DVD Register Forum

modorlofsky

Moderator

Registered: 2013-08-23

Posts: 277

New Characteristics: Slipcover, Anniversary Edition

Tom,

I think there are a couple of things worth adding to the Capabilities and Characteristics section since they apply to a fairly large number of releases.

1. Anniversary Edition - a lot of items are released as anniversary editions, such as 10th Anniversary, 50th Anniversary, etc. I don't think the number would have to be specified but the category would be useful.
2. Slipcover - These are those cardboard sleeves that go over the disc case and are found with many discs. This would probably go under the Accessory section.

Yes, I know it would be possible to deal with these through user custom entries but since both occur with some frequency, it would be useful to have them included as selectable items. I think they would be useful to lots of users.

Thanks.

Mike LaBorde

modorlofsky

Moderator

Registered: 2013-08-23

Posts: 277

Re: New Characteristics: Slipcover, Anniversary Edition

Mike,

I have been thinking about your message below. In particular the issue of “Anniversary Edition”.  This is an instance of a class of characteristics that I would call “Edition” or “Version” or “Imprint”. There is a catalog field for “Version”. Other generic members of “Edition” could be:

Director’s Cut
Collector’s Edition
Widescreen Edition  (wider than academy standard)
Special Edition   (includes some new supplementary features but may just be a change in the package)
Limited Edition   (won’t be restocked when sold out)
Restored Edition  (already a characteristic “Restoration”)
Rental Edition  (special features are locked)

Beyond these generic instances, publishers can have their own vernacular on this subject:
Disney Animation has:
Diamond Edition
Platinum Edition
Gold Edition
Disney Treasures

Fox and Sony use
Archive Edition
Cinema Archive Edition

Director’s Cut and Restored Edition implies some footage has been added to the film or it has been rearranged in some fashion. Widescreen Edition was popular in LD times but is not used very often in DVD since almost all new titles are wider that 1.33:1 to fit the HD TV format.

The other instances tend to be promotional in nature. The intent by the publisher is to create a demand for upgrades or replacements by prior buyers. However I often see  titles that are initially introduced as a Collector’s Edition.  Collector’s Edition is used so frequently that I have a hard time deciding if it has any useful meaning.

There could be a very long list of members in the class of Versions and Editions when you start to include the publisher specific imprints.  I am debating in my mind whether I want to open this class.  I don’t have a good conceptual boundary for it.

Tom Orlofsky

modorlofsky

Moderator

Registered: 2013-08-23

Posts: 277

Re: New Characteristics: Slipcover, Anniversary Edition

Tom,

I think if you kept the edition types rather generic, that would work. You don't need specific publisher terminology.

I am thinking the following might work: Director's Cut, Limited Edition, Anniversary, Complete Series, Rental Edition.

I don't get Widescreen Edition as applicable anymore. That was only used in the early days of DVDs when movies were issued in 4:3 (Standard) and Widescreen Editions. Besides, you already have a check for Widescreen.

But I think you have to allow multiple entries like you can for the characteristics because something could be a Limited Edition and a Director's Cut, for example. I would think that this could be a separate category but would work like Characteristics does in terms of allowing multiple selections.

Just my 2 cents.

Mike LaBorde

modorlofsky

Moderator

Registered: 2013-08-23

Posts: 277

Re: New Characteristics: Slipcover, Anniversary Edition

Mike,

With Update 239, new characteristics include:

Edition:
Special
Collector's
Anniversary
Director's Cut
Rental

Accessory:
Outer Sleeve

See screen capture of the characteristic edit screen below.

For the Edition category, I populated these characteristics in the reference catalog. See the screen capture below showing the reference catalog population for these characteristics.

Tom Orlofsky