When a TV Show on DVD is Compiled... (1 Viewer)

[ClassicTVMan1981X]

What kind of DVD discs do such home media divisions use to put as many shows as possible without sacrificing the quality or original time length? As with VHS tapes, picture quality is reduced somewhat if many episodes are stuffed onto one disc if the wrong type is used. Typically, a DVD disc is 4.7 GB, which is only comfortable holding up to 120 minutes, or roughly 4 half-hours.

For example, on the Brady Bunch Season 1 DVD set, the first disc has seven episodes burned onto it, which without commercials is about 175 minutes long total.

But it gets problematic with longer shows like the freshly-released The Young Lawyers and Petrocelli. The pilots for these respective series alone were both 90 minutes long (or 75 minutes less commercials), but the standard episodes all average up to about 50 minutes without commercials. A single 4.7 GB DVD will not handle more than two episodes of shows of this length without sacrificing picture quality, which is why I believe they used dual-layer DVDs for these two series.

Regarding VHS tapes, SP (standard play) mode provides the best picture quality. Up to 4 half-hours can fit comfortably into a T-120 tape without losing this quality. The T-240 tape can hold up to 4 full hours in SP mode, but this format is rare.

~Ben

 

[jcroy]

DVD9 discs with two layers, that are pressed. (ie. Not burned).

 

[jcroy]

Usually when I see a disc that is single-layered with no encryption on the computer, I start to suspect it might be a counterfeit.

 

[Carabimero]

Not all compression is created equally either. Sometimes better compression allows for sharper image with even more content.

 

[jcroy]

Somebody who is an expert in practical hands-on video compression, can probably do a masterpiece with less.

For example, such as the compression-hell bluray season sets released by Warner over the past several years with six or more 40-45 minute episodes per bluray disc.

Recent Warner tv season sets have as many as eight 40-45 minute episodes per bluray disc, such as Vampire Diaries season 7, Legends of Tomorrow season 1, etc ...

 

[bmasters9]

For example, such as the compression-hell bluray season sets released by Warner over the past several years with six or more 40-45 minute episodes per bluray disc.

And Mill Creek is common for doing this on DVD as well; the first two second-season discs in the Mill Creek DVD lot release of Charlie's Angels each have seven shows on them.

 

[jcroy]

I suspect the video compressors that Warner has hired over the past several years, are probably experts. This is judging by the picture quality of 6+ episodes per bluray discs I have watched over the past several years. (Stuff like the revived Nikita, Person of Interest, etc ...).

In the case of Mill Creek, I get the impression the video compression guys they hired to do their dvd discs, are either complete amateurs and/or they're using dumb "static" compression program such as "DVDshrink".