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Columbia House Update
- Thread starter kingfish
- Start date
Joseph DeMartino
Moderator
</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />
i hope this doesnt hurt B5 box-set sales
[/quote]
At those prices? Not a chance. You're looking at over $120 per season just for the six discs, plus shipping. And if this is the typical Columbia House subscription deal, you'll get one disc every six weeks or so. That means it will take about 3 1/2 years to get the full series (not counting TV movies) as compared to 2 years with the boxed sets. This release will appeal precisely to folks who don't want to buy the boxed sets - either because they only want key episodes from each season or because they would rather pay gradually over time than fork over $60 to $75 all at once for each season. If anything this will be a nice complement to the boxed set release, and pick up sales that would never have been made otherwise.
It sounds like CH will simply be replicating their discs from the existing Warner Bros. masters, so I'd assume they'll be widescreen and 16:9-enhanced. (If they were doing their own masters from scratch I can promise you there would be two episodes per disc for $19.95. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif)
Regards,
Joe
i hope this doesnt hurt B5 box-set sales
[/quote]
At those prices? Not a chance. You're looking at over $120 per season just for the six discs, plus shipping. And if this is the typical Columbia House subscription deal, you'll get one disc every six weeks or so. That means it will take about 3 1/2 years to get the full series (not counting TV movies) as compared to 2 years with the boxed sets. This release will appeal precisely to folks who don't want to buy the boxed sets - either because they only want key episodes from each season or because they would rather pay gradually over time than fork over $60 to $75 all at once for each season. If anything this will be a nice complement to the boxed set release, and pick up sales that would never have been made otherwise.
It sounds like CH will simply be replicating their discs from the existing Warner Bros. masters, so I'd assume they'll be widescreen and 16:9-enhanced. (If they were doing their own masters from scratch I can promise you there would be two episodes per disc for $19.95. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif)
Regards,
Joe
Rather than start a new topic, can I just ask here,
I'm in UK and I have the season 1 boxed set on VHS, but all the other eps I've taped off the satellite Bravo or Sci-Fi Channels. I'm now ready to get 1 or 2 more boxed seasons, but trying to find them in UK is like trying to find a tiny freckle on GKar! Nobody seems to stock them - not even the local branch of Forbidden Planet /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif Any Brits in who know where to get them, and maybe some idea of best price?
Cheers
I'm in UK and I have the season 1 boxed set on VHS, but all the other eps I've taped off the satellite Bravo or Sci-Fi Channels. I'm now ready to get 1 or 2 more boxed seasons, but trying to find them in UK is like trying to find a tiny freckle on GKar! Nobody seems to stock them - not even the local branch of Forbidden Planet /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif Any Brits in who know where to get them, and maybe some idea of best price?
Cheers
Kribu
Administrator
No idea... since they have been deleted from the stock, probably in anticipation of the DVDs. I've seen threads here before where people say they've been able to buy the videos really cheap, but it's possible the videos in stock have been sold by now.
In any case, unless you could find the videos very cheap on sale somewhere, it would probably be better to wait until the next seasons are out on DVD (hey, optimistic thinking here!) and then buy the DVD sets?
Would be a lot cheaper plus save shelf space (again, unless you can find the videos in a bargain bin somewhere, the difference in price even for a few seasons would probably be enough to buy a DVD player as well if you don't have one yet).
In any case, unless you could find the videos very cheap on sale somewhere, it would probably be better to wait until the next seasons are out on DVD (hey, optimistic thinking here!) and then buy the DVD sets?
Would be a lot cheaper plus save shelf space (again, unless you can find the videos in a bargain bin somewhere, the difference in price even for a few seasons would probably be enough to buy a DVD player as well if you don't have one yet).
A_M_Swallow
Regular
The VHS box sets were all made by the shop HMV. They were not avilable from any other chain of shops.
Thanks everyone!
I'll try HMV - never thought of them /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif If I can pick them up at a knockdown price there I'll stick with vids, cos not sure about the release schedule for the whole show on DVD. But, Christmas is coming and I've been racking my brain on what to ask Santa for. DVD players look affordable now, so maybe one of them and series 1 and 2 (if it's out). I can tell the husband that the player is between us /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
I'll try HMV - never thought of them /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif If I can pick them up at a knockdown price there I'll stick with vids, cos not sure about the release schedule for the whole show on DVD. But, Christmas is coming and I've been racking my brain on what to ask Santa for. DVD players look affordable now, so maybe one of them and series 1 and 2 (if it's out). I can tell the husband that the player is between us /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Joseph DeMartino
Moderator
</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />
If I can pick them up at a knockdown price there I'll stick with vids, cos not sure about the release schedule for the whole show on DVD.
[/quote]
Assuming sales for S1 are good (and all indications from pre-orders is that they will be) Warner Bros's preliminary plan is to release two seasons a year in roughly April and November. (In the U.S. - plus or minus a month in other countries.) This is comparable to The X-Files and most other TV series. ST:TNG has been an exception in this regards with a season every other month for most of the last year, and the final two seasons coming in November and December.
So S5 should arrive by November 2004 at the latest. (If sales are really good Warner Bros. would certainly have the option of acclerating the release schedule.)
</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />
But, Christmas is coming and I've been racking my brain on what to ask Santa for. DVD players look affordable now, so maybe one of them and series 1 and 2 (if it's out).
[/quote]
As noted, there is no way anything more than S1 will be released in 2002. WB won't even have the sales figures tabulated on S1 by Christmas, much less be ready to release another season/series. (They won't even start mastering S2 and assembling stuff for the extras until January or February. Until they are sure the episodes have found an audience, they won't spend any more money than they have to.)
Regards,
Joe
If I can pick them up at a knockdown price there I'll stick with vids, cos not sure about the release schedule for the whole show on DVD.
[/quote]
Assuming sales for S1 are good (and all indications from pre-orders is that they will be) Warner Bros's preliminary plan is to release two seasons a year in roughly April and November. (In the U.S. - plus or minus a month in other countries.) This is comparable to The X-Files and most other TV series. ST:TNG has been an exception in this regards with a season every other month for most of the last year, and the final two seasons coming in November and December.
So S5 should arrive by November 2004 at the latest. (If sales are really good Warner Bros. would certainly have the option of acclerating the release schedule.)
</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />
But, Christmas is coming and I've been racking my brain on what to ask Santa for. DVD players look affordable now, so maybe one of them and series 1 and 2 (if it's out).
[/quote]
As noted, there is no way anything more than S1 will be released in 2002. WB won't even have the sales figures tabulated on S1 by Christmas, much less be ready to release another season/series. (They won't even start mastering S2 and assembling stuff for the extras until January or February. Until they are sure the episodes have found an audience, they won't spend any more money than they have to.)
Regards,
Joe
Bester
Regular
Hi,
I just found out that each disk will contain 4 episodes per disk. Also they will be priced at $19.95 per disk. They don't know about extras at this time or if they will be in 16X9 format.
Do you know if they will release the discs sequentially or all at once? I'm interested in buying the disc containing Sleeping in Light without having to wait a lifetime for it!
I just found out that each disk will contain 4 episodes per disk. Also they will be priced at $19.95 per disk. They don't know about extras at this time or if they will be in 16X9 format.
Do you know if they will release the discs sequentially or all at once? I'm interested in buying the disc containing Sleeping in Light without having to wait a lifetime for it!
Joseph DeMartino
Moderator
Well, two years isn't exaclty a lifetime. (If WB follows the tentative schedule they mentioned to JMS, S5 will be released in November of 2004.) Columbia House does not master its own discs, so they will only be able to release the episodes Warner Bros. gives them - which for now will only be the first season. CH ships their discs about every six weeks, on a mail subscription basis, so you'll wait a lot longer for them to get to "SiL" than you will for Warner Bros. to release it.
Regards,
Joe
Regards,
Joe
D
**DONOTDELETE**
Guest
Where did you get this information? I looked at Columbia House's website and even contacted them directly and they had no knowledge whatsoever of B5 being released on DVD. I remember that several months ago they had planned to release B5 on DVD but apparently they cancelled it shortly thereafter. Please let me know where I can find out more information. Thanks!
D
**DONOTDELETE**
Guest
I contacted Columbia House yesterday and they did indeed that they will be releasing B5 on DVD as part of their TV Greats Club. You may start placing orders next Tuesday 10/22/02. The Customer Service Representative that I spoke with stated that you will need to have a major Credit Card to sign up for it. I don't know about anybody else but I'm having trouble deciding whether to go the Columbia House route or buy the boxed sets. It's more expensive in the long run if you go the Columbia House route and less expensive (but with a longer wait time) in the short run if you go the Columbia House route instead of the Boxed Sets. *sigh* Decisions, decisions. This is the information that I got anyway.
KoshN
Super Moderator
If you intend on buying all of the DVDs, as I do, it would be foolish to buy the Columbia House DVDs.
OTOH, if you intend to cherry-pick, it might make better sense to go the Columbia House Route. It's still probably be a nightmare to ensure that they sent you only the discs that you wanted.
If Columbia House was going to release B5 in it's originally broadcast format (4:3), I'd cherry-pick the middle season shows that they never made on Laserdisc. However, Columbia House is probably releasing the same aspect ratio version as Warner Home Video (widescreen), so I have no reason to go the Columbia House route.
OTOH, if you intend to cherry-pick, it might make better sense to go the Columbia House Route. It's still probably be a nightmare to ensure that they sent you only the discs that you wanted.
If Columbia House was going to release B5 in it's originally broadcast format (4:3), I'd cherry-pick the middle season shows that they never made on Laserdisc. However, Columbia House is probably releasing the same aspect ratio version as Warner Home Video (widescreen), so I have no reason to go the Columbia House route.
D
**DONOTDELETE**
Guest
Columbia House Update-10/22/02
It appears that Columbia House suddenly has NO knowlege of B5 being released on DVD as a TV Greats Club. Even though I talked to them last week and they told me that it was definitely going to be released as a TV Greats Club on DVD and they were even able to give me some other details about it (running time-4 episodes), none of the three different customer service representatives from Columbia House that I spoke with this afternoon had ANY information about B5 being released on DVD today or even about it being released at all. It was also not listed on their website. Does anybody have any more information? I don't think that I was dreaming or hallucinating when I spoke with a customer service representative at Columbia House towards the end of last week when they told me to call back today. /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif
It appears that Columbia House suddenly has NO knowlege of B5 being released on DVD as a TV Greats Club. Even though I talked to them last week and they told me that it was definitely going to be released as a TV Greats Club on DVD and they were even able to give me some other details about it (running time-4 episodes), none of the three different customer service representatives from Columbia House that I spoke with this afternoon had ANY information about B5 being released on DVD today or even about it being released at all. It was also not listed on their website. Does anybody have any more information? I don't think that I was dreaming or hallucinating when I spoke with a customer service representative at Columbia House towards the end of last week when they told me to call back today. /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif
Joseph DeMartino
Moderator
Sounds like the usual Columbia House run-around. The right hand rarely knows what the left-hand is doing over there, and they often "offer" products to gauge public interest, then drop the idea if they don't get a big enough response. When they were in the middle of their VHS release I considered buying some of the tapes that were already out in one shot - not signing up for the subscription and not waiting a month or more betwen tapes. I got different information about how to do this (or even if it could be done) every single time I called them. At one point I was told that as a member of the regular CH Video Club (which I still was back then) I could order any product I wanted provided I had the catalog number. But when I called their Classic TV customer service center to get the catalog numbers, I made little progress. (One rep even denied that they were releasing Babylon 5 on VHS.)
We'll just have to wait and see if B5 starts showing up in their print advertising, like in TV Guide, which they are much more careful about.
Regards,
Joe
We'll just have to wait and see if B5 starts showing up in their print advertising, like in TV Guide, which they are much more careful about.
Regards,
Joe
