Tired of Lame Eco-Cases? Blu-ray & 4K Replacement Cases for Collectors | Back to Basics #7
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- Опубліковано 29 чер 2024
- A discussion of eco-cases and replacement cases for blu ray and 4K discs. Alternatives to the flimsy, terrible eco-cases that we often receive with new physical media pickups.
Relevant links to replacement cases...
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Blu-ray cases: “CheckOutStore” (both single and double cases) -- www.ebay.com/itm/312459076039
WalMart links to CheckOutStore:
Single Disc link -- www.walmart.com/ip/CheckOutSt...
Double Disc Link -- www.walmart.com/ip/CheckOutSt...
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4K case links: OuterShellShop on Ebay
Single cases -- www.ebay.com/itm/113353898437
Double cases -- www.ebay.com/itm/114833225726...
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This video is #7 in a series called "Back To Basics," where I discuss fundamental issues of interest to those in the early phases of their physical media journey. Think of it as sort of a "Collecting 101" series, with special emphasis on 4K UHD.
Timestamps:
00:00 Setting The Table
01:05 Why Eco-Cases Suck
05:48 What I Did About It
08:15 More About the Cases I'm Using
10:07 Blu-ray Case Info
14:28 4K Case Info
16:46 This & That
23:20 Outro/Call to Action - Фільми й анімація
Over 24 minutes talking about cases?!! Yep... and I watched every minute. Random but imperative topic in the hobby. 👍
No joke. A new Fuzz video is always the highlight of my day!
Yes, me too. Afterwards, I went right to the eBay store to buy some of the best cases he recommends. This video was posted the day after I got a new 4K movie from Amazon that arrived in a destroyed case. Very helpful video!
Out of my 300+ Bu-Ray & 4K collection, I found 33 Eco-Cases! I've replaced them all & I replace any case as soon as I get it!
I'm sure many here may know this already, but Severin sells black cases on their site in 1-4 disc sizes. At about 3-4 bucks each, they're a little pricier, but if you only need a few, its an option from a reputable shop. I personally love how the black blu-ray cases look. Keep it up Fuzz! This channel rules.
I actually did not know that. Good to know moving forward. Thanks for sharing the info! And thanks for watching! Really appreciate your support.
You should do a video on the horrible 4k box set cases as they are super fragile and often break either on the spine or the disc clip.
Fuzz, you are killing it with these topical videos. I’ve never even given this a second thought. Thank you!!
Thank you so much!
If I need a replacement case,I buy a cheap blu ray film from a charity shop or a 50p/£1 film from CEX here in the U.K.
I wish everyone would just adopt the Criterion cases. They’re much better aesthetically & well built. I prefer the artwork to run from top to bottom & the slightly thicker spine displays the title much better. Even better yet would be for everything to go back to DVD height cases because it’s closer in aspect ratio to actual posters, so we can get better poster accurate cover art.
@@Sas-wk9lj well, that’s not the standard Criterion case I was referencing now is it???
I don't mind having slightly shorter cases compared to DVDs so much but I agree, full-length blu-ray/4K cases that use the entire cover for artwork are MUCH better ! I only have a few Criterions but they are all of this type and I have one title from "101" that does the same. They're also all clear cases meaning it's nicer to display internal artwork...I have no idea why this isn't "the standard"...it's crazy ! On some releases they steal even more area from the artwork by having a big banner at the top saying "Blu-ray & Digital Code"...so annoying ! 😞
Just found out this video
Been spending a couple days to sort the eco-case, replacing with thick ones
Thank for the insight
I also am a video game collector, and some of the older video games came with those eco case they can leave a print or a pattern of the web liked design you mentioned. Also it’s just really nice to have backups for cases that get worn out or damaged. I have a steelbook of The Fog and one of the taps is getting finicky can’t really replace those cases I believe you can ,however, you need a donor case that alone has limited if not stop my steelbook collecting.
Yeah that's why I limit my own collecting of steelbooks... because of something goes wrong with the case, we're kind of out of luck. I think steelbooks look really cool, but I'm always wondering how long they'll hold up over time.
Heeeheee just got home and started opening my mail while watching this video and, of course, my new copy of The Girl Next Door on Blu Ray is in a frakking eco case. And i also got a busted 4 disc DVD case for Spongebob today as well. I don't know why i had never thought of buying better cases. Thanks, Fuzz. Throwing out pearls in a fun video as always.
As far as I know here in the U.K,we’ve not had the 4K eco cases yet.
The only eco cases I've come across are for DVDs
@@oliv140589 strange,I’ve never seen a DVD eco case.
I'm so tired of ordering a movie, not seeing anything wrong until the shrink wrap comes off. *sigh*
I have never seen these cases in the UK. Horrible things for sure.
Yeah now that you mention it, I don't think I've ever seen eco-cases like this from other regions... or if I have, I can't remember. You guys definitely have nicer cases in the UK! I don't even mind that they're a little thicker... I kind of like it.
The 4 movie Lethal Weapon set comes with 4 slimline eco cases and the 4 movie Vacation set does the same unfortunately, I feel like I've had at least one other movie that came in this sort of case but I can't remember which one...but it is rare (for now at least !).
But unforunately they also have that rating logos! I really don't understand why they have to put them on the front and the spine! Are they afraid that someone wiil miss them?!@@TheOriginalFuzz
What you say is bang on the money. Eco cases also allow you to poke a hole in the paper if you are unlucky
It’s great that you make a video about cases just after I made a comment about getting Blackhawk Down in a destroyed case. I looked online for replacement 4K cases and some I found were as much or more expensive than a movie. So I just made use of an old DVD case. My budget is not huge for the hobby, but I want to take care of what I’ve bought. Thank you for more good advice.
Beware some DVD cases... i thrift a lot and dvds are often ruined by the older design of the DVD cases... it leaves a residue on the back of the disc that just won't rub off. Blue ray cases seemed to have fixed this issue...
His link to the 4k double cases, seemed liked way too much, $29.99, but then I noticed it was for a 10-pack. $3 per case isn't highway robbery. I was thinking for $29.99, it better come with a 4k movie disc, too.
When I first looked at the 4K double cases he recommended from eBay, I thought it was $19.95 per case. But with more study I found it was $6.95 for only one case. Then the price per case goes down with buying more. I ordered 3 cases for about $16. I should have ordered 5 for about $20. I’ll need them sooner or later.
Great video my friend. I never really looked at those eco cases like that, but I do have quite a few of my collection. Now you're going to make me go to my shelf and start checking all my movies 😅 Thanks, fuzz😅😅😅
Thank you so much for watching Nick! Appreciate the feedback my friend.
Thank you for the links! I love eBay for their resources.. it took me a while to find cellophane sleeves for my more sensitive items, that would fit keepcases with thick slips and even steels, that had a wrap over flap that had a stick line. Ended up ordering DVD sleeves but they actually fit the Blus and steels nicely..
Great topic! And it all makes sense too! You wouldn’t invest hundreds or thousands of dollars into classic baseball cards with many well known players rookie cards and such and store them in the flimsy plastic sleeves - no! You would at least put them in the hard plastic or even sealed plastic. So why not do the same with your discs. Love the vid my man! Nice work 👌🏻
Thanks so much Ken! Really appreciate you watching my ramblings, man! LOL
@@TheOriginalFuzz I actually truly enjoy your “ramblings” lol. You always find relevant information for collectors and it’s appreciated.
"It makes me sleep good at night. That's what counts okay" - Scarface 🤣🎥
YES! That's it exactly! Tony gets it. LMAO!🤣
I always swap them out sometimes even colored ones for a better aesthetic.
I’ve had a few used movies shipped poorly in an envelope get poked right through. I hate them and it felt like a slap in the face when they switched to them.
I've heard an argument that the eco cases are better for the environment because less than 50% of plastic is used, compared to a standard case.
I tend to disagree, because if it doesn't do the job or breaks because of substandard manufacturing, then you have to buy another case and ending up using more plastic.
Well my take on that is, yes, they use less plastic for those particular cases, but they don't do anything for the environment (for a whole host of reasons that I won't really get into here too much). The non eco-cases are still being mass produced, and many collectors are opting for them and just tossing the eco cases. So I'm not really convinced they do any anything for the environment... especially when you consider the relative niche nature of physical media compared to every other thing on the planet that humans produce and use plastics for. Thanks for watching!
They probably did it to save money on manufacturing
I swap out all eco cases because they damage the paper art insert. I’m OCD about that stuff.
Absolutely! I don't blame you at all... I certainly don't want my insert art to get damaged either. And that's certainly one part of why I swap them out too.
Hey Fuzz, great video. I don't know how many cases I have replaced that didn't survive the trip from Amazon. It's very annoying spending whatever amount on a 4K or blu ray and then Amazon just packs them into a cheap flimsy bag. 🤬🤬🤬 Thanks for the video. 🤘🤘
I found a place that sold a bunch of different types of br, dvd and other types of storage but the website went out of business. They had great prices too.
The most annoying part is that a lot of countries in the EU uses those viva elite cases,and I would always have to clean the residue off of the case with a fiber towel and place the discs back again.
I thought it was a Dutch thing first until I got my order of Blade that was shipped from France (The France version has Dolby Vision which is why I went for it but it was a mistake as the French subtitles were baked into the 4k disc) and that movie came with a viva elite case as well.
EDIT:
The worst part is that 4k blu rays are usually a lot more expensive in the Netherlands compared to other countries in the world.
Yeah unfortunately, those Viva Elite cases are very common... to the point where sometimes it is challenging even trying to find non-Viva Elite replacement cases. I'm definitely not a big fan of the Viva cases for the same reasons.. plus they're just a little too flimsy for my taste. It's annoying that we don't receive decent cases for the price we pay for physical media (especially in areas where, like you indicated, it's a lot more expensive to add titles to your collection). But I have found that investing in the kind of replacement cases I showed in this video helps me sleep a little better LOL!😆 (despite the fact that I'm having to pay extra for replacement cases)...
BTW, thank you so much for becoming a channel member! Very cool, and I really appreciate your support. In fact, I have a shout-out coming for you in my next video (which I'm currently editing), so be on the lookout for that.😉 And thanks for watching and commenting too!
@@TheOriginalFuzz Yeah, they do feel really cheap! Maybe in the future they’re gonna adjust the cases. My biggest hopes are those ego cases because they’re like you said so bad.
Thank you! I’ve been a fan of your videos for a while now! I can’t wait what more content you’ll bring out in the future!
@@MjAR600 That's awesome! Thank you so much for watching all this time. I'm uploading my latest video as we speak!😉
I quite agree with you that you should be getting decent case’s with your brand new purchase, as these cases 🤬can be so expensive, we all deserve a better quality case 👍
Yes exactly! For the kind of money we spend on physical media, we should at least be getting decent cases that protect the disc and insert art.
I would have thought that they'd at least opt for those round cases available on Amazon if they wanted to have less plastic. This design seems like it ONLY maintains structural integrity in the places it genuinely didn't matter (at least not as much).
Exactly! And that's my main beef with these cases.
I'm the same as you. I always replace them as well as any movies that arrive with damaged cases or cases with any blemishes. I don't understand how eco-cases help the environment when most of us throw them in the trash and replace them with better cases.
I ALWAYS replaced the standard disc cases the discs come in. I hate having to spend money on cases, but it really does make a big difference to me. I usually go with Aceplus cases for my Blu Rays. I usually buy a bulk of 100 single disc cases at a time.
Cool good to know... Thanks for the tip on the Aceplus brand. I'm gonna look into it..
@@TheOriginalFuzz I got my Aceplus cases on Amazon, personally
The problem with solid plastic cases if you were just watching the disc it will be warm and many collectors will put the disc away while it's still warm. Keeping the disc warmer for longer will make it so the disc will actually last not as long. These eco cases are there to give you some heat dispersion. Also keep in mind that discs will last longer in a colder/dryer environment over hot and humid. Also who in their right mind would buy 4K cases for that price. I can find 4K movies for that price.
Honestly, that's not been my experience. The discs don't get that hot, and to the extent they get warm at all, they cool quickly once the player is no longer actually playing the disc (and certainly within seconds once they're out of the player, if they're even warm at all). And I also don't agree that eco cases were designed for heat dispersion... they were designed to cut costs for the companies using them, while being able to claim they're using less plastic. But if you can find 4K discs for $3 each, more power to you! Thanks for watching.
@@TheOriginalFuzz My friend works in the biz of audio/headphone/disc based industry and that was my original complaint about the eco cases until he schooled me on the reason with research that he may not have allowed me to see but it proved him to be correct. He has been in the industry for nearing 40 years.
Yes, I know it's "my friend" answer but you believe whatever you want. It's your life.
Great video (as always!) Fuzz 👍I cannot stand those eco cases either...but I have some different solutions (wont work for people who are precious about keeping all their movies/packaging exactly as it came...but it works for me).
1) Some blu-ray TV series box sets come in really great blu-ray cases that might hold 2,3,4 or even 5 discs all in a standard size blu-ray case (they have one or two flippable trays inside that hold 1 or 2 discs each), it's a great design for all sorts of reasons. One such series was Game of Thrones...I had a S1-4 box set and each season came in it's own case like this. At a certain point I bought the S1-7 box set as it was actually cheaper than buying 5-7 separately and had upgraded audio as well. I gave my S1-4 box set to my Dad along with a bunch of movies that I'd upgraded to 4K/Blu-ray sets and no longer needed the Blu-rays for...but, rather than give him all the cases (he wasn't fussed to have them) I instead put all the disks in a 50 disk "DVD wallet" that I had going spare...presto ! I now had a stack of great cases that I could dip into and use as replacements for any of these crappy eco cases I had.
2) Some movie franchises I'm not precious about having all the movies in separate individual cases. I had the first three Bourne movies all in individual cases...I took all three movies and placed them in one of the 3 disc cases I now had available to me...I kept the cover of the first movie to have it on the outside, I then folded (along the "proper" fold lines) the other two covers in such a way that I could place them in the same sleeve facing inwards. I now have a single blu-ray box that has "The Bourne Identity" on the outside...but when I open it up I have all three movies inside...and "The Bourne Supremacy" cover and "Bourne Ultimatum" cover acting as inside artwork...presto ! Not only have I saved two slots on my shelf and have (what I consider) to be a nice "custom edition" (shoutout to Huck from Huck's Pop culture Cafe ! 😃) but I then had three more decent single cases in my "spare case stack".
3) Some 2disc DVD boxes have decent "flip trays" inside that will fit nicely into a blu-ray case. Some single blu-ray cases have the notches for a tray even if they don't have the tray itself...If you no longer need the DVD box then you can "steal" the tray and put it in your blu-ray box so you now have a 2disc box...then if you have the option to combine 2 movies that you have separately into a single decent box much like I did with my Bourne set...I did this with "Wayne's World 1&2" so again, I have a sorta "custom" Wayne's World 1&2 set with 1 on the outside cover, both movies inside and the 2 cover acting as inside artwork...I also got myself another decent single case for my spare case stack.
Ah yes, custom editions! Very interesting and innovative ideas. And yes, Huck's got a great channel... I've seen his custom edition videos, and they're always fun to watch. Great guy too! Thanks for tuning in and weighing in!
I hate those goddamn things! Bought single- and double-disc cases, boxes of 100. And smaller quantities for triple & over (and DVD cases). The cover art damage PO's me!
I just order crystal clear (not cloudy or white) replacement cases (DVD and blu-ray sized) by the 100 or 200 pack.
I give away the modern blue blu-ray cases to friends. I plan to eventually have all my films in clear cases. Prob solved.
That's a cool idea! I'm not sure if it would be for me, but I totally respect that! I could definitely see the appeal of clear cases.
They think they are saving plastic. We buy them and throw them away and buy the decent ones.
Not to mention new cases don’t have security devices glued inside
I was just complaining to my gf about these yesterday as I opened my copy of The Goonies. Thank you for this video!
I got a copy of "Giant" Blu-Ray and when I received disc form GRUV, all of the discs fell out of the wheel, and two of the discs were scratched. I returned them and got a new copy, but second copy, they stayed in their tray.
But I feel you. The trays included with Babylon 5 BD remastered used these crappy cases, and two discs were out. luckily they didn't scratch. A Shame on Warner Bros Home Video.
Oh I hate it when that happens, so I completely sympathize with you. I've had that happen a few times too... in my case, most notably with my Resident Evil 4K box set... multiple 4K discs were loose from their cases when I got it, and I was actually surprised they didn't get scratched up. Whenever I get something new and I hear discs rattling around in there, it always makes me nervous. There have been a couple items I've had to return because of that and the damage done to the discs. It's frustrating.
Great video! Can't stand those eco-cases so horrible. Excellent recommendations for replacement cases.
Thanks Greg! Yeah those eco-cases are the worst. Thanks for watching brother!
Great video Fuzz! I'm glad I found your channel you have a new subscriber :)
Thank you so much for watching and subbing! I really appreciate the support.
No problem I appreciate your videos so its easy :)@@TheOriginalFuzz
Stacking disks is also terrible. Aka several disks in top of eachother without anything between the disks…
Yeah I'm not a fan of that either. Always drives me nuts when they do that. Thanks for watching!
Great video! I've been trying to find an inexpensive solution to replace all the broken greasy viva elite cases that keep shipping with "new" movies from Amazon and this definitely helps. I've been wary of eBay regarding cases but I think I'll give it a shot now.
Question for you : Some of the Pixar, Marvel, and Star Wars films come in cases that appear to be Viva Elite double cases, but the spindles each hold two discs, so you get a 4-disc case without the fragile flip page holders that are usually in multi-disc cases. Do you know what I'm talking about? Does Disney have a secret factory making these? I can't find them anywhere!
You may be able to find some 4-disc Viva Elite 4k replacement cases on ebay (they're a little thicker, like 14-15 mm). I think I came across a few the other day. And Amazon may have some, but I think those might be a little less common and not as readily available. Thanks for watching!
@@TheOriginalFuzz I found the correct search terminology. People on forums are referring to these as 4-disc "double stack" cases.
You prompted me to go through my modest collection to see how many I have. Not only do these cases feel flimsy and weak, but on many of mine, the clear plastic film that covers the artwork is wrinkly and warped - they look BAD.
My only other concern . . . and a question for you - What did you DO with the old eco cases?
Lol - I keep a few eco-cases on hand for various temporary tasks (like as a temporary case for a burned mix CD that I'm giving to a friend or something lol). But most of them get tossed out in recycling. As for the wrinkly/warped look, I believe that's from heat being applied during the shrinkwrap process. I've had some titles show up that way brand new... where it seems like a little too much heat was used and it wrinkled up the thin plastic covering the insert art. Thanks for watching!
First of all, thank you for this very informative video. Now here's my struggle: Am I going crazy or does the 4K double disc link you listed for the ebay outer shell shop shows Viva Elite cases? The photo of the opened case shoe a little "Elite" mark at the bottom
Great question. That was a mistake on the part of the eBay seller... The image is incorrect. I actually reached out to the seller and he confirmed that these are NOT Viva Elite cases (even though the Elites are pictured). These are the unbranded cases I showed in my video. If you look on the item description, the seller has the "brand" listed as "unbranded." Basically, he grabbed the info/pics from another listing and used it to populate his listing. But his cases are NOT Viva Elite cases... they are indeed the nicer unbranded ones I showed off in the video. I bought my cases directly from this exact link and seller. So buy with confidence... this seller is solid and you'll get some good cases. And the seller is great with communication too... he answered my questions within like an hour.
Thank you very much, you're the best and got yourself a new subscriber. Long live physical media collections@@TheOriginalFuzz
@@eurk3 Thank you so much! I really appreciate your support.
Thank you Fuzz.
Next step will be printing your own covers.
I'm not sure if I want to open that can of worms... but you may be right LMAO! It may only be a matter of time lol.😆😉
I can't stand eco cases! (They're not even widely recyclable, so the 'eco' part is pretty disingenuous - they're just being cheap.) The artwork gets punctured, and yeah the disc is vulnerable. I replaced all of mine too. Vestron Video used to use them a lot (the price point is so low for the otherwise top-notch quality release so I didn't hold it against them), so interesting they're going solid now. I guess if there's a slipcover there's less risk of damage. Wait, my "Sisu" 4K has a slipcover and that and the eco case it came in (Lionsgate) was beat to hell. Nevermind.
Yeah I was a little surprised by the new Vestron release. I totally would've expected them to continue down the eco route, since Lionsgate has done it before with other releases (even 4K releases, like the Rambo films). Thanks for watching!
Great discussion As much as I hate the eco cases, I accept them since ti costs too much to replace all of them. I am mainly buying case for the sets that come in digipaks or have multiple movies in one case. So I prefer having every movie in its own case. My issue with cases are the different thicknesses. Even for U.S., we see 10mm, 11mm and 12mm. Then we have the European release that use thicker 14-15mm cases. One reason I don't like Arrow, having a single movie in such a thick case. Shelf space is such a premium for us collecters.
Very well said beautiful video.
Thanks for watching! Really appreciate it.
Err....cases only matter if you are worried about scratches from your own handling. The recorded data degrades over time due to temperature - tiny etched holes move around due to thermal energy. So if you really care about keeping the movie intact, keep them cold as possible. Better yet, rip them and keep the softcopies on multiple hard-disks.
I like them better, they tend not to outgas, leave residue on 4K. Most of my bad 4K were in the regular greasy case.
Cardboard bad, more plastic the better. Environment and microplastics... Who cares. Very educational video
Am I the only one who’s noticed that the prongs the disc is supposed to clip into are very easily broken and when you buy a new movie or box set, the discs have been sliding and flopping around in the case?
Yeah it is frustrating when the discs become dislodged. I don't usually have to deal with broken center tabs (although it has happened a few times), but sometimes discs do end up loose in the case, and that's always a little annoying. Thanks for watching.
Great video. What are you doing with the 11mm Sony cases? Does the thicker case mess up the art?
Varying thickness (or width) of cases is the real problem when replacing the original eco or broken case.
No it doesn't mess up the art. The key is to line up the insert spine with the case spine when replacing the art, so that it looks correct when it wraps around the release. The art might not extend quite all the way to the edge of the case on either front or back, but if you line up the spines, it will at least be even on both the front and back. It's a pretty small difference.
Replaced the 11mm case that came with The Abyss with a 14mm 3 disc case and it looks fine. Had to do this because the case was damaged when it arrived to the UK from US.
Fantastic job Fuzz!
Just looking at what I'm guessing is a small portion of your media and thinking how much $$$ that is...plus replacing cases $$$ you must have a pretty good job. IT, medical supply shipping or perhaps you work for NASA? 😂
What do you do for work if you don't mind?
Thank you! Lol! - Trust me, I'm certainly not a wealthy person by any stretch. I have to budget and prioritize just like anyone else. And I'm very much into curating... I only buy titles I actually like and care about. But I also don't really have a whole lot of other hobbies/interests outside of movies and music, so physical media is about the only thing I really spend money on. And keep in mind my collection has been built up over time: some titles have been in my collection for 10-15 years. A good chunk of it has been added in the last 4 years or so, but the other thing is, my collection may not be quite as large as you're envisioning. While I do have some other storage shelving units out of view from the camera, the bulk of my movie collection lives on the black storage unit directly behind me in my videos. I actually consider my collection to be fairly modest compared to a lot of other collectors I've come across. It's all relative... to the guy with 200-300 titles, 1,100 probably seems pretty sizeable. But to the guy with 3K-5K titles or more, 1,100 probably doesn't seem like a huge number. I've historically been a writer/editor by trade. But I've also worn a number of other hats over the years (for example, I was professional casino musician for a number of years -- right up until the live music/gig economy got shut down in 2020). Thanks for watching!
@TheOriginalFuzz Wow! Thanks for all the information man, that's awesome That explains alot. Hey listen I just started hitting up Best Buy as they sorta kinda liquidate there physical media the other day. Planning to keep going back. Brand new blue rays for $4-6 with newer releases being like $10-12, yes please! Got The Green Knight for $6! These videos are great Fuzz!
Just curious how well that off gassing makes things worst maybe 40 years later. Because that may explain the matching big dots on discs.
I don't worry too much about off-gassing residue. It's not really been that big of an issue for me... I just wipe it off when I get a new disc, and I'm good to go. I've never found it to cause any permanent damage yet.
Any suggestions for broken Arrow cases? I've gotten few broken cases from Arrow and the slimmer cases don't fit the sleeve. I've tried Amazon, Ebay and even contacted Arrow directly with no luck. No one seems to sell these thicker cases anymore
Yeah I think those are a little harder to come by. I don't have a specific source link to provide off the top of my head (I think I bought a couple on eBay once, but it's probably been a couple years). You want to search for 14 mm or 15 mm replacement cases. I believe that is roughly the thickness of the Arrow cases (as opposed to the 10-12 mm cases we get in the US).
@@TheOriginalFuzz Thanks
😊thanks Fuzz😊
I buy regular cases from various places and simply toss the eco crap in the "recycle" bin (what plastic actually gets recycled anyway?). It ends up costing more plastic when it comes to collectors.... so "eco".... not so much.
yeah that's pretty much what I do too. I keep a few eco-cases around just for temporary transport of discs (like burned CDs or something). But most of them get tossed.
So in the pictures for the OuterShellShop listings they show a viva elite case, is that what I would get if I order from them? Can someone who's bought from this seller confirm what type of cases they sell?
No they're the unbranded cases I showed in the video, not VIva elite. I confirmed this with the seller myself not long after I made this video (a couple other people here noticed that in the pics too... I didn't notice the Viva pics when I first made the video or first purchased from him). He just has the wrong pictures up -- the info and pics may have been populated from a different listing for convenience. But I did verify with the seller that you'll get the same unbranded ones I showed in the video (and purchased previously from him), not Viva Elite. I bought mine from the exact link I shared here. And the listing information does list the brand as "unbranded," not Viva elite.
@@TheOriginalFuzz Thank you so much for the quick reply! I'll definitely be buying from that seller because I recently purchased my first ever 4k Blu-Rays and they came in the viva elite and eco cases which were in rough shape when they arrived so I definitely feel your pain about those garbage cases now haha
Thanks to Disney pulling out of Australia, meaning no Disney Fox films i’ve recently discovered the displeasure of eco-cases from American imports
Yeah we get them with a lot of catalog titles from major studios... It's a cost-cutting thing, which I can understand. But that's definitely one area where I would prefer they don't cut costs.
Great video Fuzz! By the way, is your first name really Fuzz? Do you leave in Seattle?
Fuzz is a nickname I've had and used for many years. I do live in the Pacific Northwest, outside of Seattle.
11:52 There's actually a way to fix the tab problem if you're interested.
Sure, I'm curious. What do have in mind?
@@TheOriginalFuzz It's a hack that I have no idea how I learned on my own. When the case is open, where the tab usually opens outwards, you push and hold it into the case itself. Then while the tab is inside you close the case. Next time you open the case you should notice the tab latched on to the case itself.
It doesn't break the tab, it just resets it to the original manufacturing state of these cases.
@@brettclancy Oh yeah I know what you mean. Sometimes, that's how the cases arrive brand new... with the tab pushed in like that. Fortunately, I don't have too many titles where these cases were used. Thanks for the tip!
Couldn’t agree more! Those eco cases belong in the garbage can. They’re Absolute rubbish
@richardansley Yeah that's pretty much where they go nowadays as soon as I get a new title with one. I keep replacement cases around all the time, and I see no need to save the blank eco cases. So I chuck 'em 😂😉
They put in planned obsolescence with those flimsy cases 😩
Hey Fuzz, the best durable 4k cases is from Paramount 💪🏿
Are you referring to the cool clear cases they give us in the Paramount Presents line? If so, I do kind of dig those cases. They're pretty slick (I have a couple titles in that line... Double Jeopardy and Red Eye on 4K). But outside of that particular line, it seems like a lot of Paramount's standard 4K releases just have standard cases (albeit non-eco cases, which is always a plus regardless).
What they think will happen: "Well there's less plastic in these cases, they're better for the environment!!"
Reality: These shitass cases result in: Lose and damaged discs out of the box, resulting in returns and discards, and the cases being promptly replaced by any serious collector, resulting in a MASSIVE uptick of plastic cases being outright thrown tf out, thus landing MORE plastic in the fills potentially decades before they would've gotten there otherwise.
"Congratulations, you played yourself."
Yep - the whole eco-friendly thing is a scam. It's about cutting costs for them while being able to pretend they're doing something noble -- when in reality, they're doing the exact opposite for the environment of what they claim.
@TheOriginalFuzz "Bingo" -Green Goblin, Spider-Man (2002)
I just got a 4K copy of the Matrix and it came with 3 discs, but on a 2 disc 4k case, with one disc stacked on top of another. Now I'm looking for a good 3 disc 4k case, and right now, the case would cost more than the actual 4k Movie. How that makes any sense it beyond me. I would love a good recommendation for 3 disc 4k cases!
Yeah I hear ya... unfortunately, the 4K cases are not cheap once you get past 2-disc cases (3-disc or greater)... they get very pricey. Much more expensive than their blu ray counterparts. I don't really have many other suggestions, other than just keep researching, looking around and see if you can hunt them down for a better deal. But honestly, my Matrix set is the same way, and I just make sure that the most important discs are the ones against the plastic trays... and I only stack the disc I'm not as concerned about. Meaning, for my Reloaded 4K, I keep the 4K on one side by itself, and then the special features disc in the other tray, with the duplicate blu ray of the movie stacked on top. That doesn't really bother me as much in this case, because I will probably never watch the blu ray of the film, only the special features disc. But I get what you mean generally speaking... It's a crap design for disc storage. I hate the stacked discs deal myself. Warner Bros is notorious for cheap, lame disc storage like that. (the Blade Runner 4K is the same way... stacked discs all the way). But at least in the case of the Matrix, I can handle it as long as the 4K disc itself is not stacked on top of another disc. Sorry I couldn't be of more help, but thanks for watching! I appreciate it.
Also, I just found this Amazon link... 4K case that holds 3-discs (not stacked... they each have a plastic tray). This is probably typical of the price you're gonna find, and it's just a Viva Elite case. www.amazon.com/Official-Viva-Elite-Replacement-12-5mm/dp/B08F9JLHPF/
@@TheOriginalFuzz Thanks for the info! That was the product I found as well. Pricy AND Viva Elite, so its paying a lot for a possibly sub par case, which is definitely not ideal, but it is the best option I can find at the moment. Right now I'm just going to wait and hope a better option comes out within the next few years. But I really appreciate you responding to my comments and questions! Even if you don't provide a perfect answer, it's great to hear about how you are dealing with it, and to know I'm not the only one having these problems!
Another idea for people needing to replace just a few cases or the odd damaged case. what ive done before is to go to charity stores or places that sell used movies near you. Is to buy cheap films that didn't sell well or crap movies and just use those cases. I got 10 copies of captain marvel for £15 and used those haha
Ive also seen copies of the emoji movie in decent cases for less than £1 lol
That's a great idea! Very good tip.
Ordered from checkoutstore last week and the cases I got look the same but with chrome and embossed bluray logos? weird
Wow that's weird (though personally, I think I'd prefer chrome and embossed logos). I hope the cases still have the same thickness of plastic as the ones I bought from Checkoutstore. I even bought some double and triple cases from them a few weeks back, and those came with the non-embossed silver paint blu-ray logo. It could be that the design just changed slightly on the singles (I know they ran out of stock at one point), but they're still the same unbranded cases. Are you happy with the cases? Do they seem pretty decent?
@@TheOriginalFuzz I really like the tactile logo I was just confused when they showed up. Got about 250. Interested to see if the double cases are the same when they restock. We will see
@@TheOriginalFuzz checkoutstore got the 2 and 3 disc cases back in stock and they are not the same as the single disc cases I got. they’re as pictured on the website. no embossed logo, now I have to find a place to get the matching versions of those!
@@ddaigl Interestingly enough, I just re-ordered some more single-disc cases myself from this guy, and I see what you mean now. I too got slightly different cases than I showed in the video. The quality of the cases is still solid (meaning, they're still made of relatively thick plastic), but I too got a chrome/embossed blu-ray logo. And the corners are a little more rounded than the cases I showed in the video. But I don't mind that... I actually like the embossed chrome blu-ray logo more than the painted silver. They're still good cases... just some minor cosmetic differences.
Plus the eco case is bad for the inserts because they are very easily damaged.
Yep so true... And I meant to emphasize that a bit more when I was holding up my Training Day insert -- it had all kinds of marks/dimples and a tiny rip or two from being in an eco-case. Now granted, I wasn't the original owner of that particular unit, so who knows how it was cared for before it came to me. But still... I totally agree with you; I don't like what happens to the art in those things. Thanks for watching!
Hi. Do you have any idea where we can get large multi disc boxes for Bluray. I recently bought Star Trek Next Generation, Star Trek Enterprise and Babylon 5 box sets. Next Generation is spread across 2 boxes and has 41 discs. the box all 3 comes with had slots where the discs are stacked with two discs in each slot, one on top of the other - great for scratches. I had NO intention of leaving these dics like that, and removed them all, placing them in a large disc sleeve folder that zips up. It took a lot of time and patience getting all those discs out slowly and carefully, all the while terrified that I would break one. It is just plain crazy, not to mention lazy, selling them like this.
Do you know of an alternative that can be used to house these 3 box sets please? I also have Stargate SG1 and Stargate Universe. These came in purpose built boxes with all the discs in plastic sleeves, all stacked up nice and neatly. This is also not really ideal, but is considerably easier to get the discs in and out.
Star Trek Next Generation, 41 discs across 2 boxes. Star Trek Enterprise 24 discs. Babylon 5 21 discs.
Oh man, what a mess! I totally sympathize with you on this. That sucks... I can't stand it when they do things like that with these big sets. Well, honestly, if it were me, I would probably buy a bunch of smaller mulit-disc blu ray replacement cases, like the ones in the Amazon link I've provided below. You can get anything from like 4-disc to 10-disc cases I believe (just type "X-disc blu-ray replacement case" in your search, & substitute X for the number you want)... And it's possible there may even be some that are much thicker and hold more, but I'm not sure. I would probably just split up the discs among a number of different 4-disc to 10-disc cases or something. Here's a link for a quick Amazon search I did, just to give you an idea. Kind of like those cases I used for my Phantasm set in the video. Hope this helps! www.amazon.com/s?k=blu-ray+replacement+case+multi+disc
Thanks. @@TheOriginalFuzz
the ebay link you recommend states the cases are made by Viva Elite
Ah I see what you mean. I think that's just a mistake in the listing. They are not Viva Elite cases. I think maybe what happened is the seller populated the "item specifics" part of the listing with info from another listing (which eBay allows for when you're listing a new item), and Viva Elite was just listed as the brand name. But that is not accurate... because I bought these exact cases from that seller, and they were definitely not Viva Elite. They're the same cases I showed in the video (the shiny ones). And they're way better than the Viva Elites.
thank you@@TheOriginalFuzz
@@davidgilo9566 I checked with the seller, and he said that was indeed a mistake. They are not Viva Elite cases -- they are the unbranded ones I was showing in my video. And he has updated the listing to reflect that information.
really wish the cases had the same size worldwide...a 4k case i imported to Australia is cracked but its 11mm...we have the 14mm cases here so if i want a new case that wont make the cover art look stupid it will cost me up to $40
Yeah I can see how that would be a problem. What a pain to deal with.
Anyone from the U.K. have any recommendations? Amazon prices seem high and I’m not sure of quality. Those are branded Dragon Trading. Also, some of my clear cases (boutique) have arrived slightly damaged and need replacement. Ugh! The only clear cases I’ve seen have a blue logo on the top which is ugly. Silver is fine.
There’s also the 14mm vs 11mm cases issue. Are the covers smaller? For example, can you put a 4K 11mm covers into 4K 14mm cases? Again, any U.K. eBay seller recommendations would be most welcome.
Yeah I'm realizing a lot of what I was talking about here doesn't necessarily apply to UK collectors/releases as much... You guys have thicker cases over there (which I actually really like). Come to think of it, I don't think I've ever seen any eco-cases with any UK releases I've picked up. That said, I have ordered 14 mm cases off of eBay in the past to replace the cases in a couple UK releases, so I know they're available. But I don't have a ton of experience with those size replacement cases outside of that.
@@TheOriginalFuzz Warner Archives launched early last year here in the U.K. and of course they look incredible, but I was shocked by my first purchase coming in an 11mm eco case. They’re not cheap to buy either. Also, with 4K being region free, I’ve received Universal discs in really horrible eco cases. So yeah, I need to change them out.
For someone as picky as I am with cases, This video was perfect. Thank you! Whenever I get some extra dough I wanna try replacing some of mine. I even started putting plastic protective sleeves around some. Do you think that’s overkill? It makes it easier for others to grab I think. Less fall damage too I think
Naw it's not overkill. I totally get it. I've seen other collectors use protective sleeves as well. The way I see it, it's about whatever gives us some peace of mind re: the security of our collections. Thanks for watching!
Great rant video fuzz 😅💿👌🏻if it bugs the shit out of you let it out brother 😅👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
What fuzz is trying to tell you is that really he's just OCD!! 😆
Maybe so😉... but clearly I'm not alone among collectors in this regard. Check out some of the other comments here.
I’ve actually come to appreciate eco cases due to the nasty residue (off-gassing) that builds up in regular cases. Wiping that nasty stuff away is not fun and getting that residue on the disc is even worse.
My concern with the eco-cases are the longer-term ramifications for the integrity of the disc. i don't feel like there's adequate long-term protection. While I agree the off-gassing residue is annoying, I view it as a minor inconvenience to have to wipe the disc (and case) down. The residue doesn't cause any permanent damage.
steelbook all the way
Descripton for 4k 2-disc cases only seem to include once case....for nearly 20 dollars. As opposed to the 5 single-disc cases you get for like $18. I'm not so sure I'm THAT concerned with having eco cases. It's almost a better idea to just buy a second copy of the movie that you just don't open until you have to. Not sure if the listing is just lacking in description or what, but I don't really wanna take my chances on a single replacement case for 20 bones.
Oh I see what you mean... it appears they've sold out of the 10-packs of the 2-disc cases since I posted my video (they were in stock last night when I checked lol). No, definitely do NOT pay $20 for a single replacement. That's nuts! I will do some more research and see if I can find an alternate link for these particular cases at a better deal. And then I'll come back and say something here once I find an alternate link.
I've also contacted the eBay store owner to see when they're going to be replenishing their stock of the 10-packs.
@@TheOriginalFuzz I asked the seller for clarification, so we'll see. Cause I definitely want 'em!
@@rampdavidson6397 Oh ok I had a bit of a brain fart... Right now all the seller has is 5 cases for $20. Under the "count," it says 5, so you would be getting 5 separate 2-disc 4K cases for that price (and you have to option to buy more than one 5-pack of cases, at a reduced price per 5-pack) . Not quite as good a deal as the 10 packs for $30, but at least it's not $20 for a single case. So it's not quite as bad as I thought.
@@rampdavidson6397 I talked to the seller and he's updated the inventory counts on his listing. So you can now get 10-packs of the double-disc 4K cases for $30.
Classic green-washing BS. "Eco" cases do nothing to help the environment, but they do save a couple pennies per case for the distributor.
Yep, my thoughts exactly!
Yeah people who put discs vertically should be arrested haha
@sexymonkey-zw5zq ooooh ok. yeah that sucks.
Good info. Except you say the same thing over and over and over. And.... if ya wanna protect your media, rip to an external drive. The you can put away your discs in like a tote or something.
Yeah backing up titles electronically is never a bad idea. Though it should be noted here that the massive amount of storage and time needed to rip an entire -- say, 400-500-title 4K UHD collection -- is not exactly an inexpensive or realistic prospect for everyone. Not to mention, I have zero interest in putting my discs in a tote. I always find it interesting when people assume discs in cases are somehow a nuisance... when in fact, having all my discs in cases on shelves is intentional and part of the overall room aesthetic and experience. Many of us take pride in displaying our titles and being able to browse the shelves of our own personal video store, handle certain titles as we ponder what to watch, admire the artwork and packaging, and go through the ritual of caring for the disc, etc. For many of us who are passionate about this stuff, there's a lot more to the overall experience than just being able to press play on a movie.