I'm still confused why small quanity, non-chapter,
non-interactive video conversions need to be put on DVD-R
vs. a standard mpg-1 conversion for educational materials.
Perhaps for specialized video where higher res and detail is
necessary, but converting from VHS or S-VHS to DVD isn't
going to give any better resolution than the original.
Especially if typical playback will be on a TV set. I can't
see going for the extra initial cost, plus limiting playback
to DVD appliances or DVD equiped computers as being cost
effective.
Mark Richie
Jonathan Miller wrote:
>
> Dear Videolib experts:
>
> I would find it helpful if any one could comment on usability of DVD-Rs vs.
> DVD-videos (commercially replicated DVDs) in colleges and libraries - do
> you encounter any compatibility or other problems using DVD-Rs, or is that
> a thing of the past now?
>
> Thanks
>
> Jonathan Miller
>
> PS Generally the cost to make a small to medium quantity of DVD-Rs is
> greater than the cost of making VHS tapes, whereas the cost of replicating
> a large # of DVD-videos is lower than the cost of making VHS tapes (per
> unit made).
>
> At 03:00 PM 3/5/2003 -0800, you wrote:
> >I spoke with a sales rep at Films for Humanities about this right when
> >they started offering DVD's. I was told that Films is converting VHS's
> >to the DVD-R format on a title by title basis. The increased price
> >reflects staff time for conversion and is more expensive for the first
> >copy converted. I was also told that the price should come down once
> >multiple copies of a title are converted. But, you should know that
> >Films is only offering basic conversions without chapter encoding.
> >
> >Tom
> >
> >Thomas E. Herndon
> >Multimedia and Interdisciplinary Programs Librarian
> >Johnson Center Library
> >George Mason University
> >703-993-9047
> >703-993-9063 (fax)
> >
> >----- Original Message -----
> >From: "VENTURA, GERIE" <GVENTURA@highline.edu>
> >Date: Wednesday, March 5, 2003 3:25 pm
> >Subject: cost of DVD's
> >
> > > I'm probably violating email etiquette by doing this, and I'm
> > > sorry if it's someone on this list, but I think the issue is
> > > interesting.
> > > A librarian at our library forwarded this email (below) to me from
> > > another listserv. It brings up yet another interesting aspect in
> > > relation to DVD's, which I notice is a frequent topic of
> > > discussion lately.
> > >
> > > We are attempting to "up" our purchases in the DVD format.
> > >
> > > Have a great day.
> > >
> > > Gerie Ventura
> > > Highline Community College Library, Media Services
> > > Des Moines, WA
> > > e-mail: gventura@highline.edu
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > "I had a very strained conversation at ALA Midwinter with two reps
> > > from Films
> > > for the Humanities. As one of the most popular vendors of educational
> > > videos, they are at the top of our list when it comes to selecting
> > > titles.However, they have recently decided to charge an additional
> > > fee for the DVD
> > > format of any of their VHS titles. I asked for an explanation and
> > > got a very
> > > defensive vice president of sales practically in my face. She told
> > > me that
> > > there are digital licensing issues, hence the added fee.
> > >
> > > I noticed in Baker and Taylor today that there is no difference in the
> > > charge for the VHS format vs. the DVD format for many popular
> > > videos--some
> > > of them feature films, others produced by Kultur, for example,
> > > that are
> > > older films being re-released. They don't seem to have an issue
> > > wherein they
> > > add an extra cost."
> > >
> > >
>
> Jonathan Miller, President
> First Run / Icarus Films, Inc.
> 32 Court Street, 21st Floor
> Brooklyn, NY. 11201 USA
>
> Tel: 1.718.488.8900
> Fax: 1.718.488.8642
> Web: http://www.frif.com
> e mail: jmiller@frif.com