tylergfoster

I don't know what it is about these two titles that seem to attract damage -- I don't even watch them THAT often -- but over the years I have had to buy four copies of both Se7en and Punch-Drunk Love. I have also had to buy two copies of Pulp Fiction and two copies of Jackie Brown, and I will likely be getting a third copy of the latter soon as my copy has recieved more damage. With the last two, I've kept a "beater" copy to try to prevent damage to my nice copy.

Anyone else find themselves regularly replacing a favorite title?

Seantn

I've only had damage done to 1 disc, but it wasn't one I even wanted to replace - Carrie 2!

I just tried to play it one day and it wouldn't, and I noticed a crack right down the center of the disc. It was probably my fault though, and I just don't realize it. Maybe I sat on the case or something.

What are you doing to your discs (besides playing them) that causes damage? Do you leave the DVD's lying around on tables?

tylergfoster

No, just through regular wear and tear the packaging gets kind of beat up and the discs get some light scratches. I think I'm probably more anal than a normal consumer would be about it and Se7en and Punch-Drunk Love seem to go on sale a lot -- I just replaced Love when it was at Best Buy a few weeks ago for $6.99 -- so I don't mind. It sucks when you get like a little ding right in the center of the cover where it's really distracting.

Mike Adams

If you replace DVDs when the cover gets a slight "ding" or scuff, then yes, you are more anal than most. However, that doesn't jibe with what you say about DVDs getting beat up through "regular wear and tear". DVDs don't "wear". You'd have to be storing them in a binder, paper envelope, or other medium that actually contacts the disc or handling them improperly for them to go bad all by themselves.

tylergfoster

Just taking them off the shelf, opening them up, taking the discs out, taking the discs around, letting people borrow them, re-arranging my DVDs -- probably re-arranging my DVDs does the most accidental damage, but I have to "update" the shelf eventually with my new purchases, which means taking stacks of DVDs off going from beginning to end. And there are always accidents -- I doubt people can honestly say they've never accidentally dropped a DVD before.

And by "ding", I was thinking of PDL specifically...I somehow got a dent right in the middle of Sandler's forehead on the cover. It's still anal, sure, but it drove me nuts, because it was really, really obvious.

Mike Adams

There's your problem. As for re-arranging your collection, sure, that might scuff some covers, but it won't do anything to the discs inside.

If you really must have the covers pristine forever and can't simply avoid Digipaks and slipcovers, check www.bagsunlimited.com for plastic sleeves you can slip over your DVDs. That way you can just replace the sleeve if it gets scuffed instead of replacing the cover. Of course for things like dropping it onto the corner of a table, etc. you might need to go to some kind of hard plastic shell, but then you're in Boy in the Plastic Bubble territory, and really should seek professional help.

tylergfoster

Ohh, this bags idea is great. Now I need like 400 bags...

And I only let people borrow the discs. Probably not a good idea still, but I only lend to those I know will either replace it if it breaks or not break it in the first place.

J-Dubya

lend the discs in a cd case or a dvd case with "borrowed from DRIODGUY" on the cover

Brent L

I thought this thread was going to be about people buying Evil Dead over and over and over again.

madcougar

Never had to replace a CD or DVD. No idea how you would damage one to the point you'd have to replace it.

philip74

man, how do you guys treat your dvds!?
i only replace discs when i upgrade for a better version (new transfer, special edition, etc)
those are the only discs i replace. maybe some of you should just start taking better care of your belongings, when it comes to a point where you destroy dvds so much that they have to be replaced

Applejack

So the disc still works fine, but gets minor scuffs on it so you replace it?

I haven't ever done that. I would rather buy movies I don't already have.

gotrice487

I haven't had to replace one yet and I'll keep my fingers crossed that I will stay lucky in the future!

xage

4 copies? what happen to the previous 3 copies?

I have a Se7en platinum Edition and its been in my collection for 3yrs now and as I play it and check the packaging still in excellent condition? Do you think its not the DVDs need to be replaced? the owner perhaps?

whitetigeress

I have only had to replace two dvds in my collection. The only reason I had to replace them was because I loaned them to a friend. Then we had a huge fight and I decided that the dvds were not that important. I would rather buy new copies then to have to speak to her again.

mzupeman2

I've seen people who will press down one side of the disc while popping the other side off the spindle, therefore contacting the DVD into the DVD case. That's not very good. Re-arranging your DVD's shouldn't do any damage to the discs themselves, even if you drop the case. If the DVD comes loose, then yeah, that's a problem. But just from dropping a case, nah.

But yeah, letting people borrow discs is probably your biggest problem. I hate to be that guy, but my friends see a collection here at my apartment with about a thousand DVD's, and they're like 'oh can I borrow...' and I just tell them 'Im sorry, but I dont lend out my DVD because I've had too many bad experiences in the past'. They'll probably say 'yeah but I'll be really careful with it man, you know me'... that's what everyone says. I was stingy like that for a while, and one time a year and a half ago or so, I decided to just go against my instincts once. Got the DVD back the next day... and the DVD was loose inside the case off the spindle.

Lots of people have different ways of handling DVD discs, or taking them out of the case. Bad habits from friends like this who don't do it properly, will cause an issue. Friends who aren't careful about placing the DVD back on the spindle or on the tray in the DVD player... they'll put the DVD down and slide it around until it's in place. That's bad news. Friends who will leave DVD's out, that's not too great either.

If you don't mind shelling out all that money, even at seven bucks a pop each time, then all the power to you. I don't see why you'd want to though, that's seven dollars you could use on another discount DVD you might not own yet. Do what you will with your collection. But it sounds like you're not careful with your collection. You're not anywhere near the worst I've heard, but you should learn some new habits, and by the terrible habits your friends could have, all in all this just sounds like it boils down to taking better care of your collection. DVD's won't just show wear just like that, and I know that's already been said in this thread. So treat them like they're delicate, because let's face it, DVD's are pretty delicate.

Mr. Cinema

tip: DON'T let anyone borrow your dvds. Be a stingy bastard, you'll save money that way. If someone wants to see a movie bad enough, they should rent it or buy it themselves and not rely on someone else's collection so they can watch for free.

king3style

I replaced Boondock Saints when the SE came out. My original Canadian version was passed around during college, so you can only imagine the damage. I also, need to replace my copy of Brotherhood of the Wolf. Another one I lent out. I am much more selective to who I lend my DVDs to these days.

tylergfoster

PDL is not a good argument for lending: First copy was lost, second copy was damaged on loan, third was dented up and I thought for $6.99 why not get a new one, so I gave the old one to a friend.

Se7en just got worn. I believe I have given all of my previous copies away.

In theory, yes, I could be spending money on something else, but I have so many DVDs and there are only so many stores around here...it may be another thread in and of itself about how over time you may "wear out" your local stores to the point where there just isn't anything that really screams at you anymore. Only Borders in my area has some interesting titles, usually foreign or Criterion, but those are always much, much more than $6.99 (not to mention, since it's a bookstore, terribly overpriced).

Also, I would like to say that for some reason it has really only been these two titles. I don't know what it is about them. I don't believe I've ever had to replace any other DVDs.

Mike Adams

I'm not saying they'll break it, but they're obviously not taking very good care of them. As for "taking discs around" as you mentioned previously, if you hold them properly (finger in center/thumb on edge, or vice-versa), you can go jogging with them and not scuff or scratch them. Discs have to come into contact with something in order to get scuffed, scratched, or cracked, and that's contrary to how you're supposed to handle them.

Also, if you're getting bored with the selection at local stores to the point where you're re-buying the same stuff, you need to start buying online. Either that, or I could give you a list of DVDs to buy and send them to me.

tylergfoster

I meant in a disc-binder kind of thing.

Mike Adams

Well, none of them are 100% perfect, but it sounds like that's another problem. Repeatedly removing and inserting discs into cheap DVD binders will scuff 'em up bad in a hurry. Avoid "CD/DVD" binders, or just cheap ones in general. I use Univenture "Safety Sleeve" products, but I still expect to see some scuffs over time. They're really gentle on discs though, so I'm probably just being paranoid.

TomOpus

Another one who has never replaced a DVD due to wear and tear. I learned to take care of my media way back when I had vinyl (Anyone remember D4?)

tylergfoster

I had a bad experience with one once. Instead of just a little "mouth" where the DVD slides in, it was more like a slit, with a little "tongue" or flap above the mouth where you slid in the DVD. I couldn't figure out what to do with it, since if you pull it in front of the disc, it rubs along the data when you pull the disc out, so I made the idiotic mistake of letting the disc sit on it. Carrying the binder around caused all the discs to rub against that flap and left a little mark on the edge of every disc inside.

I have a disc buffer, though, so everything was okay.

The Bus

Zero.