A Few Words About A few words about...™ Finding Your Roots -- DVD (1 Viewer)

[Robert Harris]

As someone with an interest in ancestry research, one of the people for whom I have enormous respect is Henry Louis Gates, Jr.

Initially best known for his incredible research and writing into black American history, his most recent endeavors have taken him directly into ancestry, with a PBS series, that I find more insightful, and faster paced, than Who Do You Think You Are?, a TLC series, which has far more footage of celebs driving around the country, or being driven to foreign locales, with automobiles logos blacked out.

Both series seem to be only available in that old-fashioned DVD format, but shows that spend the majority of their time in medium shots and close-ups, there really isn't a need for a more highly resolved image, even though it's broadcast as such.

Finding Your Roots has just released their fifth season, and for those with an interest in genealogy, it's not to be missed.

Three discs, 10 one-hour episodes, researching people both very well known, as well as a few lesser known, but with equally interesting stores.

For GOT fans, this season will be special as it features George R.R. Martin.

Pricing seems fair, at bit more than $2 per episode.


Image - 4

Audio - 5

Pass / Fail - Pass

Highly Recommended

RAH

 

[Angelo Colombus]

For some reason PBS does release more on dvd than Blu-ray. A lot of the American Experience & American Masters episodes I liked are on dvd only.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

The reason is sales. (I used to work at WGBH Home Video which then merged with PBS Home Video.) Those types of titles just don’t sell in any significant quantity on Blu-ray, and the higher costs of authoring and manufacturing Blu-ray versions along with the decreased sales potential could sink the budget on an entire project. The big clients for PBS titles are generally schools, libraries and other non-profit institutes, many of which do not support Blu-ray.

Basically, tech savvy people who want to view this content in HD are more likely to be watching either on the original broadcast, through On Demand services, or through streaming. They’re not looking to buy discs.

Obviously there are a few of us here at HTF that are exceptions to that rule, but that’s a very tight market that PBS is in. They sold VHS far longer than any other major label because their audience still preferred VHS over DVD for the longest time.

 

[Robert Harris]

The reason is sales. (I used to work at WGBH Home Video which then merged with PBS Home Video.) Those types of titles just don’t sell in any significant quantity on Blu-ray, and the higher costs of authoring and manufacturing Blu-ray versions along with the decreased sales potential could sink the budget on an entire project. The big clients for PBS titles are generally schools, libraries and other non-profit institutes, many of which do not support Blu-ray.

Basically, tech savvy people who want to view this content in HD are more likely to be watching either on the original broadcast, through On Demand services, or through streaming. They’re not looking to buy discs.

Obviously there are a few of us here at HTF that are exceptions to that rule, but that’s a very tight market that PBS is in. They sold VHS far longer than any other major label because their audience still preferred VHS over DVD for the longest time.

And for these purposes, HD is not essential. I want to to see them sell, and survive. Very few organizations better than PBS.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

And for these purposes, HD is not essential. I want to to see them sell, and survive. Very few organizations better than PBS.

Agreed. I had a great time working there and I have fond memories of both the projects and the people.

 

[Angelo Colombus]

I am thankful that PBS does release a lot of great programing on disc. I have supported them for many years and have a big collection of dvd's. Saw a few days ago Korea: The Never Ending War which was very good.

 

[Robert Harris]

Agreed. I had a great time working there and I have fond memories of both the projects and the people.

Can’t wIt to see Reconstruction

 

[Josh Steinberg]

I am thankful that PBS does release a lot of great programing on disc. I have supported them for many years and have a big collection of dvd's. Saw a few days ago Korea: The Never Ending War which was very good.

Hope this isn't too far off topic, but I was recently at a used bookshop that also had a substantial DVD business, and they had all of the PBS DVDs arranged on their shelves not alphabetically, but chronologically by DVD release year. I have no idea why they did it that way, but that was a literal trip down memory lane - everything I worked on all neatly organized in one place.

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

Can’t wIt to see Reconstruction

I haven't seen it either, and look forward to it.

Ken Burns's Civil War was a masterpiece, but I thought its handling of the aftermath of the war was the weakest part. He was drawn to the appeal of a national reconciliation, and didn't give enough to due to who that left out, and what the consequences were. Reconstruction offers the possibility of being a badly needed corrective, as well as shining a light on a crucial period of history. In many ways, the end of Reconstruction following the disputed election of 1876 continues to define the United States of America today.