Let's talk about the AWA 15 Pro Discs!

[AquaSky]

I've burned the ISOs since the first year they've been available. Makes it more fun to watch them on the big screen in the living room as opposed to hunched over a computer monitor.

Besides, it's simple to mount an iso on a virtual drive if you're inclined towards PC viewing.

[Moonlight Soldier]

Yea, I burn 'em too >>

[Ileia]

Last year, I extracted the ISO and watched it that way. This year, I mounted the ISO (sexy) and watched it like that on my computer. The DVD menu is kinda weird, but it's okay. I don't have any problems either way.

[Nessephanie]

I don't. If I had the physical discs I'd either rip em onto the comp, or watch them on the computer >_>

[kholaras]

The sync issues (both this year and previously, but for different specific reasons) have been related to the mpeg conversion process, not the dvd mastering process. With the wide variety of formats I'm getting and, despite presumably using the same or similar software for exporting, the stupidly large range of subtle export permutations there is no single conversion routine I can use that will assure, 100%, that the final result is without flaw. I try to catch as many of the issues as possible but some are always going to get through. If you have 2 hours to listen to me bitch and moan at the convention, I'd be happy to give you a complete accounting of the bugs and incompatibilities I've encountered over the years producing this contest.

As for the DVD specific quirks (navigation mostly) some of it's spec limitations, some are quirks of the mastering software (last page of the first disc this year...the size of the buttons in the 4 high column are apparently the problem. I made them bigger and didn't retest the navigation on a hardware player), etc. Yes, we could get rid of the dvd and just go with individual video files but that just increases the likelyhood of people not downloading certain videos at all. Yea, one can skip over them on the disc now, but I feel better about it being truly one's decision to skip it vs being a failure on my part to even get that editor's video to the viewer. It also ensures a consistent viewing experience, ie for those folks that want to watch it on their home entertainment system but don't have a multimedia pc hooked up to it. If you want, mount the iso (or open it with the wide selection of programs that treat iso's like a container) and drag out the vobs. Probably not as nice since they're mastered as monolithic titlesets this year rather than distinct individual ones but...

Oh, and the file size difference for individual files vs a mastered disc is negligible. Assuming you actually download them all. And it's not like we forced people to take the download option.

Are there problems and issues with the current system? Yea, but as we see it it's a decent compromise having considered a lot of the alternatives.

[Vlad G Pohnert]

Hmm...

Only 50 entries.... wow and several have creators who have entered 2 (I know from the second point below)...

over 1/3 of them I seem already in other contests and know who made them...

The aspect ratio seems messed up on several... (I know the discs are not in 16:9 as the ones with hard black borders are stretched.. however, in 4:3, several videos that are suppose to be in wide screen are stretched..)

Nothing stood out as much as to say spectacular

Is Pro becoming a bit of a dumping ground or noone had time to make video for it?

Just some thoughts of mine. On an postivie note, there still are some good videos in there...

Vlad

[Kitsuner]

I got my discs in the mail today! Woo!

[ngsilver]

Last year I mounted the ISO's and played them on my TV. This year I actually burned them and watch them on my TV via my 360. I could still mount them and watch them, but due to the current configuration of my room atm I don't have much control over video output to my TV from my couch, which is annoying when I want to pause after each vid and write down my comments and things. Personally, I'm fine with either way. I usually just hit play all and roll with it anyway so the menu issues haven't plagued me really.

Don't know about other people, but I know I made 2 new vids specifically for pro. So far I've rather enjoyed the contest as a whole. I do notice that the decisions on which vid will win which category is harder to figure out this year then in years past, but that could just equate to more submissions being of quality, or more submissions not being of quality. It really just depends on how you view it.

[Lord Rae]

As far as the watching videos thing goes I watch them on my tv when I can, for all the reasons people already listed. For whatever reason my dvd player didn't like the burns I did this year but I that was something I screwed up rather than a problem with the discs. I still need to try another player or two before I say they're borked. That will teach me to try out a new burning program on the pro discs though.

They work fine in the pc.

[Ileia]

Is Pro becoming a bit of a dumping ground or noone had time to make video for it?

I think this sort of attitude is making a lot of people lose interest in Pro. I've entered the last three years, and the contest has been pretty similar all three years. No one video stands out as being best, but that doesn't mean the contest as a whole is bad. The quality of the videos ranges all over the place - good, bad, great, terrible, just like with any contest.