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About a month or so back I bought Doctor Who: The Complete David Tennant Years which has some pretty bad packaging. Great looking but the discs pop into slits in a coffee table book causing scratches. I have seen quite a few but have only encountered one pause in the first four discs of 26. Now being the worrier I am I'm not sure if I'll need to know 100% yet but how does one best repair a DVD? I hear 100's of things and for every three people who say it works great there are another three saying it makes the problem worse. Any thoughts, tips or tricks?

-Skyler

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I want to know this too. I have some sets with some badly scratched DVDs. For example, I bought both seasons 1 and 2 of Everybody Loves Raymond new and some of the disc have horrible scratches on them. I want to know how to get rid of them permanently.

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Avatar courtesy of Jules

My Blu-Ray Collection

Last time I played it, my Little Mermaid DVD started skipping and image became jerky with those ugly green specks/artifacts. I checked the DVD but there were absolutely no signs of it being scratched or damaged in any way. I played it again, and the same problem occurred. So I took the disc out, dipped it in water, applied some mild dish soap to it and gently rubbed the surface. Then I washed the dish soap off and wiped the disc dry with a soft cloth (make sure you always wipe the disc surface from the center hole to the outer edge - in other words, don't do it in concentric circles). It worked like a charm and I had no playback issues since then.

This disc cleaning method was actually recommended to me by another UDer - Jack Skellington. Hopefully it will be of use to you too.

Another thing... I have several terribly scratched second-hand DVDs I bought from a closing video rental store and I never had any issues with them. I also had store-bought DVDs start skipping for no reason (like TLM mentioned above) when played in my DVD player, but they worked fine when played in my computer's DVD drive. So it could also be a DVD player's bug and not the disc's fault.

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What we need is a scratch eraser. Scratches that you can wash off are like scuffs. Doesn't do any good for deep scratches. My Lady and the Tramp DVD I bought for Christmas is so scratched, both the widescreen AND fullscreen versions skip all over the place. Washing it off did no good.

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Don't understand how you people 'man-handle' your DVD's to the point that they get scratched and unplayable.

DVD's are not toys, you need to handle them with care. I have over 6,000 DVD and Blu-ray titles, and none of my possessions are scratched. I never leave the discs out of their respective cases, and I have some pretty tight squeezes to get some of the discs back in their proper place without scratching.

I never leave a disc out, even in a disc player, if I am not using it. And I never let anyone borrow my discs for any reason. AND I don't let my grand kids play with my discs. If they want to watch a movie, I am very happy to stop what I am watching and let them watch what they want.

With proper care a DVD or Blu-ray disc should look like brand-new from the first day you bought it until today. In the case of buying used discs, you should look at them before purchasing them and if they are scratched don't buy them.

All it takes is a little care. If you have problems getting a disc back into its proper slot, then do what I did with a couple of my multi-disc collections. I bought those plastic 'static-free' envelopes and put the discs in there and placed them in order on the shelf, so if someone is looking at my 'coffee-table' collection and wants to watch the movie or episode, I can get out without manhandling them out of their tight slots.

Other people who I tell this to tell me that it's "too much work" or "I think it is a waste of time" or other excuses, just seem to not care. If I am going to pay good money for something, whatever it is, I take care of it.

Those are just my suggestions.

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The only way to watch movies - Original Aspect Ratio!!!!
I LOVE my Blu-Ray Disc Player!

I don't. I bought Lady and the Tramp used from someone who described it as being in "Good" quality. They were wrong. Then, there are rental discs and discs people might have borrowed.

I say the same thing you're saying here to everyone. And it makes me furious that people can't take care of their discs. At least when they intend on selling them later or they're rental discs or RARE movies in limited editions. Etc. Next month, I'll have had my THX edition of The Evil Dead for 10 years and flip over the disc right now- it looks brand spanking new. And I played that thing HEAVILY. Same with my Image DVD of David Cronenberg's Shivers which is out of print and could probably fetch me about $60 if I was looking to sell it. Flip it over, the underside is BRAND NEW. Not a scratch to be seen. How many Disney DVD's are you likely to find that look like that?

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Nor do I. It was like that when I bought the set new in store...

-Skyler

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Scratches can happen. I have a few minor ones, but they are from accidents, etc... The majority of my collection is scratch free. I can't say that for most of the people I know. I've been to people's homes and see discs just laying around on tables, TV stands, etc... without their cases. Like dvdjunkie I don't mind anyone watching my movies, but they don't leave my home, and I put them into and out of the DVD/Blu-ray players. It bothers some, but I don't want my collection messed up.

Anyway the David Tennant years is a nice looking DVD set, but scratches seem to be a very common complaint. If one disc seems to skip I would try to exchange the set.

JiminyCrick91 wrote:


Then take it back and get a new one. If you buy something new, it should be new, not a re-wrapped new. Some Target and Wal-Mart stores do that with returned product. With a receipt in hand, you should return the defective product to the store and exchange it, and open it in front of them to make sure that it isn't scratched.

This is one reason I never buy on-line. The return process sucks!!! I love Best Buy because as a Premium Silver member I have 45 days to return any defective product.

When I buy Previously-viewed (used) discs from a video store, I examine the discs right there before walking out the door, so I don't have to take someone elses problems home with me.

Some call it being anal, but I say that it is taking care of your investment. Don't use a disc changer, and don't play your discs on anyone elses player. You can't complain if your disc gets scratched if you take these precautions, because it is all on you if your discs become unplayable.

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The only way to watch movies - Original Aspect Ratio!!!!
I LOVE my Blu-Ray Disc Player!

I've been looking at some reviews online and unboxing of that Doctor Who set (I'm tempted to get it as well because of the price vs. the individual seasons). It appears that no one has a scratch free set from the reviews I've read/seen. Someone even wrote a review and said that they actually cut the discs out of the paper sleeves and still had minor scuffs on a couple discs.

It has to be something with manufacturing and the cardboard used on the set. Its a shame because its a excellent value vs. the individual seasons, and a nice looking book.

Amazon is one of the best at returns. Sadly I've used them a few times lately because of the horrible packaging they are using now to ship. I've been getting a lot of bubble mailers lately. Because of this I've started going back to Best Buy/Target to get movies with slips, or special cases. That way they are in good shape when I get them.

I hate returning stuff at Best Buy. My store is terrible.

Its really hard not to order stuff online anymore. Best Buy/Target/Wal Mart don't stock a lot of older catalog releases, etc... You may get lucky if you have a good used store and wait for someone to trade/sell it to them, but from my experience (in my area) its usually just easier to order these titles online.

I'd love some scratch removal tricks myself. Bought a brand spankin' new copy of the Tracy & Hepburn Definitive Collection box set and two discs were scratched substantially. Fortunately one of them played, but the other one skipped. I was able to make a copy (It was single-layered, so I didn't even have to compress it to fit.) but blah! I'd rather have the original disc in the box with the rest of them.

I treat my discs VERY well. It's a bit more difficult these days - my DVD player's tray likes to close on its own. I've had to pull a disc out a few times because I couldn't get it all the way up before it closed. Regardless, I handle mine very well and it bothers me when people do.

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-Joey

my chicken is infected wrote:


Again, I ask, why didn't you take it back and get the set replaced? Buying new sets is great, but when you get out to your car, open them, check all the discs closely, any defects will show up better in sunlight than in the a lighted room at home. If there is anything doubtful on the disc or discs, go back in and exchange it.

I cannot sympathize with ignorance. There is not a store in the world that won't take a disc back because of defects, factory or otherwise. Even a good reputable used DVD store like CD Tradepost guarantees their discs for one month after purchase, and exchanges are welcomed with a smile.

So don't be looking for a scratch remover, there is none that truly exist that you and I can afford. Best way to avoid scratches is check the disc when purchased and take care of whatever problem exisits before you leave the parking lot. If you have lots of discs in your collection, don't lend them out to friends. And keep your DVD or Blu-ray player clean and don't leave discs in them for days at a time.

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The only way to watch movies - Original Aspect Ratio!!!!
I LOVE my Blu-Ray Disc Player!

I don't know whats going on, but I've noticed lately a lot of things happening with discs. Maybe the manufacturers are slacking at the plants, etc... I've opened a few Blu-rays, and it looks like the bottoms have finger prints on them. Of course they wipe off easily with a microfiber cloth (I love Blu-rays coating and wish they used it on DVDs/CDs).

I haven't bought a DVD in awhile, but I've seen a few that were scuffed/minor scratched straight out of the case. I always return one if its scratched no matter how little it is, but sometimes its unavoidable because of the packaging. I wish studios would stop using cardboard cases, or the book cases, etc... Stick to the normal Blu-ray/DVD cases, or have cases with disc hubs.

As far as the "book" cases go, I have had no problems with my "Alien Anthology", "Jurassic Park Trilogy", "Avatar Collector's Edition", "Blade Runner Collector's set", "Superman Anthology", and "Star Wars The complete Saga" Blu-rays. You have to read the directions, and be very patient with getting them out, and you shouldn't have problems with them.

Just make sure you check your discs before you leave the area in the parking lot. It only takes a minute to do, and natural daylight will let you see any defects that may appear. If it isn't satisfactory to you, take it back and get another set.

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The only way to watch movies - Original Aspect Ratio!!!!
I LOVE my Blu-Ray Disc Player!

Best DVD scratch repair: Bluray!




Sorry, I had to...



If they can make those scratch reisistant, why can't you buy a spray that would do that with DVDs as well?

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http://maerj.dvdaf.com

I didn't take it back because I bought it from an Amazon Marketplace seller and didn't want to go through the trouble if I was able to make copies of the scratched up discs. If I hadn't been able to make a watchable copy of the disc that wasn't playable, I would have sent it back for a refund, but since I could, I'll live with it, even if I'd rather have the proper disc in the box instead of a DVD-R. The other disc that has scratches didn't give me any issues with playback, but I'd made a copy just in case. Actually, to say that one was substantially scratched is not very accurate - there's just a few that could have potentially caused issues. But I digress.

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-Joey

Again you have reinforced my reasons for not buying anything on line. I want the product in my hand when I buy it, and have the opportunity to check it for defects before leaving the area.

Surely you have some Used DVD stores in your area that sell this collection. I know that I am always plugging cdtradepost.com as the perfect place to get your out-of-print, hard-to-find, and even new titles on DVD or Blu-ray with a full guarantee that they stand behind, but if I were to buy anything on line it would be from them.

Also, even for personal reasons, you are breaking the law of making copies of movies. Read the FBI warning and you will see what it says exactly.

I use DVD-RW when I am recording movies from premium channels, that way when I purchase the product, if it becomes available I can use the disc for something else.

But I have gotten off track. Back on track, scratches are something that we have all lived with from the early days of records, to CD's and then to DVD. I have found more problems with current DVD's than with Blu-rays, and I think that since they are slowly phasing out the standard DVD, that they are paying less and less to the quality of the product and focusing more on the blu-ray discs. That's just my opinion.

When I am buying new product, be it DVD or Blu-ray, I still look at the disc before I leave the parking lot, just to make sure that I won't be coming back to exchange the disc.

Rarely, and I mean less than once a year, will I ever get anything on line from Warner Bros. shop, Amazon.com, or God forbid, eBay. It has been ten years since I purchased anything from eBay, and I rarely ever go to their site, because their prices are way to out of hand for the products they are offering.

I went to a Pawn Shop here in Wichita and picked up five Walt Disney Treasures for less than $100 and the tins were in perfect shape, and all the materials they originally came with were intact. So it pays to shop around, which at least once a month I do. Well, maybe in my current situation it will be a couple of months before I get out to make the rounds, but I still go to each and every Pawn Shop and Used DVD store in our fair city, and have a shopping list in hand for those hard-to-find titles.

There is no excuse for complaining about scratches on a disc, when you are the consumer, and have paid for the product, you should be able to exchange a defective one for another one.

I apologize for getting on a rant in this thread, but it irks me a lot when people complain about something they can control, and then copying thing. That really charges my batteries. I do apologize for the rants, and hope that between all of it you understand what I am trying to say.

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The only way to watch movies - Original Aspect Ratio!!!!
I LOVE my Blu-Ray Disc Player!

Libraries are supposed to have something like that to repair their own discs from being scratched and etc.

As for Blu-Ray, again the having to buy a special brand new TV and player is a big catch22 for those of us who have NO MONEY and a too large collection of standard discs that aren't going to magically replace / upgrade themselves.

Sorry, I had to.

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If the above method doesn't work, I've found this quite handy:

Whenever I have bad scratches, I just spray some furniture polish on the disc and scrub it the correct way, and with a little elbow grease, the scratch is gone and the disc is playable. Kept me from having to ask for a refund on my Bewitched DVDs.

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Note to Lazario:

Blu-ray players are priced from below $100 and go up from there. Depends on what bells and whistles you want. And they can be hooked up to any television, and you can see a difference. Even your standard DVD's will look amazing on a standard television.

This will also free you up to buy the Blu-ray/DVD combos that are coming out.

Don't plan on upgrading all of your collection, you will be living in a cardboard box. Just keeping up with the newer movies as they are released will do sufficiently, and if you happen to find certain blu-rays on sale or at a used DVD store, you can do the upgrade from there.

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The only way to watch movies - Original Aspect Ratio!!!!
I LOVE my Blu-Ray Disc Player!