"flippers" DVD's - plays on both sides of disk...no labels - are they junk?
By coffeebreak
@coffeebreak (17798)
United States
March 8, 2009 10:28pm CST
Okay, so I am learning new things all the time.. but this one has me stumped!
I have been watching sales for tv series shows from the 60'-80's in the box sets of the seasons. So far, so good. Now, I bought a box set of a show at Target the other day - season 1 and 2 in a pack... $20. Thought it was a great deal.
Well, I put in the first disk played it, all was fine, but then the next disk and noticed I had missed some episodes within the season. Went from episodes 1-8 on the first disk and then on the second disk it was episodes 15-21.. I couldn't figure out where the ones inbetween were! I thought i got a bad product, until I heard someone (here) mention something about "flippers" and yep, sure enough, they have episodes on BOTH sides of the dvd disk! No lables... which I thought odd when I saw there wasn't a label, but things change... I have bought lots of box sets and no two are every alike in appearence or structure!
Well, okay so what.. at least that is what I thought. I looked today and went to clean the disks and noticed on BOTH sides of the disk there were 2 sets of lines going around the disk... back in LP record times we'd a called that "scratch marks". The disks seem to play fine, but those lines are etched into the disk...same place on both sides. I checked diskes that were playable only on one side and had the label on the other side, and they don't have those lines.
So since these lines are on BOTH side in exactly the same area, does this mean that:
1. my DVD player is going bad (it is a few years old and does make a noise if the volume is turned up to high) but plays things fine or
2. are these lines being made from the light that is blazed to make the dvd work... due to labels.. I assume the light is shining up from the bottom so it could be making the marks, however I have checked other disks that are one sides with a label on the other side, and they don't have these lines on them. I was thinking maybe the label protects the one side from getting the lines...
This is the first set of "flippers" I have come in contact with, and I am wondering if they are just poor quality, or is it my DVD player or ......I don't see anything on the covers of the boxes that says or refers to the disks being "flippers" so I guess i couldn't "not buy flippers", as it isn't stated so how would I know not to buy....
Anyone have any comments, suggestions or facts? Sure would appreciate some answers... I dont' want to ruin my favorite shows!!! Thanks alot!!!
2 responses
@Downunder_dude (407)
• Australia
9 Mar 09
When were the dvd's released? (Check the box). Double sided dvd's were the norm back when dvd's were first released back in the late 90's.
There's nothign wrong with them, other than the hassle of having to flip them over.
They were only made like that because original dvd's had less sotrage space than they currently do.
As for the marks on the discs - are there marks on any of the other dvd's you play?
The only reason why a dvd player whould mark a disc is if the disc is actually hitting something in the player itself (the surface below the spindle or something). But... the fact that these are double sided discs has nothing to do with it. If you're dvd player is marking discs, then it'd do it to all your discs. So if no other discs have the problem, then it's not a problem heh.
There's no way that a dvd laser is powerful enough to make any visible marks. Heck, you could stare at a dvd laser directly with your eyeball for hours and it wouldn't do any damage to your eye. They're incredibly weak.
So that's not your problem.
If both the above answers are nom then my last question is - were the marks already on the discs when you bought them and you just didn't notice?
I have discs which are marked, but it's just through production and doesn't affect how they play at all.
2 people like this
@coffeebreak (17798)
• United States
9 Mar 09
Interesting. I didn't know all that! I was still in VHS back in the 90's - still am to a point! I threw away the box the set came in but the episode guide says 2004 as the printing date.
No, it hasn't done this to any other DVD's...I didn't notice if it came that way, guess I need to better check things out from now on...could have been. I have noticed that occassionally there will be a "Freeze" while watching - it will literally freeze for a few seconds and then starat again... this happens on every single DVD I have tho! At some point in time during the episode, and not every episode, it will freeze for a few seconds like this. I fgure things just need to catch up maybe... since it is on every DVD ever played on my DVD player...at least that is what I have thought.
Thanks for you comments. I'll check things out better next time to see if it happenes again. This isn ot the first time I have bought at Target, but I usually buy on sale at Amazon.com and never have they been scratched or anything.
@Downunder_dude (407)
• Australia
10 Mar 09
What brand is your dvd player out of curiosity?
I have an LG and it does the pausing thing too - it's just the laser trying to catch up. It can be highly annoying heh.
@robertshay00 (446)
• United States
9 Mar 09
YOU get waht you paid for I have bought alot of this and it's a given good our mis the problem is the return is it worth your time and trouble for me I say yes sometime if you yell enought they may sent you stuff EXTRA you may like it's wild
One day bought a DVD for 1 dollar and of course didn't work for the fun of it i sent a complint to them they sent 20 dvd's for no chare for me i say WOW they gave me the whole dragent series from the 60's sweet so sometime's give people a yell SEE WHAT HAPPEN'S hoped i helped
1 person likes this
@coffeebreak (17798)
• United States
9 Mar 09
Yeah, I see what you are saying... I bought from Target before and no problems with the DVD's. And I have no trouble returning things or making complaints and I have to say Target is good about returns.. I returned a computer game dvd and they were quite accomodating.
Who did you complain to? I'll give it a try!!
