Anyone else finding just a few too many old DVDs just don't work any more?

Could it be a "Canadian thing"? What's the country of manufacture on the problem discs?

 

You have a point. This was/is a thin drive used in a very slim desktop. I just didn't have the patience to watch the movie again in another computer with a different drive to see if the glitches remained. I never had any other issues with this particular drive unless the disc was visibly scratched. I find it interesting that the very first DVD-ROM drive I ever bought is still functioning, and the very first DVD-RW drive I bought is also still burning CDs and DVDs perfectly well. I don't use it heavily -- maybe burn 2 or 3 discs a week, of TV shows I record from HD broadcast stream, but still it has held up remarkably. I doubt the newer drives I have will last as long.

 

No

 

I have over 3,000...and there is nothing we can do about it if they fail...it seems it's all in their favor. Promises made that were worth s*&t! the DVD will last many years! yea right. I always felt uncomfortable with a "dual layer" disc...should have kept all my single layer ones.

 

I would definitely do what others have suggested for these problem discs and try ripping them in your PC to see if you can get a backup made before/if they really do "die." Even if you have to compress a dual-layer disc down to single-layer, it's still better than having to re-buy an entire box set to replace one disc or something.

 

No - if there's one thing about DVDs I hate, it's the dreadful bilingual cover art they use on Canadian discs. (That, plus sometimes the transfers used on Alliance and/or Maple titles are worse than the US discs. PLus, they sometimes leave out essential bonus features) I make it a point to get the US editions of DVDs (and, now, BluRays) whenever possible, regardless of excess shipping and customs costs.

 

I may be an anomaly, but I own a 1000+ DVDs and almost all have worked perfectly across several players. I acquired about 80% of these used so they, for the most part, had been played on other sets as well. The only ones I have ever had issues with are those that have obvious damage/scratches.

 

Didn't even consider Canadian editions - yeah, it might be a factor here. Different pressing plants, possibly? You're Region 1, just like the US.

 

I have many and quite a few used ones that show very obvious wear and scratches etc, and they all play fine. Im kinda leaning towards it being more of a player issue, combined with an iffy disc. Ive honestly never had any discs, ( other than about a handful through netflix when I used to do discs) that wouldnt play or skipped. The netflix ones had obvious physical cracks and stuff, and those cant count.

 

A few months ago, I decided to re-watch Guided by Voices' Watch Me Jumpstart DVD for the first time in several years, and I couldn't get it to play in my PS3 or on my MacBook. As a final attempt, I put it in my $30 bedroom DVD player, and it played just fine. I thought that was kind of weird.

All of my Simpsons DVDs act strange on that same cheap player. They'll play, but the colors are distorted and the image will sometimes shift out of frame like how old TVs with bad reception used to do.

 

Should've said "thin, 9mm, slot-loading DVD-ROM drives!" You're absolutely right.

 

yes, I had one that will not play any DVDs...

 

I've had a few pristine DVDs that wouldn't load up on any player...usually if I have a problem DVD I clean it with 91% Alcohol and it cures the problem.

 

I've never had a problem with new or like new DVDs (KNOCK ON WOOD!)

 

used, yes..new rarely as well...but for a few bucks I'll take my chances...usually find them at 2 for 3 dollars or less.

 

I'm in the same boat.... I haven't experienced it yet either, but with over 5000 DVDs in my collection.....

 

Oh man, that's one of my most-hated things, too! I absolutely can't stand that bilingual packaging... it's the most esthetically hideous thing I've ever seen in all my years of movie-collecting.

 

Same here for the most part. The only new ones nowadays are Blu-rays. The rest either come from thrift stores or SwapaDVD.

 

as for now all DVD ...

 

oh man I feel better now.

 

I think BR is the end of the line for us. As soon as I replaced all my VHS movies with DVDs, then Blu-ray showed up. I'm not planning on a full replacement of DVD with BR anyway. Some BIG movies - yeah! Others - no way!

 

Seeing this thread made me think about something. After Katrina left and we were allowed back to our houses to assess damage, I had quite a few DVD's that turned PURPLE. And yes, these were "factory bought" DVD's - the silver ones not burned ones. Could these have had defects from the start? Or did the factories dupe us by using silver burned DVD's? I knew about silver CDR's.

 

Were they exposed to salty water. That sounds like the aluminum having a reaction.

 

I will not replace any of my DVDs with BR...in the future I will buy BR that I do not already own on DVD...