Fox Blu-ray Discs - Go Bad?

they could have, two of my netflix streaming disks for the ps3 stopped working. I tried it on my friends and didn't load either. Both disks were mint.

Well, first there was laser disc rot...now maybe DVDs...this is not good news!!! If that is what's happening, there could go our collections.

Note, just bought Alien vs Predator BD yesterday. Did I just waste $10, we'll see.

Thansk Ralph for the heads up!!!

I bought AVP in 2007 I think, I just put it in the computer and it plays fine. I haven't tried it in my Blu-ray player because it is only connected to my projector and I don't feel like dealing with it right now. For what it's worth the advertising insert says copyright 2007, it has ads for The Simpsons, Fantastic 4, Independence Day, Cast Away and The Die Hard Collection on the flip-side.

Since they began removing extras from rental discs, I no longer purchase discs from Fox. However, I have had problems with the Fox rental discs not loading as well. FANTASTIC MR FOX and THE JONESES are two that I recall not being able to play. I assumed it was a by-product of the stripped-down rentals.

Can you see any discoloration on the data side near the hub of the disc? I've seen reports of issues with BD discs separating at the hub and/or developing some kind of rot near the hub.

Benes said the same thing about Speed: Blu-ray Discs Rotting??

This makes me want to revisit backing up my collection. I don't currently have the hard drive space or appropriate hardware, but with all I've spent collecting, maybe it would be worth the additional cost and time.

Not rotting, certain copies of "Speed" were actually blank un-written discs.

Mine said 2004/2007 and I just played it and it works fine on my Panny BD-30!

Had you read the linked post you would have seen it was previously working for him...

I'm very worried about this. I have the Finnish BD of the Protector - and it is like your discs Ralph, it just don't work anymore but used to play fine. Bought this disc about 2 years ago. Should I ask either the shop or the distributor (Future Film) for a refund or exchange?

Does it make any difference if you clean the discs with warm water and mild detergent?

I have a suspicion that the cases outgas plasticiser or other chemicals and that these vapours deposit on the disc surface over time, interfering with the laser transmission.

The only warped disc of mine is Saw IV, and I'm not sure what caused it. I ended up caving in and getting a new copy.

Haven't heard of any other issues though.

I imagine if you send the studio your original disc that they would replace it for you. Discs do occasionally fail from time to time, even retail ones.

My father had a legitimate copy of a Bollywood movie (rare, I know) that was new and played fine for years. One day we try to play it and the DVD has a discoloration on the data side, almost as if someone had spilled something on it. It won't play at all and I could not read the disc on my computer either.

Checked my copy of AVP which I bought within a week of it's street date a few years ago and it still plays fine. menus, scenes, ect - no problems. In fact, I was surprised to be reminded how fast the movie or chapters load and play when selected in the menu unlike most titles these days.

Regarding laser rot, I'm sure there will be incidents reported concerning specific titles as time goes on and more titles are available. I remember back in the early days of laserdiscs, I had the first release (full screen) of "Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan" and after about a year, I went to play the movie and noticed copper/brass colored "speckles" all over one side of one of the two discs and it wouldn't play. This introduced me to laser rot and as many laserdisc collectors know, late in the format's history in the mid/late 90's many titles from Sony/Tri Star including "Starship Troopers" and "Contact" from a certain factory were prone to laser rot due to contaminants in the chemicals and process used to bond the plastic clear layers to the metallic data disc. Entire runs of these titles quickly rotted and became unplayable within a few month's time.

Laser rot has been noted in certain titles produced on dvd through the 90's as well. "Kentucky Fried Movie" and certain Anchor Bay Hammer Horror dvds were prone to rot and become unplayable for instance.

Laser rot doesn't always manifest itself as physical discoloration on a disc. Usually it will show as either speckles as noted on the LD example I mention but it can also show as a coppery or gold colored discoloration on the entire data side surface of the disc that grows more pronounced over time. This is usually due to excess moisture/ high humidity contaminating the laminating process causing the thin metallic data disc to actually "rust" over time. Sometimes it can show as a sort of "clouding" like the plastic or acrylic resin laminate begins to outgas or break down, usually due to improper mix or contamination of the chemicals to make the layers at the manufacturers plant. However, there can be no outward visual signs the disc is going bad until the day you try to play it and it fails to load.

As the process to manufacture consumer discs has evolved in 30+ years, such problems have been addressed only to have different issues with similar negative results occur. But the instances of such problems has greatly been reduced over time.

I've run into laser rot in every type of data disc at some point. CDs, DVDs, LDs.... I have yet to find laser rot on a Blu-ray title (I have about 300 titles so far) but I'm sure I'll run into it sooner or later.

T.B.

Checked out my copy of AvP and it seems to work fine, however my copy of Speed also magically stopped loading. I tried a few other of the older Fox titles nearby on the shelf (28 Days/Weeks later, Behind Enemy Lines) and they seemed OK, but who knows if the movies won't freeze up while watching. I am going to see if I can get a replacement for Speed.

Just checked my uk copy of speed and it plays fine.

I'm going to try out Speed which was purchased back in 2006. I have an Oppo BDP-93 and a Panasonic BDT-300. I'll report back.

Ralph,

I came across something interesting. I played Speed on my Panasonic BDT-300 and after the spinning dotted circles it went to the FBI Warning screen and I had green blotches all over. It kept playing with these green pixelated blotches. I than went to my living room setup and played it on my Oppo BDP-93. It loaded but skipped the FBI warning logos and went straight to the main menu. In the main menu I could see the menu selections but the rest of the screen was blank. I selected a scene and it played ok. There is a definite problem with Speed. I haven't watched this disc since I bought it in 2006. I don't own AVP.

EDIT: I just checked Flyboys and I do see a white coloration around the hub of the disc. I played it on my Panasonic and it loaded fine. If anyone is interested I could post a pic of the coloration.

No issues with a 2006 US Speed on a PS3 60GB.

Tried Speed, Master and Commander, Kingdom of Heaven, and - based on other feedback I read - the Lionsgate titles Basic Instinct and The Descent.

Basic Instinct has rotted. All others play fine. Tested on 2 Panasonic (BD-30 and new BDT-100, and PS3 80GB model from 2008 - all with latest FWs). The basic Instinct disc played fine when I bought it back in late 2007. i believe I may have seen it again in 2008-2009, but it has definitely been a while since I spun it up. The disc is in pristine condition. No marks or blemishes.

These discs were all kept in a dedicated home theater room, cool, dry, etc.

Anyone have Lionsgate's contact info? Hope this is not a trend and only affected certain runs of certain titles early in the Blu-ray format life...

I just sent them an email about exchanging my copy of Speed.