I have *many* "pet peeves" with TVonDVD releases. While numbered, after #4 these are in no particular order and change depending on mood. Numbers 1-4 are *always* in those positions.
1. Abandoning a series once it's started. Yes, I understand the law of diminishing returns. Just go into it with that understanding and commit to getting the entire series out for true fans. Use Time/Live as an example. Start with a full series set and break it up later for those who do not want the whole ball of wax.
2. Double sided disks. I stopped collecting "Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea" simply because I *never* got good copies of S1V1 and S1V2. I'd jump on the rest *if* they were single sided, but I'll not even try again on that series due to use of DS disks. There are series I've not yet purchased because they are on DS disks.
3. Digipak packaging. The "genius" who thought up this crapfest of packaging should be left in the wilderness for a few days. Hold-down tines break, trays become unglued, trays easily break, paperboard backing tears, etc., etc. None of which are easily repairable, some not at all. This one goes for CD packaging as well.
4. Cut/edited episodes. Any reason. Don't give me syndicated episodes! If a syndicated episode is the *only* one available, tell me - I *might* understand. I understand that greed (corporate/artists/etc) over music rights pretty much require music cuts in many series, but *plainly* state this. (RANT: I just do *not* understand the mindset of the music pigopolists. Including original music is *good* for their acts and in many cases could expose someone to music they've never heard before thus actually generating sales for "stale" acts which are demanding royal sums for a short clip of a song! I wish the persons responsible for keeping music off iconic series due to exhorbitant fees could be "outed" so we could boycot the artists they represent. END RANT)
5. Unskippable material (warnings, commercials, logos, etc.)
6. No "Play All" function (while I don't use it often, it's nice to have)
7. Continuing to the next episode when a single one has been chosen rather than going back to the menu (If I want one at a time I *want* one at a time!! - Don't just automatically go to the next. I'll use "Play All" for that!)
8. When I chose a single episode, start it playing! Don't give me *another* menu where I select the first scene to start!
9. No sub-titles or CC. Give me at least one! I'd rather have sub-titles, but I'll accept CC. I tend to watch late at night while others are trying to sleep. These make it easier for me to watch at a lower audio level. (Worst offender - A&E who airs material with CC but leaves it off the release!)
10. Stacked or overlapping tray packaging (either amaray or digipak - both are bad, bad, bad)
12. "Special" packaging. This junk is always bad. Just put 'em in a slim case - prefereably dual-disk type inside a sturdy slip-case.
12. No chapter stop after opening credits
13. Inability to skip end credits without fast forwarding
14. Animated menu of *any* type
15. Music on menu (Do I *really* need to hear the theme song looped forever? And why is it significantly louder than an episode volume?)
16. Episodes not presented in "air date" order *or* "Production" order (depending on which is best) - Looking at *you* Shanachie for "Car 54" in "favorite" order! Absurd to the max! Of course let's not forget to give recognition to "Earth 2", "Sliders", "Firefly", and any other series where Production order makes for better, more logical, viewing.
17. Lack of a episode guide. Even a simple list is better than nothing!
18. No chapter stops at all! Even if it's only a stop every 4-5 minutes with no rhyme or reason give me some!
19. Extra/Bonus disks only available in a full series release which comes out *after* all the seasons have been released individually over several years. At least make this available separately to the fans who supported the individual releases. If you really want to foster good will make it available for free with some type of proof the entire series was purchased. Just make sure it's *not* something that forces us to deface the individual releases. A simple "save this card for future use" insert would work well and be inexpensive to include even if it's never used.
20. Alteration of opening/closing credit sequences by removing original production house/distributor information and/or replacing it with/adding the new distributor. This is fine when you syndicate it to a local station but *not* on a DVD release! Sony seems to be the worst.
21. Too many episodes per disk. I'd rather limit it to 3 60 minute or 6 30 minute episodes per disk. Yeah, I know you can do 4/8 fairly well but I feel that's pushing it a bit.
22. No spoilers on outer packaging or menus. Put it in episode guides but *indicate* this on the outside of the guide! After all, there are times an episode can't be described without using a spoiler. This is why I never look at guide listings of serialized programs.
23. OAR. If originally WS then make it anamorphic. It bugs me to watch Babylon 5 in WS. It was shot FS and the effects were done for FS. Turning it into "fake" WS ruined many aspects of the show.
24. Split season releases at full season prices. If you want to offer a half-season at a "reasonable" (half a normal full season on a comparable series) price, well... that's better but I *still* don't like it. Basically *anything* that's not a full season at once unless it comes *after* a full series release. That includes "Best of" releases. (I'd forgot about those in spite of mentioning "Voyage..." above. Thanks to ThatDonGuy below for the reminder in his list!)
Edited by BobO'Link - 5/18/11 at 6:43am
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