# Are you getting more broken CDs from Netflix **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 4, 2015, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-getting-more-broken-cds-from-netflix/711843 "2015-02-04T22:12:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Crane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crane/32/3495_2.png) [@Crane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crane)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2015, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-getting-more-broken-cds-from-netflix/711843/1 "2015-02-04T22:12:04Z")
In 9 years I’ve had a few bad or broken CDs, maybe 4 or 5 total, but now I’ve had 4 in the last month. Is Netflix quality control in the tank? Anybody have a similar problem? Crane ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2015, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-getting-more-broken-cds-from-netflix/711843/2 "2015-02-04T22:34:57Z")
I assume you mean DVD’s, not CD’s. Perhaps you have just had bad luck? ---
**Author:** ![JKilez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e5b9ba/32.png) [@JKilez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKilez)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2015, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-getting-more-broken-cds-from-netflix/711843/3 "2015-02-04T22:37:02Z")
Did you forget to give your mail carrier a Christmas tip? ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2015, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-getting-more-broken-cds-from-netflix/711843/4 "2015-02-04T23:03:35Z")
WAG: The cold temperatures are making the DVDs more brittle. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2015, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-getting-more-broken-cds-from-netflix/711843/5 "2015-02-04T23:22:34Z")
I’ve gotten hundreds of DVDs from Netflix in over ten years and have never seen a broken disc and only one or two scratched ones. But I generally watch new releases. ---
**Author:** ![GreenElf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@GreenElf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenElf)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2015, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-getting-more-broken-cds-from-netflix/711843/6 "2015-02-04T23:49:07Z")
I watched Netflix for a year or two until I grew tired of an influx of scratched and even broken DVDs. That was about a decade ago. ---
**Author:** ![Crane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crane/32/3495_2.png) [@Crane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crane)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2015, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-getting-more-broken-cds-from-netflix/711843/7 "2015-02-04T23:56:28Z")
Yep - DVDs. Maybe some guy in the mail room hates me. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2015, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-getting-more-broken-cds-from-netflix/711843/8 "2015-02-05T00:06:43Z")
OP calls for opinions. Moved to IMHO from GQ. **samclem** , moderator ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2015, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-getting-more-broken-cds-from-netflix/711843/9 "2015-02-05T00:20:16Z")
I’ve never received any. Well, wait, maybe one, several years ago. In any case: very, very rarely. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2015, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-getting-more-broken-cds-from-netflix/711843/10 "2015-02-05T00:42:56Z")
I think it’s primarily a function of a title’s popularity. More “rentals” means more trips through the wilds of the Post Office and getting bent as it passes through sorting machines, dumped into bins and bags, etc. Not to mention the manhandling by people - getting stepped on, sat on, carried off by the dog, and any other home hazards. It took Netflix four attempts to get an uncracked copy of \*Frozen \*to me last year. The more obscure things we get from them tend to look brand new without scuffs and scratches and in clean, flat sleeves. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2015, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-getting-more-broken-cds-from-netflix/711843/11 "2015-02-05T00:59:29Z")
I’ve read articles describing the process of handling returned DVDs. As I remember, they have people examine the discs to look for damage or scratches. They clean any discs that look dirty. So I’d think it would be rare for a disc to leave their warehouse already broken. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2015, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-getting-more-broken-cds-from-netflix/711843/12 "2015-02-05T02:00:35Z")
Years ago I got _three_ cracked DVDs in a row of _The Navigator_. It was weird because other DVDs that were delivered the same day were just fine. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2015, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-getting-more-broken-cds-from-netflix/711843/13 "2015-02-05T02:12:53Z")
Not with any increased frequency, but it happens from time to time. Either visible cracks (but haven’t had any completely shattered) or scratches which might be visible. ---
**Author:** ![Keeve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f07891/32.png) [@Keeve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Keeve)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2015, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-getting-more-broken-cds-from-netflix/711843/14 "2015-02-05T02:58:42Z")
Are they actually broken/cracked, or just scratched? Have you tried any NON-Netflix DVDs? About a year ago, I was very sick and tired that I couldn’t watch any movies more than about a third of the way into them, and then the DVD player started getting crazy errors. Sometimes washing the DVD helped, sometimes not. Eventually, I realized that perhaps the problem was not the DVDs, but my machine. For $30 I got a new player, and suddenly all of Netflix’s DVD were great quality. Cool coincidence, huh? ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2015, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-getting-more-broken-cds-from-netflix/711843/15 "2015-02-05T04:07:38Z")
> [@Keeve](#): > > Are they actually broken/cracked, or just scratched? > > Have you tried any NON-Netflix DVDs? > > About a year ago, I was very sick and tired that I couldn’t watch any movies more than about a third of the way into them, and then the DVD player started getting crazy errors. Sometimes washing the DVD helped, sometimes not. Eventually, I realized that perhaps the problem was not the DVDs, but my machine. For $30 I got a new player, and suddenly all of Netflix’s DVD were great quality. Cool coincidence, huh? I’ll second this suggestion. I don’t get Netflix DVDs, but gradually, the DVDs in my own collection wouldn’t play–many would, but a few wouldn’t; and over time, a few would and many wouldn’t. One new inexpensive player later, they all played. Worth thinking about, anyway. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2015, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-getting-more-broken-cds-from-netflix/711843/16 "2015-02-05T06:38:06Z")
Oh, and I am quite surprised that some chucklehead didn’t already say “Netflix rents DVDs now!?” I still subscribe to the DVD service, but then I’m a Luddite in some ways, a techie in others. ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Mapp](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miss_mapp/32/369_2.png) [@Miss\_Mapp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Mapp)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2015, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-getting-more-broken-cds-from-netflix/711843/17 "2015-02-05T13:18:33Z")
Once in awhile. Sometimes it’s 2 or 3 at once cracked or even snapped in half. When that happens, I suspect it’s the mail carrier shoving them down into the mailbox at an angle. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2015, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-getting-more-broken-cds-from-netflix/711843/18 "2015-02-05T13:46:12Z")
Never even once, and I’ve had the service for a number of years now. I could probably count on one hand the number of scratched ones I’ve had. Knock on wood, I guess! ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2015, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-getting-more-broken-cds-from-netflix/711843/19 "2015-02-05T14:27:14Z")
Remember Qwickster > **[Netflix](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Netflix#Qwikster)** > > Netflix Inc. is an American media company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it operates the over-the-top subscription video on-demand service Netflix brand, which includes original films and television series commissioned or acquired by the company, and third-party content licensed from other distributors. Netflix is a member of the Motion Picture Association—having become the first streaming company to become a mem... It appears that the Netflix CEO wanted out of the DVD by mail business and wanted to go strictly streaming, spinning off the mailing part into a separate company. This is the time when they started to charge individually for mailing and streaming and with no discount for combined services. Also separated the web site so if you were on one section you could not see what was available on the other. I do think that says a lot of what Netflix wants to do with the mailing section, and perhaps they have let it ‘wither on the vine’ so to speak, so perhaps QC has gone down. With that said it does appear recently that Netflix has once again indicated if a title not available for streaming is available for mailing, so maybe they are reconsidering this approach. And it does make sense as they cited the postal (and handling) expense as a reason why they wanted to dedicate Netflix to streaming and spin off Qwickster, however their expense of streaming royality payments has risen a lot since then and perhaps it makes sense to promote the mail service again, hopefully they didn’t lose too much in QC. ---
**Author:** ![Crane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crane/32/3495_2.png) [@Crane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crane)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2015, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-getting-more-broken-cds-from-netflix/711843/20 "2015-02-18T15:27:33Z")
Just got another DVD broken in half. I called Netflix - they say the streaming outfit is a separate P&L so claim there is no pressure there. Crane [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-getting-more-broken-cds-from-netflix/711843.md?page=2)