TECH: Fixing a scratched DVD
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OK, I have a serious problem here, I need serious help. One of my Buffy DVDs is scratched and unusable. :(( Due to horrific packaging (the disc was wedged tight into a cardboard sleeve and couldn't be removed without force) the disc now has a radial scratch, and is unusable. (It plays for like 3 minutes, then the video stops or the audio breaks up, repeat after another 3 minutes.) So, I need to know, how do I fix this? I can't copy the files and play them off the hard drive because Win2K prevents you from copying VOB files (THANKS MS! *thumbs up*). I can't return the set because I bought them from the UK months ago and the receipt is long-gone (and they'd just say it's my fault anyway). I've seen devices in Electronics Boutique that claim to repair scratched CDs. Do these work? And are they safe to use on a DVD? --Mike-- The Internet is a place where absolutely nothing happens. -- Strong Bad 1ClickPicGrabber - Grab & organize pictures from your favorite web pages, with 1 click! My really out-of-date homepage Sonork-100.19012 Acid_Helm Hi! I'm a sig virus. Attach me to the end of your sig to help me take over the world!
Michael Dunn wrote: because Win2K prevents or better yet, if Win2k is your problem try COUGH! http://www.dvddecrypter.com/[^] CCAAHHH! ;) Later,
JoeSox
www.joeswammi.com Untitled[^] | GWB CP Profile[^] -
OK, I have a serious problem here, I need serious help. One of my Buffy DVDs is scratched and unusable. :(( Due to horrific packaging (the disc was wedged tight into a cardboard sleeve and couldn't be removed without force) the disc now has a radial scratch, and is unusable. (It plays for like 3 minutes, then the video stops or the audio breaks up, repeat after another 3 minutes.) So, I need to know, how do I fix this? I can't copy the files and play them off the hard drive because Win2K prevents you from copying VOB files (THANKS MS! *thumbs up*). I can't return the set because I bought them from the UK months ago and the receipt is long-gone (and they'd just say it's my fault anyway). I've seen devices in Electronics Boutique that claim to repair scratched CDs. Do these work? And are they safe to use on a DVD? --Mike-- The Internet is a place where absolutely nothing happens. -- Strong Bad 1ClickPicGrabber - Grab & organize pictures from your favorite web pages, with 1 click! My really out-of-date homepage Sonork-100.19012 Acid_Helm Hi! I'm a sig virus. Attach me to the end of your sig to help me take over the world!
Michael Dunn wrote: One of my Buffy DVDs is scratched and unusable Oh dear God! :wtf::eek: Michael Dunn wrote: It plays for like 3 minutes Yup, I'm sure 3 minutes with Buffy wouldn't be enough for me either. ;P Cheers, Simon "The day I swan around in expensive suits is the day I hope someone puts a bullet in my head.", Chris Carter. animation mechanics in SVG (latest pic 1) (latest pic 2)
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Michael Dunn wrote: because Win2K prevents you from copying VOB files Open the sofware to play your DVD with the DVD in your DVD drive. This will unlock the protection, now you should be able to copy the VOB files! at least this works on my WinXP. Later,
JoeSox
www.joeswammi.com Untitled[^] | GWB CP Profile[^]Well, copying the VOB files isn't a solution anyway, because the disc is still scratched. If PowerDVD can't read the VOBs to play the video, the VOBs would be unreadable by anything else. --Mike-- The Internet is a place where absolutely nothing happens. -- Strong Bad 1ClickPicGrabber - Grab & organize pictures from your favorite web pages, with 1 click! My really out-of-date homepage Sonork-100.19012 Acid_Helm Hi! I'm a sig virus. Attach me to the end of your sig to help me take over the world!
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Michael Dunn wrote: because Win2K prevents or better yet, if Win2k is your problem try COUGH! http://www.dvddecrypter.com/[^] CCAAHHH! ;) Later,
JoeSox
www.joeswammi.com Untitled[^] | GWB CP Profile[^]Well, copying the VOB files isn't a solution anyway, because the disc is still scratched. If PowerDVD can't read the VOBs to play the video, the VOBs would be unreadable by anything else. --Mike-- The Internet is a place where absolutely nothing happens. -- Strong Bad 1ClickPicGrabber - Grab & organize pictures from your favorite web pages, with 1 click! My really out-of-date homepage Sonork-100.19012 Acid_Helm Hi! I'm a sig virus. Attach me to the end of your sig to help me take over the world!
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OK, I have a serious problem here, I need serious help. One of my Buffy DVDs is scratched and unusable. :(( Due to horrific packaging (the disc was wedged tight into a cardboard sleeve and couldn't be removed without force) the disc now has a radial scratch, and is unusable. (It plays for like 3 minutes, then the video stops or the audio breaks up, repeat after another 3 minutes.) So, I need to know, how do I fix this? I can't copy the files and play them off the hard drive because Win2K prevents you from copying VOB files (THANKS MS! *thumbs up*). I can't return the set because I bought them from the UK months ago and the receipt is long-gone (and they'd just say it's my fault anyway). I've seen devices in Electronics Boutique that claim to repair scratched CDs. Do these work? And are they safe to use on a DVD? --Mike-- The Internet is a place where absolutely nothing happens. -- Strong Bad 1ClickPicGrabber - Grab & organize pictures from your favorite web pages, with 1 click! My really out-of-date homepage Sonork-100.19012 Acid_Helm Hi! I'm a sig virus. Attach me to the end of your sig to help me take over the world!
If the scratches are on the unlabelled side you can rub them out with a plastic polish made for this purpose. The recording itself is on the labelled side, but the scratches distort the laser light so it can't be deciphered. Removing the scratches should make the recording playable again. From homerecording.about.com: "Cleaning and repairing DVDs If you notice problems when playing a disc, you may be able to correct them with a simple cleaning. Do not use strong cleaners, abrasives, solvents, or acids. With a soft, lint-free cloth, wipe gently in only a radial direction (a straight line between the hub and the rim). Since the data is arranged circularly on the disc, the micro scratches you create when cleaning the disc (or the nasty gouge you make with the dirt you didn't see on your cleaning cloth) will cross more error correction blocks and be less likely to cause unrecoverable errors). Don't use canned or compressed air, which can be very cold and may thermally stress the disc. For stubborn dirt or gummy adhesive, use water, water with mild soap, or isopropyl alcohol. As a last resort, try peanut oil. Let it sit for about a minute before wiping it off. There are commercial products that clean discs and provide some protection from dust, fingerprints, and scratches. Cleaning products labeled for use on CDs work as well as those that say they are for DVDs. If you continue to have problems after cleaning the disc, you may need to attempt to repair one or more scratches. Sometimes even hairline scratches can cause errors if they just happen to cover an entire ECC block. Examine the disc, keeping in mind that the laser reads from the bottom. There are essentially two methods of repairing scratches: 1) fill or coat the scratch with an optical material; 2) polish down the scratch. There are many commercial products that do one or both of these, or you may wish to buy polishing compounds or toothpaste and do it yourself. The trick is to polish out the scratch without causing new ones. A mess of small polishing scratches can cause more damage than a big scratch. As with cleaning, polish only in the radial direction. Libraries, rental shops, and other venues that need to clean a lot discs may want to invest in a commercial polishing machine that can restore a disc to pristine condition after an amazing amount of abuse. Keep in mind that the data layer on a DVD is only half as deep as on a CD, so a DVD can only be re-polished about half as many times." It is ok for women not to like spo
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Well, copying the VOB files isn't a solution anyway, because the disc is still scratched. If PowerDVD can't read the VOBs to play the video, the VOBs would be unreadable by anything else. --Mike-- The Internet is a place where absolutely nothing happens. -- Strong Bad 1ClickPicGrabber - Grab & organize pictures from your favorite web pages, with 1 click! My really out-of-date homepage Sonork-100.19012 Acid_Helm Hi! I'm a sig virus. Attach me to the end of your sig to help me take over the world!
Michael Dunn wrote: the VOBs would be unreadable by anything else. I figured. That's why I follow-up'd with dvddecrypter, it might be able to read the readable .vob files, so at least you can have those chapters, but restoring/surfacing/cleaning is definitely the way to go(sorry no experience) but you might want to make a backup copy when all thru.:-D Later,
JoeSox
www.joeswammi.com Untitled[^] | GWB CP Profile[^] -
OK, I have a serious problem here, I need serious help. One of my Buffy DVDs is scratched and unusable. :(( Due to horrific packaging (the disc was wedged tight into a cardboard sleeve and couldn't be removed without force) the disc now has a radial scratch, and is unusable. (It plays for like 3 minutes, then the video stops or the audio breaks up, repeat after another 3 minutes.) So, I need to know, how do I fix this? I can't copy the files and play them off the hard drive because Win2K prevents you from copying VOB files (THANKS MS! *thumbs up*). I can't return the set because I bought them from the UK months ago and the receipt is long-gone (and they'd just say it's my fault anyway). I've seen devices in Electronics Boutique that claim to repair scratched CDs. Do these work? And are they safe to use on a DVD? --Mike-- The Internet is a place where absolutely nothing happens. -- Strong Bad 1ClickPicGrabber - Grab & organize pictures from your favorite web pages, with 1 click! My really out-of-date homepage Sonork-100.19012 Acid_Helm Hi! I'm a sig virus. Attach me to the end of your sig to help me take over the world!
Michael Dunn wrote: One of my Buffy DVDs is scratched and unusable. OMG:: Will you last the night !! This is serious !! Get the paramedics rolling !! Make room for a helivac !! Have you tried buffing the drive ! :-) Since it does work for 3 mins indicates to me that some salvage is possible. Although I have zilch knowledge apart from the fundamentals about DVD's experience tells me that differing types of readers can have different success, so try reading it on another make. Regardz Colin J Davies
Sonork ID 100.9197:Colin
I'm guessing the concept of a 2 hour movie showing two guys eating a meal and talking struck them as 'foreign' Rob Manderson wrote:
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OK, I have a serious problem here, I need serious help. One of my Buffy DVDs is scratched and unusable. :(( Due to horrific packaging (the disc was wedged tight into a cardboard sleeve and couldn't be removed without force) the disc now has a radial scratch, and is unusable. (It plays for like 3 minutes, then the video stops or the audio breaks up, repeat after another 3 minutes.) So, I need to know, how do I fix this? I can't copy the files and play them off the hard drive because Win2K prevents you from copying VOB files (THANKS MS! *thumbs up*). I can't return the set because I bought them from the UK months ago and the receipt is long-gone (and they'd just say it's my fault anyway). I've seen devices in Electronics Boutique that claim to repair scratched CDs. Do these work? And are they safe to use on a DVD? --Mike-- The Internet is a place where absolutely nothing happens. -- Strong Bad 1ClickPicGrabber - Grab & organize pictures from your favorite web pages, with 1 click! My really out-of-date homepage Sonork-100.19012 Acid_Helm Hi! I'm a sig virus. Attach me to the end of your sig to help me take over the world!
Hi Micheal, I had a similar problem with one of my favorite audio-CDs, which I used to have in my car (car which is for me the same as chaos :omg: ...). I was hopeless so i tried car-polish, which worked very well (for audio CD). But I have never tried that with a DVD.... If it is hopeless, try it with a fluffy cloth and be tenderly... Hope this helps..
Olli Make it idiot proof and someone will make a better idiot......
:suss: :rolleyes: :suss: -
OK, I have a serious problem here, I need serious help. One of my Buffy DVDs is scratched and unusable. :(( Due to horrific packaging (the disc was wedged tight into a cardboard sleeve and couldn't be removed without force) the disc now has a radial scratch, and is unusable. (It plays for like 3 minutes, then the video stops or the audio breaks up, repeat after another 3 minutes.) So, I need to know, how do I fix this? I can't copy the files and play them off the hard drive because Win2K prevents you from copying VOB files (THANKS MS! *thumbs up*). I can't return the set because I bought them from the UK months ago and the receipt is long-gone (and they'd just say it's my fault anyway). I've seen devices in Electronics Boutique that claim to repair scratched CDs. Do these work? And are they safe to use on a DVD? --Mike-- The Internet is a place where absolutely nothing happens. -- Strong Bad 1ClickPicGrabber - Grab & organize pictures from your favorite web pages, with 1 click! My really out-of-date homepage Sonork-100.19012 Acid_Helm Hi! I'm a sig virus. Attach me to the end of your sig to help me take over the world!
Whether the scratch repair things work or not depends on the disk. If the recording layer is intact and the scratch is in the clear plastic of the disk (hence just screwing the focus), then the kits work quite well. If the recording layer is damaged then you're screwed. But why not give it a go anyway? what have you got to lose? you've got an unplayable disc as it is... can't make it any worse. I just don't get why anyone would want to watch buffy anyway. Except for the sole reason of leering at SMG. I'll get my flame suit ready now.
#include <beer.h>
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OK, I have a serious problem here, I need serious help. One of my Buffy DVDs is scratched and unusable. :(( Due to horrific packaging (the disc was wedged tight into a cardboard sleeve and couldn't be removed without force) the disc now has a radial scratch, and is unusable. (It plays for like 3 minutes, then the video stops or the audio breaks up, repeat after another 3 minutes.) So, I need to know, how do I fix this? I can't copy the files and play them off the hard drive because Win2K prevents you from copying VOB files (THANKS MS! *thumbs up*). I can't return the set because I bought them from the UK months ago and the receipt is long-gone (and they'd just say it's my fault anyway). I've seen devices in Electronics Boutique that claim to repair scratched CDs. Do these work? And are they safe to use on a DVD? --Mike-- The Internet is a place where absolutely nothing happens. -- Strong Bad 1ClickPicGrabber - Grab & organize pictures from your favorite web pages, with 1 click! My really out-of-date homepage Sonork-100.19012 Acid_Helm Hi! I'm a sig virus. Attach me to the end of your sig to help me take over the world!
Toothpaste? I've heard that it works wonders on CD's and DVD's (I have not tried it myself though)
Bruce Duncan, CP#9088, CPUA 0xA1EE, Sonork 100.10030
Blackadder: Baldrick, have you no idea what irony is?
Baldrick: Yeah, it's like goldy and bronzy only it's made of iron. -
Whether the scratch repair things work or not depends on the disk. If the recording layer is intact and the scratch is in the clear plastic of the disk (hence just screwing the focus), then the kits work quite well. If the recording layer is damaged then you're screwed. But why not give it a go anyway? what have you got to lose? you've got an unplayable disc as it is... can't make it any worse. I just don't get why anyone would want to watch buffy anyway. Except for the sole reason of leering at SMG. I'll get my flame suit ready now.
#include <beer.h>
Jon Hulatt wrote: I just don't get why anyone would want to watch buffy anyway. I'll second that ;) - Anders Money talks, but all mine ever says is "Goodbye!"
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OK, I have a serious problem here, I need serious help. One of my Buffy DVDs is scratched and unusable. :(( Due to horrific packaging (the disc was wedged tight into a cardboard sleeve and couldn't be removed without force) the disc now has a radial scratch, and is unusable. (It plays for like 3 minutes, then the video stops or the audio breaks up, repeat after another 3 minutes.) So, I need to know, how do I fix this? I can't copy the files and play them off the hard drive because Win2K prevents you from copying VOB files (THANKS MS! *thumbs up*). I can't return the set because I bought them from the UK months ago and the receipt is long-gone (and they'd just say it's my fault anyway). I've seen devices in Electronics Boutique that claim to repair scratched CDs. Do these work? And are they safe to use on a DVD? --Mike-- The Internet is a place where absolutely nothing happens. -- Strong Bad 1ClickPicGrabber - Grab & organize pictures from your favorite web pages, with 1 click! My really out-of-date homepage Sonork-100.19012 Acid_Helm Hi! I'm a sig virus. Attach me to the end of your sig to help me take over the world!
Here we have a service available, which fixes scratched CD/DVD's for about 100Kc/3$ a piece (by cementing and cleansing it). The DVD rent shop here uses it for fixing DVD's returned scratched. Pavel Sonork 100.15206
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OK, I have a serious problem here, I need serious help. One of my Buffy DVDs is scratched and unusable. :(( Due to horrific packaging (the disc was wedged tight into a cardboard sleeve and couldn't be removed without force) the disc now has a radial scratch, and is unusable. (It plays for like 3 minutes, then the video stops or the audio breaks up, repeat after another 3 minutes.) So, I need to know, how do I fix this? I can't copy the files and play them off the hard drive because Win2K prevents you from copying VOB files (THANKS MS! *thumbs up*). I can't return the set because I bought them from the UK months ago and the receipt is long-gone (and they'd just say it's my fault anyway). I've seen devices in Electronics Boutique that claim to repair scratched CDs. Do these work? And are they safe to use on a DVD? --Mike-- The Internet is a place where absolutely nothing happens. -- Strong Bad 1ClickPicGrabber - Grab & organize pictures from your favorite web pages, with 1 click! My really out-of-date homepage Sonork-100.19012 Acid_Helm Hi! I'm a sig virus. Attach me to the end of your sig to help me take over the world!
These repair things normally work by polishing out the scratch in the clear plastic layer of the disk... It just depends where the scratch is... if you can see light through the scratch (more than the rest of the CD) then there is not going to be much you can do for it... But if it is a minor scratch in the bottom surface of the disk, then the repair tools may help you... Blade[DMS]
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OK, I have a serious problem here, I need serious help. One of my Buffy DVDs is scratched and unusable. :(( Due to horrific packaging (the disc was wedged tight into a cardboard sleeve and couldn't be removed without force) the disc now has a radial scratch, and is unusable. (It plays for like 3 minutes, then the video stops or the audio breaks up, repeat after another 3 minutes.) So, I need to know, how do I fix this? I can't copy the files and play them off the hard drive because Win2K prevents you from copying VOB files (THANKS MS! *thumbs up*). I can't return the set because I bought them from the UK months ago and the receipt is long-gone (and they'd just say it's my fault anyway). I've seen devices in Electronics Boutique that claim to repair scratched CDs. Do these work? And are they safe to use on a DVD? --Mike-- The Internet is a place where absolutely nothing happens. -- Strong Bad 1ClickPicGrabber - Grab & organize pictures from your favorite web pages, with 1 click! My really out-of-date homepage Sonork-100.19012 Acid_Helm Hi! I'm a sig virus. Attach me to the end of your sig to help me take over the world!
Michael Dunn wrote: One of my Buffy DVDs is scratched and unusable Don't worry Michael, a scratched CD or DVD still works just fine as a coaster. They don't fly as well so frisbee is out. But that Buffy DVD still has years of coaster life in it. ;) Though I like Colin's suggestion: Buff the thing, SMG may just like it
Paul Watson
Bluegrass
Cape Town, South AfricaAnna-Jayne Metcalfe wrote: I don't know much about Artificial Intelligence, but I've seen a lot of Natural Stupidity in the corporate world...
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Toothpaste? I've heard that it works wonders on CD's and DVD's (I have not tried it myself though)
Bruce Duncan, CP#9088, CPUA 0xA1EE, Sonork 100.10030
Blackadder: Baldrick, have you no idea what irony is?
Baldrick: Yeah, it's like goldy and bronzy only it's made of iron.And industrial CD polish works wonders on your teeth... :rolleyes:
David Wulff http://www.davidwulff.co.uk
h.a.s: 0.0.4
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OK, I have a serious problem here, I need serious help. One of my Buffy DVDs is scratched and unusable. :(( Due to horrific packaging (the disc was wedged tight into a cardboard sleeve and couldn't be removed without force) the disc now has a radial scratch, and is unusable. (It plays for like 3 minutes, then the video stops or the audio breaks up, repeat after another 3 minutes.) So, I need to know, how do I fix this? I can't copy the files and play them off the hard drive because Win2K prevents you from copying VOB files (THANKS MS! *thumbs up*). I can't return the set because I bought them from the UK months ago and the receipt is long-gone (and they'd just say it's my fault anyway). I've seen devices in Electronics Boutique that claim to repair scratched CDs. Do these work? And are they safe to use on a DVD? --Mike-- The Internet is a place where absolutely nothing happens. -- Strong Bad 1ClickPicGrabber - Grab & organize pictures from your favorite web pages, with 1 click! My really out-of-date homepage Sonork-100.19012 Acid_Helm Hi! I'm a sig virus. Attach me to the end of your sig to help me take over the world!
One DVD is scratched, right? One DVD? This may sound odd, but if Roger's advice doesn't help can't you just buy another one, I mean they are hardly expensive now are they? Not even worth the cost of a cleaning kit unless you already have one.
David Wulff http://www.davidwulff.co.uk
h.a.s: 0.0.4
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One DVD is scratched, right? One DVD? This may sound odd, but if Roger's advice doesn't help can't you just buy another one, I mean they are hardly expensive now are they? Not even worth the cost of a cleaning kit unless you already have one.
David Wulff http://www.davidwulff.co.uk
h.a.s: 0.0.4
David Wulff wrote: Not even worth the cost of a cleaning kit unless you already have one But if you don't have a DVD, then it is not worth buying a cleaning kit. But if you have a DVD and it is scratched then it is also not worthy buying a cleaning kit. So is this putting cleaning kit makers out of business? Actually, here, DVDs are not cheap. About R300 (23 quid) for a premium title, R150 for a last-years-movie title.
Paul Watson
Bluegrass
Cape Town, South AfricaMeg wrote: Stand close to him (while trying not to appear gay), and the wasp should transfer it's interest to him. Of course, I'm not speaking from evil experience or anything....
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One DVD is scratched, right? One DVD? This may sound odd, but if Roger's advice doesn't help can't you just buy another one, I mean they are hardly expensive now are they? Not even worth the cost of a cleaning kit unless you already have one.
David Wulff http://www.davidwulff.co.uk
h.a.s: 0.0.4
David Wulff wrote: I mean they are hardly expensive now are they? 70 UK pounds for the set, then 20 UK pounds for shipping by airmail. X| Individual DVDs not sold separately. I don't know when the set is coming out in the US (probably not till summer) so I'd rather not wait and blow another 50 bucks for another set. --Mike-- The Internet is a place where absolutely nothing happens. -- Strong Bad 1ClickPicGrabber - Grab & organize pictures from your favorite web pages, with 1 click! My really out-of-date homepage Sonork-100.19012 Acid_Helm Hi! I'm a sig virus. Attach me to the end of your sig to help me take over the world!
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David Wulff wrote: I mean they are hardly expensive now are they? 70 UK pounds for the set, then 20 UK pounds for shipping by airmail. X| Individual DVDs not sold separately. I don't know when the set is coming out in the US (probably not till summer) so I'd rather not wait and blow another 50 bucks for another set. --Mike-- The Internet is a place where absolutely nothing happens. -- Strong Bad 1ClickPicGrabber - Grab & organize pictures from your favorite web pages, with 1 click! My really out-of-date homepage Sonork-100.19012 Acid_Helm Hi! I'm a sig virus. Attach me to the end of your sig to help me take over the world!
Ah ok, sorry, didn't realise it was part of a set. :-O
David Wulff http://www.davidwulff.co.uk "I'm waiting for Big Brother III" - JoeSox losing his credibility
h.a.s: 0.0.4
