I have picked up a load of DiscoVision titles in poor physical condition recently, as well as already owning a couple of copies of Jaws (one is the Extended Play edition which was sent in error when I had bought the CAV edition).

I see on the website about DiscoVision that dead sides are actually sides from other titles that failed testing, and usually come with some sort of coating which can be removed with alcohol.

However, I'm not sure that any of mine have done. Most of the DiscoVision titles I picked up recently have an even number of sides. The only ones that don't are two (Jaws Extended Play and Coal Miner's Daughter Extended Play) that have a yellow and silver speckled pattern on them (which either could be some sort of coating, or could be a VERY corroded dead side), and one (Jaws CAV) that just looks like a mirror disc, but doesn't quite have the same sheen as a mirror disc (so perhaps this is actually a coating). Are any of these the coating in question, or do I not have any "interesting" dead sides?

Sounds like the coating to me.

________________________________
the rein-o official signature:

The ones with yellow and green speckling have no dead side at all (blam1 calls them 'green slime') - your copy of Jaws 1 does have a dead side, there's quite a bit of stuff about removing them on youtube and here.

The dead sides were a mix of rejects and leftover sides that couldn't be made into a complete package. Some sides are from GM titles which require service mode enabled to play on some players - they don't have the Phillips codes that normal LD's had.

Generally all but the earliest CLV issues do not have a dead side - later ones still (usually made in Japan) have an actual pressed "no program this side" side - not a turtle, though.

I suppose methylated spirits will do? I'll find some in a few days' time (can't remember if I have them at home or not), give it a go and see what's on it, I think! In a way it seems a shame doing it as the set is in remarkably good condition, but I really am curious as to what's on the dead side.

I used to call them "green slime", but it was never "my term." I've actually removed the reference in most areas of the "DiscoVision" web site and replace it with "glue spray".

You can use rubbing alcohol (80% is best) to loosen the coating. It's easiest to do it in sections - 1/3 of the disc at a time. Keep the alcohol from the edge as it will seep into the bond between the disc halves and erode the aluminum.

I have a (very incomplete) list of dead sides that have been reported to me or that I've personally seen on the web site. The submission stuff hasn't worked for several years (too lazy to fix), but if you find one that isn't listed on the web site, drop me an email (or message here) and I'll update the site.

As mentioned above, they aren't necessarily "rejected" sides. I've seen perfect sides as well as total garbage sides. In fact, on a Dead Side is the only way to get a copy of "A Roman Family Dinner"!

I actually posted a thread that addresses the dead sides of DiscoVision titles and a step-by-step guide on how to view them, which you can see here.

In essence, the ones with potentially viewable dead sides have a finish I describe there as being like frosted glass. It sounds like the dead side of your copy of "Jaws" CAV is the same way, so I guarantee there's something there. How interesting it'll end up being, however, is totally up to chance. I have sides 2 and 4 of "Looking for Mister Goodbar" on dead sides, for example, but I also have sides from common films like "Coal Miner's Daughter" or "Smokey and the Bandit," as well as plenty of GM programs. Worth checking out, though! It's just part of the fun of DiscoVision collecting for me.

The other kind mentioned here, the "glue spray," that look like this:



Have no special coating you can remove, or any "hidden" content you can view. You're seeing the glue because that side is just a transparent plastic disc glued to the other half -- there's no reflective layer of aluminum underneath it.

As another example, this is what my copy of "Alien" on the Magnetic Video label looks like (it was also manufactured by DiscoVision):

Wondering if ALIENS side 4 has anything hidden maybe an ALIEN Easter Egg?


Side 3 CAV with the colour rainbow.


Side 4 blank with no colour rainbow so could it have some sort of coating on it and you removed yours with alcohol and lot of hard wiping.

Coated sides look like crap not mirror like yours Laserbite.

I don't have any dead sides as I've cleaned them or sold them all.
Only DiscoVisions I have are using all the sides.

________________________________
the rein-o official signature:

It does make for a good mirror.
I have to keep this topic in mind maybe it only applies to NTSC DiscoVison and not early PAL discs?

PDO UK did a different "dead side" route with a blank mirrored side. There isn't anything to "uncover".

Okay so that clears that matter up for early PAL UK discs. There is only one Disco one want to get Buck Rogers 25th Century, when I see it at sane price and not insanely priced.

I have now already some old DiscoVision discs and know exactly what dead side mean.
It is the disc side which is part of the full film/volume/programme but which player can't read any more.
I don't know the reason why some sides broke such way that laser is unable to find the track or chapters list.
It can't find chapter 0 so it rotates disc in different speeds until it stops itself. In some cases it will rotate disc forever...

Visually inspecting - all good, no scratches or anything. Was additionally polishing inner part - no results.
Is there any solution to restore such dead sides?

I currently have Battlestar Galactica (5 sides) - side 2 is dead...
also Bionic Woman (4 sides) - side 2 is dead...

Why in LDDB Catalogue is existing functionality to report laser rot but not the dead sides?

Dead side is 3 sides to the film and side 4 is "dead" or not part of the film.

Not playing is another issue.

This is just Intentionally Blank side. It is or other plastic (or aluminium) sheet or standard LD side which is empty or made unreadable using some additional coverage.

The meaning of "Dead Side" as unreadable/faulty side is used also here:
http://www.blam1.com/DiscoVision/index.htm
http://www.blam1.com/DiscoVision/DiscoV ... efects.htm
http://www.blam1.com/DiscoVision/Library.htm
http://www.blam1.com/DiscoVision/DeadSideSubmission.htm

Because only the very last side can be the Empty One or contain some "Easter Eggs" if Dead Side is between other sides then it is not intentionally, then it is fault.

Or what is then correct common name for such LD side which contains film or programme (continuing from other sides) and is now not readable - player can't found any readable contents/chapters?

It is not good at all to mix up all terms ...

I understand where you are going with this thought, but let's not confuse 38 years of terminology. A side that should play, but doesn't is a "rotted" side in my opinion. A "Dead Side" is a side that wasn't intended to be playable, but is.

HOLY CRAP! LaserDisc is 38 years old!

If they're early Discovision disks with felt sleeves, try cleaning the disk before giving up on them.

Also, different players give different results with Discovision in general - and you can try test mode to see if there's anything left on the disks to play - in some cases there's a signal but if the Phillips Code bits in the vertical interval are bad, the player won't be convinced it's a disk. GM disks and one side of 'House Calls' don't have the Phillips code and need test mode to play at all on many players. (and on some players, test mode even allows PAL disks to be 'played' - sort of/very badly.)

Sorry for the thread resurrection. I finally tried to clean off the lacquer on my Jaws CAV dead side. Underneath the lacquer I revealed... a mirror disc!

Damn.

Mine is just as bad! Front/Back side collage to highlight the differences.



Julien

I have exactly the same things with my copy of Jaws : no Dead Side, juste a mirror

Can you post a picture of this?