About the Quality of the Discs

This forum is for questions/discussions about the now sold out first DVD box set by BMG / AnotherUniverse.
JPP13
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About the Quality of the Discs

Post by JPP13 » Dec 1st 2002, 5:39 pm

Had a chance today to start watching the series again, and made it through the first disc. I know people have weighed in on the quality of the discs, and the packaging, and while I understand everyone has their own opinion, here is my thoughts.

I understand that this is not a "major release". Even with the exceeded expectations of the DVD project, it is still properly called a "niche product". (editorial aside - that niche being the intelligent and discerning). Knowing that, I believe the quality is every bit what we should expect.

I am not a videophile (whatever that is). But the show, on DVD, dragged me right back into the swirl of emotions that the essence of the show captured 7+ years ago.

Look at it this way. If, by fortune, I got my hands on a pristine VHS copy. And lets say I had a quality DVD burner. And further, I edited out the commercials,and enhanced the sound. And I bought some plastic cases to hold the set. Well, after this, imagine 2 years ago I had put these copies out on ebay. I think people would be clamoring to get the set from me for $100. (or 60, etc). And people would lavish me with positive feedback for the nice job I did.

My point is this. You can not judge this show and these discs on the technical merit. Doing so misses the point. Are these discs perfect? Probably not. Are they better than ANY friends copy on VHS from the MTV marathon? By a mile.

Obviously there are things to legitimately address regarding the project - ie the fraud committted by AU. But, to my eye, these discs themselves are a thing of joy.

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Re: About the Quality of the Discs

Post by DoubleBilled » Dec 1st 2002, 8:02 pm

JPP13 wrote:Are they better than ANY friends copy on VHS from the MTV marathon? By a mile.
And that is where your logic breaks down. The DVDs are not better than my copies of the MTV Marathon.....in video. They are in audio.

But I didn't buy a remastered audio CD of the screen play, I bought a television show.

I'm glad that some of you can look at this disc and say to yourself, "I'm happy I made this purchase. This quality is worth it."

I can not.

db

JPP13
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Post by JPP13 » Dec 1st 2002, 9:00 pm

DB, I understand where you are coming from. But this show was never about technical proficiency, nor fancy camera work. Im sure the set designer never won an awards.

This show was about the writing, the stories, the actors. Thats why, I think the fan sites of MSCL have more QUOTES and less PHOTOS (as a ratio) than any other TV show..

If your tapes were better than these DVDs, then more power to you. But I think that is not the case with probably 99.9% of the purchasers.

In any event, and not to sound like a sap, this show was about the heart and not the eyes. (did I really say that? :? )

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Post by Megs » Dec 1st 2002, 9:18 pm

For me, it was all about the show. I would have done anything to get the show on DVD (I never had the episodes on tape), even order and go through all we went through with AU. I would do it all over again. I am just so happy to actually have it on DVD. For me, it was worth every penny of the $99 I spent for it. So I had to wait 9 months. In the grand scheme of life, it wasn't that big of a deal to me. The fact that Ross and Co. scammed thousands of dedicated fans is a big deal, however. But the two are not one and the same to me. It doesn't ruin the experience of watching the show for me. I kind of think that AU was a necessary evil to get these DVDs made. No one else wanted to distribute them. In a sense, AU brought them to Amazon, Best Buy, etc., etc...

I do admit that I would probably be singing a different tune if I have double or triple charged... :?
"I have all these dreams where I know exactly what to say. And you tell me, you know, that you forgive me."

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Post by JPP13 » Dec 1st 2002, 10:03 pm

Thats all Im saying. And I am not in anyway downplaying what AU pulled. I am only commenting on the fact that with this type of limited market product, the profit margin will be such that it becomes cost-prohibitive to frame by frame perfect the product.

Enjoy the show.

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Post by rhdunn » Dec 2nd 2002, 11:07 am

I'd agree that for me, MSCL was all about the characters and the stories and less on the aesthetics. For me, the show carried a unique emotional resonance, and I'm sure others will agree with me.

There are a few things that stand out personally. I love the whole show, but episode 8 "Strangers In The House" is one of my favorites of the season, especially near the end where Angela and Sharon make up. Also, I like episode 10 "Other Peoples' Daughters" and epiosde 15 "So-Called Angels" as a whole. The final scene of episode 17 "Betrayal" also stands out. And not forgetting the final scene between Brian and Angela in episode 19 "In Dreams Begin Responsibilities".

I'm sure there are more, but those are what stand out in my memory.

I caught the show during its initial run on Trouble in the UK, and was instantly drawn into the characters and the MSCL universe. I did not have the foresight to record them, and have been unable to record it from the reruns as I do not have access to DigitalTV. Therefore these DVDs mean more to me than the amount of money I have/will pay for them and the time I have been/am waiting for them.

I still do not have my DVDs and my tracking number status has not changed since I recieved it a week ago. My only wish is that everyone gets their MSCL sets and anyone that has been over/double-charged gets refunded.
-rhd-

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Re: About the Quality of the Discs

Post by Mold E. Peaches » Dec 2nd 2002, 11:37 pm

DoubleBilled wrote:
JPP13 wrote:Are they better than ANY friends copy on VHS from the MTV marathon? By a mile.
And that is where your logic breaks down. The DVDs are not better than my copies of the MTV Marathon.....in video. They are in audio.

But I didn't buy a remastered audio CD of the screen play, I bought a television show.

I'm glad that some of you can look at this disc and say to yourself, "I'm happy I made this purchase. This quality is worth it."

I can not.

db
DB, you wonder why people don't like you.......you attack people when they voice their opinions. This guy evidently is SATISFIED with the quality. LET IT BE.....you say that his "logic breaks down"...??? What kind of a higher than thou attitude is that? I just wish for once you'd shut up about how unhappy you are...WE ALL KNOW IT BY NOW....

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Post by Fedup » Dec 3rd 2002, 1:17 am

I have to agree with JPP13. I just received my discs (from Deep Discount DVD) and popped them into my player the second I got home. Was the quality the greatest? No. Are they leaps and bounds better than my VHS copies? Undoubtedly. Ideally, yeah, I'd like the video and audio to be pristine, but like many others have said, the strength of the show lies in the writing/directing/acting, which just sucks you in regardless of the quality. If I want a DVD with perfect audio and video, but I couldn't care less about, I'll go buy a copy of Star Wars: ATOC.

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Post by DoubleBilled » Dec 3rd 2002, 11:42 pm

Listen up Aborted Fetus. One. Last. Time.

1. I don't give a God Damn if anyone on here "likes" me or not.

2. You gave your opinion, he gave his opinion, I gave my opinion. But I have never jumped on someones ass BECAUSE they gave their opinion. Just because my opinion and someone elses opinion don't match up doesn't mean that either of us are stupid for posting it in the first place.

3. You are the only idiot on here that replys to posts with such insightful genius as, "I just wish for once you'd shut up about how unhappy you are...WE ALL KNOW IT BY NOW...." For you see, what we are doing is having a conversation.

4. What you are doing is popping your head in the room wearing your Court Jester hat screaming like a loon, "Hey! Blah blah stop saying that blah blah! How dare you blah blah." Way to be, genius.

5. Get ready to scream and cry your wittle eyes out some more, for after this personal post to you, I'm going to make another post that goes with the flow of the thread, something you can't seem to do.

Now grow up junior or go to bed. You must have been 5 when MSCL came on anyway. Did you save up your allowance money to buy this set?

db
Last edited by DoubleBilled on Dec 3rd 2002, 11:55 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Post by DoubleBilled » Dec 3rd 2002, 11:54 pm

I understand what you guys are saying, but you are almost mixing two arguments into one.

Sure I love the show, the characters, and the story. How I laughed and was touched at times. (and maybe I teared up, don't tell anyone).

These are the reasons I wanted to buy a show that virtually no one had heard of in the first place. I LIKE the show. I WANTED to own it.

But that doesn't mean that I can't be upset with the quality of what I got. I didn't love MSCL because it was technical masterpiece. I didn't like MSCL because it was full of special effects wizardry. I like the story, the characters, the feelings. Yeah I got that on the DVD, but I also got things I don't remember from the show. Shadow lines, bright spots, out of sync audio, washed out colors, etc.

That's what I don't like...it doesn't mean I don't like the show.

db

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Post by GaryEA » Dec 4th 2002, 12:09 am

Oh c'mon. Is every thread about the quality of the discs going to turn into some ridiculously heated pissing match?

JPP13 is happy with his copies. There's no flaw in him being happy with them, and if he think they're better or worse than a copy taped off of MTV is based on his criteria.

Can't you just be happy that he's got his set, that he's enjoying them, and let him express it without this?

-g

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Post by DoubleBilled » Dec 4th 2002, 8:55 pm

Well then I know you aren't talking to me, because in this very thread this is what I said:

"I'm glad that some of you can look at this disc and say to yourself, "I'm happy I made this purchase. This quality is worth it." "

I'm happy you are happy. What more could you want? If we can keep that horseapple Fetus from butting in we can have a nice place here.

db

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Post by GaryEA » Dec 4th 2002, 9:06 pm

Actually, I was referring to both you and Fetus, who have made a point of going back and forth like two kids saying "I know you are, but what am I?".

You guys can do what you want, obviously, but I think it's a shame when somebody voices their delight, you voice your displeasure even though you had an entire thread about it, and then the sniping starts again.

Just my 2 cents.

-g

EDIT: I've said my peace about this because it's OT and no longer wish to add to this issue. My feelings about the discs have already been offered. Thanks.

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Post by JPP13 » Dec 5th 2002, 1:32 am

You know, I watched the next episode (I'm spacing them out), and frankly I was mildly distracted *looking* for problems, and I just don't see them.

I bought yesterday the DVD of the making of Nevermind the Bollocks by the Sex Pistols. It featured archival footage and current interviews. The quality of the MSCL is better. Period.

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Post by DoubleBilled » Dec 7th 2002, 2:49 am

JPP13 wrote:I was mildly distracted *looking* for problems, and I just don't see them.

Well then don't look so hard you make your eyes go cross. You'll get a headache.

db

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