We have found that even the best DVD-Rs are not that great.
In my opinion, one must really want the content badly to go for a DVD-R. Your search for sound & video ends here! Jay Sonin, General Manager Music Hunter Distributing Company 25-58 34th Street, Suite # 2 Astoria, NY 11103-4902 [email protected] 718-777-1949 From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Meghann Matwichuk Sent: Tuesday, April 19, 2011 2:21 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [Videolib] Fw: DVD R Not all DVD-Rs are created equally, and that's our biggest problem with them. Sometimes they are a straight VHS to DVD transfer without authoring (e.g. no menus, chapter breaks, etc.); sometimes they are very professionally produced and it's difficult to tell the difference between a DVD and a DVD-R. Because of the inconsistency in playback, we've affixed a brightly-colored label to all DVD-R cases suggesting that instructors check to be sure their equipment will play the disc before their scheduled class-time. I've come to see them as a necessary evil of sorts -- with economies of scale, it's simply the only way many specialized educational videos will ever be released on DVD. However, it is very frustrating to run across the cheaply-made ones (which are often sold at an institutional price) that do not play without skips and pixelations, or will only play on a handful of machines. Another pet peeve is when VHS programs are transferred to DVD-R with little quality oversight. We recently had a very frustrating instance where we sent back a FMG title no less than four times because portions were subtitled, and the change in aspect ratios meant that the subtitles were masked out in the DVD transfer. The subtitles could only be read when viewed on a computer screen, and although the content would have been very useful, we decided to eventually cancel our order since we can't control what will be used to play back our programs. ************************* Meghann Matwichuk, M.S. Associate Librarian Instructional Media Collection Department Morris Library, University of Delaware 181 S. College Ave. Newark, DE 19717 (302) 831-1475 http://www.lib.udel.edu/ud/instructionalmedia/ On 4/19/2011 1:53 PM, CROWLEY, CHRISTINE wrote: Yeecchhh. We avoid them when possible. They are simply transfers to DVD format from a VHS tape and are not chaptered ( one of the characteristics people are looking for on a DVD). If I am wrong, I am sure someone on the list will hasten to correct me. The advantage is that you may not have VHS capability anymore (because some dunderhead on campus has put them all out to pasture) so the DVD-R is better than not having it at all. Christine Crowley Dean of Learning Resources Adjunct Faculty, Theatre Northwest Vista College 3535 N. Ellison Dr. San Antonio, TX 78251 210.486.4572 voice 210.486.4504 fax " <http://thinkexist.com/quotation/a_sense_of_humor_is_part_of_the_art_of_lead ership/159947.html> A sense of humor is part of the art of leadership, of getting along with people, of getting things done"--Dwight David Eisenhower From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of [email protected] Sent: Tuesday, April 19, 2011 12:47 PM To: [email protected] Subject: [Videolib] Fw: DVD R Lisa Flanzraich Media and Reference Librarian Benjamin S. Rosenthal Library Queens College Room 344 718-997-3673 ----- Forwarded by Lisa Flanzraich/LIB/Staff/Queens College on 04/19/2011 01:46 PM ----- Dear Colleagues, I have a colleague who has asked me in general about the quality of DVD-R recordings. Truthfully, I am not an expert about this, so I am relying on the experts on this list. Thanks so much for your help. Lisa Flanzraich Media and Reference Librarian Benjamin S. Rosenthal Library Queens College Room 344 718-997-3673 VIDEOLIB is intended to encourage the broad and lively discussion of issues relating to the selection, evaluation, acquisition,bibliographic control, preservation, and use of current and evolving video formats in libraries and related institutions. It is hoped that the list will serve as an effective working tool for video librarians, as well as a channel of communication between libraries,educational institutions, and video producers and distributors.
VIDEOLIB is intended to encourage the broad and lively discussion of issues relating to the selection, evaluation, acquisition,bibliographic control, preservation, and use of current and evolving video formats in libraries and related institutions. It is hoped that the list will serve as an effective working tool for video librarians, as well as a channel of communication between libraries,educational institutions, and video producers and distributors.
