. Then you can cure cancer in French, too.

Love,

Ethan "Dvd Surgeon" Riley

 

[Joe Karlosi]

It's hard for me to believe that a couple of people here "have never had a problem with the stickers". Why? Only because I'm also very, very patient and fanatical about my collection, but as others have said, sometimes there are stubborn stickers which are downright plastered onto the case, and no amount of slowness or tolerant caring can possibly get all that glue off. I've had to resort to buying Goo Gone, but I always hate going through that ritual.

One solace to this whole mess is that we can always buy new blank replacement amaray cases. I actually like DVD cases, and this is a good way to think of it -- it's really the insert inside the clear sleeve that's the "cover". The outer case is replaceable.

 

[TravisR]

It's never been a problem for me because I don't let it be a problem for me. The times that I've had to work to get the residue off, I just do it and don't let it bother me.

 

[Joe Karlosi]

Ah, I see. Thank You... I was thinking about commiting suicide over the residue, but you've convinced me it just isn't that much of a problem.

 

[Jon Baker]

Ronsonol Lighter Fuel works like a charm and it's available at most supermarkets, pharmacies and liquer stores in their tobacco section. All the local record shops use it to clean their used merch.

I recently notice that Warner Brothers has now resorted to using cheap, thin recycled paper for their DVD cover inserts. You'll even notice the "30% post consumer recycled content" logo on the back.