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     This story was printed from CdrInfo.com,

     located at http://www.cdrinfo.com.

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With millions of music, movie and game discs given as gifts this holiday season, there is a 1 out of 2 chance that those discs -- or many of those already in collections -- will get scratched before 2003 is over, according to a survey conducted by Digital Innovations®, maker of the SkipDoctor® disc repair device.

"What's surprising is that most people don't know they can save their discs," said John Hanak, Digital Innovations' CEO. "In fact, 6 out of 10 people we talked to didn't even know scratched discs can be repaired."

70% of families surveyed also reported having found at least one scratched disc in their collections. With billions of dollars invested in disc-based media, most American households risk losing hundreds of dollars in CDs, DVDs or game discs that get scratched and rendered unusable.

The survey also identified the most common ways discs get damaged and, as such, suggests ways to save music, movie and game collections:

* Keep discs in sturdy protective coverings, and in safe, scratch-free environments. This may seem obvious, but many respondents reported finding discs under sofas, on the bottom of toy boxes, or in stacks around the house.

* Avoid the "Frisbee method" of handling discs. Interestingly, the most common use for discs, after listening to them, was to slide them across hard, scratchy floors.

* Always use clean hands when handling discs, and only handle by the edges or center hole. A variety of respondents reported food or drink stains on discs, which are not conducive to play.

* Discs should not substitute teething rings, chew toys or the sustenance offered by the five major food groups. "Teeth marks" were one of the most common ways discs get damaged, while use as beverage coasters was also prevalent.

The conclusion of the survey is that no matter what you do, odds are that a favorite music, movie, game or computer data disc will get scratched this year. A great way to prepare for that inevitability is to own a SkipDoctor CD, DVD or Game repair device; it's the only patented, easy, proven device that fixes scratched discs. Over 2 million have already been sold worldwide.

"We've just scratched the surface of households likely to need the SkipDoctor in 2003," explained Hanak.