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West Wing: The Complete Series or yet another Boxset Issue
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DVD Profiler Desktop and Mobile RegistrantStar Contributorhal9g
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Registered: March 13, 2007
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I am getting ready to submit an update to "The West Wing: The Complete Series"; UPC #012569-820005.

This is an interesting boxset from a couple of different perspectives.

I consider it a "Boxset" because it contains all 7 seasons. 

However, the discs for the first three seasons of this boxset were re-recorded as single-sided discs for this release with different disc IDs than the double-sided discs that were included in the original individual season releases when they came out.

Seasons four through seven of this boxset, however, use the exact same single-sided discs that were used in the original season releases, with the exact same disc IDs.

The first three seasons using the new single-sided discs were not in the main database, so I have profiled all 21 of those discs, contributed them and they have been released.  I have used the coverart of the "Boxset" for each disc.

Although each season is packaged individually within the boxset in a custom "fold-out" (not the original season release packaging), there is no UPC for the individual seasons and the discs and episodes are numbered sequentially without starting over at the beginning of each season; e.g; the first disc of season two is Disc 8, and the first episode of season two is labeled Episode 23.

So far so good.

Until we get to Season 4.  Now the discs are previously submitted discs that are child profiles of the original season releases.  Therefore, they have the artwork of the original season release, they have the disc numbers and episode numbers of the original season release, etc.  Of course, in the "Complete Series" release, the discs have different disc numbers (not IDs) and the episodes are numbered differently.  I plan to make no changes to any of that for the main database, since that would violate the Rules.

What I do plan to do is submit a change to the current "Complete Series" profile removing all of the disc IDs from the "Disc" section, and adding the Disc IDs to the "Boxset  Contents" field....all 45 of them.  I'll also remove any other data that does not belong in a boxset profile.

I have not yet audited seasons 4 through 7 child profiles, and there's a lot of data missing from those profiles.  I'll update them as time permits, without changing any of the original season release info, particularly cast and crew.

After I audit and contribute profiles for seasons 4 through 7, I will then go back and update all information locally to match the "Complete Series" data including cover images, disc numbers and episodes...FOR LOCAL USE ONLY.  These changes will not be contributed.  Once I'm done, I'll make the entire boxset and child profiles available to anyone who wants them through e-mail.

Before I make these changes, I just wanted to see what the general consensus was on how this should be done.  If the majority want to leave the current parent profile the way it is in the main db, I will, even though I think that would be wrong.

I'll wait until the weekend before contributing, to see what folks think here.
Hal
 Last edited: by hal9g
DVD Profiler Unlimited RegistrantStar ContributorNexus the Sixth
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Sounds very reasonable to me. It's just a minor modification of the rule:

Quote:
In rare cases where multiple Complete TV Series are packaged together, the Box-set rules can be applied


But instead of series we have multiple seasons packaged together.
First registered: February 15, 2002
DVD Profiler Unlimited RegistrantWhite Pongo, Jr.
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Registered: August 22, 2007
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Quoting Patsa:
Quote:
Sounds very reasonable to me. It's just a minor modification of the rule:

Quote:
In rare cases where multiple Complete TV Series are packaged together, the Box-set rules can be applied


But instead of series we have multiple seasons packaged together.


Afaik,  "series" (UK) = "seasons" (US)
-- Enry
DVD Profiler Desktop and Mobile RegistrantStar ContributorDJ Doena
Registered: May 1, 2002
Registered: March 14, 2007
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This is my opinion on how I interpret the rules in this case (I may be wrong though).

Because every season is packed individually, this is actually a box set and nothing else. So the removal of the DiscIds from the discs section is absolutely correct.

The box set  profiles contains 7 items. Since the season packs have no UPC, they are identified by the first DiscId of every season. Unfortunately that makes the first disc of every season uncontributable.

Then every season profile gets the individual discs assigned (except for the first).

At least that's how it has been back then.


Personally, locally, I chose to make the season box manual and use the DiscId for the first disc of every season, that seamed more consistent to me.
Karsten
DVD Collectors Online

 Last edited: by DJ Doena
DVD Profiler Unlimited RegistrantStar Contributorpaulb_99
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Registered: March 14, 2007
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I think you are completely right and would be very interrested in having your work as i own the complete collection.

Great work and if you'd like to post once you've completed your work i'd be really happy,

Thanks already,

Paul
DVD Profiler Desktop and Mobile RegistrantStar ContributorTheMadMartian
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Quoting White Pongo, Jr.:
Quote:
Quoting Patsa:
Quote:
Sounds very reasonable to me. It's just a minor modification of the rule:

Quote:
In rare cases where multiple Complete TV Series are packaged together, the Box-set rules can be applied


But instead of series we have multiple seasons packaged together.


Afaik,  "series" (UK) = "seasons" (US)


Correct.  In the US, a season is a single year of a series.
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- Citizen G'Kar
DVD Profiler Unlimited RegistrantStar ContributorTracer
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I would add every single discID to the Complete series, it is the easiest way to handle these types of packages.  Since almost every complete series release is just a repacking of the original season releases.

As far as using only the first disc ID from each season that is how we handled them prior to Ken allowing individual season releases to have child level disc profiles AKA Buffy Complete Series.  But, when the rules changed on how we handle TV seasons all those disc ID profiles got overwritten with the original season release data.
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DVD Profiler Desktop and Mobile RegistrantStar Contributorhal9g
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Registered: March 13, 2007
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Quoting DJ Doena:
Quote:

The box set  profiles contains 7 items. Since the season packs have no UPC, they are identified by the first DiscId of every season. Unfortunately that makes the first disc of every season uncontributable.


I didn't do this for two reasons.  First of all, the discs are numbered sequentially from 1 to 45 with no breaks for the individual seasons.  The Episodes are also numbered sequentially from 1 to 154, with no season breaks.  As far as I'm concerned, this is an indication that the boxset is a group of 45 discs and not a group of 7 seasons.

Your other point is my second reason.  The "Season" profiles would have to be manual profiles which would not be contributable.  I really see little to no value in creating "manual" season profiles that will contain no additional useful information than what is contained in the child profiles.

This was an issue that I struggled with, and I do understand why you would choose to do it the way that you did.  I just feel it's "cleaner" to forego the season profiles altogether and just add the 45 child profiles to the "Complete Series" boxset.
Hal
 Last edited: by hal9g
DVD Profiler Desktop and Mobile RegistrantStar Contributorhal9g
Who is John Galt?
Registered: March 13, 2007
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Quoting paulb_99:
Quote:
I think you are completely right and would be very interrested in having your work as i own the complete collection.

Great work and if you'd like to post once you've completed your work i'd be really happy,

Thanks already,

Paul


I will come back and post here when I've completed the other 4 seasons.
Hal
DVD Profiler Unlimited RegistrantWhite Pongo, Jr.
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Quoting hal9g:
Quote:
Quoting DJ Doena:
Quote:

The box set  profiles contains 7 items. Since the season packs have no UPC, they are identified by the first DiscId of every season. Unfortunately that makes the first disc of every season uncontributable.


I didn't do this for two reasons.  First of all, the discs are numbered sequentially from 1 to 45 with no breaks for the individual seasons.  The Episodes are also numbered sequentially from 1 to whatever, with no season breaks.  As far as I'm concerned, this is an indication that the boxset is a group of 45 discs and not a group of 7 seasons.

Your other point is my second reason.  The "Season" profiles would have to be manual profiles which would not be contributable.  I really see little to no value in creating "manual" season profiles that will contain no additional useful information than what is contained in the child profiles.

This was an issue that I struggled with, and I do understand why you would choose to do it the way that you did.  I just feel it's "cleaner" to forego the season profiles altogether and just add the 45 child profiles to the "Complete Series" boxset.



You made some good points, IMHO. I am considering whether doing the same for 'Tru Calling: The Complete Series' [5-039036-020725.4] (UK). It's a digipak with eight discs covering both seasons 1 and 2 of the series. The disc level profiles are already in the db but they are not linked to any parent, AFAIK.
Just like in your situation, the discs are numbered (1 to 8) with no breaks for individual seasons, but in my case episode numbers do start again from 1 at season two (disc 7).
There is no season level packaging anyway. Besides, there are no individual season profiles in the db for this series in the same locality (as of now), therefore adding disc level boxset information to the multiseason box is presently the only way to get them through "Check child profiles" in the program, correct me if I am wrong.
-- Enry
DVD Profiler Desktop and Mobile RegistrantStar ContributorDJ Doena
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Quoting White Pongo, Jr.:
Quote:
There is no season level packaging anyway

But that's the difference to hal's box set.

Maybe there should be another rule. I had the same problem with my US Buffy box (024543212904, 7 custom boxes without UPC within a box set with UPC)
and the US Friends box (012569832688, 10 seasons in 6 custom boxes [with the "Friends" faces] without UPC in a box set with UPC).

I solved it locally, locked it and never looked at the online solution to that problem.
Karsten
DVD Collectors Online

 Last edited: by DJ Doena
DVD Profiler Unlimited RegistrantWhite Pongo, Jr.
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Quoting DJ Doena:
Quote:
Quoting White Pongo, Jr.:
Quote:
There is no season level packaging anyway

But that's the difference to hal's box set.


So you think it's OK to add (contribute) disc level child profiles to that multiseason boxset of mine with no season level packaging?
-- Enry
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That's how we are having to handle it on a number of the Complete series collections.
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DVD Profiler Desktop and Mobile Registrantkdh1949
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Quoting White Pongo, Jr.:
Quote:
You made some good points, IMHO. I am considering whether doing the same for 'Tru Calling: The Complete Series' [5-039036-020725.4] (UK). It's a digipak with eight discs covering both seasons 1 and 2 of the series. The disc level profiles are already in the db but they are not linked to any parent, AFAIK.

There used to be both parent and child profiles for Tru Calling Season 1 and Season 2.  I know this because I had them in my wish list (Season 1) and owned list (Season 2 -- don't ask me why I bought season 2 before buying season 1).  I planned to get Season 1 at some point, but it went OOP -- and the price for the complete series when I bought it was less than the cost of the individual seasons anyway.  The discIDs were the same for the complete series as for the season version, so all I had to do was unlink the child profiles from each individual season and attach them to the Complete Series box (Region 1, USA).
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DVD Profiler Unlimited RegistrantWhite Pongo, Jr.
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Quoting kdh1949:
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There used to be both parent and child profiles for Tru Calling Season 1 and Season 2.  I know this because I had them in my wish list (Season 1) and owned list (Season 2 -- don't ask me why I bought season 2 before buying season 1).  I planned to get Season 1 at some point, but it went OOP -- and the price for the complete series when I bought it was less than the cost of the individual seasons anyway.  The discIDs were the same for the complete series as for the season version, so all I had to do was unlink the child profiles from each individual season and attach them to the Complete Series box (Region 1, USA).


I don't know about the R1 edition, but I couldn't find any UK individual season boxsets for Tru Calling in the db (neither in online stores), only the complete series including both seasons.
-- Enry
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I have the separate season releases of Tru Calling. So I just checked... the child profiles are attached to the parent online.

I believe they can still be attached to the complete series as well though. Don't see why they wouldn't be able to anyway.
Pete
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