Warner's snapper cases: Is it just me???....... (1 Viewer)

[Jeff Ulmer]

while snappers are much more durable in shipment.

Not in my experience. I have at least a dozen snappers that were beat to a pulp in shipping, and because they are cardboard, they can't simply be moved to another case. The covers were creased beyond redemption.
I pretty much avoid buying snappers anymore, I can't remember the last Warner title I purchased. Snappers suck.

 

[Justin Lane]

A properly done snapper case is light years beyond an Amray when it comes to artwork. Much nicer overall presentation.

J

 

[Michael Moulton]

I love snapper hubs, but hate the rest of the case. Keep cases with the snapper hub would be great.

Somebody mentioned jewel cases as being a better choice... one advantage jewel cases have is, even if a disc comes off the hub, there is virtually no space for it to slide around. In a DVD case, the disc can slide up and down in the case, across the hub, scratching it. That, IMHO, is the fundamental flaw in DVD packaging.

 

[Ricardo C]

I just can't get past the cardboard issue. We finally have a REALLY durable medium for our movies, and they package it in cardboard? Come on.

 

[Walter Kittel]

I can't say that I have a preference. I believe that both cases have their good and bad points. In terms of protecting the disc, I prefer snappers due to their superior hub design. I've been collecting DVDs since 1997 and in all that time, one snapper hub has been damaged. On the other hand, I've had numerous discs scuffed in shipment due to broken hubs on Amray style cases.

Regarding durability, I've been collecting cardboard cover Laser discs for over 10 years and none of them has been damaged while in my care. If you want to argue aesthetics, fine; but the cardboard snapper covers have been extremely durable in my experience.

And while I prefer to not comment upon other's behaviour, since it is really none of my business, I sincerely hope that the comments about not purchasing titles due to snapper cases is hyperbole, as I have a difficult time fathoming why anyone would allow a case design to dictate their choice in films. No offense to those who've made those statements, but I hope you are exaggerating.

- Walter.

 

[Seth Paxton]

They used to kinda of bug me, but now due to attrition I could give a shit.
Just give me my movie.
Of course 2 things that do still bug me about Snappers - no chance to replace them if they get damaged (like coke spilled on the cover). You have to switch to a Keep case then, and they don't hold booklets of any sort (that I can think of). The cheap 2 page things are usually boring, but some films come with very nice little booklets, something no Snapper appears ready to do.
I also like how you can pop open a Keep and let it act as it's own upright stand. Do that with a Snapper and you get a funky lean.
But with cardboard, paper and foam rubber speciality cases in the house does it really matter anymore?
No jewel cases, I need bookends I can read.

 

[oscar_merkx]

Hi
This is what I found on the www.dvddebate.com website regarding snappers and Harry Potter. This is just the tip of the iceberg, since there is much more
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After the viewing, we got to meet a representative of Warner, who answered a few questions for us.
First up was the issue of Snapper Cases. We asked them whether they had any plans to move to Amarays. The answer was two-fold. Firstly, although they are aware that customers are not happy with this form of packaging, economics state that an abandonment of the format is not imminent. However, some special releases are already being released in other ways (Harry Potter and The Matrix Revisited being two recent examples). In the future things may possibly change, but not for a while.
Secondly, some of you had asked about a Nimbus Two Thousand Box Set of Harry Potter as pictured on the web. This is a fake, and there are no plans to release any other version of Harry Potter at present.
A lot of people were concerned about the lack of a Commentary on Harry Potter. This was taken as a conscious decision, due to the potential market for the disc. There are certainly no current plans to ever record a Harry Potter commentary.
Another big concern of our readers has been the recent trend in region 4 for Warner to release DVDs in Pan & Scan format. However, it was confirmed to us last night, that Warner remain committed to Widescreen in the UK. The only time a Pan & Scan title is released in the UK it will be alongside a widescreen version, as with Harry Potter. This can only be good news for the Region two market, and we can all breathe a sigh of relief that Warner's excellent transfers will not be marred by being cropped.
Finally, we were interested to know whether there were any plans for the re-release of True Romance in the UK - a film that Warner holds the rights to. I can't say too much at this stage - but if you are interested in this release, I can tell you to watch this site very carefully.
Finally, our thanks go out to Warner for being so helpful and allowing us to view this DVD so early.
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This is great to hear that the the disc will be truly innovative as the only way to watch the Deleted Scenes is through easter eggs, but no commentary because it might hurt the DVD sounds implosable. I guess you cannot please everybody and yes it is geared towards kids.
www.dvddebate.com
Oscar Merkx

 

[Frank Anderson]

Yee-Ming
I hate snappers as well. Most of my broken hubs have been snappers. Those little "teeth" just do not hold up. Anyway, you can get FREE replacements (only the plastic part, the trays, not the artwork) if you call Margaret Higgins at 212-741-1404.
Her email is [email protected]
Or you can write her at:
Margaret Higgins
Ivy Hill / WMS
375 Hudson Street
New York, NY 10014
What she will probably tell you to do is to send back the broken trays and she will send you new trays.

 

[JustinW]

Count me as one that hates snappers but luckily in Australia it is possible to get replacement covers with coverart slips for all of WB dvd's that were originally released in snappers and nothing new is released in snappers.

 

[John Berggren]

I'll take any opportunity to say how much I hate Warner's snapper cases. I don't see AOL changing this policy anytime soon though. Their internet division is shedding so much cash, they'll use the snapper savings to cushion the blow .

 

[Justin Lane]

Reading some more of the post, I find it funny no one complained about the packaging material back in the LD and VHS days. For the most part it was all paper/cardboard.

To give you another point of view, have you thought about what bitching about the snapper can lead to.... there is a factory somewhere pumping out these cases. Do away with the snapper and you cause people to lose their way of making a living. I for one would never want to see someone lose their job over somethins so INSIGNIFICANT as DVD packaging preference.

 

[Bjorn Olav Nyberg]

I like snapper cases. I think artwork looks better on the snappers.

I do not dislike keepcases in any way, but in my collection (I keep my DVD's in a bookshelf) the keepcases will become superficially scrathed, while snappers will not become scratched because of the plastic lining on top and bottom. Of course you can replace a keep case, but that is not really going to happen, because the keep cases would go back in a bookshelf again, and become scrathed again.

This is a very superficial critique of course, but in my collection, which is very well taken care of, snapper cases are the only ones who looks constantly brand new and unscrathed on the cover.

It is true that booklets are not packaged in snappers, and this is unfortunate. I have no idea why however, since many snappers I receive have got commercials in them, and I think almost all of them have that small "So many DVD's, so little time" commercial. I can't understand why they can't include booklets, if they can include those commercials.

The economics argument is that it is easier to automate the process of packaging snappers, because the DVD's can be inserted into the trays by machine, and the covers as well, thus it is cheaper to mass produce. Also, another argument will probably be that as long as this process and machinery is in place, it makes no sense to just toss it and not use it, at least not from the manufacturers viewpoint.

 

[Frank Anderson]

Do away with the snapper and you cause people to lose their way of making a living.

I doubt that they only make snapper trays. It is probably only one item in a long line of items they make... probably make the keepcases as well.

 

[Neil Joseph]

For me, I dislike the way they stack together. They get snagged against each other while you try to remove one from the shelf. I have not had a snapper go bad yet although I have heard others that have. How would you get a replacement snapper anyway? I like it when they have snapper artwork that folds over like The Matrix.

 

[Jack Briggs]

Well, aesthetically speaking, snappers look chintzy and cheap to me. I don't lose sleep over it, but I think keepcases have a more dignified look.

 

[Jeff Ulmer]

No, I was not kidding about avoiding snapper cases. With the number of titles out there, it is not hard to pass on a disc because of the case design, since, if the format stays around for any length of time I am sure I will eventually get titles I might want in an Amaray (like all the Image titles I have in snappers that are now out in Amarays).

If I really need to see a film I can rent it.

If I'm paying for something and need to make a choice, every detrimental factor plays a part in the buying decision, and longevity of packaging is among those considerations.

Snappers suck.

 

[Aaron Thomas]

Whatever case Universal tends to use works really for me.
Not only are they keepcases, but their hubs seem to be sturdy without requiring me to rip the dvd apart.
(Off the top of my head, I know they used it for MALLRATS and the original SLAP SHOT release.)
Universal cases are the best.
Aaron Thomas
While I don't hate snappers, there is that unfixable crease in the cover artwork on my NORTH BY NORTHWEST...

 

[JasenP]

Snappers make my ass twitch. This is a really old argument on the HTF, but I alays chime in with my "snappers suck" comment.

 

[Bryan]

I'll start with: I don't like snappers, but it doean't stop me from buying movies that are shipped in them.

The hubs do break in all types of cases that I can think of and when it does break in a snapper, you can't move the artwork to a different case like you can in the Amary. Though we could call Ms. Higgins (see page one of this thread), but I have extra Amary cases at home for replacements. You can't do that with snappers.

Finaly, DVDCoverart is a great site (thanks for feeling the pain) and I could replace all of them if need be, but I haven't... yet.

Last year they (Warner) did make a statement that they would move away from these cases. After reading the latest post on their stance, I guess it's gone on the back burner for a long while.

Bry

 

[Rob Tomlin]

at least one Home Theater Forum member who likes the things; he believes keepcases reflect too much room glare, interfering with his ability to enjoy the cover art.

In my opinion, there is definitely some validity to that point! Frankly, I believe that the Warner snappers look better in many ways since they are not covered with a shiny plastic! Just use some care, and they should be fine!