So, here I am - driving in my car listening to my favorite CD and then SKK-SKK-SKK-SKK-SKK-SKK-SKK-SKK<<>>>SKIIIIIPPPP goes my CD.

DAMN! My favorite CD! Scratched! WTF!!!

I eject and look for scratches on the "shiny" side - no sign of scratches... just 2 or 3 little "bumps" - turns out the CD was not scratched, the actual foil was scratched! how the hell did that happen?

Apparently, sand or some grime got into my CD pouch and scratched the top side (label side) of the CD. CD now is trash. NO SKIP doctor will help you... No CD player with 16 laser beams all hitting from different angles will help you now.

WHY????!!! you cry.. because YOUR CD'S ARE MADE CHEAP NOW!

So, let me get this straight... CD can cost you as much as $20 and now can be scratched not just from the obvoius, shiny side but from the top side???

Yup... just try it with a CD you don't like... Take a pen and just slightly scratch the surface of your CD on the top side, where the label is - most likely your CD will be unusable thereafter.


Here's why:

Originally, CD's were made like a sandwich - you had your plastic coat on top and bottom with foil (that holds the "peaks and valleys" - that make up your CD) sandwiched between. It appears that now, all CD's (or most) skip the top layer of plastic...

Why? because it is cheaper this way... So, while your CD's have gone up in price almost 100%, the cost went down substantially to produce the CD. Which brings me to my point.

I feel that if I spend $20 on a CD that can get scratched that much easier now, I should be able to take it to the store I bought it from and exchange it for the same one ANYTIME it happens. Sort of like "lifetime" guarantee. Most of the CDRs you buy have that warranty, I don't see a reason why I couldn't.

The store I took my CD to would not even consider swapping it for the same one. Reason - YOU DON'T HAVE A RECEIPT!

Why the hell should I hold on to a receipt after I open the CD? Well, now it apears you should and even if you did have it you wouldn't be able to exchange it if after x number of days.

I believe this is unfair to consumer (me and you) and I also believe that this was done INTENTIONALLY to INCREASE the likelyhood of CD becomming damaged, so that you'd buy another one (or entice piracy?) If RIAA wants you to believe that you are "RENTING" the music, you don't "OWN" it, then, since I paid for the "RENT" - I should get my rental property fixed otherwise refund my RENT fees! Right?

With that said, I think there's a basis here for a class-action law suit against RIAA and Record Labels. If I get enough interest in this idea, I will present it to my friend who has a law firm and see if we can launch a class-action law suit against RIAA, similar to "lemon law" or other consumer protection suits that are aimed to protect you, the consumer.

Chime in with your opinion - am I nuts or is there some sense in this.

Yours in fight,

/me

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þá÷ï???

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àöòîé

quote:

Originally posted by Prism þá÷ï???

I take it as a 'yes'

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If I agree with you how much money do I get in return?

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Count me in

But here in Holland the Cd's are getting better priced, I bought the new Remy cd BANG ! For only 12,- Euro's that's about $10,-

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Favorite DJs atm:
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thats an interesting idea...lemme just kinda run down the basics for product liability for ya guys since i know a little bit about it...

negligence

A tort related to defective products where the defendant has beached a duty of care and caused harm to the plaintiff.

(note: failure to exercise due care includes failing to assemble the product carefully, negligent product design, negligent inspection or testing of the product, negligent packaging, failure to warn of the dangerous propensities of the product, and such)

Chain Of Distribtution

All manufacturers, distributors, wholesalers, retailers, lessors, and subcomponent manufacturers involved in a transaction.

(note: All parties in the chain of distribution of a defective product are strictly liable for the injuries caused by that product. Thus, all manufacturers, distributors, wholesalers, retailers, lessors, and subconponent manufacturers may be sued under this doctrine.

Defect

Something wrong, inadequate, or improper in manufacture, design, packaging, warning, or safety measures of a product.

Defect In Manufacture

A defect that occurs when the manufacture fails to:

1). Properly assemble a product
2). Properly test a product
3). Adequately check the quality of the product

Defect In Design

A Defect taht occurs when a prodcut is improperly designed.

there is always more but that would be a good start hehehe....hope that helps...down with RIAA!!

Actually last night I was playing my out there and back cd skipped and i was pissed. So I used this repair kit that i bought and that did not fix it, so I used the time tested (USE THIS METHOD AT OWN DISCRETION NO LIABILITY SHALL BE CONTAINED FOR THE ADVICE), find the scratch and put toothpaste on the scratch then grab a q-tip and and rub it in, then wash it out with water and sorta get the toothpaste off. Should work or the scratch is far too deep but it worked for my cd .

quote:

Originally posted by torontotrance Actually last night I was playing my out there and back cd skipped and i was pissed. So I used this repair kit that i bought and that did not fix it, so I used the time tested (USE THIS METHOD AT OWN DISCRETION NO LIABILITY SHALL BE CONTAINED FOR THE ADVICE), find the scratch and put toothpaste on the scratch then grab a q-tip and and rub it in, then wash it out with water and sorta get the toothpaste off. Should work or the scratch is far too deep but it worked for my cd .

bastard...i tried that toothpaste thing and it made things worse hehehe...

its so true. being a cd collector, ive seen every sorta cd there is i reckon. if you look at cds in the mid nineties (i.e. hooj cds) you cna see the pressings alot clearer thatn you could from say 2000. and of course in the last year hooj have just been using cdrs, not even pressed.

surely it cant cost that much more?!

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quote:

bastard...i tried that toothpaste thing and it made things worse hehehe...

it works...if done correctly and the scratch is not too deep.

The problem is that the vulnerable side of your CD now is the top side! it is the side that houses the label. By the way - the CD that started to skip was OUT THERE AND BACK!!! coincidence???? I think not!

Seriously, though - take a look at some of the older CD's you have - the scratches could be found on the bottom only - top you didn't have to worry about because it was plastic. Now, the top of the CD is the actual foil with some compound that is used to print the label but there's no plastic coat on top!

Example: (let's try ASCII):


Old CD: (exploded side view)

============== <-- top plastic coat
______________ <-- foil with grooves (the part that laser reads)

============== <-- bottom plastic coat (most prone to scratches)


New CD: (exploded side view)

______________ <-- foil/label compound without coating

============== <-- bottom plastic coat

Grab any old CD - circa 97-98 or older and take a new one 2001 and up and you will see that they are missing the top coat. Now, your CD is vulnerable from the top because there's no coating on the foil that contains the "peaks and valleys" that the laser in your CD player reads to reproduce the sound.

So, if your CD is scratched at the top - now you are S.O.L, as you cannot repair that by any means. If you leave it sitting around on your desk on a spindle and some time later pile up CDs, they may scratch each other if hard dust particles or grime/sand fall.

hope this helps......

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Proud member of the "Filthy Zionist" coalition

quote:

Originally posted by torontotrance it works...if done correctly and the scratch is not too deep.

You are better off using Brasso as the abrasives are much finer and polish better. DO NOT use abrasives on the Coated side of the disc. if you cut through the Aluminium coating you're done!

Phil