The people who have been getting their free discs from HD-DVD's free software with purchase of any HD-DVD player seem to have been burned by Universal. Its long been a practice to punch a hole in the UPC bar or cover the UPC bar with a white sticker for promotional items but it seems Universal has gone the extra step by melting the case and art work of the free films sent out in a straight line across the front. The films from the other companies releasing on HD-DVD seem to be fine. A hint of advise to Universal or any company planning on doing this...just cause the film is free doesn't mean it has to arrive in the hands of your consumers mutilated. The Blu-ray discs from the blu-ray promotion have been reported to have arrived free from any delibrate defects.


Here is a site where you can purchase replacement cases...
http://www.dvdinternational.com/pd_hd.cfm

Ridiculous to bring in blu-ray to this. Many on AVS have received their 5 free blu-rays (after 3-4 weeks only) and they all showed up in perfect new condition.

This isn't a Blu-ray/HD issue. This is Universal being stupid. Just as Sony not including the DVD features on the remastered Fifth Element was stupid, Warner not including the interactive features on the Blu-ray of 300 was stupid, and Paramount dropping the DVD features from Top Gun is stupid. No studio has done everything right.

Figures, I just sent in my rebate and three of my titles are universal. That is one of the more stupid things universal has done.

There hasnt been any confirmation on 'EVERY' Universal HD-DVD having been destroyed that they've sent out on this offer.

He may have recieved it this way due to product control issues.

Until this is a wide spread incident this shouldnt discourage anyone from getting any HD product or Universal product for that matter.

As for the poke with BD - that was just a low blow and speculation.


I dont want hearsay - Hard facts - not rumors or gossip.

I didn't even notice they did this until after seeing this thread (I obviously haven't gotten around to watching them yet). Mine are on the back at the top and over the bar code so I can still enjoy the cover art on the front (U-571 and Seabiscuit).

Wow, 3-4 weeks, that is a nice turnaround for a rebate.

That disc case looks horrific! What the hell is wrong with Universal?

This is likely just an isolated incident. Can anyone else verify that this is happening on ALL Universal discs from the mail in?

I'm the person that took that picture, and to my knowledge, I'm the only one that received one with the burn across both the front and the back. Everyone else is reporting it across the back only. I suspect they just had my disc in a pile the wrong way so they accidentally burned the front, then noticed and turned it around and burned the back.

I just got free discs and both Universals were scratched on the case/cover just like the one shown, but on the back side. The other titles were unmolested. The titles that were scratched were Chronicles of Riddick and Rundown. Not a big deal for me, because those were the ones I wanted the least. The others were The Perfect Storm, Four Brothers and Constantine.

Just a real quick check here...

But How long does it usually take to get these films back in the mail?

I would send them back and request replacements.

I got the 3 free deal and my Universal disc was not damaged. Sucks they started doing this with the 5 free deal.

This looks like a shrink-wrapping accident to me. I doubt Universal would do this for the promotion without realizing that the consumer is bound to complain...

What the hell are you guys talking about "stab at bd" "Ridiculous to bring in blu-ray to this"

Reading different sites on the internet in no way would reassure anyone that the bd companies wouldn't do something like this cause not a lot of people had received their films. If Universal, a major studio, could do this it isn't to crazy to think its possible for another studio to do the same.

And any ways i never said "bd also did this" or "i wouldn't be surprised if bd would do this too" I said "it is not known wether or not the bd discs arriving from the bd promotion have the same type of damage but it is possible" Cause after reading more posts on avsforums it seemed that this was not the case and I edited my first post.

You guys take this shit to seriously you act like I offended your mothers or something. Its a god damn "format war" not a real war where you got to be at each others throats. Oh no your format of choice might not win well tough shit next time don't invest in something that so uncertain without estimating your probable losses.

If anything I am a Blu-ray supporter with my ps3 which I bought for gaming and got a blu-ray player as a bonus and my massive collection of only a few blu-ray discs (cause there are only a hand full of films that are worth a shit on both formats). No HD-DVD player or plans to ever buy. Hi Def or no Hi Def I worry more about the film's quality rather than the video/audio quality.