Ripping damaged discs - a warning

Posted by: John Bailey on 05 January 2017

By damaged I mean having a crack in them. 

In trying to get a disk out of the packaging a small crack (say about 1cm) developed from the centre of the cd outwards. 

I thought I would still try and rip it - good test of the HDX's error correction abilities.

The machine thought about it for a while and then seemed to spin the disc at very high RPM - quite unlike any speed I have heard it achieve before.

Then BANG - a Big Bang as well - and disaster- the cd shattered inside the machine. Fragments were ejected out, one piece in particular quite large, others smaller. These were flung out across the room, one piece to a distance of about 4 metres.

My warning to you all is these ripper drives are capable of spinning discs at very high RPM and if a disc is damaged you risk damage not only to the machine but possibly yourself.

The HDX is now off for repair. Lesson learnt.

 

Posted on: 05 January 2017 by hungryhalibut

Blimey! 

Posted on: 05 January 2017 by John Bailey
Hungryhalibut posted:

Blimey! 

That's exactly what I thought. 

Posted on: 05 January 2017 by Adam Zielinski

Oh shit! Thanks for the heads up.

I've heard my UnitiServe SDD make all sorts of strange noises before but nothing like this.
The most odd was ripping Sting's latest album (a Christmas gift) - sounded like someone was sharpening an axe on a grinder. The CD ripped OK and US seems to be fine too.

Posted on: 05 January 2017 by ChrisH
Adam Zielinski posted:

I've heard my UnitiServe SDD make all sorts of strange noises before but nothing like this.

The most odd was ripping Sting's latest album (a Christmas gift) - sounded like someone was sharpening an axe on a grinder.

Maybe it knew what you were trying to rip and was getting prepared Adam? :-)

Is it any good by the way? Never been much of a Sting fan....

Posted on: 05 January 2017 by Adam Zielinski
ChrisH posted:
Adam Zielinski posted:

I've heard my UnitiServe SDD make all sorts of strange noises before but nothing like this.

The most odd was ripping Sting's latest album (a Christmas gift) - sounded like someone was sharpening an axe on a grinder.

Maybe it knew what you were trying to rip and was getting prepared Adam? :-)

Is it any good by the way? Never been much of a Sting fan....

That's what I thought as well - US objecting to the content
It's an OK album - some good tracks. But not his best in my opinion. My personal favourite is still 'Ten Summoner's Tales'

Posted on: 05 January 2017 by Clive B

But isn't the HDX a drawer loader like the NS01? If so I don't understand how it can eject shards of disc past the drawer fascia. If it's like the UnitiServe then I could understand bits of disc being shot out of the disc slot. 

Interestingly one of the UnitiServe machines I had enjoyed engraving its signature across the playing surface of one disc! This, like many in UnitiServes, had to be ejected with a paperclip in the hole.

Posted on: 05 January 2017 by John Bailey
Clive B posted:

But isn't the HDX a drawer loader like the NS01? If so I don't understand how it can eject shards of disc past the drawer fascia. If it's like the UnitiServe then I could understand bits of disc being shot out of the disc slot. 

Interestingly one of the UnitiServe machines I had enjoyed engraving its signature across the playing surface of one disc! This, like many in UnitiServes, had to be ejected with a paperclip in the hole.

The tray is concealed behind a sprung loaded flap. 

The fragments pushed themselves past this. 

I was watching the machine at the time - the destruction was so violent I didn't see the pieces fly out - it was only after I switched it off I found the fragments around the room.

 

Posted on: 05 January 2017 by Huge

Brings a new meaning to "ripping" a disk!   

A 48x CD drive will spin the disk at up to 9,600 RPM - there's a lot of stored energy and high "centrifugal" force at those speeds.

Posted on: 05 January 2017 by Dungassin

This is always a problem with CDs/DVDs.  Sometimes it's VERY difficult to free them from the retaining device in the centre.  I sometimes have to remove the bit holding the CD/DVD from the case, and place it very firmly on a flat surface before succeeding in removing the disc.   Terrible mishap to break a disc, and I have done it a couple of times with one DVD/CD of a set.  Needless to say, the record companies won't let you have just a single disc from a set.

I hope your CD drive is still OK for future use.