TV on DVD Buzz

According to an article in the Edmonton Journal, it can be. The article suggests watching DVDs is healthier than going out to the movies because you can choose healther snacks while enjoying your favorite TV show or movie in the comfort of your own living room. At the movies, we are inundated with greasy, buttery, high-calorie goodies, but at home you can snack on carrot sticks or low-fat popcorn.

“Healthy snacking in appropriate portion sizes promotes a healthy body weight,” Wilkinson says. “It makes you feel great, provides energy for daily activities and sports, and can help to improve your health while possibly reducing the risk of certain chronic diseases, depending upon the snacks.”

But that doesn’t mean that going to a theatre and having buttery popcorn a few times a year is going to hurt anyone. When it becomes a regular, frequent thing, though, that’s when Wilkinson says people need to monitor what they eat. If they feel the urge to snack and can do so in a nutritive manner, then they are better off watching movies at home.

And when it comes to limiting the amount we eat at home, Wilkinson has a simple suggestion.

“It can be easy to eat a whole bag of chips without noticing, so it’s a good idea to only bring a small amount of whatever you are eating into the TV room with you,” Wilkinson recommends. “That will help to prevent overeating.”

So now you have a good excuse to pick up that favorite show on DVD…you’re doing it for your health!

TV on DVD, Healthy Snacks, Edmonton Journal, Dana Wilkinson

Just when I thought I could make a decision and go with Blu-ray in the Blu-ray vs. HD-DVD race, Paramount and DreamWorks have thrown me a curve ball. They announced today that they will now exclusively support HD-DVD. Here’s the press release:

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 20 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Paramount Pictures, a unit of Viacom Inc. (NYSE: VIA and VIA.B) and DreamWorks Animation SKG (NYSE: DWA), each announced today that they will exclusively support the next-generation HD DVD format on a worldwide basis. The exclusive HD DVD commitment will include all movies distributed by Paramount Pictures, DreamWorks Pictures, Paramount Vantage, Nickelodeon Movies and MTV Films, as well as movies from DreamWorks Animation, which are distributed exclusively by Paramount Home Entertainment.

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Are you as confused as I about these new DVD formats? Which one should I pick? Which has better features? Will one of these go the way of the Sony BetaMax and leave me hanging?

I did a litte research on the two formats, and while I still don’t know which one to choose, I’m a little more informed. Here’s a table comparing the info I found:

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The studios think so.

Many of last season’s shows have been available as downloads or viewable online for months now but that doesn’t seem to be hurting DVD sales. In fact, some studio execs believe it actually helps sell DVDs. They say downloads are a great way to get a viewer hooked on a show.

Warner Home Video consumer research has found, however, that consumers don’t view downloads as a replacement to DVDs. Warner found that more than half of downloaders say they plan to buy the DVD of the show they downloaded.

“Our research tends to indicate a different purchase motivator for TV on DVD vs. downloading,” said Jeff Brown, Warner senior VP and general manager of TV, family, animation and franchise. “Downloading tends to represent a benefit of immediacy, of catching up on an episode one missed.”

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Variety is reporting that Blockbuster Video has acquired movie download service Movielink.Blockbuster said Movielink will continue to operate as a download service at Movielink.com, eventually being integrated into Blockbuster.com.

Netflix launched a movie download service in January and Amazon.com and Wal-Mart are now also offering movie downloads. (more…)

Lots of our TV on DVD favorites are nominated.  Here is a list of the major awards. Comment and let me know who your picks are! 

DRAMA SERIES
Boston Legal
Grey’s Anatomy
Heroes
House
The Sopranos

ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
James Gandolfini, The Sopranos
Hugh Laurie, House
Denis Leary, Rescue Me
James Spader, Boston Legal
Kiefer Sutherland, 24

ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES
Patricia Arquette, Medium
Minnie Driver, The Riches
Edie Falco, The Sopranos
Sally Field, Brothers & Sisters
Mariska Hargitay, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Kyra Sedgwick, The Closer (more…)

At the Home Media Event for key retailers, Warner unveiled 14 DVD collections that the studio will make available in the fourth quarter of 2007. Priced between $100 and $200, many of these multiple-disc sets are lavishly packaged and include exclusive add-ons. 

Some of the TV sets we can look forward to are:  (more…)

Beginning August 28, you can pick up the DVD “Saturday Night Live: The Best of ‘06/’07″ as you grab your morning Frappuccino. The DVD will be sold exclusively in Starbucks stores around the country. (more…)