How I hate DVDs....

[Dave Partington]

i've just finished up editing and producing DVDs for some nativity plays I shot last week and this week.

They were shot on a combination of full HD (C100) and 4K (GH4) and the edited down to SD for DVD.

The level of detail at 4K is astounding but by the time it hits the DVD it's all mush and looks like it's had gaussian blur applied.

Why oh why do people still buy DVDs? Arrgghh!!!

I guess they will be happy with them, albeit it blown up on a 65" HD TV looking like crap.

Sorry, had to vent somewhere!

Ignore me, nothing to see here, pass on by. Thank you.

[Daniel James]

I agree, just sat here editing Nativity footage, I'm not convinced Blu-Ray is the future though, given that most people own a DVD player. Online delivery...?

Still its a step on from VHS!

[Dave Partington]

Originally Posted by Daniel James

I'm not convinced Blu-Ray is the future though

It's not..... but then how would we get paid for online delivery? Getting paid per disc delivered is much easier.

[Daniel James]

And that's the catch 22, people will pay to get a DVD, and its what is expected. Pay per view is the only other option, however not many people can get it on their telly, so you are back to the dvd!

Doesn't stop the quality frustrations though! I share your pain!

Today was the first one we've filmed this Christmas to feature John Lewis Ad Music... :-)

[Clive McLaughlin]

I had my first couple complain about quality. All I could say is 'sorry but thats just DVD'. I don't provide Bluray and the couple didn't have a Bluray player anyways.

Still get clients asking "Is it HD???" When they know the package id for DVDs. Everytime I explain that DVDs are not HD it feels like an admittance of inadequacy!

Can't wait to roll out my USB product. Ran a test and plugged the USB into my tv - It's so so so much better!

And ridiculously straight forward!

[Steve Burkett]

Can't help feeling that with 4K TV's coming out, the quality of the DVD will be even more picked up on. I plan to invest in one early next year and I'm very intrigued to play one of my Wedding DVD's to see how it looks. Having seen my videos on Smartphones, Tablets, HD Tv's, computers, I have a pretty good idea as to the quality on most formats. 4K TV's are another thing; just what will the up-scaling do with DVD's, given that these TV's advertise that it'll up-scale normal TV to look like 4K.
Thankfully I keep all my final videos as HD files just in case a former client decides to regret they chose the DVD option.

[Dave Partington]

Originally Posted by Clive McLaughlin

Can't wait to roll out my USB product. Ran a test and plugged the USB into my tv - It's so so so much better!

I agree, but the problem is only one of my five HD TVs will actually play a USB stick, so how many more are there out there like this, e.g. parents and grandparents?

[Gary Huff]

Probably a lot, and then even more where they can play USB sticks on their TV, but will never figure out how.

I don't think you're going to have to worry about a lot of 4K set-top displays until people's televisions start going out. I simply don't see the reason why anyone would go out and purchase one if theirs is still working perfectly fine.

[Noa Put]

I just format my usbstick in exFAT so it can be opened on either mac or pc, that stick is only to get the HD files from my place to theirs, I never promise they will be able to play it directly on their tv when they plug that stick in because if their tv doesn't support playback they will come back to me complaining. I do tell them they can playback the HD files on any device IF that device supports MP4 playback.

[Peter Riding]

I don't provide Bluray and the couple didn't have a Bluray player

Clive, you probably know this anyway but just in case: you don't have to go through DVD Architect Pro to make BluRays. If you stay in Vegas Pro and go to Tools > Burn Disc you can produce it straight from Vegas. You won't have a clever menu obviously but does that matter. Does anyone ever use menus? If you insert chapter markers at all the logical points and in the burn options select that these chapter markers are included then its easy to just skip back and forth using the BluRay players normal chapter buttons. No good for that particular couple but its an easy way to produce BluRays in the future. Your only overhead is the disc the packaging and the rendering time. No extra editing.

I'm very intrigued to play one of my Wedding DVD's to see how it looks

You could take a disc into a knowledgeable retailer such as Richer Sounds. I'm sure they would let you give it a whirl. After all you are thinking of buying one and they are a first choice of vendor. They may even let you change the settings from the usually garish showroom defaults.

I find that my various player boxes tend to make a better job of upscaling than the TVs. I would try both ways.

Pete

[Jeff Harper]

Originally Posted by Clive McLaughlin

I had my first couple complain about quality. I don't provide Bluray

Really? You know that it's 2014, right?

I've been providing Bluray discs for two or three years, would be hugely embarrassed to not offer Bluray discs. I give USB stick also but they do not work for a lot of people, I really like giving all three formats to my clients. It's too easy to do so.

I find them simpler to do than DVDs, no resizing of images and my videos look awesome on a 60" tv.

I have talked many customers into buying their first Bluray player to watch their wedding video. I tell them "$50 at Target and your DVDs will look better also." They usually run right out and snap one up immediately, they cost so little now.

I tell them DVDs look like crap and they really don't want to watch their wedding video on DVD and they will often wait to watch their video until they have their bluray player. They like their video more and I come out looking better for it. We all win.

[Noa Put]

Blu-ray players are here down to 50 euro while the cheapest dvd players cost 25 euro, you could almost include the player in your package. :) But even though they run very cheap now, I only had 1 request for blu-ray this year but I did supply them all with a usb stick with the HD files.

[Steve Burkett]

I think DVD's are at a stage exactly how Video Cassettes were in the late 90's; dominating the market but not for much longer. With Smart TV's, Streaming Services, lots of people watching video on Tablets, Computers and even phones, methods of delivery are already changing. I've given couples the option of what format they want their first copy in, DVD, Bluray or USB, with subsequent copies in DVD.
Mostly it's DVD, understandable, but this year I've had a significant number asking for Bluray in that I'm down to 2 Bluray cases remaining from a box of 25, plus a number asking for USB. Next year I'm going to describe the benefits of each as well as suggest that in my opinion, DVD's in 10 years time will likely hold the same place that Video Cassettes do now.

[Clive McLaughlin]

Originally Posted by Jeff Harper

Really? You know that it's 2014, right?

I've been providing Bluray discs for two or three years, would be hugely embarrassed to not offer Bluray discs.

Seriously? Maybe it's geography. I don't actually know anybody who watches movies on Bluray. They may own Bluray players but if they do it probably was upselling by the electrics store rather than being sought out.

I've had NO clients in three years asking about Bluray.

Not to worry though - I'm only producing DVDs for my 2014 clients - USB from January onwards.

Pretty sure USB along with a single basic DVD disc will satisfy all my clients needs.

I'm certainly not going to invest in what is destined to become the next Betamax/Minidisc.

[Jeff Harper]

Clive, Blurays and HD tv might not be as popular there, but all you need is a burner and discs to offer it.

I do know that you have to be proactive and offer it and start the conversation. No, it's true that even here most customers do not ASK for bluray, but when selling my service I talk about HD and how great it is, it's a real selling point.