Discussion Forums - Questions about SwapaDVD

How do I mark it?

It's playable, but at 2 parts during the movie it skips from one scene to the next. Not sure how much we actually are missing when it skips. In the "help center" it says NOT to mark it as a problem swap if it's playable, so I'm confused on what to do. I don't want to go back to the end of the WL, & would like to receive a copy that plays in full with out any problems.

Leann, I'd mark it RWAP.  You should be able to watch the entire movie without parts being skipped.When you mark it that way, not only shoud you get your credit back, you should be put back in the front of the line.

Yes, you should mark it RWAP.  It's not considered playable if it skips or stalls at any point. 

You say it skips twice so this probably isn't the case here, but some dvds will trigger a slight pause when they are switching layers.  I don't know for sure, but I don't think this happens more than once.

sometimes just cleaning it with some soap and water works

have you tried that?

Mark what kind of soap do you use?

Yeah, I've tried wiping it down with just a cloth. Still skipped. :(

 It's a newer release so I'm grateful to have gotten it. I just hate to accept it this way knowing I can't repost it here, but hate that the sender just got it a week or two ago & was kind enough to post it & send it, but will be out their credit.  

If you mark it rwap, they generally get their credit because you acknowledge that you recieved it, unless of course they have had several marked rwap

Just out of curiosity, did you try the DVD in another DVD player?  I have the special edition of the Disney movie Dinosaur that FREEZES in one chapter (not a layer change) on my RCA player, but is flawless on all others...some players are pickier then others.

Yeah, I watched on my DVD player & my daughter watched it on hers & it skipped at the same 2 points on both. However when looking at the DVD it's in perfect condition. I don't see any scratches or smudges. I'm wondering if it's just not the way it was made.

I had one made that way.  It was in a boxed set and I bought it new, removed shrink wrap myself... I could not watch one episode on disc #3 out of 6 discs.  I was able to find a replacement disc one year later.

Ugh, sorry to hear it didn't work on ANY player...sometimes there are pressing issues and some discs are just plain 'ol "defective".

I bought Stan Helsing on Blu Ray from Worst Buy a few weeks back & it pixelated in 2 parts as well..the 2nd time REALLY bad. I managed to finish this disgustingly BAD movie & tried to legitimately exchange it (to put up on this site)...lucky me, they were completely OUT of them so I got my money back! (still sorry kathryn if your reading this)

Hey--not to detract from Leann's dilemma here--but if you have problem discs you can take them and have them resurfaced for $1 or $2 and they look and play like new.  I don't think badly scratched discs will be like new, but I've never taken a badly scratched one in.   When I recieve dvds in crappy condition, i take them to be resurfaced.  The only ones I don't bother fixing are dvds that I probably would never be able to get rid of.  Also fix my CDs and son's games this way.

where do you go to get a disc resurfaced?

I have a disc resurfacer (Skip Dr.), and this works quite well on surface scratches. (I have to run a lot of the kids DVDs I get from the library for my daughter through it just to get them to play.) But for deep gouges, resurfacing won't help. Those DVDs are pretty much shot.

It also won't help on these Brand New DVDs that mysteriously skip or freeze up. There are no scratches to buff out, so buffing is pointless.

Some discs just have pressing problems. AKA, defective. It sounds like these are in fact skips (some portion of movie skipped) as opposed to just pauses for layer transition?

Mark as RWAP. Note that the disc flat-out skips in two places (probably a manufacturing issue, unless there are visible scratches). Playable means FULLY 100% playable, I assume. Not just 90% playable or 50% playable. ;o]

I tend to clean up a lot of DVDs myself. I'm surprised how many have a fine layer of clingy dust on the data surface or fingerprints, etc.

Most of the time, dry dust can simply be wiped away (carefully) with clean fingers (like right after a shower clean) so as not to add any finger oils, etc.

When I clean, I clean VERY carefully, just brushing dust radially outward and off the edge. A few of the tougher cases with schmutz on them I've had to use a trick someone at a local trade shop (not a pawn shop, per se) showed me. For fingerprints or minorly "stuck on" dust, it actually works somewhat well to breathe on the disc (a little condensation tends to form) and then wipe it off gently with a finger or a soft cleaning cloth (not paper towel, as those tend to either scratch or leave fibers).

Somehow, the little extra moisute / heat is just enough to get some schmutz off the data surface. Careful if you've got greasy or schmutzed up fingers, as this will tend to leave streaks unless you then clean the streaks off with the same process (probably better with a soft cloth if your fingers are too dirty).

I hear tell that Hollywood MAY resurface discs (or maybe it was the Game Crazy that's sometimes attached to newer ones that will resurface game discs)? Not sure... You could call them and ask. I think you can pick up resurfacing devices, as someone else had mentioned. I know they used to sell these at Fry's when I worked there several yearsw ago... Don't know how WELL they worked, though, as I've never trusted one enough to try it. Or tried one enough to trust it... I guess one could buy some throw-away movies for a buck or two somewhere to "experiment with" before using it on any "big money" DVDs... ;)

Best,
~Michael