Improving the DVD Experience

[DVD Collector]

The reason for this post is to see if everyone likes the Direction DVDS are going in, They have been out now for almost seven years, and have really caught on. Warner/Newline finally ditched the snapper cases (Although I wish we could send the ones we have to warner to get replaced, lol) Special features and special editions have become more popular, and Movies are the hot trend right now.

This post is to discuss your likes and dislikes about the DVD Format and the direction and its future

[Mattapooh]

I'll go with dislikes first..... my main beef is that all the major manufacturers right now are already talking about improving/replacing the format within the next few years.

Supposedly DVD is the most successful new product in the history of home electronics and they're getting record sales, but they want to change it already? I honestly don't see the point.

The good aspects are far too many to list, but I'll have to go with the simple fact that I can find, buy and collect all of my favorite movies from my life. Aside from a couple of strange omissions(The Monster Squad, The Wizard), I can get all the movies I enjoy fairly easily and for much cheaper than VHS ever was most times.

[The Lolo]

Snapper cases are deceased? :::phew:::

That was my main problem with some of the DVDs I was purchasing...but now that that's gone I can only see DVDs as the glorious product that they are - except maybe the scratching problem.

[outsyder]

My main complaint about Dvd's are the scratches. At least with my player, if there is a slight skip, the whole movie goes wonky and I have to restart the movie and find my place all over again, at which point it fucks up again and I can't watch the movie.


I think it might be the damn player, as all of my Dvd's work fine on my computer. Either way, the sensitivity is a hassle.

[miguel_montes]

I have the same exact problem. My living room dvd player sucks... If I buy a new DVD and watch it for the first time in it, it still skips...

My DVD-Rom is way better, haven't had any problems with it.

Concerning the future of DVD's, I think they will be replaced a few years from now. Blu-ray (http://www.blu-ray.com/info/), HD-DVD (http://www.hddvd.org/hddvd/) and WMVHD (http://www.wmvhd.com/) are the next leap in technology.

[Cronos]

good aspects of DVDs:

picture and sound dont deteriate like with VHS so excellent picture quality remains nomatter how many times you watch a film
you can pause, fastforward and rewind whenever you like without worrying about damaging the disc
EXTRAS...i like extras

bad aspects

companies are already going to upgrade to newer technology
dvds without extras

[DVD Collector]

Just a little Note, I think the whole Blue-DVD, and the others will hit the market in the next five to ten years, but I dont think it will have any effect on DVD sales. The DVD's are fine where they are at, some small modifications would be nice, maybe some type of protective film for the bottom of the disc, and when the film gets a smudge or a scratch you can replace it with another. but DVD's are cheap enough I dont think that would happen, They just want to you to buy another copy.

I think my biggest pet peav isnt really the discs it the studios If you know you are gonna release a Special Edition DVD do it day and date of the original theatre cut of the film. Streeting Hellboy in july and waiting two months to release the SE is just plain stupid, same goes for the Eternal Sunshine SE. older movies are fine to have SE's such as Shawshank Redemption. And when they release shit like X-men 1.5 just to include some behind the scenes of 2, it isnt worth it, or Spide man etc. just to put a movie ticket inside isnt gonna make people want to buy it. only impulsive shoppers.

[Country1969]

I love dvds. They are so easy to use and care for. Storage is a big plus for dvds compare to vhs tapes.

I think dvds will be around for many years.
If you take care of them like I do, they should last a long time.

Complaint: Many dvds these days are thrown together witout anything on them. Some have extras but very little.

Previews for other movies. Not too many dvds have them anymore. How about when you insert a dvd in your player and the previews starts playing and you CANT stop them to go to the main menu. It really sucks. I like when you go to the special features and you click on previews and you pick the one you want to watch.

also add more previews, theres tons of movies out there.

Inserts in dvd cases. One thing I have to say about this subject.......Give us more. How about coupons for other movies, maybe a selection/chapter card (most dvds don't have them),

Original theater and special edition dvds should be released the same day so we can buy one or the other that day. Not buy one copy and 3 or 4 months donwn the road decide whether or not to buy the extended/special edition.

[SamEagle]

Originally posted by DVD Collector
I think my biggest pet peav isnt really the discs it the studios If you know you are gonna release a Special Edition DVD do it day and date of the original theatre cut of the film. Streeting Hellboy in july and waiting two months to release the SE is just plain stupid, same goes for the Eternal Sunshine SE. older movies are fine to have SE's such as Shawshank Redemption. And when they release shit like X-men 1.5 just to include some behind the scenes of 2, it isnt worth it, or Spide man etc. just to put a movie ticket inside isnt gonna make people want to buy it. only impulsive shoppers.
I agree completely! My biggest complaint is the studios releasing a SE a few months after the regular release and the re-releases just prior to a sequels release. This marketing ploy has got to stop (but I know it never will).

[SAI]

Regarding the issues mentioned about Blu-Ray and HD-DVD. Worry not. Whichever format wins out it will be backward compatible with current dvd. As for the topic.

Bad points
Much of the time i think people protest too much about SE releases of titles that have already been out BUT occasionally it pisses me off. For example; Eternal Sunshine, a few new extras, which sound interesting on a new edition which we were not told to expect ahead of the release of the present disc. I also loathe the practice of re-releasing dvds of original films just before the release of a sequel, the only new extras for the disc being promos for the sequel.

Good points (the obvious aside)
Price. The price of dvd has dropped so far that it is now a more economical thing to collect than vhs was in its heyday. I've recently got Amelie in a sale for 99p and a variety of ex rental dvds for £1 each

[Slim_JGE]

I don't really have a lot of complaints. I worry a bit about DVD being replaced and my collection becoming obsolete like all my VHS, but I figure they will make the players for Blu-Ray, HD, etc. etc. retro compatible and will play normal DVD. At least that's what I've heard. If all I have to do is replace my player as opposed to the whole collection, I'll be happy :D

[Hot-Handed Fury]

The first player to use BluRay technology will be the Sony Playstation 3, which will be released sometime in the next 2 years or so.

I've already stopped buying DVDs on a weekly basis, since I don't want to upgrade my entire collection YET AGAIN.

There are still some movies I have on VHS that I just don't feel like buying again on DVD.

There is a very interesting article over at hometheaterforum.com, where a few of the members got a demo of the BluRay technology, and they were simply awe-struck.

The leap from DVD to BluRay will actually be much bigger than vhs to DVD technology wise, since BluRay discs will be able to hold from 40GB - 200GB of data per disc, and they'll be full 1080i resolution.

DTS sound will also be the standard for BluRay, and they're even talking about fully un-compressed DTS tracks since there'll be enough room for them on the discs.

And since the PS3 will be one of the first BluRay players, millions of people will already own a bluray dvdplayer soon after the PS3 is released. Very smart move by Sony.

[pyscho dude]

Dvds are awesome. Great picture, great sound, bonus material, widescreen presentations. The only real bad is that dvds are too sensitive and at times there's too many dvds of one particualr movie.

[Nachokoolaid]

I don't mind a special edition of a DVD being released shortly after the original release, ONLY if they let us know that they are planning to do this! I hate it when there's a special edition released right after I buy the barebones. I just got Eternal Sunshine, and then, BOOM, here comes the special edition. That sucks. I just got Airplane! too. What are the chances of that getting a special edition after all these years? Well, as soon as I buy it, then that's the word I hear! It sucks. But I really wouldn't care if they'd just announce it so I can make an informed decision.

[CamaroMatt1996]

Bad Points:
-Price: I think it's a little too much to spend $15-20 per movie. Especially if you have a huge collection of tapes you are trying to replace. It would cost thousands to replace each tape.

-Too Many Editions: A lot of companies put out too many editions of a DVD release. Halloween, Evil Dead, Terminator 2 etc. In order to get the best of each release, you have to get each disc, because each one has diff features etc.

-Release Dates/Catalog: It seems like DVD'S are always being delayed or cancelled, or rights being held up. There are hundreds of movies I like not yet on DVD. It could be years or they may never show up to DVD.

-Print Status: It seems like DVD'S go out of print quickly. Phantasm, Lady In White, Woman In Black, Most of AB older stuff. Then the OOP versions are expensive.

-Reliability: A lot of times I have gotten a DVD that is either defective, or is showing signs of Rot/De-lamination. They scratch easy, and the movies seem to skip a lot even when they aren't scratched. Also poorly authorized DVD'S with their compression artificats.

-Originiality: Lately a lot of DVD'S have different cover art/re-scored soundtrack etc. It takes away from the original film.

Good Points:
-On a digital tv, DVD'S look good! They sound good too. Seeing films un-cut and in widescreen is nice too.

Bottom Line:

-If you have a nice widescreen digital TV, a nice home theather system, and are more into action/sci-fi/new movies, DVD is for you.

-If you have none of the above, VHS is a good choice. It's cheaper, much bigger catalog of movies, cool cover art. Also it just seems creepier and cooler to watch horror movies on VHS. I had more fun watching an old MEDIA VHS tape of Halloween, then I did the AB 25th Anniversary Edition. It just looks creepier. Same can be said about other movies too. Of course this really only applies to horror movies. Other genere's benefit more from DVD.

-MATT-