Disc repair machines ... do they do more harm than good?

[Trev]

My only experience w/a machine like this was when I tried using one on my beloved Sonic cd game. Thought I would successfully resurface it ... instead i went from having a game w/occasional skipping, to a game that did not play at all! (thank goodness for the Sonic Gems collection)

I know these machines have improved over the years, but I am still leary. Plus, since I take very good care of my games there is only 4 or 5 at most that I would actually attempt to repair.

Are they worth it?

[3DOKid]

Have you got a link to one? I've seen the little hand held ones that do more harm than good.

But there seems to be some new fangled electronic ones I might be interested in - but they seem very expensive.

The best way to clean broken CD's is with something called "Brasso" I don't know whether you have it in the States or else where. It's basically Brass cleaner. Some say tooth paste, but Brasso is better.

[Trev]

The machine I used was one of the little hand held ones ... I had to manually crank it like a fishing rod. Piece of junk!

I can't justify the automatic ones seeing as how I'd get little use out of it. For the few discs I have that could benefit from it, the cost doesn't seem worth it. Prob spend the same amount to buy newer versions.

We do have Brasso here in the U.S. You have used it yourself?

[Trev]

Have you got a link to one?

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_e?url ... =cd+repair

# 16. looks just like the model I used to own.

[3DOKid]

The machine I used was one of the little hand held ones ... I had to manually crank it like a fishing rod. Piece of junk!

I can't justify the automatic ones seeing as how I'd get little use out of it. For the few discs I have that could benefit from it, the cost doesn't seem worth it. Prob spend the same amount to buy newer versions.

We do have Brasso here in the U.S. You have used it yourself?

Indeed I have, for minor scratches and surface abrasions it's the miracle cure. For more substantial damage it isn't.

[Lemmi]

a guy at my local trade center used the disc doctor all the time on his CDs when they wouldnt load and it seemed to work for him, but i told him i wouldnt buy any CD game that had the swirls the thing left on the CDs

it might have fixed the CD short term but the CD looked like crap

[Trev]

it might have fixed the CD short term but the CD looked like crap

No kidding, the re-surfaced discs are ugly as all get out. As a collector, it won't do for me.


I may attempt 3DOKids method on one of the discs as a test ... my least favorite one of course.

[bonefish]

Last resort only all the way, I used one on a few old PC games I had. They copied bad, disc repair, copied well! But as far as use after surfacing, protective layer gone = data layer exposed = not good