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| Registered: March 14, 2007 |  Posts: 1,777 |
| | Posted: | | | | So I'm browsing through another DVD website and one of those inevitable collection cataloging threads gets started. The initial poster found some piece of boxed software that scraped data from the more popular movie/retail sites and was inquiring about other options. A couple posts later somebody suggests Profiler. Now here's what I thought was fascinating, the IP said that they had downloaded the demo and tried it but became unimpressed because of so many empty profiles. Not all of them, of course, but more than the competition.
Now this is a region 1 person with fairly standard tastes. I'm thinking to myself, "How is this possible?" And then it hits me...boxed sets. The way we've converted simple releases into boxed sets is, I think, starting to generate real problems for the casual user. I'm also starting to believe that this problem is getting more and more exasperated now that the studios are starting to package double, triple and even quadruple features into budget lines.
As a Profiler veteran, I don't even notice child profiles. Heck, I typically prefer them because I can get a lot further with title searches and what not. I just found it interesting to see a neophite's unvarnished reaction to my favorite cataloging software. | | | | Last edited: by mdnitoil |
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| Registered: March 15, 2007 | Reputation:  |  Posts: 5,459 |
| | Posted: | | | | That's why I've always argued for semi-automatic download of child profiles. It gives the new or casual user a nudge that there is more info there than they first thought. |
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| Registered: March 13, 2007 | | Posts: 1,242 |
| | Posted: | | | | You were LOOKING at another site  Shame on you. deposit $50 into Ken's account and we may forgive you  Steve |
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| Registered: March 15, 2007 | | Reputation: | | Posts: 5,459 |
| | Posted: | | | | Quoting snarbo: Quote:
You were LOOKING at another site
Shame on you. There's nothing wrong with looking at other sites. I look at loads of other sites.... it's just not many of them have words on them...   |
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| Registered: March 13, 2007 | | Posts: 1,242 |
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| Registered: March 13, 2007 | | Reputation: | | Posts: 2,372 |
| | Posted: | | | | mdnitoil's point is valid (IMO) and something I have been saying for quite some time. The average DVDP user knows very little about the program and also doesn't frequent these forums. I have turned at least a dozen people onto this software. Over half of them are very computer savy and frequent their own forums daily. Of the dozen people I am still the only one who comes here. Even the other 'forum' people don't come here. "I will if I need support" is what I have heard the most. Most of those same dozen had no idea profiles were updated and these updates needed to be downloaded. There was one (my son... I'm so proud  ) who went to put a DVD into his collection, it wasn't there, so he completed a bare bones profile and uploaded it. But he is the only one who has done anything except download the profile. The average user wants to buy his DVD and put the UPC or Title into DVDP once and have all the information. Then upload it so they can show their friends and neighbors what new movies they have so they can loan them out. We know there are around 500,000 users (or at least were users at one time). Even if of those only a fifth (random number) actually decided to use the program that's a lot of people out there. We also know about how many people come here. The math is pretty easy. Have you ever showed anyone from the outside a discussion from here? or tried to tell them about a discussion?  Try explaining a multi page debate on whether or not widescreen is an edition or even better a flat out argument about someone's name I guess that's why those of us who are here all the time are so loyal... it's truly a sickness not shared by most mere mortals. We are a unique group. I wonder if there is a DVDP gene that can be recognized at birth.  Gotta find those babies and start working on them NOW... widescreen IS an edition!  |
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| Registered: March 19, 2007 | Reputation:  |  Posts: 6,018 |
| | Posted: | | | | I agree with northbloke and Rick. What's more: it also demonstrates how all these heated debates here will fail to reach 99.999% of the DVDP users, which obviously will apply to any "forum consensus" or statement by Ken/Gerri on contribution issues as well. Which is why the Contribution Rules need some serious updating to cover all the issues the regulars here tend to take for granted...  |
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 | W0m6at | | You're in for it now Tony |
| Registered: April 17, 2007 |  Posts: 1,091 |
| | Posted: | | | | Quoting snarbo: Quote:
You were LOOKING at another site It's re-calibration. If you look at other sites, then compliments regarding this one have more merit, as they have a point of comparison. Now try explaining that to the missus/mister next time you get caught staring.  | | | | Adelaide Movie Buffs (info on special screenings, contests, bargains, etc. relevant to Adelaideans... and contests/bargains for other Aussies too!) |
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| Registered: March 13, 2007 | | Posts: 2,692 |
| | Posted: | | | | Quoting mdnitoil: Quote:
So I'm browsing through another DVD website and one of those inevitable collection cataloging threads gets started. The initial poster found some piece of boxed software that scraped data from the more popular movie/retail sites and was inquiring about other options. A couple posts later somebody suggests Profiler. Now here's what I thought was fascinating, the IP said that they had downloaded the demo and tried it but became unimpressed because of so many empty profiles. Not all of them, of course, but more than the competition.
Now this is a region 1 person with fairly standard tastes. I'm thinking to myself, "How is this possible?" And then it hits me...boxed sets. The way we've converted simple releases into boxed sets is, I think, starting to generate real problems for the casual user. I'm also starting to believe that this problem is getting more and more exasperated now that the studios are starting to package double, triple and even quadruple features into budget lines.
As a Profiler veteran, I don't even notice child profiles. Heck, I typically prefer them because I can get a lot further with title searches and what not. I just found it interesting to see a neophite's unvarnished reaction to my favorite cataloging software. I agree completely with this. The average user will never know to look for other profiles to add. Perhaps there should be something in the cast list (or notes etc) for the parent which says "Download the children for further information" - or words to that effect. | | | | Paul |
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| Registered: March 13, 2007 | | Reputation: |  Posts: 5,494 |
| | Posted: | | | | | | | In the 60's, People took Acid to make the world Weird. Now the World is weird and People take Prozac to make it Normal.
Terry | | | | Last edited: by widescreenforever |
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| Registered: March 13, 2007 | | Posts: 21,610 |
| | Posted: | | | | Quoting mdnitoil: Quote:
So I'm browsing through another DVD website and one of those inevitable collection cataloging threads gets started. The initial poster found some piece of boxed software that scraped data from the more popular movie/retail sites and was inquiring about other options. A couple posts later somebody suggests Profiler. Now here's what I thought was fascinating, the IP said that they had downloaded the demo and tried it but became unimpressed because of so many empty profiles. Not all of them, of course, but more than the competition.
Now this is a region 1 person with fairly standard tastes. I'm thinking to myself, "How is this possible?" And then it hits me...boxed sets. The way we've converted simple releases into boxed sets is, I think, starting to generate real problems for the casual user. I'm also starting to believe that this problem is getting more and more exasperated now that the studios are starting to package double, triple and even quadruple features into budget lines.
As a Profiler veteran, I don't even notice child profiles. Heck, I typically prefer them because I can get a lot further with title searches and what not. I just found it interesting to see a neophite's unvarnished reaction to my favorite cataloging software. Sounds to me like you should 'splain it to Looooocy, midnit. Skip | | | ASSUME NOTHING!!!!!!
CBE, MBE, MoA and proud of it.
Outta here
Billy Video |
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| Registered: March 13, 2007 | | Reputation: | | Posts: 2,293 |
| | Posted: | | | | Quoting dee1959jay: Quote:
I agree with northbloke and Rick. Another voice of support; some semi-automatic downloading as suggested or, in the meantime, some method of informing the user that the profile is a Parent and more data is held in the individual Child profiles (as also suggested) seems like a very sensible idea. | | | | It is dangerous to be right in matters where established men are wrong |
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| Registered: August 3, 2007 |  Posts: 36 |
| | Posted: | | | | I agree with lyonsden5 overall. I encounter mostly the same reactions around me. I've been using the software for quite a while now but I must say I only discovered/took interest in the forums just recently. I realised that my box set profiles were emptying and then that I needed to get the child profiles. Most of the time that requires a DVD Drive on the computer to find which child profile is needed. Mine just fried out completing profiles  I noticed that if I preview a box set profile, then the child profiles are listed but didn't find a way to automatically dowload them at the same time. I guess that is because there isn't  It does suggest removing child profiles when you remove a box set profile, however. That can also be an issue when I buy DVDs since I like checking the profile before getting it to see what audio tracks are available. I can't I be sure when I don't have the disc or the child UPC ? I'ld definetly be favorable to some sort of link between a box set and child profiles. Jumping in on such a complete software can raise questions and doubts, making it easier for the "plain" user seems a good idea. |
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| Registered: March 19, 2007 | | Reputation: | | Posts: 6,018 |
| | Posted: | | | | Quoting Blackflush: Quote:
II noticed that if I preview a box set profile, then the child profiles are listed but didn't find a way to automatically dowload them at the same time. I guess that is because there isn't
It does suggest removing child profiles when you remove a box set profile, however.
That can also be an issue when I buy DVDs since I like checking the profile before getting it to see what audio tracks are available. I can't I be sure when I don't have the disc or the child UPC ?
I'ld definetly be favorable to some sort of link between a box set and child profiles.
Jumping in on such a complete software can raise questions and doubts, making it easier for the "plain" user seems a good idea. You're right, at present there is unfortunately no way to automatically download child profiles along with the parent profile. What you can do when you're considering buying a box set is to add the children by doing a Title Search. Either click the green plus icon or go to DVD / Add to Collection, next choose the Add by Title tab. Make sure you set the Region and Locality settings according to the set you're considering to buy, type in the title, and if the children for the set you're looking at are in the Invelos database, they should be in the list you're getting, with Disc IDs in the UPC column. Good luck! |
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| Registered: August 3, 2007 | | Posts: 36 |
| | Posted: | | | | That is how I currently do it, but child profiles are not always easy to identify. For instance, the disc IDs for the Matrix boxset I got are those of the first collector boxset with the statuette and all. How can I guess that those profiles were the right ones for my later edition that wasn't the same "quality" or price ? Also, as you surely know, in our parts we get Dutch, Benelux, Swiss and French editions that can look quite alike on the outside but not on the inside. I'm actually in the process of requalifying the locality of quite a few of my profiles, that were wrong in the db. Except for recent blockbusters, French releases are usually better quality (Master / packaging) but the price is way higher. That is why most of the online shops get their products from neighboring countries. Sometimes it is OK but other times... One time, I even got a copy of an American film (A Bronx Tale) with no English Track  That is why I always check with DVDP before I purchase.  PS: Even Amazon FR is starting to sell Belgium editions but at least they mention them as imports which is not the case everywhere.  |
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| Registered: March 19, 2007 | | Reputation: | | Posts: 6,018 |
| | Posted: | | | | Yeah, I'm aware of the limitations of the method I described. Unfortunately, there's no better alternative right now. |
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