The Digital Bits Insider's Guide to DVD

Rating:
Summary: A Bad Book
Review: "The Digital Bits Insider's Guide to DVD" has a few GOOD pages of technical information (about 40 out of 426 pages) on how DVDs work but not enough to justify the cost of this book. The book contains some misinformation too: there are no SECAM-compatible DVDs on the market. The French, the pioneers of SECAM, play PAL DVDs like the rest of Europe. This book could have contained a lot of useful technical information, but it doesn't. This is unfortunate, because the FAQ page of thedigitalbits Web site has a lot of good technical info, more than a beginner could hope to absorb right away.

As for the 44-page chapter on "Inside the Alien Quadrilogy," it is practically free of content except for the frequent whining by the quadrilogy producer that two of the directors refused to contribute to the new editions or to allow him to call his new cuts of their movies "director's cuts."

Which brings us to the reviews, which occupy almost all of the book. The selection of titles is very limited and determined, it seems, by the special tastes of the authors. The book's refined vocabulary: "anal," "geek out," "frickin'," and "wet your pants," some of it from the "Alien" producer, is a sure indicator of the level of erudition. There is a strange section on great DVDs of bad movies. Do you really want to watch a bad movie, or the making of a bad movie, or deleted scenes that weren't even good enough for a bad movie? And two of the authors' supposedly "bad" movies are actually much better than some they swoon over.

The 100 films reviewed are not necessarily bad. I own nearly half of them, mostly on special-edition DVDs. Unfortunately, much of the other half of these 100 films is mediocre or silly (including some I own). An example: the rather pedestrian Samurai Trilogy by Inagaki, whose video transfer is nothing to shout about and whose special features are limited to the trailers. Inagaki was only a journeyman director, not a genius like Kurosawa, Mizoguchi or Ozu. His films are competently executed (much better than Michael Bay dross) but not masterpieces.

Will DVD buyers who will "wet" or "$#%!" their pants (whatever that means) over special editions of "Ghostbusters" or "A Nightmare on Elm Street" even watch this book's recommended "Citizen Kane" (1941), "Nosferatu" (1922), or Fritz Lang's "Metropolis" (1926) let alone buy them? Give me a break. And let me say for the record that while I own two of alleged "pant-wetting" and two of the alleged "pant-$#%!-ing" titles, I have never defiled my undergarments in any way during or directly after watching those films. (Whatever emissions such films might provoke from me--but not the four I own--are more likely to emanate from the other end of my alimentary canal.) The authors' immodest claims for the undergarment-soiling potential of these films are clearly exaggerated.

A common problem with DVD guides like this is that the special DVD editions appear and disappear much faster than the regular editions of the DVD. It is no surprise that "The Lion King," "Sleeping Beauty," "The Indiana Jones Trilogy," "T2 Extreme" and "LOTR: The Two Towers" do not appear in it, and that the special editions of "Tarzan," "Snow White" and "The Ultimate Toy Box," which do appear, have already vanished from the DVD catalogue. And how could the authors fail to mention such obvious items as the 20 Albert Broccoli "James Bond" films and the Universal Studios special editions of 14 of the late Alfred Hitchcock films, all of whose "making-of" featurettes are simply magnificent, almost as engrossing as the features themselves (I own them all). The number of great DVDs out there is very great, much larger than the authors would have you believe. This is a book assembled haphazardly and in haste.

I fear, dear reader, that books like this, besides having limited shelf life, also have limited value. The vocal supporters of this book often make clear that it was the first book to expand their knowledge of DVDs, paltry though that expansion must be. The present writer, no better than they, has been subject to a similar phenomenon in other areas. As these readers learn more about DVDs and films, they will likely cool to this book.

Let's be honest. If you love films of a certain genre, whether it be the great art house classics or sword and sandal movies, then you already know what you want to buy and don't need this book. If you want to broaden your cinematic horizons with quality films in your favorite genre or generally, there are much better books than this. Otherwise, it's better to spend your money on the DVDs themselves.

Rating:
Summary: Top 100 of all time, huh?
Review: ...
The best feature of this book is the aspect ratio comparison, but you can read about that in the bookstore, then put the book back on the shelf. If you're incredibly wealthy you'll enjoy the Home Theater information, but for those of us who can't afford that, there's....well...hmm...I'm not sure. They make a big deal out of the Alien movies, and I'm not really sure why. It smacks of under-the-table advertising for 20th Century Fox.
Much of the information herein will be ancient history in a matter of months, so be prepared to have to buy supplemental updates every so often. Who are they trying to kid? That sounds like an important point so I'll repeat it: much of this material will be outdated very quickly, so in no time you'll have a book full of antiquated information gathering dust on your shelf. The "Two Towers" special edition will represent the first nail in its coffin already. I wouldn't recommend using a credit card because you'll still be paying off the interest long after this book is out of date. This is something to seriously consider. But hey, it's your money. Just pay attention to how they don't even address this fact, hoping you won't notice it.

Rating:
Summary: This book is great! A very fun and easy read.
Review: A friend recommended this book to me, being new to DVD. I was hesitant and afraid I wouldn't get much out of it, but boy was I wrong! I can't recommend it enough to anyone who is interested in DVD. I couldn't put it down, the writing style is very conversational and easy to understand. These guys obviously know what they are talking about and explain complicated principles in an easy to understand manner. The Alien section was fascinating, I really had no idea what all went into making DVD's. I was not aware of their website before this book, but be sure I will be a frequent visitor now! Nice job guys. :o)

Rating:
Summary: Well written and perfect for all user levels
Review: As a longtime fan of the 'Bits site and an 'early implementer' of DVD, I knew I needed this book. It's very well written and contains explanations of everything the beginner needs to know. There are many additional bits of great information for the more knowledgeable folks in the DVD community as well. The additional reviews and the in depth look at creating the Alien Quadrilogy is equally superb. I've already shown the book to some co-workers who are rushing out to get their own copy!! Very well done indeed, Bill and Todd!!

Rating:
Summary: Detailed look at DVD
Review: As a longtime reader of The Digital Bits website, I was more than happy to shell out the money to support their site by purchasing a copy of the book. Little did I suspect that I'd actually get as much as I have out of this book as I have!

This is an in-depth, detailed look at DVD from start to finish.
Even the very technical details are explained in such a way as to make them accessible to the non-technical crowd. I have read many descriptions and explanations of "anamorphic" video before (in fact, The Digital Bits has had an online guide for a number of years) but seeing it in the book and with the accompanying text I finally got some aspects (pun intended) of the technology I had not fully grasped on previous occasions. The section on the Alien Quadrilogy was an interesting look at the process of making a special edition DVD set, and even if I wasn't salivating about the set's release, I think the information on what really goes on behind the scenes of putting together such a set is really fascinating.
The reviews section, while nice, is nothing special. There are multiple places on the web (including The Digital Bits) where one can read this kind of review. While I liked it, it was not stellar, though information on DVD's that are out of print is still worth it to me, as that information is not quite as readily available.
Last but not least, the book covers the future of DVD, and this is an overview of the current and possible future technologies. Nice to read, but not going to win any prizes.

For my money, the first several sections are worth their weight in gold - the section on aspect rations and anamorphic video, the technical explanation of DVD layers, etc.

Rating:
Summary: Detailed look at DVD
Review: As a longtime reader of The Digital Bits website, I was more than happy to shell out the money to support their site by purchasing a copy of the book. Little did I suspect that I'd actually get as much as I have out of this book as I have!

This is an in-depth, detailed look at DVD from start to finish.
Even the very technical details are explained in such a way as to make them accessible to the non-technical crowd. I have read many descriptions and explanations of "anamorphic" video before (in fact, The Digital Bits has had an online guide for a number of years) but seeing it in the book and with the accompanying text I finally got some aspects (pun intended) of the technology I had not fully grasped on previous occasions. The section on the Alien Quadrilogy was an interesting look at the process of making a special edition DVD set, and even if I wasn't salivating about the set's release, I think the information on what really goes on behind the scenes of putting together such a set is really fascinating.
The reviews section, while nice, is nothing special. There are multiple places on the web (including The Digital Bits) where one can read this kind of review. While I liked it, it was not stellar, though information on DVD's that are out of print is still worth it to me, as that information is not quite as readily available.
Last but not least, the book covers the future of DVD, and this is an overview of the current and possible future technologies. Nice to read, but not going to win any prizes.

For my money, the first several sections are worth their weight in gold - the section on aspect rations and anamorphic video, the technical explanation of DVD layers, etc.

Rating:
Summary: A Vaulable Resource
Review: as an avid everyday visitor of the digital bits,this book is a welcome addition to any serious dvd fan's library.

if you thought you knew everything about dvd,then you need to read this book and you will soon find that you'll be referring back to it again and again.

it is simply a great reference tool for setting up a good home theater system,explaining what those "black bars" are,and how dvd works,and why widescreen is the way to go when buying any dvd.

if you want dvd explained in plain language,then this is the book for you.

Rating:
Summary: Full of great info....for now.
Review: As of *right this second* this book is packed with all the info you'll need for your dvd collection. But what about next year? What about next month? The main problem with books of this sort is that much of the information within becomes outdated in the blink of an eye, as hundreds of new dvds are released each year. Perhaps their Top 100 dvds will change in the next 6 months, but they can't update the book if it's in your shelf. See what I mean? Be prepared to have to buy supplemental updates once a year. The information is just like on their fantastic website: what's news today is forgotten tomorrow, in favor of the next new thing. Just like the whole film industry. I'd say just stick with the website, but unfortunately they are now going the evangelist route by asking you to buy the book or the website will collapse. Sorry if my rude awakening troubles some of you, but let's be real. How could the Top 100 dvds of all time be listed already, when there are so many more to be released in future?

Rating:
Summary: Awesome book for all levels who love DVD - Recommended
Review: Being a daily reader of the Bits website, I knew this book would be well written yet detailed in it's explanations. I couldn't even imagine how well this was put together. You can tell the time was well spent and it was worth the wait. Great info for those new to the format and great features for us 'early implementors'. The inside look at the Alien Quadrilogy and the reviews are great. A few co-workers are rusing out to get it after just reading the Aspect Ratio section. REQUIRED READING for anyone who watches movies at home!!

Rating:
Summary: A must own for DVD fans, new and old.
Review: Being a longtime reader of their site, I was pleased they put together something in hard copy form. It's a sturdy trade paperback with good quality paper, so it's really well-designed for heavy use. The book is easily designed, beginning with Part I covering the history of the medium and explaining its technical specs in a highly understandable way: these guys really make some tricky, abstract concepts very easy to understand. However, the pages on Surround Sound, while certainly informative, aren't as comprehensive as the other topics in this part of the book. And I really appreciated the next part of the book which explains how to build a good home theater (as well as defining just what the heck the phrase home theater is and isn't) on any budget: what features to look for on electronics, etc., again in easy to understand language. Part III is great fun for anyone, but especially for fans of the ALIEN series as it goes in-depth behind the making of Fox's upcoming nine disc ALIEN QUADRILOGY set. This part includes a really comprehensive interview with set's producer, as well as a nice little chat with director Ridley Scott. Part IV lists one hundred DVD's (divided by genre, special editions, etc) that are recommended by the authors, as well as clearly described reviews explaining just what makes the discs so great. The book closes with a Part on the future of the medium and is followed by a handy glossary and index. I do have a few minor quibbles, however, particularly concerning their list of a hundred great discs. Mainly that it becomes very evident in this section that this book has been written by two straight white guys in their late-twenties to early-thirties. For instance, you'll find reference to actors Christopher Lee and Jason Lee, but not a single entry on director Spike Lee, and more than one of his films have received excellent special edition treatments, at least one from the venerable Criterion collection. And, c'mon boys, you can't make any list of great DVD's without mentioning CASABLANCA, but that omission is not at all surprising given the book gives NO time to any sort of romantic film at all, though WHEN HARRY MET SALLY is mentioned in the review of THE PRINCESS BRIDE, you'd think it'd rate its own entry. And, yes, most cine-philes do enjoy at least one anime, but the Average Joe and/or Josephine really couldn't care less, and let's be honest, for all of its merits, anime is something of an acquired taste.

But those are, frankly, really minor nit-picks, and overall this book is a must for anyone serious about DVD and a great gift to give to anyone just beginning to build a collection!