PAL/R2 Disc rot/manufacturing error?

[MakoReactor]

[Hey guys, first time poster - had a quick search to see if anyone was having the same problem as me, but couldn't turn anything up.]

In 2011 I bought all of the newly released UK slimline editions of TNG, DS9 and Voyager. About 6 months ago I popped in a disc of DS9 to watch an episode, and five minutes from the end I got a disc error, so I took it out to clean it and noticed strange markings on it: about 2mm in and running the entire circumference, a pattern of dots on the surface that smear when wiped. I am pretty paranoid about taking good care of my discs, so this prompted me to check the rest of the discs. All of the DS9 discs had developed this pattern, Voyager (which is stored immediately beside it on the shelf had not), can't speak for TNG because I sold them long ago in order to raise money for the BluRays.

Last night I go to watch an episode of Voyager and the same thing happens. I check, and all of Voyager has developed the same pattern. (This also prompts me to check every other disc of every other series in the vicinity to make sure it isn't being caused by something in the environment.)

I am the only person this is happening to? Is some chemical breakdown in the disc causing this "condensation" pattern on the outside? Any ideas?

When it happened to DS9 I got frustrated because I was very doubtful that either the retailer or Paramount would be likely to replace discs that I had bought over 4 years ago. Now that the same thing has happened to Voyager, I am thinking it must be some manufacturing fault when they were putting together the slimline editions?

 

[Kor]

Disc rot occurs with the reflective material on the inside, not the outside surface of the disc.

Kor

 

[MakoReactor]

Yeah, I don't think it is "disc rot" per se, but I do think that something is going on internally that is causing this pattern to form on the outside. It is an identical pattern on every disc. My Trek DVDs seem to be the only ones affected.

 

[Orac]

The damage you describe sounds like it could have been caused by some type of insect infestation.

 

[eyeresist]

I'd say it's condensation, or possibly something exuded by the plastic of the cases. If it wipes off easily, I don't see it as a problem.

 

[The Laughing Vulcan]

It's disc delamination. A few poorly manufactured discs had the adhesive between layers start to degrade due to chemical reactions with the packaging (or so the distros said at the time) Initially it happened with Terminator and Silence of the Lambs in the UK, but it has cropped up on a few occasions over the years. Washing the disc with warm soapy water washes off the residue and makes it playable again. Be careful how you dry it, as paper is abrasive. Best use a lens cloth or something similar. But the adhesive will continue to degrade and eventually the disc will be unplayable, but you should still get around ten or so years out of it before having to replace it. Initially when boxsets were £100, distros used to replace the sets. It might be worth giving Paramount/CBS a try, but I don't think they do it anymore as discs are so cheap.

 

[Ethros]

The damage you describe sounds like it could have been caused by some type of insect infestation.

Nanites?

 

[Kilana2]

I had my fair share of DS9 DVDs with errors. They stopped running in places never to be continued again. Affected were my favorite episodes. Bad quality one might think. It also happened to a Voyager episode. All the money spent for nothing....

 

[Kor]

^ I've run into the same issue with Region 1 DVDs of DS9... like every time I buy a set.

Kor

 

[Kilana2]

Mine were UK imports. Did they sell crap?