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TV on DVD: DVD5, DVD9, DVD10, DVD18... (1 Viewer)

ClassicTVMan1981X

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Is it true that the following original DVD releases of such shows as Star Trek (The Original Series), Mission: Impossible, The Brady Bunch, Happy Days, Laverne & Shirley, Taxi, Mork & Mindy and Cheers had used single-layer DVD5 and/or DVD9 discs?

For example, I'd say The Brady Bunch and Happy Days used single-layer, single-sided DVD5 discs, whereas such longer-form shows as Star Trek, Mission: Impossible (original 1966) and MacGyver (original 1985) went for either the single-sided DVD9 and (in some cases) one dual-sided DVD18 to house some of the last episodes.

To use another example, season 2 of the classic Mission: Impossible had 25 one-hour episodes, primarily four on a single-sided DVD9, while I think the last five of these went onto a dual-sided DVD18 disc (episodes 21-23 on side 1 and 24-25 on side 2).

~Ben
 

jcroy

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Once the dvd disc manufacturing folks got the DVD9 process down pat to a science, it would be superfluous to author discs in the single-layer DVD5 format.

As to why some movie companies continued to do things as DVD5 (or DVD10 double-sided flippers), most likely it is due to laziness or misguided decisions from a clueless executive.
 

jcroy

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The only scenario where DVD5 or DVD10 made any sense, was back in the day at the dawn of the dvd era in the late-1990s. At the time, I wouldn't be surprised if the technical kinks in the disc manufacturing process wasn't entirely worked out yet.
 

jcroy

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The DVD10 flippers I had, were typically movies released by Sony or MGM where they had a widescreen version on one side and the 4:3 fullscreen version on the other side.

I'm guessing doing double-sided discs wasn't an issue, considering laserdiscs were frequently done as double-sided flipper discs for many years previously prior to 1997 (ie. the dawn of dvd).
 

ClassicTVMan1981X

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I would guess the use of single-side DVD9 discs these days is why so much more can be fitted onto one disc than in years past, like with those titles VEI is presently releasing. I do understand the "kinks" that some of the longer-format DVDs have, like freezing.

Their release of The Bad News Bears (1979-80) has the entire second season's 14 episodes onto one disc. Had they been DVD5s, then it would have become a 4-disc set, with season 1 divided across the first 2 discs (6 episodes per disc), and the season 2 run divided across discs 3-4 (7 episodes per disc).

Shout! Factory's releases of Webster had as many as 8 episodes per disc (I think it was still DVD5).

~Ben
 
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bmasters9

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To use another example, season 2 of the classic Mission: Impossible had 25 one-hour episodes, primarily four on a single-sided DVD9, while I think the last five of these went onto a dual-sided DVD18 disc (episodes 21-23 on side 1 and 24-25 on side 2).

Are you sure about that? I've never known CBS (in all the series I've gotten that they have made) to use doubles.
 

jcroy

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The dumbest use of DVD10 discs were season sets like:

- Alien Nation complete series
- The Addams Family (volumes 1 to 3)
- The Lone Gunmen
- Christy
- Reba

and maybe a few others, such as

- The White Shadow season 1
- the first season 1 dvd release of the original Dynasty
- Dharma & Greg season 1
- Bob Newhart Show seasons 1-4


These were all released by Fox in the mid-2000s. Most likely 2005-2007 was long after all the technical kinks were already worked out and settled for DVD9 discs.

Most likely this was a case of a clueless executive at Fox making the decision to use DVD10 discs for these dvd season sets.
 

jcroy

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In the case of DVD14 and DVD18 type flipper discs, I wouldn't be surprised if they were oriignally "sold" as a cost savings measure to movie company executives.

Unfortunately the dvd disc manufacturers were never able to iron out the kinks in the manufacturing process for DVD14 and DVD18 discs. These flippers were largely abandoned for then-current titles, when Universal, Warner, Fox, etc ... were getting back too many returns of "defective product".

No point in releasing new stuff in this format anymore.
 

jcroy

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In terms of past precedent, only Universal, Warner, AnchorBay and Fox/MGM really used double-sided flippers discs (dvd10, dvd14,dvd18) for their tv season sets.

As far as I can figure out, CBS/Paramount, Lionsgate, Sony, Disney/BuenaVista/ABC, etc ... didn't appear to used double-sided flipper discs for their tv show seasons sets.
 

Harry-N

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TIME TUNNEL, VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA, and LAND OF THE GIANTS are all on flippers on DVD. So is MGMs OUTER LIMITS.

Thankfully TIME TUNNEL on Blu is single-sided, as are the new OUTER LIMITS Blu.
 

John*Wells

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The West Wing Season Sets that I have on the flippers are full of Skips, freezes etc etc Ive been hoping they would be rereleased on single side discs
 

jcroy

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The West Wing Season Sets that I have on the flippers are full of Skips, freezes etc etc Ive been hoping they would be rereleased on single side discs

Seasons 1-3 were 7 single-sided discs per season, in the complete series set.
 

Harry-N

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If I read that right, the seventh disc has the last episode and some bonus material, right?

~Ben

No. In the original MISSION; IMPOSSIBLE S2 set on DVD, it broke out as follows.
All discs are single sided with artwork on the face.
Discs 1 through 4 all have four episodes each.
Discs 5 through 7 all have three episodes each.
 

jcroy

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If you want to know what the layouts are for a particular dvd set, one can check the listing for the title on barnes and noble's web site.
 

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