Packaging Question

[Chelsea]

This is a lead-in from my Two and a Half Men review:

What I'd like to know is: IS there any type of TV DVD packaging that you have a strong preference for or against? Do you love hate Digipaks, or do you love slimcases or do you really not care what the DVD is packaged in so long as it's, you know, packaged.

There's no proper poll attached as there's no specific answer I'm looking for here, but your feedback is GREATLY appreciated.

[Schmoopie]

I actually like the slim cases and it's nice that Seinfeld has all their seasons this way (well, I don't have the BIG collection, just the individual seasons). Full House and Monk both started out with a box that unfolds in sections (is that what they call a Digi Pack?), and then the discs snap right onto the sides. I don't like those at all. They're such a pain. Full House finally got smart after the second season and now has the slim cases, as does Monk.

Andrea

[robby76]

Despite loving the look of digipaks and foldouts, slim cases are much more durable and so ultimately get my vote (they don't look as nice but I want something that will still look good in 10 yrs).

However I hate those single case dvds which hold 4 dvds... like what they're doing with Love Boat... ugly ugly ugly.

[Raisingdad2004]

The only cases I dislike are the whole season being stuffed into a keep case. Invariably it involves some sort of disc-on-disc situation or a flimsy middle part which often, somehow, gets broken. Digipaks can also suffer the disc-on-disc problem, so I only like the larger digipaks which I suppose might create problems for those running out of space for their DVDs. I think, therefore, the best is the slimcases in a nice cardboard box. I think they are sturdy and dependable, don't suffer from disc-on-disc layout, they don't take up too much room and they don't feel cheap like a keep case which you'd get with a movie for half the price.

I think CBS usually get it right, the slim cases with 1 or 2 discs in them each like they used for Everybody Hates Chris. What I don't like is that they seem to have taken what must be a fairly cheap option and gone even cheaper, with Touched By An Angel for example, suddenly they use keep cases and have flimsy middles or disc-on-disc.

I must also sound off on the "non-folding" digipak, the sort Anchor Bay used with Three's Company, I found they often break rather easily - many of mine ended up broken just from international shipping, so I'd much prefer a regular digipak.

So, I would personally prefer if everybody used slimcases now. They're small & durable, much better than the lagrer options or any option involving disc-on-disc.

[robyrob]

in this order, from best to worse:

slim case
Digipack
multipack case (the bigger cases that hold 4 or more, either with the hinged "flapper" or with the snap-in holders like on the First and Ten set - one case that holds something like 8 disks not very well and never snap back in again)
anything disk-on-disk

[JulieSomoski]

I've always been a fan of digipacks - it's too bad we don't see them that much anymore. I love the look of them - they all for a much more creative package, and I've always loved the thickness to them. Thicker sets always look nicer on my shelf. I hate the really thin sets that you can barely see on your shelf-LOL. Digipacks are much better when 1 panel holds 1 disc. The overlapping can get irritated, but I don't mind that much.

Slimcases are okay, too, but I really don't like a set having 2 discs in one slimcase. Having 1 disc per case is much better.

I can't stand the clear amaray cases that Paramount uses. Worse yet, it seems like they're becoming that standard style of packaging nowdays, and it's sad. I"m paying $30 for a box-set thinner than a pack of paper with silver discs and very, very little effort. It's almost a waste of money.

[robby76]

Originally Posted by JulieSomoski

I can't stand the clear amaray cases that Paramount uses. Worse yet, it seems like they're becoming that standard style of packaging nowdays, and it's sad. I"m paying $30 for a box-set thinner than a pack of paper with silver discs and very, very little effort. It's almost a waste of money.

Yep that's exactly the type I was on about. I hate having 4 discs crammed into what is usually used to house 1 disc. Paramount and their Love Boat sets are doing this all the time!

[bmasters9]

Most of mine are of the "slim cases in a box" format, with one or two single or double-sided discs per case; this, I think, is the best format.

A couple of mine are of the format where all the discs are kept in one Amaray-type case-- these being Paramount's "Matlock" S1 release (1986-87) and VEI's release of the final season of "Hardcastle and McCormick" from 1985-86; fortunately, the case is roomy enough to hold all of the discs of those.

I also have several digipaks, these being from "Dallas," "Mary Tyler Moore," "Knight Rider," and "The Waltons." In the case of "The Waltons," the
S2 set is packaged kind of like S3 of "Dallas"-- four of the discs are stacked one-on-top-of-another, with the remaining disc standing alone. This is done even though "The Waltons" and "Dallas" use double-siders. I only have the combined S1-S2 set of "Dallas" though, and the first season's worth of "The Waltons" is packaged similarly to that.

Finally, I do have one package where the discs are in holders that are bound to the package like a book-- that being the first couple of seasons of "Moonlighting."

[JulieSomoski]

Originally Posted by bmasters9

I also have several digipaks, these being from "Dallas," "Mary Tyler Moore," "Knight Rider," and "The Waltons." In the case of "The Waltons," the
S2 set is packaged kind of like S3 of "Dallas"-- four of the discs are stacked one-on-top-of-another, with the remaining disc standing alone. This is done even though "The Waltons" and "Dallas" use double-siders. I only have the combined S1-S2 set of "Dallas" though, and the first season's worth of "The Waltons" is packaged similarly to that.

Finally, I do have one package where the discs are in holders that are bound to the package like a book-- that being the first couple of seasons of "Moonlighting."

I love the digipack used for MTM: season 1. It was one of the best digipacks I own. All 4 discs have their own panel, with a panel holding the episode guide. It's easily one of my best-looking sets-LOL

The book-packaging is another one of my favorite. Anchor Bay used it for Three's Company sets, and it's very simple and easy to use. That hasn't really caught on, though, which is too bad, because they are a great type of packaging.

[JulieSomoski]

Originally Posted by robby76

Yep that's exactly the type I was on about. I hate having 4 discs crammed into what is usually used to house 1 disc. Paramount and their Love Boat sets are doing this all the time!

It's so tiny. It would be better if the case was a little thicker, so each disc could get its own tray or something. And they're so uncreative and expensive, I hate spending all the money for them. What I don't get is why great digipacks like for MTM: S1 only sells for about $20, yet the clear cases Paramount uses sells for $30 and up. Makes no sense to me.

[bmasters9]

Originally Posted by JulieSomoski

It's so tiny. It would be better if the case was a little thicker, so each disc could get its own tray or something. And they're so uncreative and expensive, I hate spending all the money for them. What I don't get is why great digipacks like for MTM: S1 only sells for about $20, yet the clear cases Paramount uses sells for $30 and up. Makes no sense to me.

Paramount's "Matlock" S1 release does have the roomy, clear Amaray case. The first disc is on the left as you open the package, and it covers up some of the episode descriptions-- you'll have to remove the first disc to see the other descriptions on the left-hand inside panel. The remaining 6 each have their own tray on three flip-panels-- starting with Disc 2 on the front top, and Disc 3 on the back bottom. That arrangement is repeated for all three flip-panels. When you get to the right-inside panel, you'll see the remaining episode descriptions.

VEI Canada's release of the 3rd (last) season's worth of "Hardcastle and McCormick" (1985-86) is somewhat similar to "Matlock," but it does share some things with "The Waltons" and "Dallas." Like "Matlock," it does have the first disc standing alone inside on the left-front panel. The remaining discs are arranged such that Discs 2 and 3 are on the flip-panel, and Discs 4 and 5 are set on the right-inside panel. Also, like "The Waltons" and "Dallas," the remaining four discs are stacked on top of each other. However, as the discs of "Hardcastle" are single-siders, I don't mind that as much as I would if the discs were double-siders.

[ekkostar]

Slimcases. I'm sort of hoping the next Night Court set is a 3-disc slimcase box like the American Dad and Family Guy sets instead of that awful keepcase deal they had for the first season.