Little confused here on what you're saying; are you saying silver discs are singled layered only? Or that even when silvers are dual layered (exist & very common) that only a single layered should be used – ‘do not require a second layer’? ???



They used to be around 20 or so about a year back, but as media has improved vastly only a few have been left, biggest being Ritek. Others include Mitsubishi Chemicals, Princo, Taiyo Yuden and CMC Magnetics - maybe a few little other who do their own brands like Kodak. Companies like Hitachi, Maxell, Fuji, Pioneer, TDK and Philips did one time do their own media but now solely get them from other manufactures. With 100s brands of CDR out there only a handful actually make them – I would say less than 10 manufacturers.

Ali

What I am saying is that, although dual layered silver discs (cheap alternative) are available, they are not recommended. Due to the higher reflectivity required for the second layer, gold media is what is recommended. As far as silver discs being used in Region 1 DVDs is concerned, they are 'primarily' only used for movies with a running time less than 110 min which do not require a second layer. In other words, the studios generally use only gold media when a dual layered disc is required.

Regarding blank media manufacturers, believe me there are quite a few more than that in just 'China, Malaysia and India'. Also the price of cheap silver media for CDs is no more than approx US 10 cents. I have actually bought (not in bulk either) blank CDRs for US 15 cents. And therefore my guess is that the media cost for DVD probably starts with no more that US 25 cents.

Sunny, splice flickers will occur - irregardless of whether the film was edited on AVID or not. When a film is edited on a non-linear computer based system like AVID, what happens is that the film is first telecined and then digitized onto a hard disk - usually at a lower resolution or with the use of some compression. The film is then edited. When the final edit is ready, the EDL (edit decision list, which contains data of where cuts, fades, dissolves,etc. occur) is sent to the lab for the film to be edited exactly the same way from a film copy of the original source). This is probably where manual splicing occurs, resulting in the unsightly spice flickers.

I can officially confirm that while DEI was offered to purchase the North American DVD rights of Asoka, they have decided to pass over it.

Looks like a forthcoming EROS venture....(Only jokin' as I dunno who is doing the DVD for the USA market)

But us UK folks have nothing to worry about as we are getting the film as a special uncut edition (with all the songs = woooohooooo!)

Hey Sunny, what do you mean by pass over it? If DEI did this dvd properly, wouldn't they sell loads, and hence make a profit?

asoka will be also released by metrodome in usa same version as uk dvd .

will post u latest info on it

There you go, I somehow knew it will turn out like this! Wonder when will poor DEi do a Big film since many outsiders have entered the market like columbia and metrodome? not that i'm complaining,yet!

Asoka, was a box office failure and since there was no audience demand for it (and with many piracy disc selling in the market) DEI felt it best to say no to this film as it could end up a faliure on DVD too.

I REALLY DONT CARE AS IM ALREADY LOOKING FORWard to the metrodome release

Another sweeping statement!! Do you really think Asoka did that badly as you put it? DEi also did Abhay despite it being the worst performer of the year. Which did worst Abhay or Asoka? Asoka got half its earning thru music sales itself. I know people will still buy Asoka because of its high quality entertainment value and SRK fans.The only reason DEi gave up the rights was cause Metrodome and First Look would have upset their territory.

Abhay was offered for a really good asking price which profits could be made from. Asoka's asking price (for a flop) was a way too high. Taking this factor and others DEI passed up, and from a business point of view its understanable.

You must remember that box-office sales do determine present view and feelings on the film by the going public. If the film flops then it is due the fact that many people wasn't intrested in it. From this basis companies decide which films to buy for DVD. If you owned DEI and Asoka came your way, for a high price, would you still purchase the film knowing that it is a financial faliure? And even if many people do like it, there are in the minority to the overall public. I did enjoy the film Asoka and part of me wished that DEI shouldn't pass up on that offer. Yet the financial view point says otherwise. I am not be harsh, just trying to make you see it from there point of view.

Also Asoka music sales, won't profit the overall performance of the film as the music sales is a separate business deal for producers. The music soundtack has only made profits for the music label Sony Music.

Besides just like anwar_hatela_survives states who really cares Metrodome is doing the DVD!!!!

DEI now get all the shit movies. How come videosound who have done some of the worst DVDs can continue to go out and buy DVD rights for half decent films but DEI can not buy anything.

Partly because Video Sound (and Eros for that matter) are cinema distributors of the same films too, so get income from there to buy new films. DVD is just another sideline revenue. Most of income comes from cinema and do have the financial resources to make good DVD too - they just choose not to that’s all

DEI on the other hand don’t distribute films to cinema and used to be solely a DVD authoring house – but more recently are into selling DVDs than making good quality DVDs.

Ali



Edited By ali on Dec. 21 2001 at 17:46

They are concentrating on the classics at the mo and their list for 2002 is quite remarkable. They have some fine classics coming onto DVD, and I am looking forward to them. New Hindi films are turning shite itself with only ten/twelve decent flicks only this year! This is not good for an industry turning out over 100 flicks a year!!!

Only south Indian cinema seems to be benefitting both in thier content of films, and having massive profits. The recent release Nandhaa, is doing quite well at box-office and the film is quite decent. I am slowly converting towards the south, and I can see many audiences (mostly NRI's) doing the same in the next five years with the help of English Subtitled DVD's... (but we will never forget Hindi movies...or will we...hmmm :p )

You...slowly converting to south films? When were you not? As far as I remember, you've been criticizing Hindi films in favour of Tamil ones since the time you made your presence on the net:) Sunny Audit's mantra - the South version is always better. As for Tamil films benefitting in their content - I really dunno what you're talking about. I live in Singapore (and Tamils being majority of Indians) I end up seeing more of Rajnikanth and Vijaykanth than Shah Rukh or Hrithik. Frankly, majority of Tamil films are worse than mediocre - with the exception of Maniratnam's films. Even with very little Hindi speaking populace in Singapore, Hindi films open in more theatres and make a bigger impact on the box-office because non-Hindi speaking audiences also watch the films.

I know it is politically incorrect to criticize south films because they are the underdogs - but I was never one for being politically correct:)