Problems with Shout! Factory DVDs

[Cordy_Biddle]

I must have started buying them during an "off period "but anyway...

Is it just me or is Shout! Factory's quality control slipping? In the last few weeks I purchased Season One of "Designing Women", and a couple of the discs had significant scratches, so I ordered another set from Amazon, figuring I could replace the offending discs, but the second set was covered in weird smeary smudge-marks!

Today my set of "The Patty Duke Show" Season One arrived, and it too is covered in both scratches AND smeary, smudgy marks (all six discs)! Does anybody else have these problems? All other sets I've purchased from Shout! seem fine except these.

[rexcrk]

Hmm that's annoying, but the only thing I've bought from Shout! was the Complete Transformers set and that was back when it first came out, and I haven't had any problems with it (other than their odd ordering of season 3 episodes )

[littlefuzzy]

I had the opposite experience - read below:
http://www.dvdizzy.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=24660

[Lazario]

I haven't bought any Shout! Factory DVD's, but I've had that exact same problem with new discs that I've bought and opened. Especially... if you can believe this... the SpongeBob SquarePants complete seasons from Paramount. And a few other discs- which I can't remember what they were. I take every new disc I get and turn it over to make sure there are no scratches or smears- which I know exactly what you mean. Some of them do have these things. No idea who does it or why, but you can order them from anywhere. You never know where these bad discs will turn up.

[KACENAID]

The last set I got from Shout! Factory was Max Headroom: The Complete Series and all my discs looked pristine, but I have had issues in the past with a few other discs from other companies. It seems like quality control doesn't exist when you get something like that (especially if it's the whole set...yikes)

[Spottedfeather]

I've only ever had these kinds of problems with Mill Creek. It took me 3 or 4 replacement sets to get one that worked. Several discs in the set looked like they had been dragged over asphault. Even then, the set that works had tiny scratches and fingerprints on it. The thing is, every set they sent me was supposedly brand new and sealed. And, of course, I've had problems with the double sided Universal discs. They either don't play, or they skip and freeze.

[Cordy_Biddle]

I got got the TV Holiday Classics set from Mill Creek, and it seemed okay.

It's really funny but, as far as my experience with Shout! goes, it's only ever the FIRST season of their shows that exhibit scratches and smears on the discs. My copies of "Designing Women" Seasons Two and Three are fine; and so is Season Four of "The Facts of Life"....

[Cordy_Biddle]

I just received my replacement set of "Patty Duke Show" Season 1 (along with Season 2), and both sets are pristine. Must have been a bad batch which has now run it's course; or perhaps Shout! had a lapse in quality control. Either way, I'm happy now.