toddly6666

Does anyone in here have the tiny anxiety of renting a DVD and fearing that it's gonna pixilate/skip while watching it? There is nothing worse than watching a good movie and that happens - even if it's a tiny pixilated skip. This occurence always pulls me out of the zone of focusing on the movie, and unavoidably makes me wait for the next pixilated skip. It doesn't even have anything to do with the spending the money again or getting the money back or getting a newer copy (if possible the next day). When one rents a movie, you want to see that movie at that time. It's not like one would want to give it another try with the same movie the next day.

For me, there have been DVDs that I would rather buy just to avoid the possibility of this occuring. It's annoying that video stores don't actively replace their DVDs, especially old ones. I've seen video stores put back the same DVD back on the shelf. So it just sucks for the next person.

I have tons of DVDs, but none of mine get scratched. I just don't understand how people can be so careless with DVDs during the renting process. I understand fingerprint smudges during the handling process, but why and how to rentals get so scratched? I thought DVD renters aren't such animals! I'm so amazed with the amount/type of scratches on rental DVDs, that I would like to know the story behind each scratch. Was it thrown? Was it a kid playing with it? etc..

I'm almost starting to believe that their is a conspiracy for video stores to keep their dvds scratched so that the industry can sell more DVDs.

mickey65

Uh no....

Usually if I get a scratched DVD from Netflix. I clean it and then fix the scratches with this wax pencil that I have that's for fixing scratches on CDs and DVDs. I just "fill" in the scratches with the wax pencil and then rub them in with a kleenex.

No skips or anything. Only takes a couple minutes.

But yeah, I do tend to cringe with I see used DVDs and all the scratches. I guess people just don't give a shit...

C_Fletch

Uh no seconded. I don't rent. Too expensive in gas. Plus I have yet to try Netflix but at DVDs priced between $1 and $3 used locally I can pretty much find anything I want. AND I get a return on 99% of my used DVD purchases by trading them in and getting $4-$6 in trade or flip on Ebay for $10. Either way I;m making money to watch moivies. I have a VERY large to be watched pile.

riotinmyskull

no. the only time i freak out is when i buy a new dvd and it has a small scratch on it or fingerprints already on it. i could care less if a dvd i rent has scratches or has some pixelation/skipping problems as long as i can watch it and decide whether or not i want to buy the movie.

rw2516

Given all the cds and cd cases I've seen on car dashboards, seats and floorboards I'm not suprised that dvds are treated the same way. I also assume a lot of people let their kids handle the dvds.

Carcosa

Do I buy to avoid renting a scratched disc?

No...that seems kind of crazy. You can look at discs before you rent them. Stores will let you do that you know....

Pizza

OK, I'll say yes because I just don't like renting in general. It's a hassle to return the discs and deal with the ones that sometimes won't play because of the abuse they got from previous viewer or two. Instead, I "rent" by buying the cheapo titles I find. $3-$5 and I can watch them when I'm in the mood and I don't have to bother with returning them. I can even throw them out if they suck. And to be honest, there's been a lot of good titles popping into the bargain bins.

mattressman

It's the worst when that happens and you rented it with a bunch of friends.
"Aw, what's going on? What's wrong with the movie?!"
And everyone's in an uproar.

dhmac

I rent from NetFlix.com and if the disc drops out due to scratches, I attempt to clean it and play it again. If it still doesn't playback right, I mark it as "unplayable" and return it to NetFlix. (I don't know what they do with discs reported to them like this, but I like to think they test them and then remove them from renting out if they are unplayable.)

Zbu

I've gotten bored with renting as well. It was good back in the VHS days when the worst thing you could deal with was an extreme tracking problem or a twisted tape, but with DVDs you get to see how people just don't give a damn. Plus with On Demand and cheap DVDs, it's pointless to get a membership in a store that'll give you crappy media and makes most of their cash in late fees. What's the point?

darkhawk

i don't rent dvds. I buy them new after waiting for them to come down in price.

insanecollector

Netflix is oushing me this way but as of right now, they still get my business and I hold off buying movies unless i know I want them.

Brian Shannon

No, I buy what I want to watch and add it to my collection.

I have never rented

nateman

Same here.

I'm a must buy the DVD on release day guy. It's not like people who rent are a bunch of J6P's or losers, it's just that I think renting is a big waste of money. When it comes to finding the best prices for new releases, I'm no genius. DVDs are overpriced at retail in Canada (Winnipeg at least), but I enjoy heading out every Tuesday to get my newly released DVDs. Sure, I can save $10-15 maybe even $20 in rare cases, but I'm one of those people who doesn't like using their credit card over the internet (I know, stupid!). I think I might start, however. Amazon.ca's DVD prices aren't that much lower from retail, but Amazon.com's price definitely are.

I've seen a lot of used DVDs at the same or cheaper price of renting it. I know this isn't the best example, but I wanted to see The Amityville Horror remake, but didn't want to spend the $20 or so on it when it came out. I wait about a week, and about 3 used or "previously viewed/enjoyed" copies (2 full screen, 1 widescreen) of it showed up at my favorite DVD/CD specialty store. I paid $5.99 for the WS version, a week after its street date. Most titles a week or so after street date can be found for $5 or $10 used. Most places will refund your money or "make it right" if the DVD is scratched so much that it doesn't play good. With renting, they don't give a flying sh*t.

When I blind buy a DVD (which is about %85 of the time considering I don't go to the theatres anymore), I pick out what I know I'm going to like. I've only been burned a couple of times. I collect a lot of TV on DVD titles; some blind some I already love.

islandclaws

No, but I also never rent. I always figure that if I like a film enough I'm going to want to own it. Besides, DVDs are so cheap these days that it's not much more $ to just own it over renting it, unless you're on Netflix or something.

Eve Brown

Don't rent now, parents did until they got cable. I don't have cable but new dvds are so cheap nowadays if you wait and am talking new when they get to $5 or less. Planning on going to CC to get some of the $6.99 titles with movie money its more then I usually like to spend on a dvd but it comes with movie money so it evens out.

mzupeman2

I was a 'buy it as a blind buy on release day' kind of guy but my financial situation has me kind of doing otherwise now. I'll buy only what I truly love. This past year I found that there's so many DVD's I had, that I know I'd never watch them again. I've been trading them in for credit to buy stuff I WILL keep and watch again, and now I'm using Netflix. Three DVD's a week I can go through, and I use Netflix to watch movies I never would have really plunked money down on, movies I always wanted to see but never got to, and I'll use it to see movies that are just new to DVD that I didn't get to see in the theater to see what I think. For example, I already saved money on a couple of films this way. The Invasion for one. I liked it, but not enough to own. And Cube, it was decent as well, but nothing I'd probably want to watch again. Also, my wife gets to see movies she likes without buying them since she's a 'watch once' kind of person with her chick flicks.