My DVD no longer plays!

Do you have backups of your favourite CDs and DVDs? If not you should.

This blog was prompted by a phone call I received last week, “My DVD no longer plays”.

Although relevant to commercially produced CDs and DVDs (which are pressed from a glass master) this blog is aimed at those with “burnt” media, produced in CD/DVD burners and recorders on recordable CD/DVD media. I.e. CD-R, DVD-R, DVD+R, DVDRW

Media rot has been known about for many years and first came to light with CDs. Media rot must not be confused with physical damage. When CD’s first came on the scene (would you believe in 1982) they were hailed as indestructible – try telling that to someone whose favourite disc has been scratched or damaged by everything from carelessness to a faulty player, grandchildren and dogs. The so called “rot” is usually invisible, unlike scratches and is caused by leaving the disc exposed to the UV content of daylight, or worse and probably more common, just a breakdown of the layer containing the data. The first you know is  when you go to play a DVD and the DVD no longer plays.

Professionals such as myself carefully researched reliable media type, taking into account compatibility, a problem in the early days,  as well as production failure rates and used what was considered to be the best available at the time. Sadly, I have seen a few examples of media rot from discs I produced  5+ years ago – yet I also have DVDs that I produced 12 years ago that still play as well as the day they were made and on the same media type. Batch control and rogue media getting into the supply chain have been cited as reason for this problem but whatever the reason the disc content is usually unrecoverable.

If you have CDs and DVDs that are precious then getting backups (duplicates) made is a very sensible plan. PLEASE don’t shut the gate after the horse has bolted.

David Strelitz Video Productions can provide low cost verified duplication of both CDs and DVDs and will offer 50% reduction for duplication of any discs produced by DSVP that are 5 or more years old.

Contact us via our Contact page, or by email or phone for further details.

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