I Love You, Warner Bros.! (1 Viewer)

[Steve Schaffer]

I've had some Warner releases in snappers since early '98. I don't "baby" my cases by any means, and haven't had a single problem with the snapper cases. For me, at least, the whole snapper thing is a complete non-issue.
I too am grateful to Warner's for what they've done for the dvd format as a whole, from their consistent high quality to innovative releases like The Matrix.
Their consistent efforts on behalf of dvd in the past only makes their "4/3 only for family films" policy more difficult to understand.
I will continue to buy WB releases, but not the 4/3 only titles.
------------------
Steve S.
I prefer not to push the subwoofers until they're properly run in.

 

[Trace Downing]

If the Snapper is such a great idea, why does AOL use a Keepcase then??????????? Steve Case has no problem with the "way he looks" not using Ivy Hill to distribute his pride and joy.

It's probably because the Snapper tray has a big "DVD" logo on it. The last I heard, AOL discs are CDs. What a way to confuse people who don't have DVD-ROM drives to think that they can't use these free offers.
------------------
Ta-ra-ra boomsy-ay
Did you get yours today?
I got mine yesterday.
That's why I walk this way!

 

[Joseph S]

t's probably because the Snapper tray has a big "DVD" logo on it. The last I heard, AOL discs are CDs. What a way to confuse people who don't have DVD-ROM drives to think that they can't use these free offers.

There is indeed a CD version of the snapper and many ATT freebies are distributed in them. Yet, he still chooses the keepcase for AOL. Hmmm.

 

[NeilEdwards]

Most of the time I am so happy to get a title on DVD, I don't care what kind of a case it is in. After all, it is all about the movie. A good transfer, OAR, and anamorphic when applicable.

 

[Gavin K]

Warner has certainly been a leader when it comes to DVD, and this grants them a certain leeway when it comes to experimentation. Trial and error is what leads to progress.
However, having said that, we see Sony trying out Superbit, NewLine and Infinifilm, Disney and the Vista Series, Fox and its five star line (with text commentaries and why letterbox? features). Almost all of these have been disected, discussed, and debated on this forum, and they are examples of studios trying, though not completely succeeding, at making a better product.
What do we see Warner Bros. do? Revert back to the VHS P&S mentality. Instead of looking forward, they have taken a tremendous step backwards, have insulted the very people they initially wanted to attract to this medium, and don't seem to care one bit about doing so. Even the rep who spoke with Ron did so out of anonymity. Was he that fearful of losing his job that he couldn't even speak openly to the loyal following that Warner Bros. themselves helped to cultivate?
Despite all of the good that Warners has done, it does not excuse their behavior of late.
They have lost two sales from me so far. And I have been waiting for the Iron Giant SE, as well as being able to watch Neverending Story with MY FAMILY in widescreen. I am very pessimistic, wary, and anxious to find out wether or not I will be purchasing these. I would assume a studio would want to cultivate anticipation and optimism in their consumer base, not the opposite.

 

[Jacob_St]

No love here. Warner has lied to us on several different occassions. A couple of examples are Eyes Wide Shut and the first Kubrick Collection. I also hate their no unrated NC-17 policy on DVDs. (I'm talking the Warner brand not it's subsidaries like New Line)
It's obvious to me that Warner does not consider what those of us on the hometheater forum want as very important. How else can you account for the full screen only Willy Wonka? Every request for that DVD I've ever seen at this site has demanded it be in widescreen.
[Edited last by Jacob_St on August 20, 2001 at 06:55 PM]

 

[Mark_TS]

Trace:
you wanted some hard data beside my 'opinion' on peoples feelings on Snappers-
here is but one poll, pretty unscientific, to be sure, but likely representative of most HT Sites....1,185 to 90! not even close...Im sure if we held a poll here it would prettty much mirror these results- if OZWB can change their mfg process to make consumers happy, USWB can too...
prefer KEEPS: 1185 - 77%
prefer SNAPPERS 90- 7%
dont care 256 - 16%
http://www.thebigpicturedvd.com/bigpicpoll.shtml?results&1
------------------
[Edited last by Mark_TS on August 20, 2001 at 10:17 PM]

 

[Trace Downing]

Alright, this poll was obvious as to who preferred Keepers over snappers, but it still doesn't answer my question.
This is a "preference poll" not a "Hatred" poll. You can't read into the amount of absolute hatred for snappers by a mere preference poll. Hatred meaning, those who refuse to buy a DVD just because it's in a snapper, regardless of how much they want it.
As far as Australia is concerned, I believe it had much more to do with finding a new packaging/distribution arm down there (like Village Roadshow, who I hear distributes all of WHV's titles), just to save on shipping costs, rather than Australians rioting in the streets over cardboard boxes. If they had snappers before, Ivy Hill had to have made them in The U.S., and ship them over. This way WAMO just sends the discs flat (unpackaged), and has someone else package them once they're off the ships. Is that not plausable?

 

[Cees Alons]

Mark,
Now I'm in a minority - does that make me illegal?
Cees

 

[Mark_TS]

Cees
er......., I don' think so........HOWEVER!
Let me check with my attorneys-

------------------
[Edited last by Mark_TS on August 22, 2001 at 09:46 PM]

 

[Joseph S]

Trace:
You still haven't addressed why AOL switched from a cardboard backed shrinkwraped CD to a standard keepcase package for distribution?
You stated that Steve Case wouldn't "like the way he looked" if Warner Bros. used keepcases for their DVD titles.
Yet, he does not use the CD version of the snapper widely distributed with items like ATT CD freebies. (CD version specified due to your response that they don't use a snapper, because the DVD tray says "DVD")
AOL is his company. If he chose the keepcase, then obviously he believes the snapper just isn't of good enough quality to sell his product.
Do you work for Ivy Hill??

 

[Mark_TS]

Trace-
'Snapper hating' is kind of a false issue...why go that route?
There are few or none who will not buy a disc for that reason- (or perhaps as many as who WONT buy a disc becasue it is in a keep)
I think most people grudgingly or not buy snappers- I have plenty of them in my collection-
the issue we are talking about is peoples *preferences* in terms of DVD cases- not as earthshaking as OAR, perhaps, but still a VALID issue...
...and it would sure be nice if WARNER, the last holdout, *listened* to our preferences on the issue, as with OAR issues...
we can now apparantly agree that in the DVD world anywhere from a slim to an overwhelming majority of people prefer and would like to see their DVDs in Keepcases. (well, except maybe J6P...but we all *know* about them!

To first cast people who prefer, or 'agitate' for Keeps as somehow 'goofy' and, *only* a minority not to be taken seriously, then, when shown information to the contrary, portraying yourself as an 'abused' minority is certainly not where this discussion needs to go...
you may catch me opining that the *Snapper* is goofy, from a practical and aesthetic point of view, but not infering that the people who use them are...
In short, no 'moral majority' of keeplovers is out to get you-
I am making a point here- NOT trying to make God, Apple pie, the Flag or the Snapper illegal... anyways...
Your theory on AUSTRALIA is interesting....but, I recall seeing a DVD site from Austrailia (Roger if youre reading maybe you have the link) which I thought stated that it was due to a letter writing campaign, and public pressure, not economics or "rioting in the streets" as you put it, that was the REAL reason WB OZ ditched the snapper...and I thought it was stated they had their own 'Ivy Hill' AND disc replication plant down there...I believe it is DAT/A...a WB subsidiary?
there should be no reason WB couldnt manufacture their own brand of 'Keep' at Ivy Hill, thus keeping the plant working...
no one seems to think that the majority of us here who like our films in OAR are tyrants....ergo, the majority who seem to prefer the Keep ( or 'despise' the snap)should count themselves in with the same fine company...

(c'mon! a joke!!)
------------------

 

[Cees Alons]

The problem is.. it looks like the majority (OK, not on this forum...) wants P&S. That's why I'm not impressed by "majorities" (until about 1500 AD the "majority" believed the earth to be flat).
Also, I don't think we should always yield to majorities (and when would it start to count anyway, at 51% or at 75%?), because then I wouldn't be able to read (view) several of my currently highly valued books, films, etc.
I'm in favour of a choice for every person. So, to be consistent, I would say: Warner should give us a choice, keepcase or snapper

.
At least two versions in the shops (or perhaps four: snapper/keep and P&S/OAR)

!
Cees
[Edited last by Cees Alons on August 23, 2001 at 07:22 AM]

 

[Trace Downing]

Mark, excuse me, I don't have cookies at work but, here's your quote...
"Snapper hating is kind of a non- issue.." or something like that. I'm sorry if it's not exact.
Please go back, and read the first 3-4 posts on this thread, and my first response. Someone said "DISLIKE", I responded in that context, assuming it was hatred for them, and was subsequently called to the mat for it, because the issue had "changed" to make the anti-snappy appear more reasonable.
HATE was the central issue of this particular thread, not preference.
[Edited last by Trace Downing on August 23, 2001 at 09:35 AM]

 

[Trace Downing]

For the record...
My favorite package, unfortunately came 3 years too late. I don't really mind either the keeper or snapper, but I really prefer the 6" Super Jewel Box Plus that DVD audio/DTS audios come in.
I believe it'll be standard on DVD-A, but I really don't think they'll ever publish a DVD-V in one.
Why these?
It's just slightly larger than a DVD itself. I never understood all the effort and money involved to develop a format that is smaller than VHS, yet pack them in boxes the same size as VHS. It's just screwy to me.
It's slightly larger that the "old" jewels, so theres that product differentiation, that retailers require.
Label flaps can be printed on all 4 spines, rendering the use of the white spine tape obsolete.
Keeps, and snaps both are too tall and thick. When a spindle breaks (and all cases inevitably do) there's much more room for the disc to roam in them, exposing them to a lot of scratches, that a smaller, tighter case could help prevent.
It's stronger, and much more sturdy than the "old style" jewel box, using bigger hinges, and better plastic.
For every 8 keeps, or nine snappers, I could store 12 of these super jewels, and adjust my shelves to just over 6", rather than almost 8". By having these, I could almost double my storage space, given the adjustable shelving units that I have. Now I have 8" shelves for my DVDs, and 5" gaps that I can only fit CDs in...I already have a rack for them.
And, no, I don't work for Ivy Hill...sounds like it though, doesn't it?

Cest la' vie.
[Edited last by Trace Downing on August 23, 2001 at 09:58 AM]