The SPOILERIFIC Ask Robert Wolfe Thread-The Series, in General

[Abstruse]

Mr. Robert sir, you mentioned on the little post about the DVD info that you had recorded commentaries for two of the episodes...do you have any say in bonus features and whatnot?  Or are you even in the loop for that?  If so on either count, do you happen to know if EVERY episode is going to get a commentary track of some sort (be it you on this episode, Paul on this one, etc.) or is it going to be like the Season 1 Buffy DVDs (which put me off buying TV DVDs for a year or so) where only 4 of the 12 episodes have commentaries?

I really hate to say it, but I buy DVD boxed sets for the extras, not for the show/movie itself.  I have a DVR with a pretty good capacity for re-watching the shows themselves if I really wanted to, so the first thing I do when I pick up a DVD is read what extras are on it.  If there's no commentary tracks, I put it back.  That's why I didn't get The Maltese Falcon until this past year because the previous edition had no commentary tracks.  Extras sell DVDs in my opinion.

That being said, I WILL be buying The Dresden Files even if I only get the two commentaries.  I love the show and I can't bear knowing there's something Dresden in existence that I don't own :p

The Abstruse One
Darryl Mott Jr.

[dawnsister]

Mr. Robert sir, you mentioned on the little post about the DVD info that you had recorded commentaries for two of the episodes...do you have any say in bonus features and whatnot?  Or are you even in the loop for that?  If so on either count, do you happen to know if EVERY episode is going to get a commentary track of some sort (be it you on this episode, Paul on this one, etc.) or is it going to be like the Season 1 Buffy DVDs (which put me off buying TV DVDs for a year or so) where only 4 of the 12 episodes have commentaries?

I really hate to say it, but I buy DVD boxed sets for the extras, not for the show/movie itself.  I have a DVR with a pretty good capacity for re-watching the shows themselves if I really wanted to, so the first thing I do when I pick up a DVD is read what extras are on it.  If there's no commentary tracks, I put it back.  That's why I didn't get The Maltese Falcon until this past year because the previous edition had no commentary tracks.  Extras sell DVDs in my opinion.

That being said, I WILL be buying The Dresden Files even if I only get the two commentaries.  I love the show and I can't bear knowing there's something Dresden in existence that I don't own :p

The Abstruse One
Darryl Mott Jr.

http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/newsitem.cfm?NewsID=7335

I'm more happy to see the two hour Storm Front pilot included on the dvd. 

[Mickey Finn]

Wait...3 DVDs? That can't be right...that's 6 eps a disk, plus pilot and docs, plus commentaries. The compression algorithms for that would give very poor image quality. 3-4 eps a disc is needed. So that would be three discs for the episodes alone, plus a bonus features disk.

[Sway]

Wait...3 DVDs? That can't be right...that's 6 eps a disk, plus pilot and docs, plus commentaries. The compression algorithms for that would give very poor image quality. 3-4 eps a disc is needed. So that would be three discs for the episodes alone, plus a bonus features disk.

Well, they might put them out as double-sided DVDs. Same as the House DVDs and they fit a 22-ep season on 3 DVDs. So that makes me think 2 disks for the eps, one for the extras. Something like that.

[ButMadNNW]

Well, they might put them out as double-sided DVDs. Same as the House DVDs and they fit a 22-ep season on 3 DVDs. So that makes me think 2 disks for the eps, one for the extras. Something like that.

Gawd, I hope not. Double-sided discs make me nervous - twice as much surface area to scratch up and kill your discs.

[RinA]

I really hope it isn't Sony's new format because then I couldn't play the discs. We have a projector system hooked up to computer and our dvd player *hates* the Sony format.  At least I'm not alone, Netflix says numerous customers have the same problem I do.  The studios have gotten so paranoid that they're losing revenue. *sighs*

-RinA

[Nazgul]

I really hope it isn't Sony's new format because then I couldn't play the discs. We have a projector system hooked up to computer and our dvd player *hates* the Sony format.  At least I'm not alone, Netflix says numerous customers have the same problem I do.  The studios have gotten so paranoid that they're losing revenue. *sighs*

-RinA

I don't think Sony's making the Dresden Files DVD's. Pretty sure it's Lionsgate. They're the ones that make the show, and the press release about the DVD's came from them.

[PamelaHeath]

Wait...3 DVDs? That can't be right...that's 6 eps a disk, plus pilot and docs, plus commentaries. The compression algorithms for that would give very poor image quality. 3-4 eps a disc is needed. So that would be three discs for the episodes alone, plus a bonus features disk.

I'd thought about that, too. They say it's 530 minutes, too, which makes me wonder whether there will truly be the 2 hour pilot, as there's barely enough room for 12 episodes in that time frame....

[John T. Folden]

I really hope it isn't Sony's new format because then I couldn't play the discs. We have a projector system hooked up to computer and our dvd player *hates* the Sony format.  At least I'm not alone, Netflix says numerous customers have the same problem I do.  The studios have gotten so paranoid that they're losing revenue. *sighs*

Are you talking about Blue Ray discs? If so then it has nothing to do with paranoia and everything to do with fitting more on a single disc. Also, these aren't meant to work in standard DVD players. Everyone will need a new player to use next generation media.

[John T. Folden]

I'd thought about that, too. They say it's 530 minutes, too, which makes me wonder whether their will truly be the 2 hour pilot, as there's barely enough room for 12 episodes in that time frame....

Perhaps the 530 is reference to the standard episodes only?

The Dark Shadows (1991) DVD set is 3 dvds containing approximately 600 minutes worth of episodes, no extras beyond that though.

[Mickey Finn]

The 530 is for the eps only, and does not include the extras....of which the 2hr pilot is considered.

[RinA]

No, I didn't mean either of the new compression formats.  I mean the DRM (digital rights management) that Sony has been putting on all the disks they make.  It won't play on our DVD player at all.  Liongate is the studio, I don't know if they press their own disks or not.  Quite a few studios use Sony to make their DVD's and those are the ones that I can't view. So, I have to wait for Dresden Files to come out and read the back label... which means I can't preorder.  I'm not sure how much preorders of Season 1 are weighting the decision on Season 2.  I hope not much.

-Rina

[seiscat]

Wow, I thought it just meant that you couldn't copy the DVD.  That would sure put a crimp in my viewing plans.

[John T. Folden]

No, I didn't mean either of the new compression formats.  I mean the DRM (digital rights management) that Sony has been putting on all the disks they make.  It won't play on our DVD player at all.  Liongate is the studio, I don't know if they press their own disks or not.  Quite a few studios use Sony to make their DVD's and those are the ones that I can't view. So, I have to wait for Dresden Files to come out and read the back label... which means I can't preorder.  I'm not sure how much preorders of Season 1 are weighting the decision on Season 2.  I hope not much.

-Rina

If that's the case then Sony worked to fix that issue back in April. There may be old stock of certain movies that still have the problem though (and Sony was offering replacements) but new discs should be unaffected. I haven't heard anyone complaining of late, anyway.

http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20070418-sony-to-replace-incompatible-dvds.html

Also, as far as we know, SFC makes absolutely no money off the DVD sets so they probably aren't concerned with them at all.

[Mickey Finn]

Wow, I thought it just meant that you couldn't copy the DVD.  That would sure put a crimp in my viewing plans.

It was intended to simply block copying. DRM, however...and especially Sony and Macrovision....are a little overzealous and tend to fubar some disks on some players.

Big, big stink, lots of bad PR...which sucks, because Sony normally makes fantastic products. They just keep shooting themselves in the feet.


S2 decision has nada to do with pre-orders.