My biggest problem with the way that dvds are packaged and shrinkwrapped is that most of the time the plastic sticks to the spine. You spend about 10 minutes scraping off pieces of the plastic and the spine ends up looking terrible.

Yes the plastic is horrible as are the stickers.

The really funny thing is that at one time I am sure this was a real deterrent. Now there are so many dvd's in bargain bins selling for less than $10, all the packaging does is annoy people.

I hate it when the artwork is just above or below the plastic protection and gets ripped from the security stickers. Speaking of which, those damn stickers are annoying. I don't mind the top ones because it helps searching for something if you're looking over it but there's no need for the side or bottom (plus the actual security tag inside the case that sometimes is tough to take off).

More than anything else, how TV show packaging changes on a regular basis. I like everything to be relatively uniform.

I hate all of the above and I also hate it when the price is on the actual case and not the plastic.

Don't know if I can describe this properly ... with a multi-DVD set that comes in a cardstock case with glued-on clear plastic hubs ... and the security slug is stuck underneath the plastic, making it impossible to get out. Put it on the outside of the hub so I don't have to look at it forever and be reminded of a preserved insect.

In Australia and New Zealand, all TV shows seem to be coming out in big plastic cases - often 6 disks crammed into an oversized (thicker) dvd case. They have moved away from foldout digipacks. They are also moving towards 6 disk releases in normal sized dvd cases.

Which is why I purchase most of my tv shows from the USA. Not only is it quicker, they also tend to have more better packaging

Digipaks.

To add to that, if you can remove it, chances are you end up tearing out a chunk of the artwork the security tag was stuck to.

The above, and inconsistancy between packaging in a series/set/season.

See you in hell, security stickers.

All of the above, but the biggest one for me right now is that standard DVD cases have become sort of a next-generation jewel box. It's no longer necessary to use them, even for 2-disc titles, but in order to preserve the perception of value, very few titles are released individually in slimcases. I can see why from a business point of view, but to have a single DVD take up a full half-inch of space on a shelf is just ridiculous, which is why I've started buying binders.

Honestly, I'm so anal or OCD...can't make up my mind which one! But, all of the above pretty much bothers the s--t out of me!

Nah, thats kind of silly. I couldn't imagine trying to read the spines of 600 slims lined up.

As stated above.... When security stickers are unremoveable--as in, slapped *behind* a transparent or translucent disc tray. Or glued into place so that trying to get them off tears the image off the cardboard. Grrr.

That 10 years into the format, and there's still the risk of loose discs. In all my years of buying cds, I've never once had a loose disc. But dvd, it can happen at any time. Though, I've gotten lucky the last few months with no floating dvds. Oh, and I still see gigantic thumb prints from time to time. sheesh

Totally agree and have already taken the same action with binders early last year. (I still haven't figured out where to store the empty cases!) Slim packs would only take up half the space.

Honestly...nothing. Guess it's just a 7 year fluke because any problems have been microscopic. If the content within the case is correct...then they can wrap it in a brown paper bag for all I care.

Don't get me wrong...the "look" of my library vault is important, but nothing to do with "housing" has ever disturbed me enough to get my panties in a twist.

I've had shrinkwrap stick to my spines every so often, but unlike an earlier post....I have never had to "scrape" and destroy the spine/case.

And no thanks on the "binders"....they serve no purpose for my library at all.

Guess I hope my luck continues.

In Canada, that annoying Bilingual packaging!

They should make the covers, dual sided. One with french for the french speaking people and the other side, in English only.

When the sticker sticks to the paper liner and damages it.
Snapcases [I think that's what they're called, like the original Superman 1-3 were in.] They suck.
When the disk is so tight on the middle hub button that you have to bend the disk to get it out.
Cutesy theme packaging that is a pain in the arse to actually use.
Floaters.
I'm not a fan of that tight shrinkwrapping anyway, but that's not specific to DVds. If I had fingernails it might be better. Besides, I'll take shrinkwrapped DVDs over kids' toy packaging, or that hard form fit plastic crap that cuts your hands, any day.

I like slim cases if they're in a box set, then I can turn the box around and easily see the title, but though they're definitely smaller, I don't know if I'd like my entire collection [small though it is, compared to some of y'all's] in standalone slim cases.

My #1 pet peeve right now is all the titles that have cardboard slipcovers, but are shipped to stores with NO fucking shrinkwrap on them, instead having a shrinkwrapped keepcase inside! Most stores slap their price tags and security stickers right on the cardboard, so if you buy it you have to leave them on there or possibly damage the slipcover taking them off. They tend to get beat up after being on the shelves a couple weeks too. I don't buy used DVDs because I want everything in perfect condition, but this almost completely makes that a moot point. Right now I'll simply refuse to buy any of these that have a price tag stuck on them; I'll either search elsewhere for a store that doesn't use price tags, or get it through mail order. Whoever came up with this idea should be shot, plain and simple!

A close second multi-disc sets where one disc is stacked on top of and overlapping the other. If you want to play the second disc, you have to take out the first disc, then find a place to store the unused disc while the other one is playing! Whoever invented these cases should be stabbed to death with one of them. I know some people are violently against snapper cases, but I guarantee that I hate these cases a hundred times more than the biggest snapper case hater! Speaking of those, I never minded snapper cases, but since the last ones often had the "Security Device Enclosed" labels sealing them shut which were hard to get off without causing damage, I'm not as sorry to see them mostly gone now.

Discs getting loose inside the case and damaged as a result is a problem that should have been solved a LONG time ago. I'm always in the habit of checking for this before buying a disc, and I've walked out empty-handed if they're the only ones left.

What annoys me the most are digipaks and how they are so easy to break, especially the hubs. And when they do break, they are impossible to replace because the artwork is glued onto the plastic.

The size. Seriously. I always liked the keep case design, but why are they so long? They could have keep cases that are the size of normal CD cases (and they do make them...I've seen product packaged in them before, but NOT DVDs) and this would mean you could fit more DVDs into shelving units. For a collector with space issues, that is my major pet peeve.

I agree with some of the above criticisms, but I haven't seen anyone mention the center prong (sorry, don't know the technical name) being broken when you buy the disc. I've only bought one disc where it's so broken it doesn't even hold the disc, and it irritates the shit out of me. Along the same lines is when the disc is loose in the case. Now I make sure I check every time I buy a disc.

Edit: Well, it hadn't been mentioned when I started typing this post.

I'm really starting to get annoyed at these new hubs that put one disc on top of another. While it saves space, it's such a pain in the butt to handle especially when some of the hubs are partially broken.

I'm also not too fond of the "book-style" hubs on The Simpsons seasons 6-9 DVDs, I always fear that one of those hubs will break off soon.

To me, generally the boring package designs in R1 land. It's the same game over and over again - amaray keepcases. Even the slipcovers I generally find stupid - same art as the coverart. Great concept!! And the fact they are not shrink wrapped doesn't always ensure a pristine slipcover by the time a purchase is made.

So many imported releases that I've come across in are generally in better packaging. Quite a few from Korea and Japan are jacketed digipacks or customized boxes and made more sturdy by design. I'd say a larger percentage are similar in design to the LOTR Extended edition packaging as a comparative point.