Fareham_Bee

I only ask because of two recent experiences with buying BEEB merchandise.

Some time ago Mrs Fareham Bee bought a copy of the first series of Fifteen Stories High for a birthday present. Two years later series two finally comes out. BUT you can only buy it if you buy both series one and two together. Now anyone that was into this fine comedy would already have series one wouldn't they? Now we've had to buy it again! Rip off.

Secondly how many episodes of a programme can you fit onto an average dvd? I have series of Cheers and Frasier with up to seven or even eight episodes to a disc giving around 3 1/2 to 4 hours viewing per disc. My nipper wanted Dr Who. You get TWO episodes per disc. That makes around under two hours per disc. Surely they could squeeze more on and still keep a decent quality?

smudge

You'll find with the WHOs that - even with what they term 'barebones' releases - you'll get some decent extras. Their additional documentaries continue to impress in this house. You can get many of the earlier WHO releases at bargain prices too. There are some new label re-issues coming out cheaply, but I am not sure if these carry all of the original extras.

As to what you can get on a DVD, this depends on the DVD type. A basic 'home record' DVD will do 2 hrs on Standard Play - dual layer discs will do twice that. There are definitions for other DVD types used commercially, such as DVD9 and you'll find these if you Google. There are chaps on here who can explain all of that far better than I can...

Smudge

Welcome to my house. Enter freely, and of your own will...

clitheroekid

You sound like the Shadmock explaining to Barbara Kellerman about his family in The Monster Club

smudge

Watch it Kid, or I'll whistle !

Smudge

Welcome to my house. Enter freely, and of your own will...

clitheroekid

Whistle and I'll come...........

smudge

Spooky !!!!



SMUDGE

Welcome to my house. Enter freely, and of your own will...

ChristineCB

I understand the curiosity of seeing some series-discs with 2 hours, and some with quite a lot more. The data-byte size is the same so they've either compressed the video (reducing its quality) or are using double-layer discs, which requires players that recognize this.

And in the future, no telling how they'll work the Obsolescence Factor into it. I suspect anything that's got compressed video will be replaced by new video formats. I suspect 2005's double-layer disc will probably be incompatible with players by 2010? 2012 when the world ends?

In that light, I appreciate the 2-hours-per-disc sets, which probably contains the best video quality with the least amount of compression.

Of course, I've got a husband who vowed to "love, honor and change the discs for me"... and my whip is sharp enough to still leave the appropriately placed markings when he tries to slip in HIS choice instead.

"On Donner, on Blitzer..."

smudge

All future generations will be backwardly compatible Christine dear..... (allegedly).

Now if only they could figure out how to fix something similar within kids !

Smudge

Welcome to my house. Enter freely, and of your own will...

Aaryk Noctivagus

And remember your license fee has already contributed to these already. My daughter loves 'Bob the Builder' but you usually get only four episodes per DVD. Recently the BBC have released a new DVD with the entire of season one on one DVD! The license payers pay for the BBC, but its just an exploitive business like anything else... I'm on a scrap the license fee soap box today - Grrrrrrrrr

clitheroekid

I couldn't stand every TV channel carrying adverts



That really would be my cue to scrap the box

smudge

Don't we already get that, what with the 'coming soons', voices over the credits, squeezed credits etc., even on the Beeb ?

I believe Equity felt strongly enough once to complain about the fact that their members contributions were not being publicly acknowledged if people coudln't read the credits. Don't think they got very far though (obviously).

The other week I saw a prog on Five where the preview box had shifted so far across the credits that all you could see were the job titles !

What also tees me off Aaryk is the number of titles which come out first on BBC America, or even exclusively to that side of the pond. Like you said, we paid for them in the blessed first place ! Cheek.

Smudge

Welcome to my house. Enter freely, and of your own will...

Fareham_Bee

That annoys me somewhat about the BEEB crying they need more money for digital tele and then showing repeats of programmes we've already paid for, They aren't so bad anymore but they do tend to go in big for the same old junk over and over again on the digital channels.

Sky show adverts but you still have to pay a fee to them (a sort of licence really). Just think of all the money they are making from advertising. Can you tell me they really need subscriptions too?

Aaryk Noctivagus

Well, I tend to use my TV mainly for news, the occasional series, but mostly for playing DVDs.

I'd be happy if BBC was pay per view if they really didn't want adverts. Frankly the quality of the BBC is so miserable, and the license so high... I couldn't give too hoots if adverts inturrupted their pap.

I'd suggest that the BBC became pay per view rather than advert strewn. Then those who wanted to license such a channel could pay for it, rather than anybody owning a TV set paying for it regardless as to whether they watch it or not - or are able to watch certain channels or not.

BBC 3 and 4 and News 24 are not available to many license payers regardless of the fact they are funded... and what about the BBC High Definition channel... I'm on cable and I'd have to arrange separately to receive it... probably with an extra charge on top of the license fee.

Quality and the BBC have long since parted as enemies. The BBC chases ratings just like the other commercial TV channels (and make no mistake the BBC is commercial big business). They tuck non-commercial programs away... but produce them to excuse their state funding. Its a con.

Aaryk Noctivagus

Great point.

ChristineCB

Signed,

Smudge
Famous Last Words Department
Comedy Division