Digipaks should be banned!!!

[spanky1]

It's time for the government to step in, please FTC, David Horowitz, Consumer Reports, Ralph Nader.....someone.....anyone....help.

OK, that was probably a bit dramatic and extreme....but I can't help it. Just a week ago, I started a thread that addressed possible complaints with the new cd reissues. My biggest was(and has been since hearing of the use of digipaks for Herb's reissues) the failure to offer these in jewel cases.

Low and behold, I got mine today, and Lost Treasures has a broken spindle. If this were jewel case packaging, I'd simple(and easily) remove tray liner and replace. As it is, I must return this and hope to get one that's not broken. Maybe this is my punishment for complaining in public about this horrific practice. The digipaks look neat before unwrapping the plastic, but for practicality, these are the scourge of the consumer electronics industry.

Whew, that felt good.

Michael H.

p.s. I love the LT cd.

 

[bob]

hey all. I myself do not the new digitpacks.
1. it covers up some of the picture that is on the inlay.
2. it is a bit harder to get the cd out, one might crack the cd it, the look around cd by sergio mendes had the new digitpacks.
I would prefer the jewel case or even the new slim line ones.
bob

 

[Mike]

I'm also in the anti-digipak group. I'm already making plans to do some scanning and make up my own jewel cases for these new releases. It’ll be far more practical for long term use.

 

[AudiophilePhil]

Posted: Today at 3:59 am

Subject: A Vote For Digipak For Consistency Reason


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I like the digipak much better than jewel case because it looks classier and it looks like a small replica of the original vinyl album covers.
Since the Lonely Bull, South of The Border and Lost Treasures have all been released in digipak, I wish and hope that the remaining TJB and solo albums will also be released in digipak for the sake of consistency. For a completist like me, it's great to have them all in digipaks.

 

[Brasil_Nut]

...I got mine today, and Lost Treasures has a broken spindle. If this were jewel case packaging, I'd simple(and easily) remove tray liner and replace...

I hear 'ya!! However, it happens with jewel cases too. I once received a Mendes CD with a broken spindle. End result: damaged CD. I don't really have a preference, per se. The digi-pak is fine with me. It recreates the original cover and artwork, looks like a "mini" Lp and generally holds up under the stress of shipping. Luckily, all of my shipped digi-paks have arrived undamaged. I'm sorry to hear that yours was.

Good luck with your return!!

Jon

...who understands how Spanky feels...

 

[Harry]

I had a digipak 'go bad' in shipping - it was the Sergio Mendes MY FAVORITE THINGS release from Atlantic. Broken teeth all over the place rendering it useless - fortunately, the disc itself wasn't damaged.

This being in my pre-scanner days, I tore the thing apart, carefully removing the plastic tray from the cardboard. Then I cut the individual pieces down to fit in a standard jewel case.

Admittedly it wasn't perfect, but it's held up over the years. I have it in a jewel case, and all of the original artwork is preserved for the most part.

Today, if it happened with some kind of non-returnable disc, I'd use the scanner to make the artwork fit a jewel case. Of course, if it's returnable, then by all means return it.

Harry

 

[Mr Bill]

Someone has a broken spindle in one of the Shout!Factory releases? I love to see that! Mine has nothing to "break" -- no worry about "broken teeth" on the spindle, as the hub is more or less solid, In fact I fear I'm going to break the CD every time I take it our -- it's hell getting it off that rock-solid spindle!!!

--Mr Bill
thinking maybe someone took a ball-peen hammer to your digipak and shattered the thing!

 

[spanky1]

The front and rear of the cd package look perfect. You are correct about the spindle. One of the "teeth" is broken off completely, but it holds pretty good. This is probably an improvement becasue as you mention, I can now remove me cd without a pry bar.

Still hating digipaks,

Michael H.

Someone has a broken spindle in one of the Shout!Factory releases? I love to see that! Mine has nothing to "break" -- no worry about "broken teeth" on the spindle, as the hub is more or less solid, In fact I fear I'm going to break the CD every time I take it our -- it's hell getting it off that rock-solid spindle!!!

--Mr Bill
thinking maybe someone took a ball-peen hammer to your digipak and shattered the thing!

 

[Dave]

...I fear I'm going to break the CD every time I take it out!! It's Hell getting it off that rock-solid spindle!!!

--Mr Bill

...thinking maybe someone took a ball-peen hammer to your digipak and shattered the thing!

Ah... Hold that steady, while I hit it,

Wham!!!

There! Reckon that ought'a get it...!

'Cause a Ball-Peen Hammer's all that's gonna get MY CD, out...!​

And in it's case, on the spindle, it spins around "like a roulette wheel", too...! ​

Dave

 

[LPJim]

I like the traditional jewel box because trays with broken teeth and cracked cases are easy to replace.
There's a pretty good chance a disc you order via mail will arrive with some broken tray teeth, because small packages can get crushed by heavier ones. Shippers don't always write "Fragile" on them anymore - so it's not 100% the carrier's fault.
One of my A&M jazz digi-packs arrived with 3 of the 7 glued-in tray teeth broken. That was a close call.
JB

 

[Harry]

Shippers don't always write "Fragile" on them anymore - so it's not 100% the carrier's fault.

Actually, I think that somewhere in carrier's lingo, "Fragile" means "drop-kick this package before delivery."

Harry
...wondering if the 'broken teeth' are covered under his dental plan, online...

 

[TonyCurrie]

Hang on there a cotton-pickin' minute!!

Here's how to extract a CD from a digipak/jewel case.

Open the case. Depress the little button in the middle with your finger.

This splays the teeth and the disc can be removed with ease.

Go and try it now........!

 

[mikeargo]

Thank you, Tony, for that handy tip and your usual infusion of sanity.

I'll take the digipak over the jewel box any day. If wear & tear to the cardboard sleeves bothers you, put it in a plastic bag. You can get nice archival-quality mylar or poly bags from any well-stocked comics shop or from Bags Unlimited on the Web. As someone who has occasion to design & spec CD package production, I find the jewel box to be a pain in the asparagus--but probably a necessary evil. There's that consumer perception of value and all. I'm personally hoping the digipak will gain ground.

I used to keep the original shrink-wrap on all my LPs until I realized that in extreme temperature conditions this could warp the LP jacket and, possibly, the record itself. Now, after 30+ years, all my original store-bought TJB & BMB & B'66 LP jackets are nicely aged, scuffed, split, torn, and written on, just like a familiar, well-read book. I personally prefer them that way, but I know not everybody would agree.

Mike A.

 

[LPJim]

Recently I ordered the CD reissue of The Checkmates, LTD album LOVE IS ALL WE HAVE TO GIVE directly from Hippo-Select. While it's got a cardboard sleeve, this one is an exact replica of the LP itself. It's covered with shrink wrap, and the disc (inside a protective sleeve) comes out at the right side. The shrink wrap fits tightly, like on an LP, so it's easy to keep intact.

To add to the authenticity, there's a single-sheet replica of the IH-7 sleeve contained within. I wouldn't mind seeing other reissues packaged in this fashion.
JB

 

[Dave]

Here's how to extract the CD from a digipak/jewel case:

...Depress the little button in the middle with your finger.

This splays the teeth and the disc can be removed with ease.

Go and try it now........!

Well, I did and at first, it didn't work, which made my "method" of prying the CD off, by one side, a bit of a "habit"... However trying it again, I managed to get Lost Treasures loose from its "fixture"... Maybe I should just make my CD player where I'll keep it when it's in storage and when I'm not playing anything else... I don't want to bend it...! Thanks!

...who managed to get a lot of CD's out, without bending them, "doing it the wrong way", before "learning the right way", years ago, online...

Dave

 

[Mike]

Well thank you Tony! Now I can stop using a flat tip screwdriver to pry the CD out of the digipak.

 

[spanky1]

There's that consumer perception of value and all. I'm personally hoping the digipak will gain ground.

Mike A.

My view has nothing at all to do with a "perception of value". In a perfect world, my cd's would stay in the house away from anything that could mutilate my pristine cover. With a jewel case, my pristine liner notes/cover stays in perfect shape. I can make it look almost new with a brand new 10 cent jewel case.

I'm somewhat anal about keeping lps/cds/dvds in immaculate condition. I know that if I drop a jewel case(which I occasionally have), I haven't mutilated the corners or the paperwork at all.

I'll agree that the digipaks look nice when new. I love to read liner notes, and I know that opening and closing the paper digipak will inevitably begin to crack at the seams. I just like the fact that in most cases, any accident that could ruin a digipak, could easily be remedied with a replaceable jewel case. As I mentioned earlier, the cd that I bought had a defective spindle. If that breaks off in 10 years, I'm stuck. Plastic will lose it's elasticity, and it will happen.

I plan to buy all of the HA/TB cd's, and I know that, chances are, I will break a spindle or scar a front or rear of my cd case.

My perfect solution would be to mass produce this in jewel case format, and make a limited run of these in digipak for those who truly feel that digipak is the cat's meow. I'd be willing to bet that(if available) jewel cases would outsell digipaks 10:1. I think this would actually increase the sales because many(myself included) might possibly be inclined to buy a "listening" copy w/jewel case, and buy a digipak copy to keep wrapped and unopened.

Anyway, I love this board. It's a great place to discuss agreements and disagreements in a civil fashion.

Michael H.

 

[Mr Bill]

Here's how to extract a CD from a digipak/jewel case.

Open the case. Depress the little button in the middle with your finger.

This splays the teeth and the disc can be removed with ease.

That works with regular CD trays that have those spoked spindles with teeth that break off, but not these Shout!Factory releases. The 'hub' is one solid piece and I swear when you take your disc out it will bend a good 18 degrees before it finally pops out! When you guys across the pond finally get your copies, you'll see what I mean.

--Mr Bill
thinking of scanning his to show WTF he's talking about

 

[Mike Blakesley]

Once you get the disk off for the first time, it's easier the next times. I've loaded and unloaded LOST TREASURES enough that now it's easy to pop off the spindle.

 

[Mr Bill]

I guess I'll experience that once I take it out more. I played it first then the other two reissues and then went back to Lost Treasures, which has been in my car player for one full week straight now. I have no plans to hit the eject button anytime soon, either!

--Mr Bill

 

[lonely bull]

Just as a matter of interest - for those of us unfortunates who live on the other side of the pond here in good old blighty who are still waiting for their new Cds ( anyone in the U.K. received theirs yet? ) - how does the thickness of the Digipak compare with the thickness of a jewel case? I guess it's quite a bit thicker than the 10 or 11mm of a jewel case? I have already prepared new jewel cases complete with scans of the original artwork from the original CDs produced in the 80s on good quality photo card - I will not use the digi packaging - just preserve it for the future. I have cancelled my order with Amazon.co.uk and ordered from Amazon.com - it actually worked out about £7 ( $14 ) cheaper - even with costly shipping! Can't wait - they have been shipped already and should arrive in the next 6 days ( ordered all 3 CDs ).

 

[spanky1]

I had e-mailed Shout Factory regarding a couple of things, one of which was the use of the Digipak for Herb's releases. Here was the response:

thanks for your email re: herb alpert packaging. herb does not want jewel
cases for environmental reasons so the entire re-releases will be
manufactured in digipaks. we are considering using heavier stock for future
titles.

enjoy and thanks for the purchase.

I must commend Shout Factory for the speed in their response, and they actually send a thought out reply rather than a canned generic response.

Michael Harris

 

[Harry]

Well good - now we can put THAT issue to rest.

Harry

 

[Rudy]

Interesting reason for the digipaks...I hadn't thought of that!

 

[Vinylalbumcovers]

I remain confused. Yeah, there's less plastic in Digipaks but the tray that holds the CD is still plastic. Since the environmentally-unfriendly material isn't totally eliminated, why bother?

Ed