TV Shows that are unavailable to DVD due to music clearance BS (1 Viewer)

[Professor Echo]

Thanks for all your information, Brad. It's the only thing that's kept me reading this, at least for me, exasperating thread.

 

[smithbrad]

Thanks for all your information, Brad. It's the only thing that's kept me reading this, at least for me, exasperating thread.

Thanks Glen, I don't have the detailed knowledge of others, nor the writing style as one like yourself when trying to make a point, but I do try to keep it honest and straightforward without an agenda.

 

[jimmyjet]

hi brad,

i had not heard about it, but i googled it.

http://syndicationbible.cbstvd.com/

there were several things to click, including a series section and a tv movies section.

i have given cbs quite a few kudos for the fugitive, as just about everyone raves about how well it was done. so i do give credit when credit is due.

it does list a lot of shows. i only clicked on a couple.

if the show is listed, does this mean that cbs currently owns it ?

from the info that you have provided, i would just as soon wait for the big studios to put out a good release of something.

even if it means a 10-20 year delay. as opposed to dealing with all the possible problems that you have described about the small independent guys.

no doubt one can get good jobs from them, but like anything else, better to get it from the source, when possible.

i dont know how many other MAJOR types of studios there are ? but are any of them doing anything remotely similar with their catalog ?

the transferring of the source is even more important to me, than an actual release. just want to know that stuff isnt just sitting there waiting for the elements to take it forever.

the pq is not nearly as important to me as the actual content.

i was sent some stuff on dvd from a friend of tv shows how they appeared when the originally aired in the 50s and 60s.

i still recall the halos around the heads and such, but i couldnt recall exact specifics. but when comparing that to the current dvd resolution, there is a tremendous difference for me.

so much so, that i cant really even enjoy that old resolution. my eyes keep peering at the screen, wanting to see more clearly.

but when we start talking about the difference between dvd and blu-ray, it is more like talking about minor differences. sure, the blu-ray has better clarity. but at the dvd clarity, i am happy - as long as i can see an unedited episode without commercials.

so i am not much of a double dipper. the content or story is by far the most important thing to me about whatever i am watching. i dont need to see the star trek special effects in super-duper clarity, etc.

so while i still have stuff to watch, i figure i may as well wait until a particular product has rave reviews. and if i am only gonna buy it once, i may as well go the blu-ray route, when available.

 

[smithbrad]

You must have started tracking the fugitive posts after the complete series release, because they took a lot of heat prior for the music substitutions, but in the end they made good on an excellent release.

My understanding is that the CBS Syndication Bible was published just to provide information to those that might want to syndicate something, but they made it publicly accessible so it is nice to look at from time to time to see what the updates are. It has all the shows I believe under their control. I don't know of any other studio's doing that with their catalog, at least not so publicly.

Nothing wrong with waiting for big studio releases, they will generally be better. Of course even CBS can have their issues when they don't remaster (e.g., Cannon), and WB does a good job. The problem for me is that I've discovered I like 50's and early 60's westerns, as well as some of the detective shows. These shows that weren't in syndication much when I was viewing as a kid. WB and CBS are doing right by many of them, but there were so many done back then that honestly won't see the light of day that I need to get them from independents. I know we've been through this already, but it is true (I can't say it any other way). Very few studio's are going to dig that far down into what they own. Why would they since they are producing new content everyday. Think about it, every ten years they have ten years worth of new content to syndicate, stream, or release in some form. There is only so much that they can promote that something has to go by the wayside. And why wouldn't that be titles few even remember from 50 years earlier.

And remember in some case studios are licensing to the independents, why would they do that if they ever wanted to release it. Don't give up on independents (didn't mean to paint that grim of a picture), monitor the reviews and only buy independents with high reviews. I just finished Peter Gunn by and I'm working on Tombstone Territory, both by Timeless. Many of the releases by independents are complete, just check reviews prior to a purchase. Besides you may not realize how many releases you may already own by independents (e.g, Combat! and Twilight Zone being two)

As far as LHOTP, I have no problem with the current release because I'm enjoying it with my daughters. The blu-rays of all seasons will probably take five years to complete, I'm on my second run with my daughters and no blu-ray down the road can compete with that.

The cost to double dip TV shows on blu-ray would be way too high for me. I am very happy with the quality of most of my DVD's. There are just a few favorites that rank, as well as a few where the improvements too great. Star Trek is one where the blu-ray's blow away the DVD's, for me at least.

 

[jimmyjet]

i was tracking the fugitive before, so i do know about all the complaints about music issues. that thread is one of the largest on this forum. it demonstrates just how popular that show still is !!

what my mo is at the moment is to grab the stuff that is out, but not real popular.

for example, gidget is out. a show i liked.

and while it was cute and such, i would not say that it was a blockbuster on the human situation !!

so it may or may not ever get another release on it.

and there are quite a few shows that have already been released within the past few years that fit into that category.

so i will purchase them from timeless, etc. (if they are unedited).

the fugitive, lhotp, waltons, etc. were huge hits that have lasting quality.

i am not a bit worried that they will go oop, etc.

so i plan to wait for a good blu-ray release of those shows.

these 3 popped out, but there are many that fit into those shoes.

i am not sure i will ever be able to watch everything that i might own.

so i have the happy problem of always having something to watch, and dont feel the need to buy something to have something to do tonight !!

i am not saying that i would never double-dip, but not often.

it really all depends on how good a deal it is.

in fact, i think they had a very good deal on the tos blu-rays awhile back.

and to be honest, i cant recall whether i bought it or not ?

i need to work on the storage aspect of things, and get better organized with what i do own - so that at least i know what i do own !!

if i were in your situation however, i might do the same thing. having a show like lhotp to share with your young girls is not something you can wait on.

and there is no monetary value that can be placed on the memories and treasures that we fill our children's minds with.

gosh, i know that all too well. a tremendous amount of me, my morals and values were formed back then. and havent changed an iota since.

especially true when we come from good parents who were there for us.

 

[Frank Soyke]

neil,

i appreciate the knowledge that you have, and the information that you share with us.

however, when you get snooty and arrogant, i will give you a swift kick in the behind, as well.

i have never said, stated, inferred, or given any other such notion that i had any particular technical knowledge about film or television.

The man is a "know it all" pure and simple. Thinks he knows more than everybody else and then insults them when they have questions. I noticed that when I first came on this board three years ago. The man has some great insight and knowledge but sometimes I wonder how much has been truly gleaned by experience and how much of it is the result of late night marathon sessions of Wikipedia. Food for thought.

 

[Charles Ellis]

Two words: Cold Case!

 

[jimmyjet]

is cold case a show that needs to be added to the list ?

 

[jimmyjet]

Very few studio's are going to dig that far down into what they own. Why would they since they are producing new content everyday. Think about it, every ten years they have ten years worth of new content to syndicate, stream, or release in some form. There is only so much that they can promote that something has to go by the wayside. And why wouldn't that be titles few even remember from 50 years earlier.

hi brad,

i am assuming that shows for quite awhile now, are being produced, etc. with the knowledge that they will be put on dvd releases ???

so part of the reason that these shows will come out first, is that there is less to do on them. do you agree ?

if so though, that does work in our favor in one way.

i think that gives them some free time to CONTINUE to work on their old stuff, as well.

so if we just wait, MOST will eventually be available.

 

[Ron1973]

They've done this with Perry Mason as well. I don't get ME-TV at my house (Direct TV subscriber) but my parents do and the other night while I was visiting we came upon a PM episode and the time-compression was horrible. Sometimes the "Chipmunk" analogy as pure hyperbole, but in this case I can honestly say that Paul Drake sounded like Alvin. It was that bad.


Gary "if I know a particular show well then time-compression can bother me some, but most of the time it's not an issue" O.

We've had ME-TV added to our Direct TV lineup ONLY because it's been spun-off into its own local station but it still shares time with a couple of other networks so it's not totally classic TV all the time.

I could count the number of times on one hand I've actually sat down to watch it. Even on a hi-def TV the picture is sloppy and is reminiscent of watching it on a fuzzy standard-def UHF station. Call me spoiled I guess.

A friend of mine told me that the Petticoat Junction episodes were time-sped though I couldn't tell it when I glanced at it one morning. I tried watching The Beverly Hillbillies and was actually hoping it was time-sped instead of the same tired syndication edited episodes that have been floating around since the 1980's. I could deal with time-sped if I was getting the whole episode. Nope, same old edited episodes that WGN, TV Land, TBS and everyone has been showing for 25+ years. I understand they simply show what they're handed by the syndicator and I don't mean to complain but I can't get past knowing they're butchered.

 

[Randy Korstick]

But the longer we/they wait the less people will be around that remember or want old shows and thus less people to sell them to so if there is no one or very few people to sell them to why would they want to spend the money required to release it. Especially if we are expecting them to remaster the show, make sure the episodes and music are complete and restore it if necessary and add some extras. All of this adds to the expense of the release for the studios. So if there isn't a big market for the show then they are not going to make that investment knowing that there is a very strong chance that they will lose money. This is also why many times we get less than desirable releases for older shows.

 

[Ron1973]

But the longer we/they wait the less people will be around that remember or want old shows and thus less people to sell them to so if there is no one or very few people to sell them to why would they want to spend the money required to release it. Especially if we are expecting them to remaster the show, make sure the episodes and music are complete and restore it if necessary and add some extras. All of this adds to the expense of the release for the studios. So if there isn't a big market for the show then they are not going to make that investment knowing that there is a very strong chance that they will lose money. This is also why many times we get less than desirable releases for older shows.

This is where (in my opinion) CBS failed The Beverly Hillbillies. They made no differentiation between the PD releases and their official counterparts. They didn't go to any expense to promote these as "full episodes" that had the original music intact and were not edited-for-syndication episodes. They just threw them against the wall in hopes they'd stick.

 

[jimmyjet]

But the longer we/they wait the less people will be around that remember or want old shows and thus less people to sell them to so if there is no one or very few people to sell them to why would they want to spend the money required to release it. Especially if we are expecting them to remaster the show, make sure the episodes and music are complete and restore it if necessary and add some extras. All of this adds to the expense of the release for the studios. So if there isn't a big market for the show then they are not going to make that investment knowing that there is a very strong chance that they will lose money. This is also why many times we get less than desirable releases for older shows.

that assumes that one can only sell the shows to those who saw the original airings.

i think they will have value to people 2 centuries from now.

 

[jimmyjet]

but only if THEY EXIST.

i do hope these studios dont dilly dally past the point where there is too much degradation.

 

[Randy Korstick]

Not just Original airings but also those who grew up watching them in reruns. With todays 250+ channels plus everything available for streaming the majority of the younger generations have too many choices to chose old TV shows. I know there are some younger people who still discover and like old TV shows and movies and its great when they do but the majority of sales for old TV shows are from people over 35 and probably a bigger share of that is over 50 so that is the main audience and its shrinking every year. The studios know that as well and it will effect what they chose to release and what they chose to spend money on. So if anything we could be seeing less and less quality releases as the studios may feel there is some cash to be made on older shows as long as they don't have to spend too much restoring them, paying for music, extras, etc. As many have said before the glory days of TV on DVD were 2004-2011 and those days are long behind us now. Blu-Ray has never turned out to be as big as it was expected to be because streaming has taken a big bite out of it. We'll still the occasional great release of an old show but the more years that go by the less studios will be willing to invest in them because of dwindling sales.

that assumes that one can only sell the shows to those who saw the original airings.

i think they will have value to people 2 centuries from now.

 

[smithbrad]

EXACTLY Randy. The problem is that the least marketable, least seen shows from syndication are the most expensive to prepare since they most likely will have to go back to the original elements. And the longer they go unseen the less marketable they will become since the originating demographic is dwindling. It's not that no one would want them at all, but just that the cost is not viable to the number of potential sales. Way to risky for the studio's and why would they really even care that much since who is still around to champion their cause.

Take that list floating around in the other thread of titles never to be released. I'd be lucky to identify 20% of them. I'm betting for the general public it is less than 10%. And most of the identifiable one's are more well known or more recent titles. For those others, why would they risk the expense for titles that 99% of the buying public would never miss if they never came out.

 

[JoeDoakes]

We've had ME-TV added to our Direct TV lineup ONLY because it's been spun-off into its own local station but it still shares time with a couple of other networks so it's not totally classic TV all the time.

I could count the number of times on one hand I've actually sat down to watch it. Even on a hi-def TV the picture is sloppy and is reminiscent of watching it on a fuzzy standard-def UHF station. Call me spoiled I guess.

A friend of mine told me that the Petticoat Junction episodes were time-sped though I couldn't tell it when I glanced at it one morning. I tried watching The Beverly Hillbillies and was actually hoping it was time-sped instead of the same tired syndication edited episodes that have been floating around since the 1980's. I could deal with time-sped if I was getting the whole episode. Nope, same old edited episodes that WGN, TV Land, TBS and everyone has been showing for 25+ years. I understand they simply show what they're handed by the syndicator and I don't mean to complain but I can't get past knowing they're butchered.

ME-TV will often look better on a tube tv than a high def nontube. Even if you have the aspect ratio right, which it often is not on many widescreen tvs with traditional aspect ratio material, I find that high def tvs are often inferior when it comes to nonhigh def sources.

 

[Ron1973]

ME-TV will often look better on a tube tv than a high def nontube. Even if you have the aspect ratio right, which it often is not on many widescreen tvs with traditional aspect ratio material, I find that high def tvs are often inferior when it comes to nonhigh def sources.

I've heard that as well. On the other hand (and maybe there's some sort of difference?) I have both a Super Nintendo and Atari 2600 hooked to my TV. They both look absolutely awesome on there to me. It's certainly not hi-def of course but not bad. When I watch Hee Haw on RFD-TV (standard-def) it doesn't look too awful. It seems to be confined to this particular one station carrying the ME-TV shows.

 

[Professor Echo]

Optimism is a great thing to have in life, but certain posts in this thread have reached the level of fairy tales. Complete with trolls.

 

[jimmyjet]

hi brad and randy,

i guess we will just have to wait and see.

i enjoyed chatting with both of ya.

jimmy