Comments on: HBO’s The Newsroom Blu-rays do not disappoint

By: Kyle Nolan

Kyle Nolan — Tue, 28 May 2013 20:27:25 +0000

That’s the problem–I never get rid of them–though I have pretty much stopped buying DVD-only releases for shows that are aired in HD. The larger HBO Blu-ray sets are at least twice as thick as the normal 6-disc blu-ray plastic cases used for shows like 24, Lost, Once Upon a Time and Nikita, and the Veep packaging was also twice as thick as a standard 3-disc blu-ray cases used for shows like Dexter, Homeland, Big Bang Theory, etc. It ends up making a huge difference when you’re buying as much TV-on-BD as I am–especially with Cinemax now having some great shows that I want to add to my collection, and those are getting the same horrible packaging.

I remember in the early days of TV-on-DVD shows like The X-Files and Desperate Housewives used these large, elaborate unfolding packages. Now they have switched/been repackaged into standard thinner multi-disc cases that are about the same size as a standard single disc DVD case. Retailers didn’t have the shelf space for these larger releases (and neither does the customer). I don’t care about lots of artwork inside the case–I’d much rather have it take up less room on my shelf. I want to be able to at least read the spines and not have to stack things multiple levels deep and hunt for what I’m looking for.

By: Ivey West

Ivey West — Tue, 28 May 2013 20:08:59 +0000

I’ve found myself using the included regular DVDs quite a bit recently (While I have a BRD player in my living room, I don’t on my other TV), and appreciate their inclusion.

I hear you about the packaging, but I don’t particularly think it makes that much of a difference. I’ve got a specific DVD/BRD/Video Game bookshelf that I’ve got packed two rows deep. When I run out of space, it’s time to cull the amount of DVDs that I own. I do it about once a year.

By: Kyle

Kyle — Tue, 28 May 2013 20:05:35 +0000

I’ve always found the HBO sets impressive, and plan to pick this up. I just wish they would switch to standard, more compact packaging. I am quickly running out of room on my shelves for TV-on-BD and these unnecessarily over-sized sets from HBO/Cinemax only make the problem worse. I also don’t understand the point of including low-def DVDs with the Blu-rays–they just add to the thickness of the box for something I will never use–I bought the Blu-ray because I only want to watch in HD! On the other hand, the digital copy is a nice bonus and would be the way I’d watch if didn’t have access to a Blu-ray player (plus it adds no thickness to the box).