Netflix users cracking up over Blu-ray

by Stevie Smith - Apr 20 2009, 15:15

Recent moves by Netflix to shift its home entertainment service closer to full digital distribution would appear to be justified following news that customers still relying on physical mail-based rentals are receiving damaged discs that won’t play on their hardware.

More pointedly, Netflix users looking to enjoy high-definition Hollywood distractions on Sony’s Blu-ray format are being left disappointed and disgruntled after discovering their rentals to be sullied by noticeable cracks along the outer edge of the discs.

Speaking with Wired on the issue, which appears to have gathered pace since the turn of the year, Netflix has insisted that only a fraction of a percent of customers are receiving discs affected by the mysterious cracking and that the company has no intention of altering its existing methods of shipping as a result

It’s presently unclear exactly what is causing the cracks to appear, although current suggestions point to a potential ‘brittle’ fragility in Blu-ray discs that may emanate from the scratch-resistant 0.1mm coating placed over the polycarbonate disc that holds playback data.

Other possible reasons, beyond obvious manufacturing shortfalls or manhandling by subscribers themselves, include a lack of care and attention during final delivery, and even potential contributory damage sustained while passing through mail processing machinery or Netflix’s own hub distribution centre.

The latest outbreak of damaged Netflix discs comes after a small pocket of customers complained in 2007 that their DVD orders were arriving with similar cracks along the outer edge.

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