Review magazine or not? (1 Viewer)

I was reading the latest DVD ETC. and came off with the feeling that this is just another magazine full of advertisements. I read it from cover to cover and can't help feeling this way especially after reading the last page article called "Fade Out." It was written by Jeremy Burkhardt who is the president of SpeakerCraft. I'm not saying his speakers aren't excellent, but I can't help feel like I'm paying for information that should be in an advertisement on another page. Of course he is going to say good things about his speakers and his company. But that's not the kind of articles I want to read. If DVD, ETC. doesn't see what is wrong with this type of article then I feel they just don't get what people really want in a good A/V magazine.

I don't mind it when the president of a company tries to thoughtfully communicate with customers. The fact that it's a column and that the CEO's name and pic are attached probably ensures that we're getting a sincere dialogue with them.

As for the other content, I enjoy reading articles that are not simply reviews, but discussions on home theater in general. I especially enjoy the interviews with filmmakers, and especially the parts where they ask them about the DVD production. and the high quality photos are second to none.

If we have more ppl like this talking to the corporations, we're going to get a better product.

that being said, I wish there were fewer A/V wire reviews and more news / reviews / commentary on other topics.

This is no different from, say, Joe Kane writing articles for Widescreen Review that tout his new Digital Video Essentials calibration disc, or the virtues of 720p (which just so happens to be a scanning-rate option in the Princeton 30-inch widescreen display -- and which he just happened to have a hand in the design of).

Traditionally, way back in the days of the audio-hobbyist press, it was common to have guest columns by audio designers -- in Audio, High Fidelity, Stereo Review, The Audio Critic, and other magazines.

Hey Al_S
I just started to read DVD ETC. I got to tell you it is one of my favoret Mags. I love that you guys review all kind of brands. I finaly saw a review for a SVS sub . I got to say also I love the Cable reviews. I too think a good cables makes a difference. I say keep up the good work.
Omar Torres

PS: One thing I have to say I notice alot of mags are doing the car audio thing. I think a hometheater mag should stick to home theater. I know you can have a DVD and video game sytem in the car, but lets leave that to the car mags. That is the section I always skip in you mag. Other than that I think your mag is great. Just my 2 cents.

Al_S, I can relate. When I was a subscriber to DVD ETC., I too had noticed the barrage of advertisements. The biggest disappointment was the reviews lacked the in-depth substance that I was more accustomed to. The magazine did have a cool glossy look to it though.

Hi George -

In my multi-channel audio reviews (DVD-A, SA-CD - and very soon, DualDisc), I can say that I truly try to be as in-depth as possible within the confines of 250 words, and I'm sure this is a challenge for every reviewer at DVD Etc.

For example, in my upcoming review of the excellent Crystal Method: Legion of Boom DVD-A, I was able to include not only a brief background on the artist to give the reader a flavor for the band and its music, but I also assessed the surround mix and provided as much technical detail about the disc as possible (audio resolution, options, features, 16:9-enhanced music video, etc.).

Cheers,

Hi Gang, Thank you all very much for taking the time to post your comments (good or bad) about DVD ETC. Magazine and HDTV ETC. Magazine.

Most of you who post on this forum know that I do listen to feedback--though I may not always respond to the threads--however, I often tailor the content based on the feedback I receive.

As it regards advertisements (i.e. "too many) I must say that because our ad rates are substantially lower than that of our competition, and our magazine "package" (paper and print quality) is arguably better than many C/E magazines, we have to pay the bills somehow. And still, our ad to edit ratio is less than most.

Please keep the feedback coming and we'll continue to put out the best product we can.

Cheers,

Clint Walker
Editor-in-Chief