Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Dumb DVD authoring (TV show packages)

This is topic Dumb DVD authoring (TV show packages) in forum The Afterlife at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 09-21-2005, 08:37 PM:

So I bought the 3-disk set of "Dragnet 1967." (I was having a nostalgic fit)

I am convinced that whoever authors these things never has to actually take them home and watch them.

First, in typical Universal fashion, you get "Previews" when you start the disk. The previews aren't chapterized, so you can't skip over ones you don't want to see. You can hit "menu" to get out of them (and then sit thru 15 seconds of the FBI anti-piracy screen), but I shouldn't have to do that every frickin' time I load this disk up.

Then, EVERY SINGLE EPISODE is preceded by the same animated Universal logo that you see in theatres. I do like the Universal logo -- it's one of my favorites -- but, I don't need 17 copies of the damn thing.

Maybe you can skip ahead over the logo to the beginning of the episode.... but NOPE! If you hit the chapter-skip, it goes to the first commercial break, skipping over the show opening ("This is the city...Los Angeles, California") and the credits.

The disks are laid out strangely, too. Disk 1 contains 14 epidsodes on two sides. Disk 2 looks like a two-sided disk, but only has 3 episodes on it.

This is all the more aggravating because other than these points, the set is very nicely made. The episode chapters are even individually named. The box it all comes in is embossed and very classy-looking, and the film transfer is excellent. They also included a bonus 3rd disk with an episode of the Dragnet radio show from the '50s.

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 09-22-2005, 12:22 AM:

..now you can copy all of these discs with a DVD ripping program, or a recording program that can convert those back to MPEG2 files, then use your DVD edit program, to cut out what you don't want and burn your own edited discs of this set.. -then keep the original discs in your library for archive purposes....

..just don't sell your copies..(lol)

-Monte

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 09-22-2005, 12:36 AM:

DVD Shrink does a wonderful job of this. I simply cannot stand the FBI warnings and DVD bullshit menus on today's discs and this program lets me delete all of that crap.

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 09-22-2005, 12:41 AM:

Hey, Brad. That link didn't work. Maybe edit your link without the "what.html" then maybe, it might work. thx-Monte

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 09-22-2005, 01:54 AM:

I just clicked it...works fine.

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 09-22-2005, 02:35 AM:

Gotcha! Site works now..

That program is pretty slick!

thx-Monte

[ 09-22-2005, 03:47 AM: Message edited by: Monte L Fullmer ]

Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 09-22-2005, 04:51 AM:

I agree, edit that crap out. Maybe you can even make your own chapter markers. I am surprised that they didn't just have ONE Universal logo and just reference it when any episode is clicked, and then go from that to the appropriate episode. Very poor authoring. I hope the individuals responsible for authoring that DVD set get West Nile Virus and die, along with the rest of their entire families (can't have them breeding more stupidity into the world).

Delete the FBI warnings. They serve no purpose and deter no one. They make viewing legitimately purchased DVDs a pain. No wonder pre-shrinked DVD files are so popular to download, all of the BS has already been done away with. The studios are really digging their own grave. I am convinced that most people who work for the studios are not real people, but rather inferior beings from the planet Greedus Moronica. I support their genocide.