Rot status was also updated.

Previously it was a very naive (I hear "stupid"?) metrics that only considered:

• 0 report - OK
• 1-5 reports - Low probability
• 6-10 reports - Possible candidate
• 11-20 reports - High probability
• > 20 - Avoid this release

This was the default code before I added "rot level".

Now the test is as follows (knowing that min & max level of rot levels are 1 & 5):

• 0 report = OK
• Average of rot levels reported <= 2 - Low probability
• Average of rot levels reported <= 3 - Possible candidate
• Average of rot levels reported <= 4 - High probability
• Average of rot levels reported > 4 - Avoid this release

Suddenly a LOT of HDDVDs are in the "Avoid" category.

Julien

Its funny I've had DVDs bought new with this same crack issue but never CDs, wonder what the problem is with the movie version of the 5 inch format.

And just for fun (and before trashing it all), I made scans of the inserts found in my HDDVDs.

https://inserts.lddb.com/HDDVD/

Now, call it karma or premonition, but one of my Warner HDDVDs had an insert ... for Blu-Ray releases.

https://inserts.lddb.com/HDDVD/WarnerBD%20%5b%234000014904%5d.pdf

Warner must have known something before we did!

Julien

There were a few WB HD-DVD's released after HD-DVD was killed, and that flyer has (C) 2008...

According to a user in an HD DVD group that I am in, both DVD's and Blu-rays by Cinram during that time frame have similar quality issues. So maybe time to check other old discs?

Wild guess; DVDs are multiple layers despite being same thickness as a CD, which means those layers are much thinner than on a CD, thus more easily broken.

This thread is quite depressing. I came across it, and decided to check some discs. I've previously stated on AVS that only the dual layer Warner discs were affected by rot. I last checked my discs perhaps a handful of years ago. I saw the pictures admin here has posted, and decided to check titles that are not Warner. I checked Studio Canal's The Elephant Man and the entire disc is a cloudy grey color. I checked Clear and Present Danger, and the disc has splotches that don't come off. Not feeling too good about this. Maybe it is a case thing - outgassing cases on both. Maybe I should switch whatever works to cases that aren't doing that. I had a close to complete US collection along with all of the big title imports.

Complete collection…why on Earth?

I guess maybe you learned not to do that now? Maybe? The heartbreak probably wouldn’t be so bad if you hadn’t spent money on five Harry Potter movies and like…Bikini Destinations in a format that died at light speed and also rotted. The ultimate collector crash and burn.

True, HDDVD was a unique failure in many ways that nobody could see coming but you’re kinda rolling the dice with complete collections. If the the ENTIRE FORMAT rots you lose EVERYTHING. What’s even worse, much worse, is that if it doesn’t rot at all any complete collection is usually filled with hundreds of crap titles nobody on earth will ever watch again. Or even once. You’re just generating CO2 to fill your shelves with mass. Neo Geo and Neo Geo Pocket are two things where if you buy every title you actually won’t end up with over half of it being total crap but that’s rare. Usually you’re just getting a lot of bad summer movies, sports games, and Limp Bizket type junk that makes the word go around for normies. You get one Hitchcock movie every 100 Jurassic Park 2s.

Imagine buying like…all the Fords. Yeah, you get some cool Mustangs and Focus RSs but it’s mostly burgundy Escapes and automatic Fiestas.

I said close to complete. I skipped nearly all HDNet releases since they were mostly burnt discs. I also skipped adult titles.

“They curdle like milk”: WB DVDs from 2006–2008 are rotting away in their cases
Some affected discs aren't manufactured anymore and can't be replaced.

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025/03/they-curdle-like-milk-wb-dvds-from-2006-2008-are-rotting-away-in-their-cases/



Julien

Wonder if you can still do this for HD-DVDs?

I sent an email, no reply yet.

Julien

See more at: https://www.avclub.com/warner-bros-replacing-disc-rot-dvd

"Reports as early as 2020"... Their HD DVDs were known to be widely going bad as of 2011, if not earlier. They did -some- exchanges of bad HD DVDs for the Blu-ray versions around then, for a short period.

I will follow this carefully to see if there is any hope now for HD DVD owners. Knowing how big companies work, though, they may thoroughly deny ever making or selling any of those discs, even if provided with obvious proof.

Thank you for posting that link.

I came across this by happenstance. I would guess for the HD DVDs if they offered to honour it that they would simply give you some sort of coupon towards a purchase of something else still available from their catalog or something similar to that effect.

I e-mailed Warner to try and replace my rotted Popeye DVDs but apparently they only service North American customers