Universal's 2nd Wave of BR Flipper Disks

If you're in the minority with your objection then you won't have to worry about purchasing these titles as they won't stop using flipper discs if the majority likes them.





Crawdaddy

Luckily for me there have been no titles on this format that have yet interested me.  In the meantime, I get to sit back and see how stable they are.  If after a year, there are few if any reports of problems, I will consider them.  Until them, consider me scared to death of this format.

Am I missing something? What's wrong with Flipper Discs?

I know this is one of those issues that has to go through the same arguments every few months but isn't there a thread for this topic already?

Why?

Why?

Here's one of the previous threads:

http://www.hometheaterforum.com/forum/thread/295448/ushe-press-release-universal-studios-introduces-revolutionary-new-blu-ray-hi-def-and-dvd-flipper-discs/30

Here's another:

http://www.hometheaterforum.com/forum/thread/297010/a-few-thoughts-about-blu-ray-dvd-flipper-discs

Here's a third:

http://www.hometheaterforum.com/forum/thread/295518/stop-universals-combo-disks

I didn't realize there was a community of folks who literally rated "digital media".  Most of the reviews I read focus on the quality of the audio and video presentation contained on the physical media.

While I find that concept fascinating, I think I'll pass on your "reviews" and stick to the ones that provide information on aspects of the disc that I actually care about - namely presentation and cost.

Quote: So there should be releases with the DVD version...but not releases with the DVD version? You've managed to contradict yourself within the same post. As they say: Truly, you have a dizzying intellect.

Quote:
We eagerly await the multitude of data points from consumers saying they only want the Blu-ray and feel that the DVD is being "rammed down their throats." I mean, they must exist, because you're claiming it as fact.

Hey, I have blu and appreciate also getting the DVD -- I loan my disks out to others ("You haven't seen _____?! Really?! Lets fix that!") and having the DVD helps when most people don't have Blu.

Also, the DVD plus some realily available freeware is all the 'digital copy' I need to load the disc onto whatever portable device I want, and one that's not all DRMed to hell, tied to specific devices and not going to stop working at some date in the future.

So yeah, I want the Blu but the DVD version has some value to me as well.

I have a blu-ray player. I also have many DVD players including a portable player. Having a blu-ray with a DVD on the back side means I don't have the buy that particular movie twice, once on blu-ray and once on DVD.

Doug

I'm not sure I understand this statement. I've never had a problem with a double sided disc. I think they are perfectly fine.

Doug

I've never had any trouble with my "flipper" DVDs and HD DVDs--can't see them being a big problem for BD.  I'd rather have two discs but it's not a deal breaker by any stretch.

I still haven't had any problem with the Bourne discs, and I look forward to being able to retire my Jackal and Out of Africa DVDs.  Have been waiting for Jackal on BD for a long time.  I know there was a lot of talk about the HD DVD transfer of Traffic.  Curious to see what Kevin says when he reviews the BD.

I must say, the tantrums some people throw over the release of double-sided blurays reminds me of something. Oh wait, I can't bring that up because it involves politics.

Same here. I've played each of the Bourne Blu-rays at least a half dozen times on a variety of Blu-ray machines, and they've played perfectly each time.

I had no problems with the Bourne flippers, and I noted that in my reviews of those.

I am now moving on to the three upcoming flippers, and I'll let you know. 

I am on the lookout for the picture issue with Traffic, and I'm looking forward to the funniest Jack Black scene of his career in The Jackal.

I think the "flippers" may have gotten a bad name from that Hammer Films set of DVD's that Universal released a couple of years ago (two flippers, four films on each disc). I remember at the time a few people were posting about having problems with the picture freezing & alike; I never had any problems. I hope Universal will release this set on BD before too long.

dvdbeaver.com has some screenshots of Traffic, and goodness, does it look great.  I wasn't plan on buying this because I have the Criterion edition but those screenshots might have changed my mind. 

I too am very glad so far that none of these "flipper" releases are must-buys for me -- very glad they stayed away from that for Apollo 13, Elizabeth and some others.  I'd rather see them prove their reliability before I buy any (and even then, I'd still much rather have the BD and DVD separate).

And honestly, who really needs the DVD version anyway for most of these catalog titles???  I sure don't.  We're not talking about recent/new movies or rarely seen catalog titles afterall -- surely, most folks interested in owning the DVD version on top of the BD would already own the DVD.  And they're probably also not the kind of titles you'd be giving the old DVDs away to friends/family in droves either (like w/ more family/kids-oriented titles).

Anyway, from my perspective, this approach w/ the flipper format is probably just more trouble than it's worth.  To me, it'd make more sense for them to just go w/ the separate-disc combos and only do it for certain releases that makes the most sense (rather than w/ some of these catalog titles that are less likely to benefit from the combo releases)...

_Man_
 

Edited by ManW_TheUncool - 4/17/10 at 5:59pm

Exactly what trouble have any of these flipper discs caused you?

The point that needs to get across to Universal is that a double disc set is better and more useful than their silly and unwanted flipper discs. If the other studios can take into account the customer's preference, why can't Universal? Their attitude is driven by their greed to cut costs and to force sell their flipper discs. I for one have passed up on a few of their titles and will continue to do so until Universal releases the titles, packaged either as a single or double disc.

What makes you assume that customers prefer two discs to a flipper? I don't know that is actually the case. It really doesn't matter to me as long as I get a DVD with the blu-ray.

Doug

Presumedly there's less to go wrong with two discs. Personally, if I buy a Blu-ray, then that's what I want, but that's just me.

I'm a media geek and have to get at least one of these discs (already have the Bourne movies on HD-DVD so didn't get those), so I'll get The Jackal as it's the only movie I don't already have on another format.  I think this is a good idea as long as it works, and a premium isn't charged on them like they were for the HD-DVD combo discs.  I hope they can manage to put a label on side 2 as well, since apparently the Bourne discs didn't and NONE of the HD-DVD combo discs from any company did!

Carl,

Why do you need to keep asking this question?  Do you really care?  I know I (and various others) have answered this type of question before.  You can always look up my/our previous responses (or simply just recall what you've already read before since I know you've been following these threads), if you really cared.

Your line of questioning has started to sound more rhetorical (possibly w/ some sort of hidden agenda to undermine other people's views/opinions on the matter) than of genuine interest.  I didn't want to say that before, but now, I'm saying it.

Should I actually need to have experienced a specific defect for there to be nothing worthy of concern at all?  Is that what you're insinuating?  OR are the various already expressed concerns/issues not worthy to be considered "more trouble than they're worth", especially since the simple alternative of separate-disc combos already exists?  Also, should my reference to "trouble" only be restricted to mean my own personal issue, not the studios' (or others') also?  It's not like the studios had a grand time and great success releasing all sorts of previous flipper media afterall.

Anyway, if you had in fact not been following these threads, then I'd understand why you felt a need to ask this.  But that is simply not the case here.

If you simply want to say you're not bothered by the same things that some of us are, that's perfectly fine.  If you want to be the early adopter of this combo flipper format, that's your prerogative too.  We're not trying to attack you and others for liking/wanting the combo flipper.  If you don't like the other approach of separate-disc combos for whatever reasons, then express that (just as we expressed our dislikes for the flipper).

What's the point in asking the same, tired, old question again and again seemingly w/out acknowledging the validity of our concerns (and our wishes for the studios to stick w/ the separate-disc approach instead)?

And as I said repeatedly before, I'm not dead set against the flipper.  But I definitely far prefer the separate-disc approach -- and have pointed out my reasons here and there -- and would rather wait to see the flipper prove its reliability first before buying any since I don't feel the studios (and most manufacturers for that matter) are all that great at reliability.  That's just how I see it.  Do you really need proof of that (or for me to write some long essay on that)?  I do the same w/ a lot of other things that are relatively new to market too.  If you like to live on the bleeding edge, that's your prerogative.  I'd much rather let someone else be the earliest adopters in most cases.  And like I said, it's not like I'm in great need of the DVD version (or even the BD in these particular cases) of these movies afterall.

_Man_

PS: My apologies if I'm being too snippy/"short" w/ my response.  Others (who like the flipper) may be annoyed w/ this topic -- and I can understand that to some extent.  But I'm annoyed w/ that particular line of questioning myself under the circumstance.  And yeah, it would probably help if the search function actually works here (in case Carl or whoever else would actually care to search previous threads/posts on the subject).
Edited by ManW_TheUncool - 4/19/10 at 2:06am

I've posted my reasons for disliking these flippers in the previous threads referenced above, so I will not repeat them here. I just consider myself fortunate that Universal has yet released a film in this format that is a "must have" for me, so I have been able to avoid the decision on whether to purchase or not. My biggest fear is that they will release Jurassic Park or Jaws (or some other title that is a personal favorite) on a flipper.