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Archive for the ‘DVD – Movies & TV’ Category
Saturday, November 20th, 2010
The World Wide Web and DVD might seem to have nothing to do with each other…except when you consider the fact that both technologies became very popular around the same time: the late 1990s. And in fact, the Internet had a lot to do with why the DVD format became the fastest-adopted technology ever.
Before the Internet, it was hard to get your opinion out there, unless you printed your own ‘zine or newsletter. But by the late 1990s–right around the time DVDs were first released–it was becoming easier and easier to start your own website. (This webmaster used Adobe PageMill to create her first website in 1998!) And several early adopters of DVD did just that, starting such sites as the DVD Resource Page, the Digital Bits, the DVD Journal, and DVDFile.
These websites offered far more than just movie reviews. They reviewed DVD releases in depth, offering information about picture quality, special features, and overall value, thus providing a valuable resource that kept customers informed and the studios honest. These websites were updated multiple times each day, so the information never got stale.
Thanks to these sites, studios were forced to re-release DVDs that were criticized for noisy conversions or lackluster extras. For better or for worse, the high standards set by these websites contributed to some movies not being released for many years (including such titles as King Kong and The African Queen). They also managed to take down stupid consumer-unfriendly technologies such as Circuit City’s DIVX.
As a result, the format was strengthened and became consumer-proof. After a year or two, the general public understood that DVDs were, frankly, awesome. There was no argument not to switch from VHS, no well-known drawbacks that people kept hearing about. DVDs offered pristine video quality, widescreen viewing (often for the first time for many movies), a user-friendly menu structure, and a virtually indestructible CD-like disc with no moving parts to break. It was a logical purchase for just about everyone–especially as DVD and player prices dropped further and further down.
So did the web affect DVD? You bet, and we have these vanguard websites to thank for its success. Some of the aforementioned websites are still in operation today, and we encourage you to visit them for DVD and Blu-Ray news.
http://www.thedigitalbits.com/
http://www.dvdfile.com/
http://www.dvdtalk.com/
Tuesday, October 26th, 2010
 In general, copyright law is a beneficial thing for everyone. But over the past ten years, various organizations have taken it to the extreme; most notoriously, the RIAA and its struggles to control music sales in a post-Napster/iPod/torrent world. But actually, entertainers and entertainment organizations have been flipping out over copyright issues for a long time.
In a post on Ars Technica, “100 Years of Big Content fearing technology–in its own words,” writer Nate Anderson examines some of the craziest copyright dustups over the past century. Most often, these problems occurred when a new invention disrupted a long-time business model (think Napster and music consumption).
A few highlights:
– In 1906, American march composer John Philip Sousa railed against the player piano and gramophone in a magazine editorial: “Now…come these talking and playing machines…to reduce the expression of music to a mathematical system of megaphones, wheels, cogs, disks, cylinders…” This was the first time in history that music did not have to be performed live to be heard, and Sousa worried that it reduced the accomplishments of real musicians. “I myself and every other popular composer are victims of a serious infringement of our clear moral rights in our own work,” he wrote. (Clearly, music and musicians survived.)
– In 1982, chief movie lobbyist Jack Valenti appeared before a congressional hearing regarding the VCR. At the time, the movie and music industries were engaged in a fierce legal battle to shut down the new device’s ability to record, largely because it enabled consumers to record TV and fast-forward through commercials. After comparing the VCR’s effect on the television market to bleeding, hemorrhaging, and savagery, Valenti came up with this gem: “The VCR is to the American film producer and the American public as the Boston strangler is to the woman home alone.” In this light, it’s not surprising why most of us pay for our television access these days.
– In 2002, DVRs began to grow in strength, and took the idea of commercial skipping to a whole new level. The CEO of Turner Broadcasting, Jamie Kellner, railed against the new device: “It’s theft. Your contract with the network when you get a show is that you’re going to watch the [ad] spots. … Any time you skip a commercial…you’re actually stealing the programming.” A few years later, an ABC executive was quoted as saying he would love nothing more than to eliminate the fast-forward button on DVR remotes.
The article also covers photocopying, audiotape and DAT recording, MP3s and Napster, and digital content in general. Check it out for a thorough review of copyright craziness through the years:
http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2009/10/100-years-of-big-content-fearing-technologyin-its-own-words.ars
Saturday, October 23rd, 2010
If you’re looking for a filmmaker to emulate as a novice editor, you can’t go wrong by checking out Ken Burns’ many productions. And luckily, a new Burns series is about to hit PBS shortly–and this one doesn’t even require extensive use of the infamous “Ken Burns” photo movement effect!
 The National Parks – America’s Best Idea is a brand-new, twelve-hour series that explores our beautiful National Park system. Burns and his film crew traveled all over the United States to film our parks, and the series includes not only the history of the parks, but also amazing time-lapse footage of little-known corners of our country. The program ranges from famous parks such as Yosemite and Yellowstone to remote parks in Hawaii and Alaska.
Burns is a master at telling a compelling story through documentary footage, photos, and narration–which are the same materials that most family video editors usually work with too. For that reason, we strongly recommend that every newbie video editor should check out The National Parks, and Burns’ earlier works as well. For more information:
http://www.pbs.org/nationalparks/
Wednesday, October 20th, 2010
 Oh, how the mighty have fallen. A few weeks ago, on September 23, gigantic movie-rental chain Blockbuster filed for bankruptcy in New York, initiating a $125 million debtor-in-possession financing loan. Before the filing, Blockbuster owed over $1 billion in debts, with more than $21 million owed to 20th Century Fox alone.
The details are complex, but basically, by doing this, Blockbuster reduces its debts to about $100 million and gets to stay in business. For the time being, its 3,000 U.S.-based stores will remain open, as will its web-rental operation. Following the bankruptcy, Blockbuster is expected to refocus its priorities on its Express kiosks, On Demand service, and Blockbuster mobile, while reducing focus on its retail stores.
However, analysts are unsure as to whether Blockbuster can fully recover or not. As long as the company has a brick-and-mortar footprint, its operating costs will remain higher than its web-based or kiosk competitors. As it is, Netflix and Redbox already have larger shares of the rental market than Blockbuster does (36% and 25%, respectively, to Blockbuster’s 22%).
Those who hold Blockbuster stock are the real losers, and likely to get nothing out of their investments. A spokesperson for a shareholder group blamed Blockbuster’s CEO, Jim Keyes, for not recognizing the ongoing changes in the video industry sooner.
On a personal note, I have been a Blockbuster Online customer for a long time. Netflix was always the better service, without question. Blockbuster’s selection was always more limited (with long waits for even mainstream movies or shows) and its website was frequently glitchy. But right now, Blockbuster’s advantage is that it is not subject to the 30-day rental delay that was forced on Netflix and Redbox. For that reason, Blockbuster remains the best choice for those who want to rent new movies as soon as they come out on DVD. Everyone else: there’s always Netflix.
Thursday, October 14th, 2010
A recent report by the NPD Group has both good news and not-so-good news for Blu-Ray advocates.
 First, the good news: 17% of U.S. households now contain at least one Blu-Ray player. This number has doubled since 2008.
Of course, Blu-Ray still has a long way to go before overtaking plain old standard DVD. A DVD player is estimated to be in 95% of U.S. homes, and DVD still ranks as the most successful electronics launch in history. (For some comparisons, 15% of households have a Netflix subscription, 85% of homes have a Windows computer, and 12% of homes have an Apple computer.)
Here’s the less-good news: Of those Blu-Ray households, only about half of them watch Blu-Ray discs on a dedicated Blu-Ray player. The other half view their discs on a Sony PlayStation 3. If Blu-Ray is going to continue to grow, analysts believe that it has to stand on its own, apart from gaming platforms. (In early 2010, however, two-thirds of consumers watched Blu-Ray on a PlayStation, so the “dedicated player” percentage is improving.)
Regular DVD purchase and rentals still naturally outpace Blu-Ray. The format remains popular with younger people and wealthier households, as well as with people who buy and rent the most movies. Not surprisingly, 85% of Blu-Ray owners also own an HDTV, and 25% of HDTV owners own a Blu-Ray player. They are also far more likely to have a broadband internet connection in their homes.
So what does this mean? Generally speaking, Blu-Ray still has a long way to go. Like laserdisc before it, it is still a format largely adopted by videophiles and those with above-average incomes. This separates it from DVD, which was quickly adopted by consumers across all income levels. Is Blu-Ray destined to be the laserdisc of the 2000s? Only time will tell.
Thursday, September 30th, 2010
Unlike most folks today, we work with VHS tapes every day here at Timeless DVD. But it wasn’t that long ago that rewinding and fast-forwarding tapes was a common occurrence for everyone. We’ve moved from tape to DVD to various types of digital storage quickly over the past ten years. The technology always gets smaller, cheaper, and easier to use. A few posts ago, we discussed potential successors to DVD: cloud storage, Blu-Ray, and computer video on demand. Today, Flash memory cards take a turn.
 Flash memory has mainly been used for digital cameras and quick file-sharing between computers over the past ten years. But recently, the technology has migrated to video as well. The most popular camcorders these days are arguably Flash camcorders. Flash memory, with its quick read/write times, durability, and small size, offers advantages that traditional tape- and disc-based camcorders can’t match.
And more importantly, Hollywood is paying attention. Recently, Kingston, a primary Flash manufacturer, paired up with Paramount Studios to begin selling feature films on Flash cards and USB drives. No disc required: just plug in the card and you’re good to go! And a company called Portomedia is developing kiosks where you can plug in a Flash USB drive and download movies. (Similar in theory to the popular Redbox kiosks, just without DVDs.)
Naturally, the small size of Flash memory cards is incredibly appealing–especially to those of us who have shelves and shelves full of DVDs! Is Flash the upcoming king of movie delivery? What do you think?
Sunday, September 26th, 2010
As more and more classic films are released on Blu-Ray, it becomes apparent which big names are missing. Some of the most obvious are the Star Wars films. But recently, George Lucas finally announced that the saga will be released on Blu-Ray by the end of 2011.
 Unfortunately, Lucas only plans to release the late ’90s “special editions” of the original three films. For purists, this amounts to heresy. The special editions include all of Lucas’s questionable edits, including Greedo shooting first, Jabba grunting as Han steps on his tail, and–most horribly–Hayden Christensen replacing Sebastian Shaw as “Ghost Anakin” at the end of Return of the Jedi. (The original shot can be seen at right.)
It’s hard to believe, but way back in 1988, George Lucas actually testified at a congressional hearing regarding the colorization of classic black-and-white films. “Our cultural history must not be allowed to be rewritten,” he told the panel.
What irony. This is the man who voluntarily wishes to wipe his original prints of Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi from existence.
Lucas has stated that he thinks it’s the director’s prerogative to go back and re-edit his or her own movie. In his case, he believes that the original versions they don’t represent his original vision, that it would be cost-prohibitive to make Blu-Ray transfers from the original films (as opposed to the already-upgraded special editions), and that the original negatives were permanently altered for the special editions, so it’s not possible anyway.
However, the 1977, 1981, and 1983 movies are the versions that fans remember. They are part of our childhoods…our “cultural history.” So it’s hard to see how Lucas’s position on black-and-white films makes sense, given that fact.
Personally, I would be OK with Lucas revising his films as much as he wanted as long as he always made the original cuts available in the same medium as well (such as Blu-Ray). But again, that violates his belief that the originals are flawed. Oh well–we’ll always have standard-def DVD! Who needs HD anyway?
Wednesday, September 1st, 2010
 “Cloud computing” is a current hot trend sweeping the computer industry. The basic concept is simple: Instead of storing your data on your computer, DVDs, or an external hard drive, you would upload it to a server on the Internet. It doesn’t matter where that server is located physically, and in fact, parts of your data might be located on multiple server computers. It doesn’t matter–the data is just up in a “cloud” somewhere. All you need to do is purchase server space from companies that host your media on their computers.
As long as you are connected to the Internet, you can get your data–photos, documents, videos, whatever–from anywhere you happen to be. In theory, you could use a laptop, cell phone, or even a web kiosk at an airport. No more copying files to Flash drives or purchasing huge hard drives to back up video files. In the future, it’s a good bet that DVR-ish devices will be able to connect to your “cloud” data and instantly access any movies you own. So no need for DVDs at all…right?
Hold on. The future of Timeless DVD aside, it’s worth considering if having all your videos “up in a cloud” is wise. If you purchase a movie or TV show, shouldn’t you own it without any limitations? Shouldn’t you be in control of your files at all times? One serious drawback to cloud computing is the ability to connect to the Internet. If your service is slow or unreliable, you may not be able to access your files whenever you want. And shouldn’t 100% accessibility be a given for files that you have purchased?
In addition, how is cloud computing affected by hackers? It’s not unimaginable that unsavory types might find it quite easy (and irresistible) to break into and mess around with your personal files and media. Or worse yet, plant viruses capable of wiping out all your data. Will cloud companies be able to deal with security issues? And if they do, will their safeguards make it more difficult for their actual customers to connect to their data?
Finally, how much access will the cloud hosting company have to your files? It’s a sure bet that once service providers have your data, they’ll search for ways to lock you in to contracts to prevent you from moving your files to another company. It also raises issues of who exactly controls your data: you, or the company? And similarly, what kind of consumer protections will there be? Data miners will be salivating to crawl through consumers’ videos and music to learn likes and dislikes and sell that information to the highest bidder.
While cloud computing may be hot, we don’t see it as the best place to store your data–simply another place to store your data. It’s a good solution if you travel frequently, or want to easily share the same files between work and home computers. But as a replacement for the good old movie or home video DVD? Sorry–the technology’s simply not there yet.
Sunday, August 29th, 2010
You can’t underestimate the impact that DVD has had on our culture. For my money, it’s right up there with the television, iPod, and Internet.
Think back to the early 1990s. How did you buy your movies? Most likely, you didn’t. Many films were not available to purchase, or were only available at a premium price (especially for widescreen). The only other option for collectors was the record movies from TV or cable onto a VCR. But in any case, your movies would likely be on VHS–low quality, bulky, linear, and degradable VHS tape. Laserdiscs were the format of choice for real film fans, but the media was expensive, awkward, and prone to the infamous “laser rot” syndrome. The thought of a movie on an easy-to-use, CD-size disc was futuristic.
 Then came August 26, 1997. That was the date that “Digital Video Disc” made its debut, as Warner released 61 movies on DVD. One of the first DVD players was Sony’s DVP-S7000, which cost $1,000 (pictured at right). By Christmas 1997, other models reached the market for half that cost. (I purchased my first DVD player, a Panasonic, during Christmas 1997 for $650–a real bargain!)
Despite the buzz (and the undeniably great picture quality), DVD faced multiple challenges in those early days. Not every Hollywood studio wanted to commit to the new consumer format; they had already adapted to laserdisc and were unsure as to why the new smaller disc was any different. In addition, video rental stores were hesitant to clear out a huge section of their rental racks for a bunch of little discs.
But thanks to a group of early adopters (including the owner of Timeless DVD!), ever-growing DVD releases from Warner and Sony, DVDs being available for purchase the same day as rental, and stores stocking DVDs at affordable prices, DVDs took off quickly. 1998 became a banner year for DVD. About 23 million players were shipped and nearly 2,500 movies were available on DVD by the end of 1998. Eventually, all the chains and studios jumped on board, with Fox, Paramount, and Disney being the last major studios to begin releasing films on DVD.
Since 1997, DVD has changed how the entire world purchases and enjoys movies–and TV shows too. In 2010, it is affordable for an average consumer to collect movies on DVD and create an amazing home theatre in his or her living room. It was not long ago that only the wealthy could afford to have home-run movies and complete home theatres. (Before the VCR came along, you also needed a film projector!) Now you can own as many movies as you wish and have a great home-viewing setup even in an apartment. DVD did the unthinkable: made movies available to everyone.
Wednesday, August 4th, 2010
Philo’s birthday is in just two weeks – have you picked out your gift?
 Philo T. Farnsworth may not be a household name, but without him, Timeless DVD wouldn’t exist! That’s because Philo, born August 19, 1906, is considered the father of television. As a teenager in Utah, Philo brainstormed the idea of picture transmission, and in 1927, he successfully transmitted an image of a dollar bill. He soon submitted the patent applications that established him as the inventor of the all-electronic television.
Two years later, Farnsworth created Farnsworth Television, which later became Farnsworth Radio and Television. He counted patents for amplifiers, electrical scanners, and cathode ray and vacuum tubes among his many accomplishments.
What would Philo T. Farnsworth think of the many video gadgets we take for granted these days, such as the DVD player, the video iPod, and Flash camcorder? It’s breathtaking to realize that all those devices can be traced back to Farnsworth’s groundbreaking conception of deflecting beams of electrons in similar rows.
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