Go Back  DVD Talk Forum > DVD Discussions > DVD Talk
Reload this Page >

Star Trek Sets Discs Cracking

DVD Talk Talk about DVDs and Movies on DVD including Covers and Cases

Star Trek Sets Discs Cracking

Old 10-25-04, 09:03 AM
  #1  
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 467
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Star Trek Sets Discs Cracking

I would strongly advise everyone to check their Star Trek DVD sets. Examine the hubs. If you're unlucky, you will find that your discs have probably started to crack and flake at the hub area.

The culprit is the dreadful digipak/digistak cases that were used with these sets. They use the sort of "popper" holder with three grippers that grip far too tight, and cause the disc to flex alarmingly; they also tend to catch between the layers, causing even more damage.

I know Paramount have changed the type of holder - only my DS9 S6 has this type (it is smooth and holds the disc by friction only). I got suspiscious after having to send back three lots of DS9 S7; I thought "something wrong here". I went back and checked my other sets and to my horror I have *eighteen* discs with multiple cracks in their hubs. I'm about to send them to Paramount for replacements. Paramount are aware of the problem, many discs were damaged as they were packed in the factory.

Most of the discs have two or three radial cracks, starting at the hub. Usually the start of the bonded area arrests them. If they're close together, chances are they'll join up and a chunk of disc will come off.

I don't know whether this applies to the US releases - maybe they used different cases - but I suspect there are many thousands of ruined discs here in the UK.

Most of mine have only been out of the cases once or twice. I always check for scratched discs but before now never looked at the hubs!

If anyone has discs that need replacing, I have the details you need - for UK customers anyway. If you have this problem, I'd like to hear from you. Of course, the more people that send back to Paramount, the better. Apparently they've changed the packing for new issues.
Old 10-25-04, 09:38 AM
  #2  
Guest
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Pittsburgh, PA, USA
Posts: 2,239
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I'll check my discs as soon as I get home.

I haven't noticed this problem, since I wasn't really looking for it, but I am well aware of the scratch/scuff problem with the Season 1 set. I had to take discs from two sets to make one good one. So given that, I'm not surprised there are serious quality control problems, and an inherently flawed case design would not surprise me in the slightest.
Old 10-25-04, 01:00 PM
  #3  
Banned
 
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: So. Illinois
Posts: 3,019
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Couple questions.

1) What sort of cracks are these? I mean, what do they look like, etc.

2) Since you're from the UK, I hope and assume you know that R1 packing was entirely different than what R2 got. So the problem may not be relevant to R1 packing.
Old 10-25-04, 01:07 PM
  #4  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Location, Location
Posts: 510
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I've had this happen before (T2 Ultimate Edition, and Monster Legacy discs comes to mind). The cracks start from from the center hole outwards to the disc itself. The R1 hubs on the Star Trek S1 discs are very tight, I've noticed. Better take extra TLC when using these or find an alternative package IMO...
Old 10-25-04, 01:25 PM
  #5  
DVD Talk Limited Edition
 
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Bay Area, CA
Posts: 5,069
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I had this happen to my Gremlins SE disc... i just took it back and said i just got it as a gift.
Old 10-25-04, 02:08 PM
  #6  
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 467
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally posted by Mike Lowrey
Couple questions.

1) What sort of cracks are these? I mean, what do they look like, etc.

2) Since you're from the UK, I hope and assume you know that R1 packing was entirely different than what R2 got. So the problem may not be relevant to R1 packing.
1) The cracks are radial, starting from the hub. They usually extend at most to the part of the disc where the two layers are bonded - on these discs this is silver, though many DVD's leave tihs part clear until the ring with the alignment squares start. I guess that the two layers glued together is stronger and the cracking is arrested. I guess that they are about 3-4mm long.

They are often limited to one of the two layers, and more frequently it is the label side that has cracked. Probably because this layer has more freedom of movement and the discs flex horribly whenever they come on or off the holder.

In appearance they are hairline cracks and resemble scratches, but held up to a light it is clear that it is not surface damage, the plastic layer has cracked through.

If the cracks are close together, they tend to join up and a chunk of disc flakes off. This is what worries me the most, as it is the hub that takes the most stress.

2) I don't know what sort of packing the R1 sets came with. I noted this in my original post. In the UK - and from what I've read this applies to Europe - they came in awful digipak/digistak packing. The hub mechanism features three "arms" that grip the discs very tight indeed. When you press to release they come away with a terrific "snap!" sound, same when you push the disc back on. The "arms" also tend to catch the gap between the two layers, forcing them apart (probably why it's usually one layer that cracks, very few have cracked through both layers at the same place). The disc flexes severely at the centre during both operations.

Paramount are now issuing the sets with a new mechanism - it features hubs that simply grip the discs by friction, they just slide on and off with no "release" mechanism at all. My DS9 S6 has this and it's fine. However there are many sets with the old style still circulating. I had three lots of DS9 S7 which had discs badly damaged (bits flaking off) factory sealed, never used - so it happened when they were packed. The US sets may have had different outer cases but still come with the digipak/digistak?

I believe that the Voyager sets etc do come with the new style cases.

I've used a nail file on all my sets now, so that the discs slip on and off easily. There's just enough left of the "arms" to loosely retain them, but that's all.
Old 10-25-04, 03:52 PM
  #7  
Banned
 
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: So. Illinois
Posts: 3,019
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Well, the R1 TNG sets came in your standard 7-disc folding digipacks that many sets come in. The hubs consist of a circular button in the middle the says "Push", and the grasping mechanism is just a circular ring of plastic with 3 small, very small tabs. Very little resistance. Same pretty much goes with the DS9 and VOY sets. The only sounds they make is the plastic *creeking* when you remove the disc. No big snap sound.

I've looked over my discs and I see no signs of cracks...however, I've also have had them all in a 218 capacity CD/DVD folder. But I've recently put them all back in their cases.
Old 10-25-04, 04:05 PM
  #8  
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 467
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally posted by Mike Lowrey
Well, the R1 TNG sets came in your standard 7-disc folding digipacks that many sets come in. The hubs consist of a circular button in the middle the says "Push", and the grasping mechanism is just a circular ring of plastic with 3 small, very small tabs. Very little resistance. Same pretty much goes with the DS9 and VOY sets. The only sounds they make is the plastic *creeking* when you remove the disc. No big snap sound.

I've looked over my discs and I see no signs of cracks...however, I've also have had them all in a 218 capacity CD/DVD folder. But I've recently put them all back in their cases.
Sounds like the sort of digipak that the Lord of the Rings 4-disc set comes in, then? Lots of UK DVD's come in these also. I can see that these would be no problem. Indeed, they are reassuringly stamped with the "DVD" meaning they're approved for DVD use.

The digistaks that the Trek sets come in here in Europe are NOT marked with the DVD logo. Go figure...

I have over 1000 DVD's and ONLY the Trek sets are a problem. Oh, plus one two-disc set that came in one of those Amaray "double" packs, where the second disc comes on a sort of flapping, hinged affair - not a true two-disc pack at all.
Old 10-25-04, 04:14 PM
  #9  
Banned
 
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: So. Illinois
Posts: 3,019
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally posted by Nebiroth
Sounds like the sort of digipak that the Lord of the Rings 4-disc set comes in, then? Lots of UK DVD's come in these also. I can see that these would be no problem. Indeed, they are reassuringly stamped with the "DVD" meaning they're approved for DVD use.

The digistaks that the Trek sets come in here in Europe are NOT marked with the DVD logo. Go figure...

Well, not really. The R1 LOTR-EEs have a 5-point hub. Very different from anything else I've seen.
Old 10-25-04, 04:19 PM
  #10  
Fok
DVD Talk Limited Edition
 
Fok's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Canada, BC
Posts: 6,691
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I had this happen to my T2 UE as well, quite annoying. I'm holding off from buying Star Trek the OS because I heard that a lot of the disks have scatches
Old 10-26-04, 01:08 PM
  #11  
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 467
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally posted by Fok
I had this happen to my T2 UE as well, quite annoying. I'm holding off from buying Star Trek the OS because I heard that a lot of the disks have scatches
Sadly true. But then I thought that the packing for these sets was utterly, hideously, stomach-wrenchingly ugly anyway. And the plastic boxsets open vertically down the middle and are a real pig to get back together.

Hopefully some nice person will do some covers for 8-way Amaray cases so that we can cast these abominations into DVD Hell, where they belong.
Old 10-26-04, 01:24 PM
  #12  
DVD Talk Special Edition
 
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: Chicago
Posts: 1,224
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Can someone post a pick of the type of hub that is the culprit?

Thanks

dg7
Old 10-26-04, 01:44 PM
  #13  
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 467
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I don't have a pic, but the "digistaks" are really cheap looking hard, clear plastic. Very thin, and there are six/seven of them all "hinged" on a great big piece of sticky tape. That's how they were for the DS9 sets; for TNG, they were glued onto a dodgy, very fragile thin "gatefold" card in a naff silver card slipcase that falls to bits after a while.

The hubs feature three arms and a triangular "button". The discs pop off - and on - with a disturbingly loud "crack!" sound that turns out to be showing exactly what the things are doing to the discs.

Seems in R2 they blew the entire packing budget on the fancy plastic outer cases.
Old 10-26-04, 03:13 PM
  #14  
Guest
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Pittsburgh, PA, USA
Posts: 2,239
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally posted by Nebiroth
Sadly true. But then I thought that the packing for these sets was utterly, hideously, stomach-wrenchingly ugly anyway. And the plastic boxsets open vertically down the middle and are a real pig to get back together.

Hopefully some nice person will do some covers for 8-way Amaray cases so that we can cast these abominations into DVD Hell, where they belong.
The plastic case does open vertically - it opens at the top and is hinged at the bottom. You're not supposed to take it completely apart. I don't see how you could have any problem opening and closing it.

Unless you're doing what I saw a girl at Best Buy did. Rather than just opening it with the bottom hinge remaining connected, she completely separated the two halves of the case. I had to help her get it back together.

I just wish the internal packaging was better. All it is is 8 clear disc trays taped together. I guess they spent all their money on the outer plastic case.
Old 10-26-04, 04:28 PM
  #15  
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 467
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally posted by Altimus Prime


I just wish the internal packaging was better. All it is is 8 clear disc trays taped together. I guess they spent all their money on the outer plastic case. [/B]
Yes, thats the cheap rubbish that the R2 DS9 sets came in; the TNG sets were the same stuff, but in those they were glued to a card gatefold thing.

In R2, we've always had the expensive outer cases made of heavy plastic.

These awful "digistaks" are becoming more common. They're stamped "www.digistak.com" however they aren't stamped with the DVD Logo. This Logo usually indicates that cases are approved by DVD manufacturers. Go figure.

Last edited by Nebiroth; 10-26-04 at 04:31 PM.

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.