DVDs

[batang uliran]

Have any of you had the chance to experience the magic that is DVD? - the new home movie format launched about 2 years ago? I have and I collect them and I can say it is clearly superior to LD and cheaper and more compact also. They've been slow in coming to Manila but in the US, the DVD has virtually doomed LD and will clearly be the format of choice for at least the next 5 years.

[nix]

I love DVDs, especially all the cool features that come packaged with the discs. I can just sit up watching the commentary on the films after watching the film itself.

[Diyos ng Kamatayan]

Okay, not many of us know thew full potential of the DVD. All I know is that it's digital, compact, and can store different versions of the same content. What are the other features? And what makes it so incredibly appealing? Best Brands?

[batang uliran]

The DVD is the first format which stores video and audio digitally albeit in a compressed form. LD by comparison stores audio digitally but video in an analog format. VHS is of course totally analog. The resolution and colors are superior to the LD, it is much cheaper to manufacture and hence cheaper to buy. In the US, the average cost of a DVD mail order is about 18-20 dollars as opposed to the 30+ dollars one had to shell out for LDs in their heyday. In fact, most LDs now (catalog titles) are being sold for $10 or so since no one wants them.

A single disc can contain multiple versions (eg. pan and scan and widescreen), offers subtitles in some cases in different languages, has a commentary track in some cases, and doesn't have to be flipped over since a dual layer DVD can hold up to 4 hours of play on one side (there are 2 layers on each side, 4 layers in one disc and potentially 8 hours of recording time in 1 disc!). Future DVDs will offer multiple camera angles and even alternate endings to a movie.

[sickgirl]

Just be careful in buying your DVDs, coz they are classified according to regions (it has something to do with the compatibility of the disc & the player). The Philippines belongs to region 3, so buy that kind of DVD or the ones w/c are compatible with all players.

[batang uliran]

Just wanted to bump this topic to the top now that we have many more members. Have you experienced DVD and what do you think?

[Jacob]

I'll wait when it is more affordable.

[jepoy]

"The Matrix" on DVD is amazing, almost better than it was on the bigscreen. Have you guys ever watched DVD on an HDTV (High Definition T.V.)? My friend has an HDTV and it really compliment DVD's digital prowess, ang linaw sobra, the images are almost lifelike. Kaya lang, it's not yet practical to buy an HDTV kasi it's way too expensive, and plus, not too many TV broadcasts offer HDTV quality programming at present.

[batang uliran]

With the right kind of equipment - eg. CRT projector video and 120 inch screen, audio separates, and excellent speakers and a very good subwoofer, the home theater experience can be better than going to the movies - well most movie places anyway. Obviously, this kind of set-up costs a lot of money and takes up a lot of space.

HDTV is in a whole other league and plasters DVD but this technology won't be really popular and widespread until about 5 years or so and until then DVD rules. In a properly calibrated video display of adequate size (eg. 32 inches or more) and one that has progressive scan inputs, the new progressive scan DVD players - of which only toshiba makes at the moment, the picture is phenomenal. I've been watching DVDs for about 2 years now and I am still amazed at the technology. And the sound on the right system is to die for.

Regarding the cost, it really isn't too bad and in the US, bought online, the cost of DVDs are close to the cost of the same movie on VHS - about $14 to $20 for most titles. This is less than half of what LDs used to cost and it is much better. I find myself now buying DVDs to copies I already have THX LD versions of - it's that good.

[Anali]

PePs, which rental shop near Ultra is that? I'm looking for greener pastures as our neighborhood DVD rental doesn't stock up on titles much.

Also, you'll be glad to know that Princess Bride will be out on DVD on July 18. Reel has it for $13.99 (http://www.reel.com/movie.asp?MID=1243).

[batang uliran]

I collect them. Bought most of them from Reel.com and Amazon.com (when the discount was bigger). I would sometimes purchase them in shops but only rarely and only when I can't wait.
At last count, I had about
250 LDs and 600 DVDs.

[dagny]

Watching a film on DVD is an entirely different movie viewing experience in itself. So much that Entertainment Weekly reviews DVD's differently from regular video releases, giving separate ratings for the film and the features.

[gets]

i think there are dvd players which are multi-region so you can play dvd's from different regions. so yun na lang bilhin nyong player.

[Anali]

Any DVD collectors in here? C'mon, aminin, how many do you have? What's your favorite DVD? And where do you buy them?

[nowl]

I luv DVD! For those in the Philippines... Spectra at Park Square 1 has a great collection of DVD's- they got South Park episodes on DVD!!! I'm still waiting for a Region 3 version of The Shawshank Redemption . I've got a pretty decent collection of DVD's (actually... my dad's http://www.pinoyexchange.com/lol.gif ) The Thin Red Line, The Matrix and The Sixth Sense all looked excellent in this format. The sound's great too.. but why issit that some discs don't have the Dolby Digital option in them? And has anybody noticed that images can get pretty blurry sa backgrounds of some movies (I first noticed this when I saw The Story Of Us ). I read somewhere that this is caused by the compression thing. Not that I'm complaining... 'coz the images that really count looked great!

[xywiz]

nowl,

Maybe there isn't a Dolby Digital option in it because the DVD is in DTS -- which is even better (in terms of audio realism). IMHO, DTS Coherent Acoustics is superior to Dolby's AC-3.

I'm assuming of course that you have a Region 1 or 3 disc, otherwise you'll get MPEG audio.

Hey, (Philippine DVD enthusiasts) have you seen the Sharp Aphrody Series (Direct View 29" TV with component video inputs)? How is it? Okey ba? Mura kasi for a 29" TV -- I'm having doubts...

[Anali]

batang uliran: woh, 600 DVDs? Have I ever seen you around DVDTalk? :)

[batang uliran]

Dolby Digital surround sound decoding is anywhere from 1.0 (mono) to 5.1 (5 discrete channels plus a discrete sub channel). It's true that several movies (mostly older ones) are not available in DD 5.1 simply because the original audio track was not mastered for 5.1 channels. Some movies, mostly the more popular ones, have had their audio channels revised to output a discrete 5.1 channels but many have not.

DTS is theoretically better but in my system (and in the vast majority of systems) I can hardly hear a difference - I have about 50 LDs and DVDs that are digitally encoded and have 2 separate HT systems that can decode both DD and DTS. I personally think that because of the lack of software, DTS is not important. What I believe should happen - and there are already a few DVDs out with this feature - is to have both DD and DTS soundtracks on the same disc and the same side with the user selecting which decoding he/she would like.

And Anali, I haven't been around that site. I usually frequent www.digitaltheater.com (http://www.digitaltheater.com) but since I've been spending much of my time on PEx, haven't realy gone there a lot lately.

[Pitr Dubovich]

Is only recently am gettink into DVD madness. Last count, am havink around 30 DVDs.

Has anybody heard of DVDProfiler (http://www.dvdprofiler.com/dvdpro/index.html)? Is free software, is makink it wery convenient and fun to catalog DVDs.

[chick-boy]

excuse me :)
we're planning to get a DVD player for a long time na ... the problem is baka walng masyadong mahiraman na video store which carries DVD... sayang naman ang player mahal pa naman.

i'm from the south area... saan kaya ** may malapit na place where i can rent DVD's?
and also, may nabibili ba ** na DVD's discs?

wala bang pirated na DVD discs ... unlike VCD's na puro pirate... malinaw pa ang original VHS tapes than those pirated VCD's eh...

up to now eh we still have our LD player... may HT system kami but when LD's became scarce eh di na kami masyado nakakanood :(

so... we need to get a dvd player pala that can play regions 1-3... is this parang equal to a multi-system player??? we're planning to buy a dvd player kasi from the middle east e... and we were kinda hesitant to buy kasi nga it might not work when we bring it back here...

[bubuyog]

Hi Batang Uliran and other DVD enthusiasts! :)

I'm into DVD's these past few weeks. I have a modest home theater set-up, and am just wondering if converting my Region 3 DVD player to a multi-region one is worth all the fuzz. You see, I've asked around if there are Region 3 discs that have DTS and that are available here. So far, my search has been in vain.

I have a DENON 5.1 receiver which can decode DTS. My DVD player, although Region 3, can also decode DTS. I've been having sleepless nights contemplating whether or not I should have the player converted so I could, at the least, say that the technologies of my equipment are fully utilized.

b.u., I've read from your posts here that DD 5.1 and DTS don't have much of a difference, at least as far as your DVD viewing experience is concerned. Can you still say the same now?

For those kind souls who are willing to help, let me summarize here my dilemma:

1. Are there any stores here in Metro Manila selling Region 3 DVD's that have DTS? Or is a DTS-encoded Region 3 DVD non-existent?

2. Do you know anyone who covert Region 3 DVD players? Mine is a late-model Pioneer.

3. I have heard of pirated DVD's, and some of them are allegedly encoded with DTS. Is this true? If so, is it worth buying such, considering that I haven't seen their video/audio quality?

Thanks a lot!

PEACE :)

[Ænema]

As far as I know, they have yet to release a Region 3 DVD with DTS. The R3 release of Gladiator says DTS on the cover, but doesn't have a DTS track.


I think there are some shops in Park Square Makati who offer to modify your player so it can play discs from other regions.

I've come across Pirated DVDs that are soo good that you can't tell the difference between them and the original version. The telltale signs are the xeroxed cover and the plastic case. If you don't have a very hi-tech setup, you probably can't tell the difference as far as video output is concerned.

As for the DTS track.....I'm not sure, but I don't think I've seen a pirated dvd with a dts track yet.
---
PinoyDVD (http://www.pinoydvd.com)

[ruger]

for me its the best thing that ever happened to home viewing since Betamax was introduced hehehe.

[fLaMeHeAd]

i love DVDs!!!

its lyk a gaming console, only dat, of course...movie ang main feature!!!

how much ba dito sa pinas ang isang cd???kasi our DVDs are just padala from states...im planning to buy here...magkano ba isa???and meron bang DVD rentals sa ACA or other video shops???how much???help naman oh... =)

[Equivocation]

anong masasabi niyo sa mga filipino films na release in DVD format? is dis good? quality or what? can u give me ur insights about it kung worth it ba kung bibili ako ng filipino films dvd?
i think viva pa lang ang nagagagawa ng dvd format ng kanilang films.

[bubuyog]

Originally posted by fLaMeHeAd
i love DVDs!!!

its lyk a gaming console, only dat, of course...movie ang main feature!!!

how much ba dito sa pinas ang isang cd???kasi our DVDs are just padala from states...im planning to buy here...magkano ba isa???and meron bang DVD rentals sa ACA or other video shops???how much???help naman oh... =)

Hi fLaMeHeAd. Try Astrovision, Magnavision, and other music stores (i.e. Odyssey). Going rate ng orig DVD sa mga stores na 'to ay P900 to P1,100, depende sa date of release. But watch out for promos, especially by Astrovision and Magnavision, wherein they sell their DVD's at discounted prices. I think on going pa ang kanilang "buy 2 take 1" promo. Just but two of their P999 DVD's, and you get one free.

I think may DVD rentals na sa mga ACA ot Video City.

Kung halang naman ang kaluluwa mo :D, you can try the pirated DVD's sa Virra Mall in Greenhills. They sell their fake stuff at around P450 to P500 a piece. Many have vouched that there's not much difference between the real thing and the pirated one when it comes to the video and audio quality. And difference lang daw, walang special features yung mga japeyks.

I hope I was much of help to you.

PEACE :)

[NOKiE]

Since DVD, I don't rent VHS movies no more. Picture and sound are EXCELLENT and more on a media no bigger than a CD. No wonder it killed the LaserDisc with passion!

So far, I have The Matrix, The Mask, Blade, MTV Unplugged Classics, Eagles/Hell Freezes Over, and those other freebies that came with the player--not a whole lot. Hopefully, I'll add in Symphony & Metallica :D :D :D

I dunno abt pirated DVDs. From talking to friends, that involves way too much money for its worth. One would save more $$$ buying real deals.

[homeBuddy]

check out the appliance stores in Greenhills, some of them actually sell Region 1 DVDs (mga galeng sa US) pero tago rin...they have titles like Dr. T and the Women, Traffic, Cast Away...basta, they come in around a week or two since the US release, so they might have movies na like Thirteen Days, Save the Last Dance, Valentine, Head Over Heels, Wedding Planner at madami pa! i'm looking forward to getting Valentine, Cast Away, Traffic and if i can wait 'til August 21, Hannibal and Silence of the Lambs, Say It Isn't So!

[SiCkBoY^]

guys, ano set-up ng HT nyo?

[niDo]

...i think philips dvd players in metro manila are multi-regions :)

[jhundv]

I just bought my dvd player last month, a Pioneer 533k model worth 13,000 and it's already multi-region. It also plays vcd,svcd and MP3s.

I have the Jumanji DVD which is a fun movie. I have also watched Twister, Phantom Menace, Pearl Harbor, What Lies Beneath, Frantic, Planet of The Apes and Gladiator. They all really ROCKED in terms of Video and Audio Quality.

For now, I'm saving money to start my Home Theater setup.

[GaiNaX_mEmO]

we got the bose lifestyle 35 as our main dvd player. hayop ang soundz nito. i bought my dad a sony dvd player with progressive scan pero he already got the bose. tapos nanalo pa sya sa raffle last xmas party ng aiwa dvd player. tapos i have an xbox and ps2 which both plays dvd. pp nga pala we got 100+ dvds. my dad buys atleast 1 dvd each week. yun lang :evilgrin:

[circle10]

i just wanna ask kasi na kung ang dvd player is Region 1, pede ba i-play dun ang Multi-region na DVDs? o talagang restricted lang to Region 1 na DVDs yung player? something like that. ang dami na kasi sa greenhills na mga DVDs na multi-region at only P550 e tempted akong bumili