Renting DVD movies

[Guest wildpegasus]

When DVDs were first being talked about as being the next big thing one of the first things I thought about was stores renting them out. Video tapes can detiorate over time and DVDs aren't sussposed to but all I could think about was how people treat music cds, video games cds and VHS tapes. Not all the time of course but a good amount of times people treat them roughly. For people who rent movie DVDs (I imagine video games must be worse) or buys them second hand are you having trouble getting them to work properly? I know people that are fed up with renting DVDs because they never work right and I was wondering if this was a problem everywhere. Thoughts? Experiences?

[Ravenbomb 0]

they're not usually too scratched up, but once I got one that was sticky on the bottom

[Guest wildpegasus]

they're not usually too scratched up, but once I got one that was sticky on the bottom

I wonder what it'll be like 5 years down the road once DVDs get more used up. It'll be interesting to see. Does anyone know what percentage of the public currently has DVD players?

[Ravenbomb 0]

I'm sure someone does, yes

[Guest El Satanico]

Just like with CD scratches are to be expected with discs exposed to public usage. I've only had a few that were too scratched up to watch them in peace.

 

It'll just result in Rental Places/Libraries not having huge inventories that build up for many many years like with video tapes. It'll suck for people like horror fans who go to rental places and rent 5 obscure movies that are usually old copies. However, it won't affect the typical consumer who'll be renting more recent films.

[Guest I Got Banned for Sucking]

My step-brother has recently had problems with both a DVD hire and an ex-rental that he has had - Bad Boys II and Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, respectively.

 

I am very particular with my DVDs. I'm not going to go into my anal-retentive care tips here, but forget anyone else using them. FORGET IT.

 

Me buying ex-rentals? Fuhgetabardit.

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

I'd imagine using DVDs that have been used by someone/somebody else would be the same as anything else you'd buy/rent used, whether it be a car or CD.

 

That's why I normally don't rent DVD's. I've had too many poo-poo on me...

[Guest I Got Banned for Sucking]

Bullshit. You've obviously going to be more particular with a DVD, something with which you can right any wrongs of. And they're digital.

[dubq 0]

75% of the time, for me, I'd say. It looks like someone was fucking eating off of the thing. It makes me wonder what is so hard about taking care of a disc?!

 

But, I do buy ex-rentals quite a bit and I've only ever had one bad disc out of that lot. In fact, I just bought a copy of Freddy/Jason on Wednesday that was in pretty much perfect condition. The only flaw was that it had the video stores "stamp" on the front of the discs. $12 as opposed to paying $30-something at HMV [Canadian funds, of course]. Huzzah!

[DMann2003 0]

Just ask them to clean that think with the DVD doctor machine, most rental places have them nowadays.

 

That's why I buy used DVD's from second hand CD/Video stores, they have policies for buying that require discs to not be too scratched or scratched at all.

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

LOL -- the last used game I bought was Diablo for the Playstation. After playing for one night and realizing how bad it sucked on that platform I went to return it. Not for a full refund, mind you. I was just going to trade it in. Well they wouldn't accept it because it was too scratched up.

 

I had that game for less than a week and did NOTHING to it -- I'm anal with my movies, music, video games...

[razazteca 0]

If you want to buy used rentals then the best way to do so is get them 1-to-2 months after its orginal release and get them on the 2 for $20 deal. This way you would get good products that hasn't been used as coasters or play toys for pets yet.

 

Used dvds are not as scratched or in bad condition as used games normally are.

[notJames 0]

For a while, I had to check the actual discs before I'd leave the rental place, because more often than not, they were scratched up beyond belief. There is no let-down quite like sitting down to watch a movie only to have the picture break into rainbow pixels after the opening credits. This happened quite a lot, and I logged quite a few miles replacing discs the same night I rented them. Now they're more vigilant about giving me spotless discs.

 

I still can't understand how people can treat DVDs like shit. Maybe because they're not theirs. That's just plain ignorance and/or disrespect.

 

I find that the more obscure or indie the film is, the less chance there is of disc damage. So thankfully I rent more indie stuff nowadays. The rest of the rabblerousers can keep the Hollywood blockbusters.

[Guest I Got Banned for Sucking]

Fuck cleaning machines - the idiot video store clerks (not to offend any that may be reading this - but take heed) handle them TERRIBLY anyway.

 

Do you see the way that they use their bare fingers to push the disc back into the case?

 

[Ravenbomb 0]

I got the Matrix from Netflix, and the disc was fucking snapped in half

[DMann2003 0]

I still can't understand how people can treat DVDs like shit. Maybe because they're not theirs.

Hoo-boy it ain't just cause they don't own them, I've seen games, CD's and DVD's at my friends house all the time laying out of their cases on the TV, DVD player, coffee table whatever.

 

I try and tell her but does she listen to me? No. Her DVD's get better treatment when I borrow them.

[DMann2003 0]

Fuck cleaning machines - the idiot video store clerks (not to offend any that may be reading this - but take heed) handle them TERRIBLY anyway.

 

Do you see the way that they use their bare fingers to push the disc back into the case?

 

And don't get me started on the public library, one branch sticks the discs in the cases read-side up, and they're always covered with nicks, scratches, fingerprints, dirt. I ask them why they do this, it's because they want to see the little code sticker they put on the inside circle of the disc. I tell them put it on the cover art side (cause the sticker's so big my player can't properly read this disc with it on anyway). The say they don't want to damage the top.

 

It's COVER ART! There's nothing to be read on those sides (exception: double sided discs).

[Guest El Satanico]

The scratches have to be deep gouges to really mess the disc up. I've had discs covered with surface scratches and they played fine.

 

Cleaning a DVD with Windex will often fix scratches affecting playback, if not too sever.

[NoCalMike 0]

Here is something I never could figure out. When a movie has to be back by a certain time, does that mean it just has to be in their RETURN box or it actually has to be digitally checked back in via the computer system? There have been plenty of times that I have slipped a movie or two in the drop box about twenty - thirty minutes prior to the deadline, yet the next time I go to rent a movie, they try to tag me with late charges. This really pisses me off.

[Guest Man Of 1,004 Modes]

I am flawless in renting DVD's. Not once have I gotten a bad one. Heck, I've purchased previously viewed DVD's and they are perfect condition.

[Kahran Ramsus 0]

Here is something I never could figure out. When a movie has to be back by a certain time, does that mean it just has to be in their RETURN box or it actually has to be digitally checked back in via the computer system? There have been plenty of times that I have slipped a movie or two in the drop box about twenty - thirty minutes prior to the deadline, yet the next time I go to rent a movie, they try to tag me with late charges. This really pisses me off.

It has to be checked in. Which is why any responsible store makes sure that it is done right before the due time.

[Guest I Got Banned for Sucking]

That's never happened to me - but I wouldn't pay any late fees if it did.

 

One time, I went to take a DVD back, which had to be back by 10:00 PM - I dropped it in at about 9:45 PM - but the video store had turned it's computers off, so they tried to slap me with a late fee.

 

When buying, if it's not in a security case, shrink-wrapped at the very least, I won't buy it.

 

Well, the only exception is if it's from Elctronics Boutique, Sanity, etc., where they know how treat discs to an extent.

 

TO AN EXTENT.

[Karnage 0]

Its a mixed bag for me, sometimes I get discs in great condition and sometimes they are horrible. Games always seem scratched up for me.

I really don't know what some people do with their discs. It seems like they use them as coasters or frisbees when they rent them.

[Guest I Got Banned for Sucking]

Has anyone else ever noticed the perfect dust-streaks on game discs, namely for the Sony Playstation 2?

 

They're circles around the disc. I figure that they were already there, so I'm not bothered.

[Kahran Ramsus 0]

I have never had any problem getting rentals to work. I have never bought used DVDs or games since the demise of the cartridge era. Not that I wouldn't, just that I tend to buy it when it comes out if I want it.

[Guest I Got Banned for Sucking]

I've never really had a proble, trying to get rentals or ex-rentals (not that I've experienced my own of the latter category) to work, but I wouldn't have them anyway, what with how ugly they look with all of those scratches, marks, thumbprints, miscellaneous fingerprints, etc.

 

And the 'more-than-often' terrible condition of the case/s.

[Youth N Asia 0]

I've only rented 2 DVDs and they've both screwed up on me. I just think people don't take care of rentals.

[Guest I Got Banned for Sucking]

That's just because the vast majority of people that rent them are idiots.