Daily Blog – John E. Johnson, Jr. – February 5, 2008: PROBLEMS WITH SCRATCHES ON HIGH DEFINITION DISCS ARE CAUSING DISC ERRORS WHEN TRYING TO PLAY THEM.

Over the past few months, I have had increasing problems with playing high definition discs that I have rented. Here is a scan of the surface of a recent rental from Blockbuster by mail (The Hurricane – HD DVD). It would not play in the HD DVD player, nor would it play in our media server. I even washed it with soap and water (the scan photo is of the surface after I washed it). 

Now, I have had SD (standard definition) DVDs that were as scratched up as this, but they played. Remember though, high def discs have tracks that are much closer together, and the pits are much smaller. So, a scratch or mark is much more likely to interfere with the laser reading the track. Looks like that is what is happening.

One would think that consumers would have the courtesy to take care when handling rental discs, but it appears they are not doing that. The marks on this disc seem to be far too many to have been put there by just one user, so I assume it is a series of careless people.

I used to get LPs from the library – after many people had checked them out and listened to them – and they had less scratches than these DVDs. So, it seems users think they don’t have to handle DVDs with care, because scratches don’t make any difference. Hello. Anyone home?

OK guys, we are going to be in a lot of trouble if everyone does not handle their rental discs carefully. Pull it out of the sleeve by the edges (I saw greasy fingerprints on the surface before I washed it), and handle it only by the edges. Do not lay it on a table recorded surface down. Do not slide it along the table when picking it up. Do not drop it on the floor. If you get a fingerprint on it, wash it in warm water with a little dish soap. Rinse it off and dry it with a paper towel, gently.

C’mon now, there are lots of people out there waiting for that disc after you watch it. Be careful!

I just got the replacement for that movie from Blockbuster, and if it is scratched too, I will be angry. You don’t want to see me when I am angry.