Disney's new creative thinking on maximizing profits ... Blu-ray Laserdisc sized sleeves.

NorthStar

Member
Feb 8, 2011
24,305
1,323
435
Vancouver Island, B.C. Canada
A Blu-ray disc is a 5" size disc, came in 2006, and in vast general comes in a Blu-ray blue transparent plastic case. ...Blu for blue...makes total sense.
A DVD is also a 5" size disc, and comes in a larger black plastic DVD case...in majority today.
When you put them on your shelves I prefer the BR cases because they are smaller, taking less place.
@ the beginning of DVD, back in 1997, Universal studios had some CD jewel boxes for some of their DVD offerings; I liked that because they were taking even less space than Blu-rays. I have roughly a dozen of those. Some DVD-Audio (5" disc as well) also came in a CD jewel box.

CDs (5" disc) come in a CD jewel box as well. SACDs, some, come in a very nice, better designed, CD jewel box.

VHS and Beta tapes are history, Laser Discs are also history.

But LPs are coming back more and more and more; it's resurrection time! Turntables are regaining popularity, and 12" LP sleeves are cool.

So Disney had this brilliant idea:


Just make sure you don't mix those with your music LPs.
________

I'm all in when it comes time to money investments and maximizing profits. So I totally understand Disney's strategy here, like also when they release a BR title like 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' first on Blu-ray 2D, then months later again but with a 3D version, and next year on UHD (4K) and highly probably with a Dolby Atmos (or DTS:X) audio soundtrack. This is not the first time movie studios like Disney, FOX, and occasionally few others, come with tactics similar for maximizing company and investors profits. I could easily write a book with several examples about it, but I won't because this is not a course about economics. :b

Personally, from that video above, sure, but make them Ultimate Extra Special Extended Exclusive Editions...with gold and black accents on top and bottom and put the DVD disc, the digital copy disc (code or physical), the Blu-ray disc (1080p, 2K/2D), the 3D Blu-ray disc, the UHD/4K Blu-ray disc, and the Bonus extra DVD and Blu-ray discs inside the gatefold 12" cardbord sleeve packaging. Brief, put them all versions in this large size container.

But even better than that; get on with the program (UHD), and get a grip! :b ...Meaning 3D and 2D versions released on the same day, and inside a normal/better/smaller/cooler BR packaging. Some WB titles like 'LOTR' and 'The Hobbit' come inside a BR case with five discs inside (all versions), and on your shelves they don't take much space. But more to come...LOTR and The Hobbit on UHD/4K versions, the Extended Editions.

Trilogies are cool, because movie studios make even more money with them...more triple+ dipping. And stuff like 'Harry Potter' entire saga, 'Star Trek', 'Star Wars', 'Avengers', 'SpidoMan', 'UltraMan', 'SuperWoman', tra-la-la-la-la, even better still.

We live in a world of consumption, of packaging, of manufacturing, of profiteering, of hacking, of all that jazz...but c'mon now; plastic or 12" cardboard BR packaging inside a lookalike laser disc/LP container?

What's best for the ecologic system, for global warming deceleration? What's best for consumers? What's best for Disney and all?
_______

Off topic, but still slightly related (as a consumption viewpoint, and consumer protection...people/society/civilization/humanity):
Couple days ago I was reading an article about the 1986 exploded Chernobyl nuclear reactor with its finalized half sphere rooftop sealed cover.

And no, this ain't fake news: https://www.thestar.com/news/world/...loded-reactor-at-chernobyl-nuclear-plant.html

Sure, a new 12" cardboard sleeve packaging for Blu-ray from Disney, a la nostalgic Laser Disc era, is nowhere near a roof seal cover over an exploded nuclear reactor from 1986, but still reminded me of it.
_______

Any take; on the size of our music and movie packaging? Kids today aren't concerned with this pizzazz stuff; their entertainment world is all contained in space, in the cloud, inline, in streaming, in downloading files from computers, ... no physical packaging, ... on the go anywhere and everywhere and anytime and all the time.

* Thanks to a member here/there for making me aware. ..The new Disney BR "Laser Disc" package saga.
 

Folsom

VIP/Donor
Oct 25, 2015
6,020
1,486
520
Eastern WA
I don't like sliding holders, they're good for scratching.

Fix that and make this the standard. I'd rather store something slimmer than the plastic case, and I really don't like all the plastic.
 

NorthStar

Member
Feb 8, 2011
24,305
1,323
435
Vancouver Island, B.C. Canada
1) Plastic is bad for the environment. Plastic bags are banned from some food stores.
2) I'm not a fan of cardboard sliding holders either; Disney new packaging designers are lacking practical imagination, without a doubt.
3) This is just another useless money grab; pure and simple.
4) I have LPs, few 78s, 45s, VHS tapes, 8-track tapes, cassette tapes, CDs, DVDs, Blu-rays, digital music downloads (five or ten), USB sticks, ...so many music/movie formats since the 50s that I just accept them all for what they are and how they get stored. They all have their own history.
5) We are a dinosaur bunch, different than today's trends of streaming and downloading and USB and music/movie servers and Netflix.

What I do is not representative of what the masses do, what Disney do the same.
______

* Bonus:

http://studioservices.go.com/disneystudios/history.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Walt_Disney_Company
 

Fiddle Faddle

Member
Aug 7, 2015
548
2
16
Australia
I don't like sliding holders, they're good for scratching.

Fix that and make this the standard. I'd rather store something slimmer than the plastic case, and I really don't like all the plastic.

100% agreed. I stopped buying Decca boxed CD sets about 8 years ago after they got into the habit of using tightly fitting cardboard sleeves. Even if you were incredibly careful removing the disks, they often came pre-scratched during the original packaging work performed at the factory. There is no reason here why they can't use an extremely low profile stud-type of locking system so that at least the disks can be pulled upwards out of the packaging rather than the unavoidable sliding. It wouldn't by any thicker than the existing "pouch" solution. Mind you, I think blu-ray disks are supposed to be significantly more scratch-resistant than CDs or DVDs, though I have never cared to personally verify this.

Back in the days when I bought optical disks on a regular basis, I used to groan when I saw so many retailers throwing disks into tight fitting temporary sleeves, only to scratch them. I agree with the two previous posts - packaging these days seems to either be ridiculously complex or it totally lacks imagination and seems to be devised by people who have no practical experience in owning the very goods they are trying to package up!

btw, I loved the laserdisc format. It was not ruined by digital compression. I'll take uncompressed "low-res" analogue video any day over compressed hi-res video. Blu-ray is pretty good though, especially when used to re-master old movies made using actual film stock.
 

Don Hills

Well-Known Member
Jun 20, 2013
366
1
323
Wellington, New Zealand
... I think blu-ray disks are supposed to be significantly more scratch-resistant than CDs or DVDs ...

Yes, they have a scratch resistant coating. But they need it, because scratching causes read errors much more easily than DVD and CD.
On CD, the surface is 1.2 mm way from the data surface. This means the scratches are well out of focus when the laser is focused on the data. On DVD, the gap is 0.6 mm. On Bluray, the gap is only 0.1 mm.
 

About us

  • What’s Best Forum is THE forum for high end audio, product reviews, advice and sharing experiences on the best of everything else. This is THE place where audiophiles and audio companies discuss vintage, contemporary and new audio products, music servers, music streamers, computer audio, digital-to-analog converters, turntables, phono stages, cartridges, reel-to-reel tape machines, speakers, headphones and tube and solid-state amplification. Founded in 2010 What’s Best Forum invites intelligent and courteous people of all interests and backgrounds to describe and discuss the best of everything. From beginners to life-long hobbyists to industry professionals, we enjoy learning about new things and meeting new people, and participating in spirited debates.

Quick Navigation

User Menu

Steve Williams
Site Founder | Site Owner | Administrator
Ron Resnick
Site Co-Owner | Administrator
Julian (The Fixer)
Website Build | Marketing Managersing