A Case for Consistency

When I received my first HD DVD from Universal, I was immediately impressed. The disc was housed in a sexy case of transparent plastic, much like a cross between a DVD keepcase and a CD jewelbox. The plastic is softer than that used for jewelboxes, so it’s unlikely to crack or break in shipping. The case is about 3/4" shorter than a DVD case and 3/4" taller than the original DVD-Audio case, and about three-fourths as wide as a DVD keepcase -- you can pack more of them on a shelf. It holds printed material in the same way as a DVD case, and has space inside to hold a booklet (though none of the first releases has had one), along with a well-designed locking hub to keep the disc secure. The disc is easy to release, too -- just push the middle of the hub and the disc pops free. Blu-ray is using a similar case, but of clear blue plastic instead of red.

This case is a marvel of design. It looks good, stores well, and protects the disc. A row of them looks great on the shelf, like a set of books. I hope it never changes, but it probably will. I wonder if disc producers realize what a messy nightmare that can be for the consumer. When DVDs first came out, there were two types of case -- three, if you count Sony’s short-lived effort to release them in CD-type jewelboxes. There was the plastic-and-cardboard "snapper," which Warner and its associated labels used, and there was the all-plastic keepcase used by others. Already there was trouble for they weren’t the same width. In a shelf full of movies, the snapper cases stick out farther, making for a ragged, unkempt appearance.

Other cases were tried, but most were of the same height, which is essential to good storage: You can space your shelves to waste as little vertical space as possible. There were a few oddities, such as Universal’s boxed set of the original Battlestar Galactica, with the 3D Cylon mask on its cover. It fits on none of my shelves and so sits on my glass-topped coffee/model-train table, which is probably what Universal intended in the first place.

DVD-A and SACD cases were less consistent than DVD-V cases. The original clear-plastic cases developed for each of the hi-rez audio formats were nicely designed, and different enough that you could easily tell them apart from regular CDs and DVDs. Unlike the new HD DVD cases, they were made of plastic that could (and did) crack in shipping; the hinges were particularly vulnerable. Now, many manufacturers ship their SACDs in regular jewelboxes, while DVD-As are liable to come in any type and size of packaging. I’ve had to file a lot of DVD-As with the SACDs because of the way the former are packaged.

My advice to makers of HD DVDs and Blu-rays: The case already being used is neat, simple, attractive, and functional. I can instantly tell what kind of disc it contains. I now own a few dozen, and they look great on my shelf. Because the discs hold so much information, strive for difference there. It’s better for marketing and for consumers if the case remains consistent. Leave it alone.

But if you must be different . . .

HBO provides the best packaging for boxed sets of DVDs. Each title gets a distinct package, but all are designed to be durable and attractive, much like hardcover books. The Sopranos and Deadwood boxes have inner accordion folders that you can remove, and Carnivāle’s accordion foldout comes in a slipcase. Prime Suspect and Cracker are like books, with hard, thick, durable covers, and plastic "pages" that contain the discs. All of these sets are the same height and depth as regular DVDs and fit on the same shelves. And once HBO begins a series with a particular design, they retain it throughout the series.

Excellence and consistency. You gotta admire it.

 ...Rad Bennett
radb@hometheatersound.com

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