Another reason to buy the 2008 DVDs

[Peel Paint]

Why are they changing the top 6 DVD format?

This is awesome news but couldn't they have just adjusted the 7-12 DVD instead? Seeing how on a 1-6 DVD you get high/perc/guard angles plus 2 commentary (perc/guard/GE/staff). That seems like a lot of info for 2 corps on one DVD, which makes me believe they could fit a multi and high cam for 6 corps on just one DVD.

I'm just guessing here, obviously. Maybe at some point DCI will explain the actual reasoning behind it. I will guess that they could do what you have in mind for 7-12, but can't do what you want for 1-6 and still have percussion cam and guard cam with anamorphic widescreen, which may market-test out as the higher priority. (It is for me. People who have a big-screen HDTV will LOVE anamorphic widescreen on High Cam. It will look way better than the 2007 DVDs.) I'm guessing if they did all that for each of the top six, they wouldn't be able to fit more than one corps per DVD, and maybe the price point goes up too much if they make it a 7 DVD set. Maybe there was resentment from fans of corps 7-12 who didn't get the same treatment as top 6.

Now on BluRay, they could probably do it all including anamorphic widescreen, guard cam, percussion cam, high cam, director's edit, plus the commentary tracks for the top 12 and fit them all on one (at most two) BluRay DVDs. But I don't think they'd sell enough of those yet to make it worth their while. The price would probably be considerably higher than $99 (media costs are magnitudes higher, and production costs are higher at 1080p), as discussed in an earlier thread. Not many people yet have BluRay players, and I don't think the 2008 finals were recorded on 1080p gear, anyway.

Edited August 14, 2008 by Peel Paint

[bartyount]

I personally never watched the guard/percussion angles so the trade-off of getting high cams for all the corps is a win for me. However, I'm afraid that we have probably lost the commentary/judge tracks to save space on the discs. The commentaries were the best part of the DVD package in my opinion.

Before: 2 corps per disc, 4 angles each = 8 video tracks.

2008: 6 corps per disc, 2 angles each = 12 video tracks. <= Need more room on these discs.

If the DVDs don't include the commentaries, I wish the corps would make a commentary podcast for the show. Maybe DCI could make it available on the Fan Network and make it available for download, etc.

[drumcat]

Now the real question... will they include the intros that are missing from the APDs... phantom, bluecoats, blue stars....all miss a LOT if those arent on there... and really need to be on that recording.

Two things...

You'll find that the APDs include those running intros in non-Championship events when available.

The Board sets the rules for what is put on the media. As a competition, they set a standard fair for all. Remember those running starts are not judged, and are a "warm-up". If you want that sort of stuff changed, your local Board member is who to talk to.

[Chris Rohn]

Also:

All the World Corps are on the CD's this year!

AWESOME!

I just about jumped for joy when I saw that. My Top-12 CD's for the last two years look so wimpy next to all of my Top-21 sets.

Thank you, DCI!

[tim_brandt]

Finally!!!!

I hope that encore is on there. I wouls love to see that again. (and again and again)

[AlexL]

Two things...

You'll find that the APDs include those running intros in non-Championship events when available.

The Board sets the rules for what is put on the media. As a competition, they set a standard fair for all. Remember those running starts are not judged, and are a "warm-up". If you want that sort of stuff changed, your local Board member is who to talk to.

For $100, they should be on there. imho, and I will be extremely disappointed if they are not.

[Phillygwm]

Now on BluRay, they could probably do it all including anamorphic widescreen, guard cam, percussion cam, high cam, director's edit, plus the commentary tracks for the top 12 and fit them all on one (at most two) BluRay DVDs. But I don't think they'd sell enough of those yet to make it worth their while. The price would probably be considerably higher than $99 (media costs are magnitudes higher, and production costs are higher at 1080p), as discussed in an earlier thread. Not many people yet have BluRay players, and I don't think the 2008 finals were recorded on 1080p gear, anyway.

And in 1981 few people had VHS but it caught on eventually.

Since we know BluRay will be the standard, DCI should be recording in 1080p so they can market the discs not only now but in the future. Not to mention, watching the cinecasts in 480i is pretty painful.

[User412]

And in 1981 few people had VHS but it caught on eventually.

Since we know BluRay will be the standard, DCI should be recording in 1080p so they can market the discs not only now but in the future. Not to mention, watching the cinecasts in 480i is pretty painful.

Says someone whos TV knows the difference. I, without all the fancy equipment, wish I could get content over technology. Did DCI ever market on 8 track because of this same logic. HDDVDs are gone BluRay has won. Technology comes and goes.

I still want DCI to stay on top of things. I am just leary of them sacrificing for the latest gizmos. I would give up some of this stuff I can't even afford to enjoy in order to get Drum Corps content. Besides, five years from now there will be another latest craze everyone is shelling out for. Might as well focus on content when possible.

[Elendil850]

Says someone whos TV knows the difference. I, without all the fancy equipment, wish I could get content over technology. Did DCI ever market on 8 track because of this same logic. HDDVDs are gone BluRay has won. Technology comes and goes.

I still want DCI to stay on top of things. I am just leary of them sacrificing for the latest gizmos. I would give up some of this stuff I can't even afford to enjoy in order to get Drum Corps content. Besides, five years from now there will be another latest craze everyone is shelling out for. Might as well focus on content when possible.

Actually, if DCI used Blu-Ray discs, they have enough capacity to hold even MORE features than we've ever had before. And it would be nice to watch clear forms on the HDTV!!

[Peel Paint]

And in 1981 few people had VHS but it caught on eventually.

Since we know BluRay will be the standard, DCI should be recording in 1080p so they can market the discs not only now but in the future. Not to mention, watching the cinecasts in 480i is pretty painful.

Assuming they didn't record this in 1080p, which I don't really know for sure, I'd guess that the reasoning is that this was a summer in which they were trying to be fiscally responsible and not spend new money on marginal returns. I could be mistaken about this, too, but I believe that the production costs are significantly higher in 1080p, and that the returns on reselling old video are limited. I believe by their actions that DCI sees the future of media sales in the download model, not the disc model. It's still a ways off for video if not audio, granted, but that's the way we're going. I'm not convinced yet that BluRay will catch on the way VHS and DVD did, though the promise is better than a year ago, and DCI may not yet be sure about it, either. In any event, I don't think they wanted to spend the money on a niche project this year, and that may have been the smart call.

If you have a really big HDTV set, yes, 480i can be painful especially when recorded in 4:3, but on moderate sized HDTVs, 480i recorded in anamorphic widescreen with limited compression is still pretty good on an upconverting DVD player and should look noticeably better than earlier DVD years. I would not generally characterize it as painful, but of course, everyone's mileage varies depending on equipment and sensitivity.

Edited August 15, 2008 by Peel Paint