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DVD: Degradable Versatile...

Posted by michael on from the bit-rot dept.

jomaree writes "The SMH online reports that some DVDs are starting to corrode or "rot". Although somewhere between 1 and 10 per cent of DVDs are affected, it seems the distributors don't want to know. One list of affected movie titles reveals what might be a sinister pattern emerging: "One DVD website lists 18 titles known to have at least one bad batch, among them Planet of the Apes (1968), Men in Black: Collectors Edition, Independence Day and the Alien Legacy box set." Or maybe the person compiling the list only buys sci-fi movies."

4 of 244 comments (clear)

  1. This has happened to me by krin · · Score: 5, Informative

    I had a DVD that was released in 2000 start to lose quality, also I noticed that the layers seemed to be seperating. I take good care of all my cds and dvds, so I knew it was no fault of mine. I contacted the company who pressed the dvd and they offered to send me a replacement as long as I sent in the original.

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  2. Re:Original site - karma whore by westyx · · Score: 3, Informative

    Please don't spank that server too hard - i know the person involved (friend of a friend) and they only have a 6 gig limit for the month.

  3. IANAC (I am not a chemist) by The+Mutant · · Score: 3, Informative

    but I do know that CD's and DVD's are both the same in that the are physically constructed of several layers.

    Each layer consists of various polymers, and although sealed polymers are susceptible to degrading. Even though they are realtively robust compared to say, videotape, the weakest part of a CD or DVD is the side where information is made available to the reading device.

    Polymers can react with moisture or UV light, and once that reaction starts (this is where a *real* chemist should start to add some meat to this discussion) it throws off by products that cause further degradation.

    CDs and DVD's do ship with a protective layer that is intended to shield the delicate, information carrying sublayers but once damaged (i.e., scratched), the degradation process can begin.

    Apparently if you store them properly - low humidty and at about 8 to 10 C, even damaged CD's and DVD' s will remain stable indefinitely.

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  4. Yet another reason for fair use laws! by Mipmap · · Score: 3, Informative

    http://www.vcdhelp.com/dvdripping