Bahhh, no such thing as DVD Rot :D

Until it happens to you ;) :D

I'm having the same problem with another WB disc - Twister (the 2000/second release) I did a search yesterday but couldn't find anyone with a problem with this same title so I just ordered a replacement from DDD. I probably would have been PO'd if it had been a favorite movie, a more expensive disc (or part of a set).

Hubby and I went on a big budget diaster flick binge this weekend (an ill-fated attempt to distract the nervous dogs from 4th of July firecrackers) and we got half way through Twister and it just started pixelating and freezing up. Same deal, brand new 4 years ago, played once was fine. No sign of scratches or other problems, never loaned out. We assumed it was the player until we tried it on 5 different players (including a DVD-rom) and it did the same thing on all of them only in slightly different places (which to me indicates a problem with an entire area of the disc, though I'm certainly no expert).

I agree, it's not too much to expect a DVD that has been watched once, stored properly and well taken care, should last more than 4 years. We have 700+ (started collecting in '98) and hundreds of them (I would guess more than half) were purchased prior to '00 so it does make me a bit nervous. We've had problems with a few other DVDs over the years (i.e. Heathers, Contact & Dinosaur) both those were widespread (well known) problems.

Bummer. :down:

This sounds too weird - DVD's shouldn't "rot" they should last forever (unless you use them as coasters or something).

I've never had any problems as far as a disc not playing more than once but I have had my fair share of problems in other minor areas (messed up menus, inital playback not working...etc).

If anything, I have to go with the player being jacked up - I've noticed a few problems with discs on my new Toshiba player that I didn't have with my RCA.

Anybody have any hard facts on this? (not that I don't believe the original poster, just want to know if there is a technical explanation as to why this may happen).

Actually the projected lifetime is about 10 yrs. I've had several audio CDs from the mid to late 80s already rot/erode.

only if they are putting out shitty discs due to "cutting financial corners" and with the mindset of "screw the consumer, they will rebuy everything anyway". a well cared for dvd should last 30 to 50plus years. we may not care about a dvd then...but regardless...it should last that long with care. thats what we've been told. I have tons of late 80's cd's and only a few handfuls have gone south.

Sounds like most companies these days.

It depends a great deal on how well they are pressed and the temp conditions. If the temp has sharp highs and lows you disc can have problems. If you have them near sun-light or moisture you can have problems. It has very little to do with how many times you play the thing, it won't wear out. You can cause problems by bending the disc in any way when taking it out of the case. It reads from the inside out so any activity with the hole :) can cause problems. For Gods sake don't leave them in a car.

My question is for people that live in apartments.

Do you guys leave your AC on during the summer when you're not home?? lol

It's not so much as constant heat or cold but hot, cold, hot, cold that does the damage. If you keep your home at 55 when you are there and let it get up to 78 while you're at work you may have problems. :)

I own VHS video cassettes that are 20 years old
I own Apex 'Reel to Reel' tapes that are 40 years old.
I own vinyl LPs that are 40 years old.
I own 8-Track tapes that are 35 years old.
I own audio cassettes that are 30 years old.
I own 78rpm shellac recordings that are 50 years old.
I even own a few Edison cylinders that are nearly 100 years old

All of these recordings play perfectly well, considering their age and the media used in production.

DVDs and CDs are 'Rotting' after only a few years?!?

"A ten year life expectancy"?!?

If 21st Century digital technology can't provide consumers with a product that is at least as durable as an 8-Track tape...we're all getting screwed over by someone.

Well how about this...

I keep it at probably low 70's when I'm home...and then I don't have the AC on when I'm not. So i guess depending on how hot it is outside...that's what you get inside. Any thoughts?

Btw...as far as I know, I've never had any discs rot (knock on wood) but then again, I don't go trying all 350 of them all the time.

Great post. I agree 100%. :D

if you live in NYC and have to pay your electricity bill that's insane. My sister stayed with me and she was home all the time so the AC was on non-stop. The electricity bill that month was like $300. Since I work most of the time and only turn on the AC when I feel like I'm gonna die, my electricity bill is about $60 during the summer and $40 during the non-AC months.

The problem with DVD's going belly up seems to be largely related to the complexity of the data recorded on them. In my experience, CD's (music and data) seem to be able to withstand pretty much anything (within normal parameters of wear) and still perform well. DVD's on the other hand are obviously very sensitive to the slightest scratches or marring of the playing surface. Even invisible flaws (which could be related to sub-surface flaws, separation of layers, oxidation, or engineering flaws) can totally screw up the playability of a disk. I've even had new unblemished DVD's right out of the package that did't play correctly on any players.

The primary difference between the two types of disk is that DVD's contain a LOT more data than CD's, and in turn require a much more complex decoding process than CD's. One little glitch in decoding that data, and the playback is interrupted.

Now, the conspiracy theorist side of me might also propose that the big entertainment comglomerates might have an interest in engineering products that won't last for a long period of time, just to ensure that there is a continuing healthy market for their products. After all, if the consumer can just buy one copy of each item that will last for eternity, it certainly decreases the viability for future profits. The long term viability of CD's is part of the reason that the record industry has gone through such tough times over the last half-decade or so. Believe me, the entertainment industry is aware of this, and is always looking for ways to both maximize profits from current technologies, as well as ways to render those technologies obsolete to increase profits for future technologies. So why not just manufacture a product that promises to last for decades (to attract customers), but in fact will fail within ten years?

Exactly. Which is why I'm questioning what to do. Have you ever had any problems with your discs due to the heat in the summer?

If I'm home, the AC is on. My bills are usually around $80 in the summer for electricity...maybe more.

personally, I haven't had any DVDs stop working all of a sudden *Knock on wood.* Living in NYC, you probably know that apts in NYC are like 10 degrees warmer than outside esp. if you're in a higher floor. that said, my apt is like 90 degrees + all the time and no problems with my DVDs yet.

DVDs are very sensitive to scratches in a circular direction, but they can play right through some pretty serious radial scratches. A lot of it is dependent on how good the player's error correction is - I have a few discs that hang up on my 2 1/2 year old home player that play perfectly in my computer's DVD drive.

I have had a few badly scratched discs I picked up at pawn shops for about nothing (they threw them in when I bought other discs). It is possible to take out some pretty good scratches using an abrasive compound such as toothpaste or auto polishing compound, rubbing in a radial direction. This leaves the disc surface covered with fine scratches, and not shiny at all - but the player will still read it. Then I do a final cleaning with Brasso and a soft rag, leaving it looking almost like new - works most of the time.

The DVD doctor works well for most shallow scuffs or scratches - and a pawn shop I buy from often has a commercial buffer that works pretty well. It leaves the disc surface with a dull matted look, but does not affect the playability.

Couldn't have said it better myself! This really is ridiculous that these are not lasting long at all. Even if things go great for the average collector and after having dvds for 10 years , for example, 1 dvd a year has to be replaced from a bad copy purchased 10 years prior, having to invest even $5 on another copy is absurd. We can clone *****ing humans and send robots millions of miles to other planets but when it comes to technology in the sense of film and music, we can't do any better than an 8-track? WTF?

I know what you're saying. I'm on the 4th floor of my building and it's definitely bad enough. Let's hope!

my copy of Devil's Advocate recently has died. It refuses to play after the layer change. I want to get the OOP version but I do not want to play and have it die in a few months.

I think in general many products produced today are better for a certain amount of time then break down, fast. I also believe this is made into the product. Not many people keep electronics or machines for 20 years. Industry moves so fast now. Not many kids want their parents car unless absolutely nothing else is available :) . I never believed that DVDs will last forever, in 20 years I'll be getting data crystals, if I'm still alive.

Again, if we could make backups every couple of yrs, none of this would really be an issue as long as the newer DVD players are still able to read older formats.

I was never a collector before the advent of DVDs. I used to buy VHS tapes of big titles like SW, Jurassic Park, Raiders etc and that was about it.

When DVDs came out with the promise of clean picture, unlimited viewings without deterioration of picture quality, the collector in me woke up. I started buying titles like crazy and today I have a sizeable collection.

Findiing out too late that my collection will not last more than a few years has been a rude awakening for me.

Never will I buy again (except for titles that I can't avoid, like SW, LOTR:ROTK EE etc.).

I have tried the disc on two solid Sony players, my PC's DVD drive, and my CD drive(CD drives cannot play DVDs but you can look up the file system).

It was not READABLE on any of these devices.

The message I get is "NO DISC" on all these machines.