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Detective No. 27 posted:Remember that weird temporary DVD format? I remember there was this alternate DVD rental service that tried to take off where the DVD self deteriorated after being watched once or opened (I can't remember.) What weird times. I don't remember what they were called and I don't even know how I'd parse it in a Google search to find an ancient article about them. Yeah, isn't that what the format DIVX ultimately tried to go on after DVD took off? I think they were sold exclusively by CompUSA?
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Apr 12, 2018 21:38
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EL BROMANCE posted:The same tapes that explicitly say in the intro text that they’re not to be loaned, rented, or watched on oil rigs? I’m surprised he got away with that. DVDs, but yeah. It was a couple years before they went bankrupt, so there was a bit of a who cares attitude. Netflix streaming would become a big thing a little while later. Oddly enough, yesterday was the tenth year anniversary of me getting fired from that GameCrazy. 
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Apr 12, 2018 21:38
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Nihonniboku posted:Yeah, isn't that what the format DIVX ultimately tried to go on after DVD took off? I think they were sold exclusively by CompUSA? Circuit City. Their huge buy-in to DivX was a huge catalyst of their end.
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Apr 12, 2018 22:22
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Enderzero posted:Doing a bit of research it looks like prices would start around $60-$100 in the initial period when only rental houses could buy, and then prices would drop a bit when they would start selling to retail customers. If I remember right Blockbuster/Viacom cut deals with all the major publishing companies for a cut of rental proceeds if they could get the actual discs for cheap (free?) which is one if the reasons Blockbuster would be able to stock like 500 copies of big new releases on release date.
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Apr 13, 2018 00:43
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Goddamn are people dumb. On a bunch of other boards, people are having a fit over the upcoming UHD of 2001: A Space Odyssey because the re-release trailer came out and has a teal/orange cast. Despite it being loving obvious they simply color tweaked the existing Blu-ray transfer for the trailer.
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Apr 13, 2018 00:53
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My first blu-ray was Green Room. ...why yes, I was a late adopter why do you ask?
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Apr 13, 2018 01:04
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Oh man my first DVD that I watched/bought was the Futurama Season 1 boxset, which I wore out rewatching again and again and again. They lasted for a good decade or so before they gave up, though. I just bought the Umbrella Entertainment version of Suspiria (the AUD has tanked and makes importing the Synapse/any overseas version prohibitively expensive), but I can't find out any information which transfer they're using out the million and a half 4K restorations that have come out over the last year. DVDBeaver says that the TLE transfer is used for overseas/Region B releases but it doesn't seem that dark?
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Apr 13, 2018 02:49
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I, Butthole posted:Oh man my first DVD that I watched/bought was the Futurama Season 1 boxset, which I wore out rewatching again and again and again. They lasted for a good decade or so before they gave up, though. Blu-ray.com actually has a review: http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Suspiria-Blu-ray/191297/#Review Seems like it's the TLE master (all use the same 4K transfer, but the masters are what's different), but with the American 4.0 mix included as a 5.1 track, as well as the older English mix and same Italian 5.1 on Synapse.
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Apr 13, 2018 03:01
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I'm on a work trip and got bored, so I went to a nearby second-hand media store and picked up a stack of Blus for cheap (about  each). Picked up Clue, Sorcerer, Zodiac, THX 1138, and The Public Enemy.They actually had a bunch of new copies of Vinegar Syndrome, Shout!, Arrow, and Criterion new releases, though for just under MSRP. Also, UK Indicator/Powerhouse Films just announced a Samuel Fuller at Columbia box set, The China Syndrome, and Modern Romance for June. Their releases are always region free and are pretty much Criterion-quality (and in Criterion cases).
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Apr 13, 2018 03:07
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Timby posted:Circuit City. Their huge buy-in to DivX was a huge catalyst of their end. Maybe this was just in my area but I'm still pissed that Best Buy is the one that stayed and Circuit City is the one that faded into oblivion because Circuit City was just a better store in every way. For starters the employees actually knew things about the poo poo they were selling and they generally had much better merchandise and better pricing.
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Apr 13, 2018 03:24
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Detective No. 27 posted:Remember that weird temporary DVD format? I remember there was this alternate DVD rental service that tried to take off where the DVD self deteriorated after being watched once or opened (I can't remember.) What weird times. I don't remember what they were called and I don't even know how I'd parse it in a Google search to find an ancient article about them. this service should come back but the discs should explode after an inspector gadget-style warning
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Apr 13, 2018 04:25
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Vinegar Syndrome update:quote:From 12am - 11:59pm EST on Friday the 13th (tomorrow) enjoy free International shipping for orders over $50. Fyi, as usual, preorders will be disabled during the free International shipping event. If you're like me and just pre-order all of VS's blus, the Half-way to Black Friday package is a great. I didn't get the 2018 package because I had just moved and the price point was a little more than I could justify at the time, so I'll be jumping on this one again this year. Last year it covered everything from June to the end of the year, so you'll have to make a separate purchase for May preorders and/or the Half-Way secret blus. Again, the package is highly recommended by me because I've really enjoyed discovering some movies I probably would have never even been aware of otherwise. I can't say that they've all been winners to me, but I don't regret any of it either.
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Apr 13, 2018 16:05
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What would be the right things to look for in a laserdisc player? I’m thinking of getting one, but I have no idea where to start.
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Apr 13, 2018 19:43
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Any Pioneer player should probably be fine. They basically saved the format in the 80's because they bought into the format hard and their manufacturing saved LD's reputation by fixing the failure rate of the discs. I have a player that's a combination Sega Genesis and Pioneer LD player, and all the capacitors in the Genesis module failed while the Pioneer LD section is working fine. Also, lowered expectations is great because the video doesn't scale up nearly as well as DVD. Steve Yun fucked around with this message at 21:46 on Apr 13, 2018 |
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Apr 13, 2018 21:44
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Steve Yun posted:Also, lowered expectations is great https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUkiJQhfUuc
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Apr 13, 2018 22:23
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Egbert Souse posted:What would be the right things to look for in a laserdisc player? I’m thinking of getting one, but I have no idea where to start. A good CRT to hook it up to, because Laserdisc looks like assssssss on a modern TV
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Apr 13, 2018 22:35
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TheScott2K posted:A good CRT to hook it up to, because Laserdisc looks like assssssss on a modern TV People forget that Laserdisc is literally composite video (the yellow RCA jack). The advantage in picture quality at the time was relative to VHS, which degraded with use. As opposed to laserdisc, which degraded even without use. 
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Apr 14, 2018 00:24
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xarph posted:People forget that Laserdisc is literally composite video (the yellow RCA jack). The advantage in picture quality at the time was relative to VHS, which degraded with use. As opposed to laserdisc, which degraded even without use. I've always been curious about MUSE LD but that's a whole other thing you're not gonna find at a thrift store. I got a Laserdisc player in college (~2005) and used it to be the one guy who checked the Laserdiscs out from Newman Library, but we all had CRTs then and they looked fine. I really don't see any value in first-timing the format now. I'm sure Techmoan has some fun YouTube videos that'll give a prospective buyer all the experience they need.
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Apr 14, 2018 00:54
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Well, that sours me on laserdisc. I was mainly eyeing the complete Tex Avery laserdisc set on eBay for a good price, but I found out I can import a German DVD set with the exact same cartoons and from the same masters for about $50 USD. By the way, Shout! Factory just announced they're releasing Blu-rays of William Castle's The Tingler and Strait-Jacket. 
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Apr 14, 2018 01:02
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There’s no value quality-wise in Laserdisc but I think there’s some fun in educating yourself about it hands-on as a historical curiosity especially for a format nerd like Egbert
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Apr 14, 2018 01:09
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Are there many movies that were ever only available on Laserdisc?
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Apr 14, 2018 01:49
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FancyMike posted:Are there many movies that were ever only available on Laserdisc? Don’t know about full movies, but there are certainly exclusive commentaries, including the notorious James Bond commentaries.
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Apr 14, 2018 02:04
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I don’t think there are any titles that were Laserdisc only other than Sega Genesis LD games, I think everything else on LD was also on VHS. The two big ones that were on LD that didn’t make it to DVD are Star Wars theatrical original trilogy and Disney’s Song of the South which only came out internationally on VHS and on Japanese Laserdisc. You’ll never get it because the collectors are holding onto it with iron talons. Star Wars ANH THX on the other hand I found for $4 Some more: https://www.buzzfeed.com/alisonwillmore/dvd-vhs-and-laser-disc-forever?utm_term=.skoMqNZLM#.vt0kgqJ0k Steve Yun fucked around with this message at 02:17 on Apr 14, 2018 |
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Apr 14, 2018 02:12
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Steve Yun posted:I don’t think there are any titles that were Laserdisc only other than Sega Genesis LD games, I think everything else on LD was also on VHS. In 2006 the Star Wars OT was released separately instead of as a box set, with the special editions on disc 1 and the theatrical versions on disc 2. I've heard they're just ripped from the laserdisc versions and they're non-anamorphic, but they exist.
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Apr 14, 2018 03:27
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Monday_ posted:In 2006 the Star Wars OT was released separately instead of as a box set, with the special editions on disc 1 and the theatrical versions on disc 2. I've heard they're just ripped from the laserdisc versions and they're non-anamorphic, but they exist. They were indeed sourced from the laserdiscs. They're non-anamorphic and they look like swamp rear end.
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Apr 14, 2018 03:30
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Timby posted:They were indeed sourced from the laserdiscs. They're non-anamorphic and they look like swamp rear end. There's some pretty atrocious interlacing there, if memory serves.
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Apr 14, 2018 03:32
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I only picked up '77, but it's definitely progressive, but... They used a very early form of DVNR that resulted in a "ghosting" effect during moments of rapid movement.
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Apr 14, 2018 03:41
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Every time I've considered buying a Star Wars, time proved that it was the wrong time. Now I'm waiting for the I-IX box set in 2020.
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Apr 14, 2018 04:20
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Harmy's Despecialized Editions are the only worthwhile versions of the Star Wars original trilogy released in the past 20+ years.
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Apr 14, 2018 05:11
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Steve Yun posted:I don’t think there are any titles that were Laserdisc only other than Sega Genesis LD games, I think everything else on LD was also on VHS. The complete Family Dog was only ever issued on laserdisc! In general, here's what you'll fine that's laserdisc exclusive: Widescreen versions that were full screen only elsewhere, even on DVD. Some specially collections or things that appeal hard to movie buffs. Music releases.
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Apr 14, 2018 17:16
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Some of the major ones I can think of: The Golden Age of Looney Tunes - five volumes of the almost-complete Warner cartoons owned by Turner at the time (1931-1933 Harmon-Ising Merrie Melodies + all color cartoons from 1934-August 1948, except for the "Censored 11"). Even after all the DVD and Blu-ray releases, there's still a decent amount of cartoons still unreleased on digital. MGM silents - Many have been released as Warner Archive DVDs (plus one Blu-ray - The Big Parade), but there's still no DVD or Blu release of The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, Greed, The Wind, or The Crowd. Filmstruck has recently had Greed and The Crowd up for viewing, but the latter is still the ancient 1980s transfer made for Thames Television. The Complete Tex Avery - MGM/UA issued a laserdisc set of the complete 1942-1957 Tex Avery MGM cartoons. Some have appeared as extras on Warner DVDs and Blu-rays, plus about a dozen as an extra on one of the Looney Tunes Blu-rays (with only Blitz Wolf in HD). The Dawn of Sound - Several volumes of early talkies. A few are on Warner Archive DVD, but most still MIA (though, mostly not that good of films anyways). The Alamo - John Wayne's film had a director's cut release. Film restorationist Robert Harris has spent a decade trying to get MGM to let him restore the film, but they won't approve the project. Very possibly on the way to becoming a lost film (on film) due to a totally faded negative and the only uncut print in the world having vinegar syndrome. Disney animated features - A lot of features from the laserdisc editions were never ported over. For example, the Saludas Amigos/The Three Cabelleros "Exclusive Archive Edition" featured music/effects tracks, radio shows, outtakes, effects demos, trailers, art galleries/bonus shorts... the Blu-ray is completely bare-bones and a DMC exclusive. Also, the laserdisc of Fantasia was the last edition with the original Deems Taylor narration (the 2000 restoration redubbed his voice).
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Apr 14, 2018 17:39
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I think the Japanese LD Song of the South is the only complete home release of it. Europe got a DVD but I think that was edited or unofficial or something.
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Apr 14, 2018 18:07
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One thing I really wish would make the move from DVD to Blu-ray are the Walt Disney Treasures sets. Disney apparently has 4K masters of all their theatrical shorts now. It's still bizarre how the only thing to come out of the restorations is a vinyl set of the Silly Symphonies soundtracks (with no digital or CD edition!)Unmature posted:I think the Japanese LD Song of the South is the only complete home release of it. Europe got a DVD but I think that was edited or unofficial or something. Nope, that was the only legal release.
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Apr 14, 2018 18:31
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I hate Disney releases. They have one of the biggest, most desired vaults in film history and they know it. They drip feed the same 20 movies again and again with a new release before vaulting it and driving the price up. Anything beyond their top tier money makers gets a fairly mediocre release or sometimes doesn’t get released at all. I’d love to see them get on the boutique label bandwagon and release some forgotten classics with some care.
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Apr 14, 2018 18:41
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Liar Lyre posted:I hate Disney releases. They have one of the biggest, most desired vaults in film history and they know it. They drip feed the same 20 movies again and again with a new release before vaulting it and driving the price up. Anything beyond their top tier money makers gets a fairly mediocre release or sometimes doesn’t get released at all. I’d love to see them get on the boutique label bandwagon and release some forgotten classics with some care. Animation usually gets the short shrift because it's not treated the same as live-action and... there's nobody living to really defend treatment on video. Consider how a significant film like 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea was restored in 4K years ago, yet is still unavailable. They did a stellar 4K restoration of Treasure Island only to make it a DMC exclusive with a BD-25 and DD 1.0 audio. It's like how Olive Films finally put out remastered Betty Boop cartoons on Blu-ray (after being ignored for years), but with zero cleanup, zero extras, and only a 1/3 of the cartoons. Better than nothing, but it's inexplicable why a complete set wasn't released like on laserdisc. Warner Bros. abandoned Looney Tunes after three sets covering only 1/10 of the library, stopped Popeye after covering the Fleischer/B&W cartoons. Disney has only included a few cartoons as extras. CBS hasn't touched the Terrytoons library they've owned for years (though I've heard someone is trying to get them licensed). Sony licensed the Mr. Magoo and UPA cartoons to TCM Archives as a MOD set. WB has been saying Tex Avery is held up for over 15 years because they need to be restored first. Then you have Kino Lorber getting the DePatie-Freleng cartoons from MGM and they're set on releasing every single cartoon from that library on Blu-ray from excellent masters and extras. One of the least loved cartoon libraries, yet it's getting the treatment other libraries deserve. Thunderbean is working on putting out the complete Ub Iwerks cartoon library (Willie Whopper already out, two sets of ComiColors and a set of Flip the Frog are in the works). Imagine if Shout! Factory or Criterion got to work with some of these classic cartoon libraries.
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Apr 14, 2018 19:04
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First DVD that I got was Godzilla 2000.
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Apr 14, 2018 20:33
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Timby posted:They were indeed sourced from the laserdiscs. They're non-anamorphic and they look like swamp rear end. They're not great or anything and being non-anamorphic is a huge bummer but I don't think they look as awful as everyone says and at the end of the day it's still much better than watching them on tape.
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Apr 14, 2018 22:16
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CPL593H posted:They're not great or anything and being non-anamorphic is a huge bummer but I don't think they look as awful as everyone says and at the end of the day it's still much better than watching them on tape. It's all the exact same master anyways, outside of '77 having the original crawl inexplicably edited back in. Only advantage of the laserdisc would be higher quality PCM sound since the DVD was Dolby Digital 2.0 surround encoded at 192kbps.
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Apr 14, 2018 22:31
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Egbert Souse posted:It's all the exact same master anyways, outside of '77 having the original crawl inexplicably edited back in. Only advantage of the laserdisc would be higher quality PCM sound since the DVD was Dolby Digital 2.0 surround encoded at 192kbps. It may not be anamorphic but it's still in widescreen and it's not subject to the quirks of a VCR and that fuzzy sound that tapes make.
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Apr 14, 2018 22:37
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Are there any really notable better than original fan edits? I know about Harry’s and that version of Fire Walk Woh Me with the deleted scenes but any cool notable ones
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Apr 14, 2018 22:39
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