DVD Boxed sets - TV on Demand?

[Joseph DeMartino]

Currently most movies come out on both VHS and DVD in the UK. The same could be done with a series.

Which would do nothing to increase the profitability of the series. VHS tapes are more expensive to replicate than DVDs. That means a higher per episode sell price. VHS tapes are bulky and difficult to store. VHS tapes wear out. Most established series in the U.S. never sold worth a damn on VHS for this reason and because they are all in constant reruns (which has not been the case in the U.K.) There has never been a VHS market for TV shows in the U.S. - even well-known and popular ones with a handful of exceptions. Releasing a series direct to VHS and DVD simultaneously would overcome none of the problems of a DVD release alone and add a whole bunch of new ones. This is, if possible, even more of a non-starter than a DVD release of a new series.

The single exception to the direct to video rule for both television and movies is porn, softcore and hardcore, and other "adult specialty" entertainment. There was also a series called Electric Blue in the States. It originated as a public-access cable show in Manhattan and eventually migrated to video. If the U.K. show you're referring to is some kind of off-shoot of this, and it sounds like it may be, it is one of these exceptions, and not a model for a one hour drama. (For one thing, I seriously doubt that either version of Electric Blue costs over a million dollars an episode just to shoot. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif)

Regards,

Joe

 

[A_M_Swallow]

If DVDs will not sell then we will have to wait for broadband to be able to download 3 Meg to 10,000 people simultaneously.

 

[Kribu]

I think about 6 of my 20 items on DVD (single movies and box sets) are stuff that I had seen before buying. All the rest I've bought either because someone's recommended them or they feature someone whose work I like, or because they were on sale. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

As for TV show sets - I got Farscape S1 after downloading and watching the pilot, I got both Buffy S1 and S2 sets (ordered them together) after downloading and watching the pilot (so, whatever anyone says, in my case piracy and having divx files available on the 'net serves as making me spend a lot of money on the legit product /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif ), and I got 24 season 1 set without having seen a single episode, purely because of word-of-mouth recommendations.

I probably would buy a full season Firefly set as well, even though I've only seen the episode that was aired first.

So I suppose I would be someone who could - and probably would - get whole season sets just because they "sound good", have good actors in them, or because I've been able to watch the pilot episode and liked it.

Also, I think I'm more likely to buy something I've never seen before instead of something I *have* seen before, unless it's one of those very few things I've really liked. (Then again, I don't plan to buy anything on DVD that I already have as commercial VHS, but I am a poor East-European after all.)

But of course I realise that for most people this kind of approach might not work. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[hypatia]

The dilemma I now have, thanks to good old DVD's is, which format to I purchase something in? I would be tempted to go all DVD's in the future. But I have dear friends who simply cannot afford a DVD player. And I just love sharing movies with friends. You get more mileage out of movies that way. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Classic movies, I'll probably always buy as DVD's. I know I want to watch them over and over again throughout the years. But things like LOTR and the latest Star Wars, definitely VHS.

In fact, I probably wouldn't buy them at all if it weren't for the joy I know they will bring my friends and then their friends as the tape gets passed around.

Having friends is so inconvenient sometimes. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[Kribu]

Easy. Get DVDs and invite the friends over. You'll all be able to watch everything in the best quality obtainable. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

And perhaps your friends will be able to save enough in a year or two to get a DVD player of their own? With DVD player prices in the US dropping as low as they have (I've heard you can get a passable player for under $100?), it would take saving about $8 a month (or $4 a month to afford one in two years).

Seriously though, I can understand your dilemma. I'd love to share a few of my latest purchases, especially the box sets, with a friend, but she doesn't have a DVD player and can't afford one either, not until she's done with school and tuition fees anyway. And since she lives on the other side of town (at least an hour of commuting), she can't exactly come over all the time either. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

But it's only DVDs for me from now on. I just don't want to bother with VHS at all anymore. I might make an exception for something old that looks like it won't ever be released on DVD, but I can't even think of anything I'd want to have that badly.

 

[hypatia]

Very unlikely unless some great deal came up on ebay or something. They are both disabled vets and one is very, very sick right now. A bad heart. So he almost never leaves his house. It's too much hassle and strain for him. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

One of their computers can play DVD's, though. At least that is what I was told. So if the DVD is good enough, they could watch it that way, I suppose. On a tiny little monitor. /forums/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif

I can just see trying to watch Lawrence of Arabia on a tiny screen.

 

[Kribu]

Yeah, good points. If the computer has a video card that supports it, you can of course connect the computer to the TV and watch the image on TV screen - but then again, I have no idea how to go about it. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

So yeah, I see what you mean. A dilemma for sure. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif If you can still bear to watch VHS, it might make sense to buy movies on VHS then. It's pretty much a moot point with TV shows anyway - no sense in buying those on video if DVD sets are available.

 

[hypatia]

I also might see if I can't rent a video for like a 2 day period. They'd have to watch it with me, and couldn't pass it on to other friends.

 

[ElScorcho]

I, for one, will never buy a commercial VHS tape again. Since I bought a DVD player, I have no reason to because the prices really aren't that much different. And the DVDs generally come with added material (although that is not a major selling point with me). The VHS format is on the way out and the only thing keeping it alive is that you can record on it. Once DVD-Rs become more prevelant, the industry will make sure that everyone gets DVD player/recorders instead of VCRs. And when HDTV becomes standard, VHS will be as good as an 8-track.

The last vinyl record I bought was in 1986 and I'm sure there are people here who have never purchased one. In fact, I don't even know anywhere you can buy a record player. I figure the same could be said of VCRs in a decade.

 

[GKarsEye]

(I've heard you can get a passable player for under $100?),

Absolutely. You can get one for 80 bucks.

 

[Joseph DeMartino]

Heck, Wal-Mart was selling Apex players (not the best, but passable) for $60 during their last-minute Christmas sale.

Regards,

Joe

 

[Jade Jaguar]

While I was shopping for my player at BestBuy, I was standing in line to check out with my Philips 793c progressive scan changer for $159, and I saw a display of boxed sets of classic MGM films. It said buy the set, get a FREE DVD player, $49.95 value. So, they're practically giving them away!

 

[Kribu]

Yowza. The absolute cheapest ones, when they're on sale, are about $160 here. Brand names start at around $250-270. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[Loadhan]

Joe, your Wal-Mart must be expensive then ... ours had some DVD player (not sure which) for only that much well before the holiday rush sales. I thought $60 had been the low end for players for some months!