Infomercial: UMDs are 'built to self-destruct'
by Andrew Yoon 
{ Oct 3rd 2007 at 7:00AM }
If you're like the folks at Multimedia Recovery, your UMD discs are exploding all the time. Seriously. As this seller admits, they're "built to self-destruct." Our experience with the discs have been far less volatile -- and trust us, we've played a lot of PSP games. What could be the reasoning behind making such a bold claim?
Well, it's obvious. He wants to sell you something: so-called "indestructible" UMD casings. Sure, they're cheap (only $4, shipped!). But, as bickle from CAG puts best, it "looks like a solution in search of a problem."
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
txa1265 @ Oct 3rd 2007 8:03AM
I have to carry my PSP in a lock box after one UMD explosion took out my car window.
Kattleox @ Oct 3rd 2007 8:09AM
Why are they still worried about UMD's exploding? I was mistaken for a terrorist at my school when my downloaded copy of Crash Bandicoot exploded. It took a pretty good chunk-o-meat out of my right hip, too.
nesstee @ Oct 3rd 2007 8:26AM
...I digress I got about 14 games, all played to death and none have spontaneously combusted >_>, though one brilliant idea would be to NOT treat your beloved game like crap or better yet..NOT take a knife and screwdriver and have at it -_-
chudgoo @ Oct 3rd 2007 8:44AM
Wow. Fanboys indeed.
If you get in the habit (as I did) of keeping one UMD in the PSP and another one (or even two sometimes) in the neoprene sleeve that comes with the PSP you will eventually see the cases start to crack open.
Sure, they don't "explode" but they certainly do split. Metal Gear Ac!d 1/2 and comic are all this way. (I guess you can tell what I'm playing on the thing). I have TAPE holding the sides together. It's really embarrassing when you consider DS games can be stomped on without any damage. Oh, i've tried. ARGH. Advance Wars. ^_^
"looks like a solution in search of a problem."
Well, given that I have this problem, I'm glad someone was searching for the solution.
daniel-kun @ Oct 3rd 2007 8:46AM
He's actually right. Of course he exaggerated, but I have at least 3 UMD cases (out of my 20 or so) that are broken and that I needed to tape.
If I'd see replacement-cases at a retailer for 1€/piece, I'd definitely consider buying a few.
(In one case, I handed a game and my PSP to my older sister and she thought she would need to TAKE OUT the disc to put it in the PSP...)
XenoPhage @ Oct 3rd 2007 8:56AM
This seems to be a decent solution to a known problem. The only issue I have now is that this company seems suspect. Their site is poorly built and requires a credit card for ordering, despite the paypal logo. There are broken links and several instances where you're taken to administrative login screens. I would love to purchase a few of these to fix a couple of UMDs that broke, but I just don't trust the site yet..
Oh, and of course, the real kicker. The checkout page? Yeah, it's not encrypted. No https protection. No way I'm putting my CC info there...
Michael C. Sherrin @ Oct 3rd 2007 9:09AM
I do find the UMD case makes me nervous. It feels so flimsy and the disc just wobbles around in there. I mean sure it's hard to scratch, but instead dust and stuff can just get stuck in there and you can't get it out. WD40 can only do so much.
******
Michael C. Sherrin
http://www.prodigeek.com/
merc25 @ Oct 3rd 2007 9:19AM
the UMD casing was a problem only for first generation PSP games(i.e. launch year, circa 2005). Untold Legends was probably the worst perpetrator of this. The rest of UMD case breaking are cause my absolute morons(i.e. people thinking you had to remove the UMD from the casing, stepping on them, putting in a place they'll get crushed(i.e. the PSP soft colth casing). I have no sympathy for these fools, if you don't take care of your stuff and keep it out of harms way it'll break.
Yes chudgoo, you're a fucking idiot, congratulations.
steve-o @ Oct 3rd 2007 9:57AM
so thats why they banned playing psp on japanese planes huh................
fdisk_format @ Oct 3rd 2007 10:04AM
Untold Legends was the only one I've had go bad so far. It isn't broken completely, but it sure does push down on the disc when it spins in the PSP drive.
Gh3tt0 Child @ Oct 3rd 2007 10:29AM
I never heard of UMD's breaking before
theboi @ Oct 3rd 2007 10:42AM
i got a case it protects it just fine 8 of my disc witch is enough for me a little love and respect for your games goes along way
Mr. B Unique @ Oct 3rd 2007 10:47AM
i just ordered 5 of them
hopefully everything goes smooth
im actually kind of worried now :(
Juney @ Oct 3rd 2007 10:51AM
you guys at Ps3Fanboy just WANT to be put on CNN i could see the headline now "Innocent Fun Or Terrorist Threat?"
and then Jack Thompson will come riding in on his 15 yr old son and say Death To America!
russ @ Oct 3rd 2007 11:06AM
The UMD might as well be made as paper. Several of my disks have split down the middle along the white edging.
PSP_Amigo @ Oct 3rd 2007 12:02PM
umds for over 2 years here not a single crack. Unless you are a three year old and kind of retarded you most likely won't have issues with your umd's either. This video is just a way of them trying to scare people and get more business. Prolly funded by Nintendozzzzz
Erik @ Oct 3rd 2007 12:32PM
If this guy doesn't contact Blockbuster Video he is an idiot. I can't tell you how many times I tried to rent UMD games and they were busted. I tried several different stores in totally different states and I can usually find one busted UMD out of the 2-3 I am going to rent. My personal collection has no broken UMDs (first day PSP buyer) so I assume it's all about how you handle your collection.
Random1448 @ Oct 3rd 2007 12:58PM
@Erik
I know exactly what you mean, there are these dumb ass people who rent UMDs and try to take them out of the case, and them return them because the "don't work". then I rent game after game with the case busted. Remember UMDs don't kill UMDs, Stupid people kill UMDs.
jamma @ Oct 3rd 2007 3:03PM
"if for some reason your old case won't open, cut it open with a knife"
if your old case won't open, why the hell would you need to replace it?!?!?!?!?
Don @ Oct 3rd 2007 4:32PM
I've read quite a few cases of UMDs breaking open, or splitting. Just taking it out of the box, by pressing in on the side, if not careful, you could press on the clear plastic part & seperate it from the white frame.
By making the cover 2 halves instead of all those seperate parts, it does sound like a better solution. Official UMDs should have been like this to begin with. You'd think it'd be stronger & cheaper for Sony.
chudgoo @ Oct 3rd 2007 4:35PM
Hey merc25.
As the owner of at least 130 Sony MiniDiscs, I know that Sony has it in them to create disc cases that can stand any kind of abuse. This shoddy design is simply corner cutting nonsense. No sliding cover? Flimsy 4 piece case with two windows? It was a bad design choice.
You may treat your PSP rig like you intend to pass it on to your grandkids, but I use mine a lot....and on the go...and without needlessly supporting awful third party case/accessory makers.
I may be a fucking idiot, as you stated, but that does not excuse sony for cutting corners on something they KNEW had to stand up to mobile use and "ballin'" prepubescent teenager douche bags.
So, why exactly was this story treated with such skepticism?
No one is calling the "I'll fix your smashed LCD" services a con.
People clearly have had disc cases break (for one "fucking idiotic" reason or another) so why the hostility?
cafecito @ Oct 3rd 2007 4:38PM
My UMD ASPLODE!!!
pixelator @ Oct 3rd 2007 5:53PM
Sorry merc, got to disagree. I see no visible difference in how the newer UMD cases are made versus the earlier ones. I've had a VERY irritating time with UMD cases splitting on me through the years - it's a fault of the design, period. They should NEVER have done the cases - a simple slot load with the bare discs would have been FINE. People can handle and store discs like these, after all, Wii, PS1, PS2, PS3, Saturn, Dreamcast, Gamecube and other platform owners have nowhere near as many problems. Scratched discs are easy to fix - UNLIKE UMD cases!
Barndo111 @ Oct 3rd 2007 6:16PM
I think the concept is great and is better than buying a new UMD. But seriously, though, 4 bucks a cover? I've always wondered myself why Sony went the tray insertion route instead of a slot loading. Would've worked more like the PS3. I have a feeling with the new UMD loading method with the PSP "Anorexic" a few more dics might take some damage.
But seriously, 4 bucks a disc?
Brandon @ Oct 3rd 2007 8:05PM
I have 10 games, not a single one so much as cracked. I think he is greatly exaggerating the issue. I use an Altoids case for my fave 4 and one in the system itself. Holding one in my hand right now, he its making it seem worse than it is. Like with any medium, carelessness is carelessness. Leaving them on the floor, or not in a case, or at the bottom of a packpack is asking for it, like with any medium.
Like PSP fanboy said, its a solution in search of a problem.
Hashbrown_Hunter @ Oct 3rd 2007 9:11PM
My beloved Wipeout Pure and SOCOM FTB1 have suffered this fate. Honestly, a third-party shouldn't be doing something to stop this, Sony should. It's extremely cheap plastic and I have two others besides Wipeout and SOCOM that are broken. It really pisses me off. But luckily I can still play them.
CyborgSPIKE @ Oct 3rd 2007 10:33PM
a few of mine are a bit worse for wear. my first generation wipeout pure is the worst, as soon as i got it the little plastic screen fell in (no bad handling, it was in my psp all the time) and so i had to keep pushing it out. then the whole thing snapped in half(well almost) but it still plays fine.
TehNellaf @ Oct 4th 2007 1:02AM
You guys, these people seem to be the only ones so far that even have this product out there and they're just a start up - judging from the site. The price they're charging is understandable because you know it costs money to make a product, and I'm sure it cost them a hell of a lot to make a mold for this product. I've had my PSP since it was released and have bought numerous games and have had this broken case problem myself once and was pissed when I contacted Sony about this problem and they wouldn't do anything but suggest buying a new game.
I see this having much potential and I'm sure that given time the price would drop dramatically. Especially when it picks up in many gaming stores.
And to all of you skeptics out there thinking this is some scam, I did a little research for you and actually found them to be selling this on ebay as well as on Amazon.com with some good comments.
What it comes down to, is if you don't have anything constructive to say and you're just going to knock on something before you even look at it deeper and do your research, then just don't say anything at all otherwise this company is doomed to fail and people out there will just have to live with broken games.
Great job Multimedia Recovery, and good luck.
David @ Oct 4th 2007 3:02AM
Ok, I thought I would respond to a few comments here for our company. Number one we did not mention anything exploding in our video, but I did think it was very funny how you guys played on that. Our experience in this field of work shows us what actually is really broken out there and it is about 3-10% of all UMD's in cirulation have become dis-attached on one side or the other due to shoddy construction...hence designing this product to fit the markets demand. It was designed to service our clients.
Our website: Yes we know it is Lacking and are as we speak designing the newest version which will solve all the problems brought to our attention. I was told by the webmaster today that customers can safely use our site to purchase items. Thank you for your kind letters.
Pricing... Many commented on our high price so we would like say that we engioneered the product over the course of the one year. We desinged and redesigned, mixed compounds over and over again, invested in molds and materials and invested much time making something that you will all be very pleased with.
You can expect to see pricees drop over this year and we currently do have distributors, wholesalers and retailers in place who will also receive quarterly price adjustments due to amortization schedules and volumes.
Please wait to see the product to make up your mind. If is indestructable and this is important for many people. This was not easy to do and we spent a year doing it.
Our goal here was to help everyone recover their games in such a way that they will never deal with it again and when you see them in person you will know what we mean. Thanks for your interest in our disc repiar products.
I would love to address anyones questions personally just give me a call!
Thanks, David
MMR Shellz
http://www.multimediarecovery.com
chudgoo @ Oct 4th 2007 8:52AM
>David,
NIce reply, and I'm sorry you had to witness 'the least of us' here.
If there's anything I've learned here it's that suggesting any type of mistake on Sony's part amounts to blasphemy. You will be called a heretic. It's a new universal constant.
Of course, I lay fault at the editor, Andrew Yoon for setting the example.
R&D costs money, as you know, and I think $4 is completely reasonable as do many others. If people are content feeling smug because these broken case problems have not affected them personally, fine. But for the editors to go out of their way to tear into your company because of a comment like "[UMDs are] built to self-destruct" is asinine given Sony's reputation for "planned obsolescence".
As the owner of SEVERAL dead Sony products, your comment is well within the realm of fact, is demonstrable and is self evident to those not blinded by brand loyalty and 'fanyboyism'.
---
sain @ Oct 4th 2007 11:53AM
@chudgoo
And I guess you are the resident DS fanboy!
FD @ Oct 4th 2007 11:07AM
It's good to see there is a solution for the 1 UMD that I have that is about to fall apart. But i won't buy it directly from this site though.
I have to agree that a lot of damaged UMDs must be because of people not taking good care of their stuff. Since day 1 I have built a collection of 76 UMDs (games & movies) and only 1 UMD is starting to slightly come apart. And i have to say that this was a used UMD that i bought. So all my new ones that i have been taking good care of for a long time are not showing any signs of damage like this guy demonstrates. He is just trying to sell his product and makes the situation seem way worse than it really is. This makes me trust these people even less. I'll get it from a store as soon as i run into it in person.
B-rad_Moore @ Oct 4th 2007 12:10PM
Wow, I guess ignorance is really bliss as they say to all of these people really ragging on this product. I don't think they understand that there are people out there that really don't take care of these things like these "hard-core" fanboys. Who obviously have nothing better to do with their lives but sit here and be downers on a new buisness with a great idea.
We'll see how this things goes though.
Necro_Deadite @ Oct 4th 2007 1:58PM
if you buy one of these replacement cases for your umd's, will they still fit in the plastic case box you orginally bought the game in?
B-rad_Moore @ Oct 4th 2007 3:18PM
To Necro_Deadite
Yes, they will still fit into the original packaging they came in.
chudgoo @ Oct 4th 2007 6:40PM
Sain..."And I guess you are the resident DS fanboy!"
There's a big difference between fanboy and subjective observer.
My list of extremely well cared for but currently -dead- Sony products includes :
1x DVD changer (first one with 5 disc carousel component out)
1x 100 DVD changer
4x MiniDisc portable recorders (to be fair, one is a Sharp MS-200)
1x Sony MDM-X4 multitracker MD recorder ($1400 loss)
2x PS2s with DREs
1x PS1 with DREs/skipping during movies
at least 3 CD walkmen over the years.
Essentially anything Sony makes that relies on optics to function is now dead except for my PStwo (third PS2 i've bought) and my two PSPs. (one at 1.50 and one with 3.30 OE-A... though each ones has about 5 dead pixels.
Simply put, Sony stuff is not made to last.
Just to be fair, I have a DS lite that had the left shoulder button go out.I also had to send in my Xbox360 because it had suffered a red ring during Guitar Hero 2 of all things and a wii that had to be sent in for the WiiConnect24 problem.
So sure, no one makes "perfect" products anymore, but back my original point...
Sony COULD HAVE made the cases a lot more durable. MiniDiscs are incredibly durable. They can't cost any more than a penny to produce than a UMD either. MiniDiscs could survive almost anything.... washers/dryers, drops, strong magnetic fields (incredible for re-writable media. Magneto Optical FTW!) ...oh, and being crushed too. I was backing out of the drive way once and saw an MD in front of the car. I got out to check on it and was surprised to see that it only sort of scratched. The structural integrity of the case held up fine and so did the shutter and disc inside.
Sony should have just reused their original MD design (which typically consisted of two hard plastic pieces with a metal shutter. Some even had SCREWS so you could fix your own MD if you did manage to break one.
Wesley Hester @ Oct 4th 2007 10:31PM
My Wipeout UMD's front clear circular cover just popped out a few months ago. I purchased it when it was first released. No problems with any other UMD discs and I take the same care with all of them.
I purchased another copy new from the local Gamestop on the cheap.
Good to know, now, that I can get a replacement UMD case to fix the broken one I have.
Johnny Lasley @ Oct 4th 2007 10:31PM
I like the fact the cases are flimsy. You can do this.
Get your sampler UMD and rent a UMD from Blockbuster.
No need for a knife. You can open the both UMDs with your finger nail.
Photocopy the UMD from Blockbuster and paste its image on the sampler.
Put UMD back in their shells. Sometimes they snap together or you can use a spot of superglue in some places. Just a little dot will do.
Return the fake UMD to Blockbuster. Keep the one you want.
I've done this five times (at five different stores) and no one has been the wiser.
XenoPhage @ Oct 8th 2007 10:05AM
So, after my initial comments, figured I'd try ordering one of these. I received it last Friday (10/5) and used it to replace the case on my Untold Legends game.. It definitely works as advertised and is quite solid. Much better than the standard UMD cases. I'm quite impressed.
If you're interested, check out my review here : http://blog.godshell.com/blog/index.php?/archives/116-Broken-UMD-Heres-your-cure....html