DCI Season Pass Review

[hsreed]

Being on the West Coast and getting cheated annually because all the shows with more than one or two Top 12 corps are somewhere east the Continental Divide (this weekend I'm going to the Westlake Village show with one Top 12 corps and my tickets were $22 each), I purchased a three month subscription to the DCI Season Pass. Even people on the West coast have DCI fixes that need fulfillment.

I like the availability of the service. As they say, something is better than nothing. The web Page is pretty easy to use. Tabs across the top give you access to the various elements available. I'll just go from left to right, exactly as set up on the web page.

TAB-DCI Audio Archives:

There are a load of DCI music files, most of which I already own. The Audio Archive section contains recordings you can stream at 64 Kbps via Windows Media Player and wma format. It sounds pretty good, but I also have a pretty nice speaker system hooked up to my computer. I like having the music available at the office. It's also pretty easy to capture the music being played through your computer, so if you want to build a great collection of drum corps, this is very beneficial.

TAB-APDs:

As a DCI Pass member, I can download an APD for $1.99 each. Non-members pay $2.99 for the same service. Well this section is a great option to make available, but shouldn't cost more to access the various recordings in my opinion or members should pay much less. Last year I paid for and downloaded one APD. Some of these recordings become available through internet sources, so I don't think this section is a huge winner. I probably won't use the service very much.

TAB-Summer Section: This section has four subsections. They are DCI Field Pass, Video Vignettes, Photo Gallery, and 2005 Live Coverage.

DCI Field Pass is DCI's version of Access Hollywood. This program offers news, a blast or two from the past, interviews with directors and members, etc. I'll probably listen to this section every so often.

Video Vignettes

This section seems like a collection of samples from various corps at performances and practices throughout the country as well as extended interviews with various drum corps personalities. There's a list of items you can check out and you simply click on the video you want to watch. Nice option, but I probably won't access it very often.

Photo Galleries contains pictures of drum corps members and groups. Here are the Kodak moments, but I will probably no use this section either.

2005 Live Event contains a collection of videos from various performances. Currently there is only one show available, Lisle Ill. The videos are snippets or samples of each individual show thus far, not the entire performance. There is a menu to choose the show. Select the show and you see what corps are available for review. This video section was the other reason I purchased the DCI Season Pass. This section needs to offer more of each performance. These little teaser trailers are simply advertisements to get you to a show. I don't think this section warrants membership. It's nice to have, but is much less than I expected. Since there has only been one show available, I'll hold off on my complete opinion on the value this section brings. If they don't offer more than a minute or so of each show, I would have to say it's not worth the money. It was interesting hearing Cavaliers play Jazz and see the Cadets uniform, but as a membership, the entire performance should be available.

TAB-Customer Support:

This tab helps people make the site usable with their computer and iPods.

TAB-My Season Pass:

This is where you manage your Season Pass account (billing, downloads, etc.)

That's the offering. For what it's worth, I can't completely endorse this product yet. It leaves me wanting more, which in my opinion makes this a commercial for the CDs, ADPs and DVDs. I bought the membership for two reasons. I want to hear current audio recordings from last night's show and want to see videos of the performance. Access to historical audio Top 12 DCI recordings is pretty nice, but I already own most of that stuff on CD and DVD. I don't value that fact that members have to pay $2 per ADP for 2005 recordings that non-members can buy for $3. I wouldn't mind paying something to download the file, but you cannot even stream just listen to the music. In the Archives section, you can stream all the music files or choose to download the file at a price. The same option should be available for 2005 audio files. Since there is only one show available and it's the first attempt, I look forward to DCI improving the video offerings available in the 2005 LIVE EVENT section. Once again, the first offering was simply a commercial. You see about a minute of each corps performance and the quality of the video was as close to barely acceptable as possible, but it was better than nothing. It probably doesn't take much time to upload the entire unedited performance to the server and disc space shouldn't be an issue, so I just don't see why the entire video of the show isn't available.

As it stands, I give this membership one out of five stars. That's a half star higher than it deserves because this is great technology and I hope DCI makes more of the things I want available. To get four or five stars, make streaming of 2005 ADPs available to members and show more of the individual corps performances under the 2005 Live Event section. Improvement to the quality of the video would be required to lock in a five star rating. Lastly, the ability to create personalized playlists in the Archives section would be nice.

I can tell you that if the content doesn't improve-meaning videos of the entire show and streamable or cheaper ADPs-I will not sign up next year.

[GmenBari78]

Great review. I would like to add that the quality of the live videos is better than last year, but I agree that they could be better and longer. Everything else you mentioned would be wanted as well - streaming APDs, cheaper audio downloads for SP members, add the 13+ placement and 2nd/3rd div corps, etc. I would be inclined to rate the overall service higher at 3 stars but only because I don't have the audio collection that you have and so its more of a benefit to me to have the audio archives available.

[bakerm16899]

I agree with the cost of the APDs. As a non-member, you only pay $1.00 more than a member for APD downloads.

The only benefit for members seems to be the option of live event coverage and videos.

Mark <**>

[OrlandoContraAlum]

So do I understand this correctly that the free streams that we enjoyed from major events last year, and the copious photo galleries, are not only available to paid subscribers?

That's a bit weak, IMO. I love the tech, but I too have most of the legacy stuff on CD/DVD so don't need it.

[hsreed]

So do I understand this correctly that the free streams that we enjoyed from major events last year, and the copious photo galleries, are not only available to paid subscribers?

That's a bit weak, IMO. I love the tech, but I too have most of the legacy stuff on CD/DVD so don't need it.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I guess last year was the commercial. This is common corporate America "free then fee" strategy.

As for the site, right now there are ADPs from the Pleasant Hills, CA show and videos from the Lesle, Ill show. ADPs are only a dollar cheaper for members to buy, so you would need to buy 39 to break even (assuming no value received for any other features). Each corps at the show has a video and they're between 1 to 2 minutes long. It a stationary basic high cam view with some zooming, not very detailed though and you can't resize the size of the video. I'm changing the display size of my monitor for larger video.

I don't know what content additions are coming, but if this is it, it's not worth the money in my opinion. I would rather have spent the money a 1988 DVD, but I'll get that eventually. I'm just personally supporting DCI and technology development right now.

I must tell you that I have been enjoying the "Stream Year XXXX Playlist" feature. You hit this button and it plays the entire Top 12 in order of placement for that year. Nice feature! You get to listen to where all the old songs came from and who played them. Did you know Garfield played Ice Castles?

[wheelerand]

I must tell you that I have been enjoying the "Stream Year XXXX Playlist" feature.  You hit this button and it plays the entire Top 12 in order of placement for that year.  Nice feature!  You get to listen to where all the old songs came from and who played them.  Did you know Garfield played Ice Castles?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Couldn't agree more. I wish I was allowed to listen at work - having to invent excuses to work at home these days.....

I think we're seeing the beginning of a great development. It's possible that the price is a bit steep for what we're getting so far, but I agree with the poster who said that it's reasonable to anticipate the rest of D1 and D2/3 shows to be available for streaming eventually. At $1.99, I'm not sure how many of the APD's I'll buy; I can buy CD's for about the same price per show. Would like to see them lower the price on CURRENT season APD's for SP members - I'd guess that would be more of a draw.

We should consider this an "early season show" - drill not complete yet and not everything as clean as it will eventually be. But it will get there - they're not going to leave it at this point with the investment they've made so far. I think it's a great first step and can't wait to see what else comes in the future.

[remi]

as a fan from europe its a great way to see how this season is defeloping, i won't be able to see any show until quaterfinals, so now i get in to the programs and its a great way to see at least some parts of the shows ...., it can , and will be better in the future but give them ( the seanson's pass team) a chance to work on it...!

[soonerjeff]

Thanks for this info, guys! These are the types of opinions I've been looking for. Being a recent college graduate and now looking for a job, I'm trying to be tight with my cash and I've been hesitant to buy into this yet if its not worth it. I'm still deciding, but right now I think I'm okay with not doing it. I could save this money and put it toward travel costs for the few shows I can see in July or buying the DVD/CDs at the end of the season.

Was the coverage of Orlando any better?