DCI Season Pass

[Grey_Jacket]

Chose it was OK and might buy again...

It is a young product with a lot of potential. It will be interesting to see how things progress with a season under the belt.

Someone was smart enough to come up with the idea to begin with... Surely they will be smart enough to make improvements and further establish it as a viable product.

[kansasDC]

I was on tour during the Allentown and Finals problems, so they did not affect me. Overall, I think it was worth my investment for the annual subscription. Comparing to the cost of a 2-hour rock concert or a AA baseball game, it is a very good value.

The only thing I am really missing is some video content. I have already bought years worth of video tapes, DVDs and CDs. But, particularly for when I am on the road, I would love to see some video of years gone by added to the site this fall. That will definitely make up my mind about renewing next spring.

[MN DCI Fan]

I liked it and will probably buy it again. Up until Finals, I was in the camp that would definitely purchase it again, but the technical snafus (as well as the painfully slow manner in which they seem to be dealing with the issue) have soured me a bit.

The streaming audio is my favorite feature, and I TOTALLY agree that subscribers should be able to stream the APDs. Also, I hope that the quality of the video improves in coming years. The little pixelated images don't do justice to the product.

What about streaming archived video? Anyone think that'll ever be offered?

[perc2100]

Chris,

First, thanks to you and the rest of the BD web team for your great coverage of finals this year. Without you, there would be a heck of a lot more upset people.

As for the 'Season Pass...'

At the beginning of the season, I had no intention of purchasing a subscription. I wanted to sit back and see if it was a hit or a bomb in the eyes of the customers. The first reviews once the season started were pretty good. When DCI announced they would stream the San Antonio APD's, then I took the bait and subsribed. I live in So Cal, and had zero opportunity to see or hear most of the corps I was interested in. So I basically subsribed to hear the full shows of of the DCI Finalists to be.

After I listened to everyone, I started exploring the other features, and here was my conclusion:

* I already have most of the Top 12 shows from DCI's history, so the streaming audio thing wasn't a big deal to me. The format is crap (Windows Media junk), but it was OK. I didn't use this feautre very often. Occasionaly I would browse the celebrity play lists to hear what Dennis D. thought were the best drumlines, etc. But I have most of these recordings anyway and can listen to 'em whenever I want.

* the streaming of the current show APD's was great. I would LOVE for DCI to do more of this (especially for some of the Div. II/III shows) in the future. This was the feature I most utilized even though DCI only offered it twice. Would offering the streaming more reduce sales of the APD's? Probably not. The quality is junk, and only good for the casual listening. What it did do, though, was give me a taste of the shows. Because of the streaming I bought some of the APD's where as I never would have without the streaming.

* the video snippets of shows was pretty cool. It gave me a hint of what to look for when I went to the cinema on Quarters, and it gave me a feel for what shows I would or wouldn't like. It seemed like DCI had some technical difficulties for some of the big shows (music would sync up with the video, video glitches, no sound, nothing for certain big shows, etc) but over all I liked this feature. My biggest problem with the dci cam videos was it seemed like DCI showed the same clips from the shows over and over. I can't tell you how many times they showed SCV spelling out words, or Sweet Home Chicago, or other parts from other shows. I'd love a better variety. I don't mind not seeing the full shows (that would be great), but if they could vary up the parts of the show they broadcast that would be fine with me (opener one weekend, closer the next, drum solo show after that, etc). I'd rate this the (very close) second best part of the web.

* a lot of the other video segments seem dopy to me. I don't get into the one on one interviews. I feel like I marched two years of corps, and don't need to be told about the hard work and lasting friendships and stuff. I don't need to see SCV's cymbal line standing around before a show. I don't need to see Glassmen's staff member say "he had a great show tonight" or whatever. I'd like something a little big more unique. Show me a staff member talking about changes in tonight's show. Or a member talking about a really hard musical lick or drill move, or something more specific to the corps or program. Some of the segments were OK, but too many of them felt generic.

* I'd love to see more drumlines and hornlines warming up. Or go to a Bluecoats rehearsal day. Or show us SCV working on their opening push. More stuff like that. If Cadets have a drum solo where the bassline is suspended in mid-air and playing cheesed inverted patta-fla flas with their toes, show us the line rehearsing that (or, say, for example, the tenor solo from 2000: something that is obviously a big fan favorite).

* the big issues have already been discussed by a lot of people: the finals night debacle, DCI getting showed up by a fairly low tech (no offense) Blue Devils web site (by that I mean you didn't have up to the miniute video, like DCI was going to do, but just a guy giving up to the minute updates about who's on, what's going with the crowd, what part of the show did the fans dig, the stadium was cleared for lightening, etc), the Allentown mess, spotty customer service, etc. Obviously that's a concern with all customers.

Over all, I'd say the season pass was OK. I would expect more for the $40 next season before I would subscribe again. I realized that $40 would buy me an archive DVD, or almost the CD's, etc. I would rather have those than the things I got out of the season pass this year. If I paid, like, $19 or something pretty cheap, I'd be OK. But the price is a little steap for mediocre summer coverage. I was under the impression that the service was geared mostly towards the summer tour, and I feel like the summer coverage left a lot to be desired. I wouldn't rule out subsribing again, but it would take a slight overhaul and more coverage for DCI to win me back over.

I'm also willing to concede that this was their first year, and they're still woking out the kinks. If it comes back strong next year and DCI adds/promises better coverage, I'd be willing to give it a second chance (life is all about second chances, right).

--

doug

[gottalovit]

I think for them trying something new the last couple of years, they did a tremendous job. Just buying the APD's(I got 90 this season) I came out ahead. And getting to watch the clips(even with some issues along the way) I got to see parts of shows that were too far away to attend. There is definitely room for improvement, but I'm definitely there next year again for the season pass-if they offer it!!!!

Thanx DCI for season pass!! Keep up the good work!

[Phantom&Phitch]

A little off topic i know, but can someone explain to me what "streaming" is?

thanks- john