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Serial quality rating system
Topic Started: Jun 15 2014, 04:15 AM (734 Views)
The Batman
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Thanks, Moody.

Always be yourself! Unless you can be Batman...then always be Batman!
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LaneCarson
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Situations change ...
I began mastering serials to DVD (mostly from 16 mm prints) in 2003
I then returned to my archives (and some newly acquired prints) in 2009 and remastered the entire collection again, using new techniques and this time incorporating (analogue) restoration & enhancement measures.
Come late 2012 and it was time to begin again. Reason: exciting new software was appearing which had the capability of delivering extraordinary (digital) improvements to prints which would have previously presented as "not so good" on big TVs.
Results were impressive, provided serials over 3 hours long were mastered to 2 DVDs - which created difficulties given that I haven't changed the price of my serials since I opened the website in January 2004 (and still haven't)
So I again returned to my archives (and some further newly acquired prints) in early 2013 (and after 6 months practicing with the software), set about remastered the entire collection again. This time, though, if I could not get it right with the mastery of a particular serial then I threw it out, withdrew it from my website and ceased to sell it (this happened for about a dozen serials - no matter how I worked the software, the results were underwhelming).
I was most happy with the overall results
Note to The Batman, Panzer and others who were sent gratis serials over the years (both here and at Cliffhangers - over 70 at last count): new masteries now have superseded the ones I previously sent you a few years back. Each is now on 2 DVDs (rather than the single DVD previously)
Regarding these new masteries, I sent a gratis 2 DVD set of The Sea Hound to Gravy (in my excitement, unsolicited) - I feel that it's much better than the corresponding prints provided by both Richard Orsak and Fred Shay.
I sent a new mastery of Jesse James Rides Again (in fact the entire JJ trilogy) - gratis - to Steve Colt (who seemed dudded by his CheezyFlicks purchase)
They are the only latest mastery serials which I have sent out, gratis ....
Given that contributors to this website are now planning to bootleg serials for others, I will need to be keeping my distance - to my mind, such opportunism needs to be seriously avoided.
Situations change ....
Trev
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Don Diego
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Trev - how do you rate the Mahoney serial set you offer???
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The Batman
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LaneCarson
Jun 16 2014, 08:38 AM


Given that contributors to this website are now planning to bootleg serials for others, I will need to be keeping my distance - to my mind, such opportunism needs to be seriously avoided.

Hey Trev,

First, thanks again for that copy of GORDON OF GHOST CITY, I really enjoyed it and it had great sound/picture quality. Also, thanks for the heads up on the upgrade. I enjoyed GoGC a lot, so it is one I would consider upgrading later. For now, I am trying to get and watch all the sound serials once, then I will concentrate on getting the best copies of the ones I would watch again.

As for the bootlegging of your releases, I can't speak for others, but that ain't gonna happen from me. I never bootleg/copy serials from legitimate DVD releases or from people like you and Dr Grood, who put the time and effort into some sort of restoration and/or upgrade. That my two-cents.




Always be yourself! Unless you can be Batman...then always be Batman!
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LaneCarson
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Thanks Batts - never doubted it
Regards Jocko trilogy:
Ok quality - each is on two DVDs
That notoriously repeated scene in Cody is not in my rendition
Wish they were better - but they ain't
I'm happy with the measures taken here and being a huge Jocko, I'm pleased with what I've achieved as presented on a big screen
But others may not be - suffice to say, it's the best that I can do - and as I've sold this new mastery several times, responses would suggest that it's the best available
There was one decenter ....
General Policy here is that I never argue - I just provide a full refund and we go our own separate paths (life's too short)
Trev


Edited by LaneCarson, Jun 16 2014, 11:18 AM.
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Frank Hale
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Gravy, I'll bet your Gramma was actually a superb housekeeper who would have approved of my quest for order over chaos.
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The Batman
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Too bad her grandson is a Lazy Larry.



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Don Diego
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LaneCarson
Jun 16 2014, 10:52 AM
Thanks Batts - never doubted it
Regards Jocko trilogy:
Ok quality - each is on two DVDs
That notoriously repeated scene in Cody is not in my rendition
Wish they were better - but they ain't
I'm happy with the measures taken here and being a huge Jocko, I'm pleased with what I've achieved as presented on a big screen
But others may not be - suffice to say, it's the best that I can do - and as I've sold this new mastery several times, responses would suggest that it's the best available
There was one decenter ....
General Policy here is that I never argue - I just provide a full refund and we go our own separate paths (life's too short)
Trev


Trev, when is your site going to resume taking orders???
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Pa Stark
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The Batman
Jun 16 2014, 10:08 AM
LaneCarson
Jun 16 2014, 08:38 AM



As for the bootlegging of your releases, I can't speak for others, but that ain't gonna happen from me. I never bootleg/copy serials from legitimate DVD releases or from people like you and Dr Grood, who put the time and effort into some sort of restoration and/or upgrade. That my two-cents.




Trev, same goes for me.

BTW, does your LIGHTNING WARRIOR or BURN-EM-UP-BARNES have the cliffhanger for chapter one? Every print I have seen is missing them. THE LIGHTNING WARRIOR is one of Mascot's greatest serials, and would love to see it complete.
Honest and Lovable Pa Stark
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LaneCarson
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I'm back home in mid July
I don't sell The Lightning Warrior
And I've withdrawn Burn 'Em Up Barnes from sale (couln't get the latest mastery of it right so I dropped it)

These days any sales of my newly mastered serials run me pretty close to red figures
I have not changed my serial prices since opening the website in January 2004, yet most of my serials are now mastered to double the number of DVDs than earlier masteries
For instance I sell (as an option) the Jocko serial triple for US$30 - it's a 6 DVD boxed set with bonus DVD (and laminated card explaining the unlisted inclusion), original design case insert and sent via Express Airmail - all inclusive for this price.
I do the same for the WBE triple
I think I'm pretty much line-ball with each - I may not even make a $1 profit from each
I know I actually run at a loss on the 10 DVD set of Buck Jones serials
But that's OK, I usually make it up on sales elsewhere on the website - which are far more popular than the Serial section
I haven't taken down the Serial section (through losses there) simply because I'm such a fan of the genre
But if I get even a smell that someone wants to bootleg my stuff then I just don't sell (and thereby not lose so much). Such opportunists can move on and bleed others instead ...
Hence my antipathy towards the Trading Group - they can look elsewhere (and please do so)

On the subject of quality, it's interesting to note that when viewing on an old analogue CRT TV some DVDs can look quite nice. Throw the same DVD up on a 52 inch Plasma and it looks considerably less so. And it gets worse with LCD.
The playing medium also introduces variables:
A humble DVD player hooked up to a 32 inch LCD is a lot different a set-up to a BluRay (with "upscaling" features) linked to a 52 inch LCD. Yet both can present nicely - depending on the skill employed in the mastery of the DVD
Trev
Edited by LaneCarson, Jun 16 2014, 10:34 PM.
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Pa Stark
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Trev, I don't know if I speak for other serial fans, but to me it makes no sense to sell serials at a loss. I wouldn't object to you raising you price a few dollars to make it worth your while. Besides, you have given many serials away for free. In return you are expected to dig up the complete print of KING OF THE MOUNTIES that is supposed to be somewhere in Australia. Just kidding.
Honest and Lovable Pa Stark
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The Batman
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Pa Stark
Jun 17 2014, 02:42 PM
In return you are expected to dig up the complete print of KING OF THE MOUNTIES that is supposed to be somewhere in Australia. Just kidding.

Ugh, you had to bring that up again, Pa. Speaking on that unfortunate thread, which I just re-read, please accept my apologies Trev, for being a little harsh on you for your tease about that KotM print.


Always be yourself! Unless you can be Batman...then always be Batman!
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LaneCarson
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I don't recall & I don't look back, Bats - so all OK here
Trev
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The Batman
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You're a good man, Mr Carson.



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