Chapter Stops On TNG & DS9 DVD's (1 Viewer)

[Brent Smith]

Mr. Blythe,

I am curious as to Paramount's problems with the chapter
stops on the TNG and now as confirmed by a reviewer that it still continues to bedevil DS9 (including the new release of DS9 season 4). I will admit it isn't a big issue, but it is an annoyance (I for one don't like to have to sit through the opening credits of a TV series all the time). Is there any chance the the last two installments of DS9 (and soon on the Voyager releases) could be chapter stop "correct" I own other box sets from other studios and I have yet to have to complain about chapter stops on any of those studio products (as of yet).

I'd really like to know if Paramount has a reason behind what I am thinking of late is just shoddy work on their end (Quality Control seems not to be able to catch these errors before they get mastered for pressing).

Thank you,

C. Brent Smith

 

[Jeff Kleist]

I personally believe that the first 6 discs of TNG-Voyager were mastered one after another after another. And frankly they don't want to spend the money to correct it for approx 150 DVDs. Then later when the extras are finished they author disc 7

 

[Brent Smith]

Hi Jeff,

So you think the DVD's were already done pretty much before the "annoucement" of boxed sets? If so then Paramount and/orthe company that authored the discs should be hung by their ears, as this is just now looking like pure laziness on both Paramount and the QC department for the authoring company. Granted I can cut the authoring folks some slack if they were given bad timings to encode the material from/to, but didn't they seem it was odd that some discs had episodes that started really late into "action" after the chapter stop (no QC at their end)? I hope you are wrong and they haven't done Voyager yet and can correct this problem before those sets street in 2004 because it is beginning to show how little Paramount "really" cares for the franchise.

Thanks,

Brent

 

[Jeff Kleist]

It's very frequent that bad times are given to authoring companies, it's the ones who care who will go "hey I bet that's not right" and check with the company. And once Paramount signs off on the discs, they have to pay to get anything changed

There's no reason why they couldn't have authored those discs earlier, and someone didn't check them properly. It's a shame that there are 4-5 eps a season that are screwed up, but frankly my concern about Trek on DVD stops in December, though I will buy the TOS sets if the rumor is true

 

[Scott Kimball]

I'd really like to know if Paramount has a reason behind what I am thinking of late is just shoddy work on their end

I think "shoddy" is a bit harsh! We're talking about a chapter stop.

-Scott

 

[Brent Smith]

Hi Scott,

Sorry if "shoddy" is too harsh, but if it had been on maybe one or two episodes I would have written it off as a mistake, but we have multiple discs spanning both TNG and DS9 box sets (and no I don't have a number of discs / episodes that have been affected I just know that it seems in cursory glance that at least one disc per set (maybe more) have this "issue" that can effect one or more episodes in the set. Let do a little math if every disc had just one episode thats had a misplaced chapter stop that would be 7 out of 24 episodes which if I done the math right means means nearly 30% of the episodes of a given set have this problem on the disc(s) for just the run of TNG alone if all thing stay consistent 27.5% of the episodes have been mis-chapter stopped... That to me would seem to indicate "shoddy" workmanship. I know my figures are worst case scenario but you see where I am coming from I hope?

Thanks,

Brent

 

[Scott Kimball]

Brent,
Actually, I think your numbers are low... but who is to say that a chapter stop MUST appear directly after the opening credits?

Sure, it's a logical place, but who knows what criteria they use... who knows if it is an actual "mistake," or if it is by design? I would reserve the use of such a word as "shoddy" until AFTER this question is answered. Letting loose with harsh criticism before the facts are in make it less likely that you'll see an official response.

And really... it's not that big a deal.

What IS a big deal is Fox's "24" on DVD. That doesn't even HAVE ANY chapter stops.

I guess my approach is, save the battles for the big stuff... and the location of one chapter stop at the beginning of a number of episodes just barely makes my radar.

The DS9 sets have decent video quality, good audio quality, some nice extras and nice packaging... not to mention the excellent program itself. I can't get too upset about chapter stops... so long as it HAS chapter stops.

"Shoddy" is a pretty strong word, and would indicate problems of a serious enough nature to make the sets unenjoyable.

We may just be talking semantics here, but I call 'em as I see 'em.

Of course, we can agree to disagree...

-Scott

 

[Brent Smith]

Hi Scott & Keith,

Well I'll revise my "shoddy work" statement in light of what you two have said, but it does beg the question why on most of them does
that chapter stop come after the opening credits?

And since I don't have the "24" series
I didn't realize it was "chapter stop-less"
(though I can see the logic on that one since it is by it very nature a "chapter" in the telling of one hour in the day, etc...)

I shall tone down the wording of my rant as not to make Paramount feel the work they have done for us the box sets is not appreciated,
but I would like a frank and honest reply to this from a Paramount representative that explains as Scott says "either by accident or design".
Please believe me Scott (and Keith) I am not as mad as I "sound" I just like skipping the opening credits more times than most since they are
the same and it gets me to the story faster, and having to back-up due to a mis-placed chapter stop annoys only because it interrupts my
enjoyment of the story.

Thanks,

Brent

 

[Brent Smith]

Hi Keith,

I appreciate you understanding my usage of the "s" word. I just hope it get fixed before the last two seasons of DS9 come out and hopefully before even one set of Voyager hits the shelves (and I don't know why this problem irks me so, it just does, possibly my years in customer service having to placate customers over obvious blunders on part of the company I was working for).

But as Scott points out it may be all moot as he (and now I)believe they've had the episodes mastered for some time and only wait while they get the new material for the "7th disc". Maybe they'll correct the blunders for the rumored "TOS" (appearing after Voyager).

You have a good day,

Brent

 

[Daniel Kikin]

I think it's more annoying because it's inconsistent. If it was all or nothing, then I'd know what to do either way, so at least I'd know if I had to FF through the opening credits, even though it would be a little tedious each time.

 

[Brent Smith]

Hi Daniel,

Thats my point exactly its the inconsistency of the mis-placed chapter stops that I think annoys me the greatest. I shouldn't have to flag the shows with the bad c'stops so I can remember that I have to FF through the credits in order not having to rewind. Call me nit-picky but thats just me I hope that Paramount has been reading this thread and will eventually get an answer on the who, what, and why this happened [and according to Scott has happened yet again to DS9 season 4 set] . Well till we get an answer from TPTB at Paramount I guess it is something I'll just have to deal with in my own way.

Thanks,

Brent

 

[Daniel Kikin]

Hi Brent,

I don't think it's nitpicky, especially since almost every HTF member and most web reviewer's mention it every time a new season is released. For the money we pay for these sets, I don't think a little consistency on the opening credits chapter stops either way is too much to ask for.