A Few Words About A few words about...™ Downton Abbey (5 Season set) -- in Blu-ray (1 Viewer)

[Robert Harris]

There have been several TV / Cable series that release multi-season sets as the show is still in production.  As of this date, there are so many different sets of Downton Abbey discs available -- check them out on Amazon -- that things can get a bit confusing.  Especially since some of the early releases may not have been the original UK broadcasts.

The version situation was ironed out a few years ago, but product is still out there.

PBS has taken a slightly different spin on multi-season concept, and I believe it works nicely.

Not long ago, along with Seasons 1 - 3, they included a Blu of Secrets of Highclere Castle.

While each of the boxed sets allows buyers a discount over the single seasons, for the latest, PBS has taken to a slightly different packaging format, taking advantage of Elite 6-disc cases for Seasons 1 & 2, along with 3 & 4.  The first two seasons only use 5 discs.  Season 5 arrives in a 3-disc holder.

What I especially like, is that as the seasons continue, the set takes up less space, with all five seasons using less than 1.75 inches of precious shelf space.

Season 6, the final season, is scheduled to arrive in late January of 2016.

The quandary is, if one is purchasing for one's own library, is it best to wait for the final season and that special final boxed set?

As I see it, all of these multi-year sets serve as special gifts for friends enamored of the show, while most who keep up to date on an annual basis, will stick with the single years, as issued.

As the entire series, once complete, will fit in the three of the Elite 6-disc cases, I'd love to see PBS offer, possibly for $10, the final packaging for the series, without discs, thereby allowing those who purchased year by year the space savings.  Or they might throw in a music CD.

No need to mention quality, as the imagery of the series, is superb on Blu-ray, and a major reason to go for the discs as opposed to viewing in broadcast.  Up-rezzing to 4k is also a delight, as the image holds up beautifully.

Highly Recommended

RAH

 

[PMF]

No need to mention quality, as the imagery of the series, is superb on Blu-ray, and a major reason to go for the discs as opposed to viewing in broadcast.

I absolutely concur. Going this route made for a superior viewing experience; which was further enhanced insomuch as I had the freedom to marathon 3 episodes per evening and pace it all to my personal schedule. The experience both visually and audibly was remarkable and lifted me out of the feeling that I was watching a television show. In truth, I wouldn't have purchased this title were it not for your surprising review; insomuch as this is not a "motion picture" nor a restoration. As a series it was already great, but I never imagined that it could be THAT much better on BD.

Worth every penny and I will not hesitate to buy Season 6 in January.

- PMF

 

[PMF]

Now that the series has concluded, PBS has produced their all encompassing 6-Season boxed set. I noticed that the set boasts an additional 5 hours of footage.
Could someone clarify if these 5 hours are merely "deleted" scenes or something imperative; a game-changer, as it were; ala Peter Jackson's Extended "Lord of the Rings"?

 

[Cranston37+]

Now that the series has concluded, PBS has produced their all encompassing 6-Season boxed set. I noticed that the set boasts an additional 5 hours of footage.
Could someone clarify if these 5 hours are merely "deleted" scenes or something imperative; a game-changer, as it were; ala Peter Jackson's Extended "Lord of the Rings"?

The Amazon description makes it sound like it is 5 hours of bonus content...

"Enjoy all 52 episodes and over 5 hours of brand-new bonus video! Bonus videos include: The Story of Downton Abbey; 7 Character Documentaries; Downton Abbey Creators Favorite Scenes; 9 Supercuts; and Great Houses with Julian Fellowes; The Manners of Downton Abbey & More Manners of Downton Abbey."

 

[B-ROLL]

The Amazon description makes it sound like it is 5 hours of bonus content...

"Enjoy all 52 episodes and over 5 hours of brand-new bonus video! Bonus videos include: The Story of Downton Abbey; 7 Character Documentaries; Downton Abbey Creators Favorite Scenes; 9 Supercuts; and Great Houses with Julian Fellowes; The Manners of Downton Abbey & More Manners of Downton Abbey."

It appears that both new sets (including the one with the "authentic" miniature bell) use the same set of blurays.Based on the packaging and and what was shown about the set discussed on the beg-a-thon ...I mean Pledge period while they re-ran the whole series in one weekend ... its extra discs with extra content

This is the collectors' set (sans 6 coasters):

And with coasters and bell:and box

The bluray only set:

Is the same discs sans chotskes and huge box and about $20. less
. Bonus videos: The Story of Downton Abbey; 7 Character Documentaries; Downton Abbey Creators’ Favorite Scenes; 9 Supercuts; and Great Houses with Julian Fellowes; The Manners of Downton Abbey & More Manners of Downton Abbey.

 

[PMF]

Crossing T's and dotting I's: Hence, the 5 hours are the documentary stuff, rather than 5 bonus hours of actual episodic materials...right?

 

[B-ROLL]

Crossing T's and dotting I's: Hence, the 5 hours are the documentary stuff, rather than 5 bonus hours of actual episodic materials...right?

AFIAK yes ... this being Warner's... they could release an all "US Broadcast Version" that might have alternate/additional footage as they have only released the "UK Version"(s) so far ... As they have with LOTR/Hobbit, HARRY POTTER, Casablanca, Blade Runner and TWOZ

To be clear I don't refer to the women's undergarment sellers ...

This:

 

[Bobster]

Hello there, I recently purchased this Complete Set in Blu-Ray US set just like the one pictured above.
I have no problems with picture; either it was fixed or my player made the proper adjustment.
I have a problem with the music.
So each menu plays the Main Title Theme as you pick and choose what you want. It's that catchy tune and it's the same pitch or key (A minor if you know music) to my ears as it was for each episode I watched as originally broadcast (or first given to me as a "download").
But when I play episodes, the music is a half step lower (Ab minor).
So I played an episode on my blu-ray against a "download" I had kept that had ITV watermarks on it. With trial and error I could sync it up but then my "download" would be ahead. I even started and stopped with the "download" behind and it would quickly speed ahead withing a minute. The BR is also 2 minutes or so longer than my "download".
Has anyone else had this experience with their set or with the season sets?
I am capable of slowing down the player, aren't I?
Any advice would be great, thank you!

 

[Will Krupp]

So each menu plays the Main Title Theme as you pick and choose what you want. It's that catchy tune and it's the same pitch or key (A minor if you know music) to my ears as it was for each episode I watched as originally broadcast (or first given to me as a "download").
But when I play episodes, the music is a half step lower (Ab minor).
So I played an episode on my blu-ray against a "download" I had kept that had ITV watermarks on it. With trial and error I could sync it up but then my "download" would be ahead. I even started and stopped with the "download" behind and it would quickly speed ahead withing a minute. The BR is also 2 minutes or so longer than my "download".
Has anyone else had this experience with their set or with the season sets?
I am capable of slowing down the player, aren't I?
Any advice would be great, thank you!

The US broadcast versions and the blu-ray versions run at different speeds so you'll make yourself crazy if you try to sync them up!

DA is a British PAL series that runs at 25fps. The first two series were originally released on blu-ray in 1080i with the original frame rate (I think) pretty much intact via a less than optimal conversion. I seem to remember the there being issues with a certain jerkiness in playback (especially parts of series 2) that were reported at the time. Starting with Series 3, the blu-ray releases were slowed down to 24fps so that they could be released in 1080p. This has the effect of improving the picture quality but lowering the pitch (the blu-ray versions also run 4% longer the the original broadcast versions due to the same 1fps speed difference) The entirety of the episodes were still broadcast in the US with the original PAL-NTSC conversion so they'll always be different.

By the way, one of the "series sets" (I don't remember which) re-transferred the first two series in the 24fps/1080p frame rate so it's only the first two stand-alone blu-rays that still have that original conversion.

To my limited knowledge, I don't think there's any way to slow down a traditional blu-ray player.

 

[Robert Harris]

Original discs had major tech problems. PBS was superb re handling the issue. Quality organization

 

[Mark-P]

The US broadcast versions and the blu-ray versions run at different speeds so you'll make yourself crazy if you try to sync them up!

DA is a British PAL series that runs at 25fps. The first two series were originally released on blu-ray in 1080i with the original frame rate (I think) pretty much intact via a less than optimal conversion. I seem to remember the there being issues with a certain jerkiness in playback (especially parts of series 2) that were reported at the time. Starting with Series 3, the blu-ray releases were slowed down to 24fps so that they could be released in 1080p. This has the effect of improving the picture quality but lowering the pitch (the blu-ray versions also run 4% longer the the original broadcast versions due to the same 1fps speed difference) The entirety of the episodes were still broadcast in the US with the original PAL-NTSC conversion so they'll always be different.

By the way, one of the "series sets" (I don't remember which) re-transferred the first two series in the 24fps/1080p frame rate so it's only the first two stand-alone blu-rays that still have that original conversion.

To my limited knowledge, I don't think there's any way to slow down a traditional blu-ray player.

Will is correct. With the possible exception of series 1, the US Blu-rays have been slowed to 24fps for 1080p mastering. This is where streaming has a distinct advantage over physical media. You can buy Downton Abbey for digital download at its correct 25fps speed and have it play back at that frame-rate (at least AppleTV, not sure about other streaming boxes) All my British TV shows play back at 25fps on AppleTV.

 

[Bobster]

Thank you all for your responses; it's what I thought but I just wondered...