Double-sided discs: a problem?
 

OK guys, here's a new one.

On another non-DVD related forum, OK, a sci-fi forum, there's some talk about the recently released Battlestar Galactica (mini-series) DVD. Some copies come as single disc versions, others two disc versions, however, in either case, the discs are double-sided. My copy just happened to be a single double-sided disc.

Anyway, here's the deal...OK, we all know most of the prerequisites around here is OAR, and anamorphic transfers. But this argument is a new one on me. OK, there's this member on this other forum who really likes and wants the Battlestar Galactica DVD. But, he doesn't want to buy it because it's on (a) double-sided disc(s). You got that? He won't buy it because it's on a "flipper". Now I know we all don't really care for "flippers", but has it ever been a factor as to why you buy a title?

Out of all the excuses that I've heard on why not to buy a favorite title, the format it comes has got to be the most ridiculous complaint I think I've ever heard. He even went so far as to say that his father bought a Law & Order set and then said that they wouldn't have if they had known that was on double-sided discs.

Talk about anal... I couldn't help myself and I called him a "DVD bigot". To pass on a favorite title because it's on a double-sided disc? Good thing he wasn't into LD, huh?

didn't make me not buy something....but i did search high and low for T2 Double disc way back when

I found and still own the T2 2-Disc

w00t

I hate double sided discs.

Sure I prefer single sided discs, but if double siders allow for more content or give me a better copy of a given movie they're fine by me.

My dvdplayer flips them over for me so I am fine with any, and 1 dvd is best too as more room in my player for 300 more dvds :)

but I like a picture on a dvd, and I hate handling double sided ones too :(

The top side of a double-sided disc is easy to get dirt and finger print. Every time I take a double-sided disc, I have to pay extra attention on it. That's why I dumped T2 UE.

I have no problem with double-sided DVDs.

I don't mind a double-sided disc as long as the disc works fine. I do prefer a single-sided ones because I have a 5-disc DVD player and it would be more of a hassle to manually flip the 2-sided discs.

Good thing this guy wasn't around when LPs where the dominant music format!

any other disc that had a choice between 2 disc or flipper.....bowling for columbine comes to mind

I think that the flipper was what rental stores used while the 2-disc version was what you would buy at retail stores.

This Is Spinal Tap Criterion is double-sided... needless to say, I hold my breath every time I take the DVD out of it's case.

[QUOTE=Mike Lowrey]OK guys, here's a new one.

On another non-DVD related forum, OK, a sci-fi forum, there's some talk about the recently released Battlestar Galactica (mini-series) DVD. Some copies come as single disc versions, others two disc versions, however, in either case, the discs are double-sided. My copy just happened to be a single double-sided disc.

Maybe I'm misunderstanding you a bit on your description, but unless there
is something wrong with my discs, there is only information contained on
one side of the two disc version of the Galactica Mini-Series. They're just
missing disc art. They could have omitted the "flip disc over for more
features" blurb though :)

I ussually leave it in my machine if its a good film, if its crap I dont care so much :) never took T2 out of my machine in 3 years :)

I do NOT like double sided dvds.

Pro-B

I couldn't care less.

I don't like Double sided DVDs. They make sense sometimes but that Battlestar Gallactica deal is retarded. I mean the set costs $100 and they can't spring for some regular DVDs. How cheap can the studio be?

Yeah, the single-disk version is truly a flipper. The two-disk version only has information on one side of each disk, yet there is not disk art.

The only problem I have with flippers is the inconsistency in the labeling on the disk. I've noticed that many indicate "side A" such that the words "side A" should be facing upward when inserting the disk into the player if you want to actually view "side A". Other disks do exactly the opposite. In other words, some manufacturers assume you know where the lens is, while others assume you're treating your disk as an LP.

Anti double siders here.

1. The mastering is less reliable.
2. Even more care is required when handling.
3. They undergo additional "wear and tear" when in player.
4. No disk art.

Dang why do people not buy DVDS because of things such as its case, cover, double sided disc etc?

Are you paying for the looks or the damn thing thats gonna be shown on your television.

Well, in the original Battlestar Galactica series set in whcih you're talking about, there was quite a few extras. Practically each episode had several minutes of deleted scenes...sometimes up to 20 or so minutes worth. The disc format was is as follows:

Disc 1
Side 1: 3-part pilot "Saga of a Star World", commentary, deleted scenes, interview with Glen A Larson, featurette on the music
Side 2: 2-part "Lost Planet of the Gods", deleted scenes

Disc 2
Side 1: 2 episodes, deleted scenes from both
Side 2: 2-part "Gun on Ice Planet Zero", plus 1 more episode, deleted scenes from "Gun"

Disc 3
Side 1: 1 episode, plus 2-part "The Living Legend", deleted scenes from both.
Side 2: 1 episode, deleted scenes, Cylon featurette, Daggit featurette, photo gallery, sneak peek at new BSG mini-series, behind the scenes for BSG game

Disc 4
2-part "War of the Gods", plus 1 more episode, deleted scenes for both

Disc 5
1 episode, plus 2-hour presentation of "Greetings From Earth", deleted scenes from both

Disc 6
Side 1: 3 episodes. deleted scenes from 2 of them.
Side 2: 1 episode, deleted scenes, and "Remembering BSG" retrospective docu.

And on top of that, each episode ran for nearly 50 minutes. So you can see that had they gone the normal route for TV sets, this would have been a 10 disc set, easy.


This series would have been a truely great series had it been made more recently, for sakes of better effects. The stock footage of space battles really killed any sense of epicness.

My feelings exactly...what's on my TV (and running through my audio system) is the only thing that matters to me. If I worried about packaging, disc count, etc, I'd be a picky bastard.

The only thing that concerns me is OAR and anamorphic transfers when applicable. I prefer 5.1 mixes, but 2.0 are alright.

What's an LP?
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never mind...just kidding. :D

Allow me to add one that applies to a few of us: Small Print! On flippers, I have to grab my glasses to read which side I want to watch. Not a major thing, but a bit of a pain.

To the original question, I wouldn't not buy a DVD because it was double-sided, but I sure prefer to not do so.

Never stopped me from buying a set that I really wanted, such as I, Claudius for $20. -biggrin-