UMD replacement cases- any issues?

[HoshiChiri]

So, I picked up a copy of Dissidia Duodecim yesterday. I didn't look it over closely becuase the case for it was so pristine, but turns out the plastic on the UMD itself is cracked. It still plays fine, but I feel like it's going to eventually break clean open.

 

I know there's replacement cases out there, & they're straightforward snap-on deals, but I am curious about a couple things:

 

1- are they always clear? I'd prefer white edges like an original case.

2- does anyone make logo decals for the top? Even if I have to get clear, having that would still be nice.

3- should I be concerned about quality? Are some better plastic than others?

4- I assume no, but- any safe way to harvest the shell from a different umd?

[DragonGrafx-16]

I noticed the original shells were not very durable ever since the shell of my bundled copy of Spider-Man 2 movie (or was it the first one I forget) that came with my PSP broke apart not long after I got it... luckily none of my games came apart. I glued the case on the movie back together but never tried it after that since I never watched movies on my PSP anyway as I mostly used it to play games and as a MP3 player...

[Tanooki]

What part cracked?  Flat end or the edge where the top/bottom are stuck together with those really poorly done tiny teeth.  I had a PSP game or two that went that way, and what I found was that replacement cases are typically garbage, as durable(hah) or worse than Sony's.  I ended up opening the split seam and using some loctite super glue gel, and NOT directly, but I'd put it on a metal tipped tool I had and lightly stencil it along the edge of the whole crack where the teeth broke off.  Going this way it kept the clear plastic clear instead of having some bleed into it that's white because that stuff tends to typically not cause haze like normal super glue, but it's possible in a closed space.  It worked great and held so it's an option and cheap as it's like $3-4 a squeeze bottle vs whatever for brittle garbage umd knockoff shells.

[Classic Pac]

I have had mixed results with official ones. There is this one game I got new still factory sealed and apparently cracked on my way home from the store.

[HoshiChiri]

The cracks are mostly through the clear front piece (with the UMD logo)- although on one side it goes through the clear front into the white along the edge.

 

The back is fine, although very heavily scuffed. I thought about harvesting the case from a family guy UMD my system came with, but then it would have the wrong symbol.

[BawesomeBurf]

Having been a PSP owner since 2007, I've never understood how people broke their UMD shells. Never broken a single one. I have purchased a few with clear replacement shells in recent years, and they seem to be good quality.

[Steven Pendleton]

I bought an EU copy of Tales of Eternia about 10 years ago or so that has one of those clear replacement cases. I remember having some problems with it and I never ended up playing it for very long. I might go try to find it and a regular PSP. I've replaced my original PSP with the PSP go and Vita, so I don't really bother with UMDs anymore. I honestly can't even remember how many PSPs I have. I actually think I have 2 2000s (one Japanese, one US) and the go, but it's been so long that I honestly can't remember.

 

I have never had an original UMD case get damaged or anything like that, and none of the games that I bought new ever had any problems. Just that one used game with the replacement case. I kind of miss that horrifying UMD loading sound now!

Edited March 21, 2020 by Steven Pendleton

[BawesomeBurf]

Haha, my coworkers would always wonder what the hell that noise was when I played in the breakroom.