Comments

GeeBax wrote on 6/18/2014, 5:45 PM
Getting back to the original question asked by Arthur.S, I wonder if it will really necessary to distribute a program on disc of any kind in the future?

While there are still DVD players out there, BluRay does not seem to have achieved good penetration in the market place here in Australia at least, I can't say for the rest of the world. For example, I am the only person I know among my friends and relatives who has a BluRay player.

I am giving consideration to distributing a program I am working on by USB memory drive, as some tests I have made reveal that most modern flat-screen receivers can accept them. And the advantage is that they do not require any sort of disc player, you just plug them into the TV and they play.

The Sony set I have appears to be able to work in any standard, but of course Australia is now using digital transmission only, or is close to shutting down conventional analog transmissions, so most sets are capable of handling digital programming, and that makes it easy to handle file-based programs.

What is the situation in the US? Is analog still widespread? Do flat-screen receivers have USB sockets?

PeterDuke wrote on 6/18/2014, 10:09 PM
"I am the only person I know among my friends and relatives who has a BluRay player"

So I am not your friend anymore Geoff?

My old plasma TV had a USB port but it would only play JPEG as a slideshow.

There are so many video formats and variants out there too. My current Sony TV supports an impressive list.
GeeBax wrote on 6/18/2014, 10:55 PM
Ha, sorry Peter. But in my defence, I did not know if you had a Blu-Ray player.

Likewise, our older Panasonic plasma only did JPEG slideshows, but we have new Sony 60" Smart TV that, like yours, handles just about anything you hand it.
Geoff_Wood wrote on 6/18/2014, 11:23 PM
And if we thought we had problems losing DVDs ... !

Hell, make it a Micro-SD card ;-)

geoff
GeeBax wrote on 6/19/2014, 5:38 PM
I refuse to use those things because I just know I will lose them.
videoITguy wrote on 6/19/2014, 6:51 PM
How do you construct a nice large informative label for this media? Can you place them on the bookshelf with spline reading top to bottom? Can you lay them across the coffee table in an inviting attractive packaging? How do you mail them? Do you have to declare contents of the envelope at the post?
VMP wrote on 6/19/2014, 7:13 PM
videoITguy

A tiny 3D hologram projection module.
Which projects:
- a large virtual box around it
- back to the future shark like 3D advert for promotion
- when lost a large red google map like arrow where it is laying.

VMP
ushere wrote on 6/19/2014, 8:37 PM
@ videoitguy - obviously you don't have children / grandchildren (depending on your age) - i have often written to toy manufacturers about EXCESSIVE packaging on toys for my grandchildren which are obviously designed to entice children into the belief that there's something equally large in the box.....

interestingly enough i usually get a letter of apology and a sometimes a substantial gift voucher from them.

my silence comes relatively cheaply to their marketing dept ;-)
GeeBax wrote on 6/19/2014, 9:24 PM
To answer your question about packaging, there is a lovely generic bubble-pack I can buy from my local packaging people that takes a USB drive and has provision to contain a header card with printed information. It is then made such that it can be hung from a hook or placed on a shelf.
VMP wrote on 6/19/2014, 9:59 PM
Just searched and ha! Came across large size cases for USB flash drives and (single) SD cards!

www.google.com/search?q=USB+packaging

Flash Drive Case Sunrise Packaging

More: www.usbpackaging.net/products/stock-usb-packaging/

15mm single mini DVD & double SD card PP case

15mm game SD card case

I use this Hama SD case for keeping my SD cards:

Or you could put the drive into a laptop and give that, best case ever :-D.

VMP
GeeBax wrote on 6/19/2014, 11:38 PM
SD cards are not very attractive for program distribution because you need a reader to go with them. The advantage of the USB drive is that most TV receivers have a USB port these days, usually in order to accept a portable hard drive containing program material.

The disadvantage of USB drives is that there is no copyright protection built into them, but that is a moot point because there are a zillion ripping programs out there that break the protection on discs anyway.
Arthur.S wrote on 6/20/2014, 6:52 AM
The one thing that has stopped me going the USB route is..no menu ect. My clients want that big movie 'feel'. A USB stick doesn't give it - regardless of the quality on it.
VMP wrote on 6/20/2014, 9:36 AM
Indeed.

I would take nothing less than a lovely Bluray disc when purchasing a new movie these days.
DVD if it is not released on Bluray.

The packaging looks nice too, I have a large DVD cabinet. Often I see my friends/visitors staring at them. Reading them title by titlle.

The more resolution the better for the money spent. And of course enough bitrate/data rate which retains the original quality.
Or I could say the closest to the original theatrical release/ recorded material the better.

And the ease of compatibility is great. Just pop the DVD/Bluray into the player and it just plays. USB drives etc (depending on the encoded media) tend to load long or freez up the set top's/ Tv's sometimes. Needing to sometimes even reboot pull out the power socket.

Not found of those tiny donwload-purchases these days. It's like recieving a post stamp instead of a poster.

VMP
Chienworks wrote on 6/20/2014, 3:11 PM
Oddly enough, the single biggest comment i hear from clients and friends is "i hate the menus; i just want to watch the movie." This is in reference to "big Hollywood releases" as much as for local home-grown material.

I can't remember ever, even once, hearing someone say something nice about a DVD menu or saying anything at all about it other than, "how do i skip this and play the movie?" Not even once.
Former user wrote on 6/20/2014, 3:14 PM
The one thing I like about a menu driven system is the GO button.

Many clients don't like inserting a DVD and have it autoplay before they sit down. For very simple DVD authoring, I still put in a PLAY button for them to select so they can watch when ready.

Otherwise, I usually skip menus, the music gets irritating and you have to wait for the animations. It was novel at first, but now just kind of silly.
videoITguy wrote on 6/20/2014, 3:24 PM
Ignorance of good menu design in disc authoring packages is really no excuse for not learning how to use the media.

Generally the most interesting presentation is including fast play enable with an opening summary autoplay presentation. Make a short summary video of what is included on "this" disc for autoplay (say 5 minutes or less) with on-screen video menu selection to jump into depth on specific choices of the viewer. At the end of the summary video include a comprehensive menu. This should be elaborate enough to have some drill down to second level submenus.
If I don't see something I want to see within the first couple minutes of play, I just toss the disc. I don't care if you send me a streaming 30 minute video or an elaborate presentation - you have got to hook me with the label on the package and the first two minutes of video. Menu builds are more successful than 99% of streaming video for this reason.
GeeBax wrote on 6/20/2014, 8:13 PM
Horses for courses. Don't assume your requirements are the same as others. My programming is not a 'movie', it does not have other choices and is not padded with other rubbish, so a menu of any sort is not necessary.

As I said before, Blu-Ray is not a widespread format anywhere, and DVD does not handle high quality Full High Definition programming.

As a test, I had a friend in LA download my test footage, which is 1920 x 1080 @ 24fps, encoded into a .m2ts container along with AC3 surround sound. Last night he tried it in his two flat-screen TV receivers, one which was an older machine did not have a USB port, but the Blu-Ray player he had attached to it accepted and played the footage just fine. The other set accepted it and played it directly.

And this is the experience I am finding here in Australia as well. Most sets can handle the file just fine.

PeterDuke wrote on 6/20/2014, 9:18 PM
Even if I have no real need for a menu as such, I still like a Play button, so that the movie won't start until I and any other viewers are seated and ready.
videoITguy wrote on 6/20/2014, 10:42 PM
Autoplay of optical disc formats has a built-in loading and firstplay function - there is no need for a command button ( just welcome your audience and insert) - BUT
if you are trying to sort out a play situation from a more non-traditional form like the media memory stick - then a play execute is probably desirable.
Kimberly wrote on 6/21/2014, 3:44 AM
I am home next week. I'd like to send someone in Oz and Europe/UK one of my 24p Blu-Ray disks and see if it plays for you. It's only about 35 minutes, but I won't have hard feelings if you don't watch it all the way through. Maybe 5 people who want to test?

Send me a PM if you are interested and I will send those out sometime in the next 1-2 weeks. I will of course keep your address information confidential.

Regards,

Kimberly
Arthur.S wrote on 6/21/2014, 5:08 AM
Everyone I know who is serious about movies has a Blu-ray player. Simple as that. Also, Blu-ray isn't doing as bad as some may think:
http://www.digital-digest.com/blog/DVDGuy/2013/06/08/blu-ray-the-state-of-play-may-2013/

Eventually, I doubt you'll be able to buy a 'DVD only' player. It took a LONG time for DVD to finally kill off VHS.
I would expect that, as in the past, future players will be able to play everything available.
John_Cline wrote on 6/21/2014, 6:35 AM
I know a lot of "regular" people with Blu-ray players, among my family and friends Blu-ray penetration is probably 80-90%. Blu-ray players can be had for about $50 these days.
craftech wrote on 6/21/2014, 6:55 AM
The reason BR players and BR discs aren't as popular as predicted (I think) is that portable HD devices are preferred especially by younger people. Their smart phones do everything and they have good eyesite. Phones seem to be an appendage for many people.

John
VMP wrote on 6/21/2014, 9:03 AM
I am still seeing large media centres stack up new Blu ray movies on their shelves every week.

Not seeing any decline here in EU.

Also online purchase is always possible.

@ Kimberly why do you want to test your discs abroad?

For example I have the Sony BDP-S370 Blu-ray player (bought here in the Netherlands). Would that model be so different than the Sony BDP-S370 from say your neighbor?

Wouldn't it be the same if you just test different brands nationally?

To my experience Blu ray players play difficult/ self made discs better than a standard DVD player. The recent generation Blu ray players tend to be more like a PC reading a disc and are much smarter (correcting mistakes, using a buffer) compared to a DVD players from the old days which tend to be more linear. They seem to be less smart software-wise.

VMP