Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: DVD's May Self Destruct

my profile | my password | search | faq & rules | forum home

»	Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE » Community » The Afterlife » DVD's May Self Destruct (Page 2)

This topic comprises 3 pages: 1 2 3

Author

Topic: DVD's May Self Destruct

Paul G. Thompson
The Weenie Man

Posts: 4718
From: Mount Vernon WA USA
Registered: Nov 2000

posted 02-03-2003 11:12 PM

Randy, what you said still boils down to two things: (1) Crappy manufacturing and (2) Shitty quality control.

Just like a book of matches.....ever get a good book of matches lately where the match head does not fly umpteen feet on fire when you strike it, or IF you can strike it at all? [Eek!]

And Mark...you said "OLD" disks... [Smile]

- how about the new ones? [Big Grin]

I compare it to a 1948 Zenith TV set using a reactance tube modulator for AFC control of the horizontal oscillator. That thing was bullet proof. Today's TV sets are plastic electronics...and they work great as long as you have the TV set sitting on top the transmitter just like the Muntz TV sets to get good reception...unles you have a coax carrying a "hot" signal.. [Big Grin]

| IP: Logged

Leo Enticknap
Film God

Posts: 7474
From: Loma Linda, CA
Registered: Jul 2000

posted 02-04-2003 01:58 AM

As if unintentional DVD degradation wasn't bad enough, some folks are designing them to do that deliberately! The following was posted on the AMIA list last month.

quote:
From: David Walsh [mailto:DWalsh@IWM.ORG.UK]
Sent: Monday, January 27, 2003 4:51 AM
To: AMIA-L@LSV.UKY.EDU
Subject: [AMIA-L] Self-destructing DVDs

The perfect solution to archiving DVDs - there'll be nothing left to archive: from New Scientist, 18 January 2003

*SpectraDisc of Providence, Rhode Island, has won a basic patent (US 6343063) on self-destructing DVDs. The idea is that people renting the DVD will not need to return it to the store. The disc is doped with hygroscopic salts such as magnesium chloride, and its surface is covered with a peel-off barrier, like a record label.

To play the disc you have to remove the barrier. The salts then start to pick up moisture from the air, producing a corrosive mix that begins to eat away the aluminium layer of the disc that holds the data. So the disc will play for a while and then stop. The disc can also contain an indigo dye that is darkened by the light from the DVD player's laser, to control the number of times it can be played.*

David Walsh
Imperial War Museum

What a half-assed technology if ever there was. So what if the thing decomposes after two or three playings? One pass is all you need to copy it. I can't see how this will have any impact on piracy whatsoever.

| IP: Logged

Christopher Duvall
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 500
From: Denver, CO
Registered: Dec 1999

posted 02-04-2003 02:06 AM

To me, this sounds more like "Planned Obsolescence". I know that many companies have products that don't break down, deteriorate, burn out or fall apart. However, if these items were to be sold, these companies would go under becuse there would be no need for service departments and no need to sell more products. My grandmother has a freezer in her basement that has been there since the mid 50's and it does its job very well. The damn thing was built to last. Unfortunately, it something were to wear-out on it, there would be no replacement parts for it. She would have to replace it and the new one would probably break down in about 5-10 years. I have heard some X-Files type stories that light bulb manufacturers have light bulbs that don't burn out. If they were to sell them, they would go out of business.

Overall, I believe that most manufaturers are now greedy, GREEDY enterprises that will do what it takes to keep making money and to keep their jobs. It's the American Way.

| IP: Logged

Joe Redifer
You need a beating today

Posts: 12859
From: Denver, Colorado
Registered: May 99

posted 02-04-2003 01:01 PM

I agree with Paul. Both scenarios make sense.

Crappy Manufacturing - There are so many people who buy DVDs these days that manufacturers are rushing to get them out of the door as soon as possible. Screw quality control, just get them to the store so people can buy them, as DVDs are the medium of the future! Older DVDs still hold up because they could take more time to make them, and they were also still "proving" the format. I've noticed that when ANYTHING gets mass produced, quality usually takes a dive... from DVDs to MiniDisc (players) to 35mm projectors. The quality is what made them popular, but once they got popular, the quality had to go.

Planned Obsolescence - They sell DVDs cheap compared to what they used to sell LaserDiscs and VHS tapes at. They need to make sure you keep coming back and buying replacements. And we, like the drones we are, keep falling for it because we are stupid.

| IP: Logged

John Pytlak
Film God

Posts: 9987
From: Rochester, NY 14650-1922
Registered: Jan 2000

posted 02-04-2003 01:12 PM

Christopher Duvall wrote:

quote:
... It's the American Way.

I don't think America has a monopoly on greed. [Frown]

| IP: Logged

Thomas Procyk
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1842
From: Royal Palm Beach, FL, USA
Registered: Feb 2002

posted 02-04-2003 01:46 PM

quote:
The salts then start to pick up moisture from the air, producing a corrosive mix that begins to eat away the aluminium layer of the disc that holds the data. So the disc will play for a while and then stop.

Yes. Such a wonderful idea! In time, our landfills will be piled high with more of these stupid little discs than the continuously-mounting pile of AOL copies. That's what DivX almost did.

quote:
I know that many companies have products that don't break down, deteriorate, burn out or fall apart. However, if these items were to be sold, these companies would go under becuse there would be no need for service departments and no need to sell more products.

That's why we need corporate accountability. For every "Brand-X" washer, dryer, stove, fridge, TV, etc. that's destroying our environment sitting in a landfill because it was built to fall apart after the warranty, that brand should be charged a disposal fee as well as an ecological damage assesment fee. Build it cheap now, pay for it later! [thumbsup]

=TMP=

| IP: Logged

Paul G. Thompson
The Weenie Man

Posts: 4718
From: Mount Vernon WA USA
Registered: Nov 2000

posted 02-04-2003 02:00 PM

HAH! Look at the brighter side. If the DVD's rot like they do and the public catches on to it, who'll buy the damned things? I won't. The movie producers and their companys can just take their cheap product and stuff it where all such things should be stuffed! Besides, with the crap hollywood likes to release, who wants to buy it anyway?

I had a manager of a DVD shop tell me DVD sales (especially CD's) have dropped substancially over the last year. Some of those stores are "hurting".....

| IP: Logged

John Pytlak
Film God

Posts: 9987
From: Rochester, NY 14650-1922
Registered: Jan 2000

posted 02-04-2003 02:06 PM

Some links about a few of Kodak's environmental programs: [thumbsup]

Kodak People & Planet Website

End of Life Management

Film Recycling

FPC Film Salvage

| IP: Logged

Claude S. Ayakawa
Film God

Posts: 2738
From: Waipahu, Hawaii, USA
Registered: Aug 2002

posted 02-04-2003 04:00 PM

With the exception of "THE AMERICAN PRESIDENT", I had mentioned above, I have never had any problems with any other DVds I had bought since they first went on sale in March 1997. I watched "THE COLOR PURPLE" two weeks ago which was a part of the very early releases and my copy still looked very good with no signs of 'rot' or any other abnormality. As far as recent DVD prie reductions is concerned, they are only limited to catalogue titles and newer movies that have been repriced after they have been on the market for a couple of months. One example is "LEGALLY BLONDE" which was selling for $20.00 on sale when it was first released a few months ago and only $8.95 this week at Circuit City. New movies that are coming out on DVDs are still priced at about $20.00 when they are on sale. Studios are doing this because they are more interesed in selling movies rather than renting because they can make more money and many times recoup their investment if a film did not do well during it's theatrical run. A lot of Classic movies are now coming out at very low prices. I just learned yesterday, Universal will be releasing "SWEET CHARITY", "THE GLENN MILLER STORY" and "THE BENNY GOODMAN STORY" from digitally restored elements for a SRP of $14.95. This low price does not mean that the quality will be poor. The discs will be just as good as higher priced titles because I have purchased others at that price range and have been very pleased.

-Claude

| IP: Logged

Bill Gabel
Film God

Posts: 3873
From: Technicolor / Postworks NY, USA
Registered: Jan 2002

posted 02-04-2003 04:27 PM

A few of the studios like MGM, have their DVD production lines
come out of Taiwan. Some Paramount DVD's & VHS come from Mexico.

They are mastered here in the states, but the production lines
are located where cheap labor is located.

| IP: Logged

Brad Miller
Administrator

Posts: 17775
From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall)
Registered: May 99

posted 02-04-2003 06:16 PM

I am a proud owner of less than one dozen DVDs. Out of those I have had 3 of them defective right out of the box. I even tried playing them on a few different players just to make sure mine wasn't screwy. Ahhhhhhhh quality!

With the way people treat films nowadays, I think Kodak needs to come out with self-destructing films. After a couple hundred runs, theaters still playing it gets a new print. [Razz]

| IP: Logged

Matthew Bailey
Master Film Handler

Posts: 461
From: Port Arthur,TX
Registered: Sep 2000

posted 02-04-2003 06:35 PM

something I like to see would be DTS encoded laser video dics-not DVD's.

| IP: Logged

Greg Mueller
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1687
From: Port Gamble, WA
Registered: Jun 99

posted 02-04-2003 06:57 PM

Speaking of AOL disks...
Some fool decided it would be a great idea to put an AOL disk on each seat at Safeco Field in Seattle. What a moron. People began playing "Flying Saucer" with them and people in the front rows were getting wacked in the head. The first aid room had an abundant supply of people with splits in their head. Ouch! [Eek!]

| IP: Logged

Joe Redifer
You need a beating today

Posts: 12859
From: Denver, Colorado
Registered: May 99

posted 02-04-2003 07:49 PM

Matthew they DO (did) make DTS LaserDiscs. In fact I own several:

True Lies
Titanic
Super Speedway
Jurassic Park
Seven
The Nightmare Before Christmas
and many more

all in DTS.

| IP: Logged

Claude S. Ayakawa
Film God

Posts: 2738
From: Waipahu, Hawaii, USA
Registered: Aug 2002

posted 02-04-2003 08:42 PM

I also have a nice collection of DTS laserdiscs of about fifty four titles. Some of my favorites include "JURASSIC PARK", "TITANIC" and APOLLO 13". When it comes to demonstrating how wonderful split surround sound can be, the best disk is CASPER" which is not yet available on DVD.

-Claude

| IP: Logged

All times are Central (GMT -6:00)

This topic comprises 3 pages: 1 2 3

Printer-friendly view of this topic

The Film-Tech Forums are designed for various members related to the cinema industry to express their opinions, viewpoints and testimonials on various products, services and events based upon speculation, personal knowledge and factual information through use, therefore all views represented here allow no liability upon the publishers of this web site and the owners of said views assume no liability for any ill will resulting from these postings. The posts made here are for educational as well as entertainment purposes and as such anyone viewing this portion of the website must accept these views as statements of the author of that opinion and agrees to release the authors from any and all liability.