Paramount : Star Trek TNG Packaging (1 Viewer)

[Jonathan.e]

The most expensive part of any special packaging like this is always the moulds (in this case) or the die cuts (for any special design card packaging). The raw materials used to make the case are not expensive (plastic) so I don’t see why the existing R2 moulds (or a dupe set) could not have been used to manufacture the same packaging in R1. Over the kinds of quantities these sets will be manufactured in, packaging costs will be by far the smallest as opposed to disc manufacture. I’m not disputing that the R2 sets will be slightly more costly to manufacture and maybe (I said maybe) a little heavier to ship but the idea that they’re somehow adding $5, $10 or $15 to the cost of the set I just don’t buy it.

Seems the timing of revealing the R2 packaging is also unfortunate in that R1 people have been anticipating getting the same designs as R2 for most of this week. Any eventual difference in pricing between regions will more likely be down to the fact that we are overcharged for everything in Europe rather than because of an extra bit of plastic on the case.

I’ll be honest - I think the R1 packaging is terrible and even without having seen the (proposed) R2 I’d still think so.

 

[Nigel McN]

how about we wait till the R2 packaging is official till we compare the 2?

 

[Martin Blythe]

I believe what was posted on amazon.uk was indeed the R2 packaging.

 

[Sean Oneil]

I MUCH preferred the R2 packaging.

 

[Angsty]

*sigh*
Well, as R4 is not getting ANY release of TNG in 2002, looks like my money is going to the R2 version
Angela

 

[Nigel McN]

Thanks for the info Martin.

Are you able to tell us anything about the process of converting TNG to R2? ie will it be a ntsc -> pal conversion or something else

Thanks

 

[Andrea W]

I would pay extra for the R2 cases.

 

[Duncan Harvey]

May not be your area Martin, but like the previous poster I'd have a question about the PAL releases of TNG.

Seasons 1+2 were standards converted prior to the introduction of the DEFT process, and as a result look noticably inferior. Do you know if these two seasons have been reconverted using DEFT in order to improve the quality.

Everything from season three of TNG onwards (ie all of DS9 and Voyager and Enterprise) has used DEFT and it would be a shame to see seasons 1+2 of TNG transferred to PAL DVD using the inferior method of standards conversion.

I'll probably stick to R1 as I try to watch material in its native format, but would be curious to know all the same.

 

[Martin Blythe]

Yes R2 has to involve a conversion to PAL, but it's off original materials and it's all DEFT. The only perceptible differences from season 1 through 7 will be from the fact that each season gets closer to the present, thus there is gradual improvement in the images, if you get what I mean. The best news overall would have to be the 5.1 though - it sounds great!

 

[Frank Anderson]

The best news overall would have to be the 5.1 though - it sounds great!

I can't wait!!!

 

[Duncan Harvey]

Thanks Martin - good to hear that seasons 1+2 have been upgraded!
5.1 might even make Encounter at Farpoint watchable!
"Great joy and gratitude" from all of us!

 

[Fun_T]

hi all,
i'm interested in resurrecting this request. i've written to Martin of Paramount, but he won't budge unless others are (still) interested. anybody else still interested in Paramount releasing the cool R2 dvd plastic cases here in the US? for those that are, please post your replies or send him e-mail. thanks!
here's my letter to him from this morning:
From: [email protected]
Date: Thursday, June 12, 2003 04:32 pm
Subject: Re: ST:TNG R2 cases
sorry - hardly anybody expressed interest so I just let it go
To: [email protected]
cc:
Subject: ST:TNG R2 cases
greetings Martin,
i was looking into an old thread that you had replied to regarding the packaging difference between the R2 and R1 versions of ST:TNG Season box sets (http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htfo...threadid=38069). after having purchased all of the R1 sets, and having seen the R2 versions first hand during a recent vacation to Europe, i'm still wondering if there is any way you would still consider making just the plastic R2 cases available to R1 customers, either as a fan club or mail-away exclusive. while the R1 cases are unique, i find that they do not stay closed well (they tend to open up due to a lack of closing mechanism); they are also prone to wear due to their cardboard nature.
if the current R1 boxes can fit into the R2 plastic shells, that would be awesome. simply, the R2 plastic cases are more beautiful (and durable) mementos, very reminiscent to the toolkit props seen on the series. i understand there is a cost factor involved. but if it could be done even only on a temporary basis, that would be awesome.
what do you think?
thanks for your consideration. i hope this e-mail reaches you, as you are the best person to ask about this.

 

[Jack Briggs]

When packaging supercedes the product contained therein in terms of importance...

What's wrong with the current packaging? It looks great. And I like having all seven seasons at my fingertips. One thing I've noticed: I spend far more time watching the episodes than I do the boxes they came in. Really.

 

[Fun_T]

i hope this doesn't turn into one of those discussions about content versus packaging. i'm simply curious as to the possibility of plastic cases to hold the flimsy R1 cardboard boxes that won't stay closed.

 

[BrettN]

Fun_T,

That's a good letter...please let us know if anything comes of it, as I would also be interested in a set of the plastic cases.

-Brett

 

[Andrea W]

I'm still interested in getting the R2 packaging. For those that don't know what it looks like:

 

[Mark_Wilson]

I bought one season of R2 in the plastic case. It looks cools but is very cheap. I won't get any more of them. I will buy one season of DS9 just to have one case though.

 

[Spero D]

I would buy the cases also.

Spero D.

 

[Mikel_Cooperman]

I think the UK pacakging is much better too. Mine is already falling apart.

Sure they saved some bucks but for 100.00 I think they could have done more for the fans.

 

[DanHaya]

I've already switched to Amaray 7-disc cases and printed up the cover art created by Ric Easton...but I'd consider buy the R2 cases if they were made available to us. I don't really understand why they would have different cases for different regions, anyway...it doesn't make much sense to me.

I will say that I prefer the digipak cases they are using for DS9 simply because they are so compact. I don't know about anyone else, but I am almost out of shelf space...and those DS9 cases take up a lot less space than most other 7-disc sets.