Author Topic: $25,000 Pyramid (Read 11953 times)

Pyramid20000 · « **on:** July 07, 2012, 12:03:24 PM »

Does GSN have the entire run of the Dick Clark version?

Vahan_Nisanian · « **Reply #1 on:** July 07, 2012, 12:11:06 PM »

I imagine they do, or rather Sony, as they are the company that owns it. Right now, it seems GSN has the rights to 200 episodes (1986-1987) that they leased from Sony.

It's been almost 15 long years since reruns of both 80's Pyramid editions made their debut on GSN (October 11, 1997 was the date). At first, it seemed only '82-'83 and the '88 finale of the daytime edition had been converted from analog to digital. But now, it seems GSN and Sony have gone back and successfully converted almost everything in between those two points of the run. I'm sure they even have most, if not all of the remaining '83-'84 and '84-'85 ones successfully converted to digital, as well.

J.R. · « **Reply #2 on:** July 07, 2012, 05:05:38 PM »

Quote from: gameshowlover87 on July 07, 2012, 12:11:06 PM

I imagine they do, or rather Sony, as they are the company that owns it. Right now, it seems GSN has the rights to 200 episodes (1986-1987) that they leased from Sony.

It's been almost 15 long years since reruns of both 80's Pyramid editions made their debut on GSN (October 11, 1997 was the date). At first, it seemed only '82-'83 and the '88 finale of the daytime edition had been converted from analog to digital. But now, it seems GSN and Sony have gone back and successfully converted almost everything in between those two points of the run. I'm sure they even have most, if not all of the remaining '83-'84 and '84-'85 ones successfully converted to digital, as well.

You really don't know what you're talking about. Do you?

Jimmy Owen · « **Reply #3 on:** July 07, 2012, 08:06:09 PM »

I don't trust digital. Some of my home recorded DVDs from 5 years back are already unplayable. (Admittedly used less than top-of-the-line blanks to save $) My VHS tapes still play after 25 years.

Vahan_Nisanian · « **Reply #4 on:** July 07, 2012, 08:14:29 PM »

By digital, I mean digibeta.

snowpeck · « **Reply #5 on:** July 07, 2012, 08:20:40 PM »

Quote from: gameshowlover87 on July 07, 2012, 08:14:29 PM

By digital, I mean digibeta.

Are you really all that sure GSN is still using Digibeta playback? They were using that system way back in 1994. It's heavily outdated now, and most TV networks' master controls are switching to a hard drive based system now. Besides, I don't think Digibeta is capable of HD playback, which a small portion of GSN's lineup is now.

Jay Temple · « **Reply #6 on:** July 08, 2012, 02:03:23 AM »

Quote from: snowpeck on July 07, 2012, 08:20:40 PM

Quote from: gameshowlover87 on July 07, 2012, 08:14:29 PM
By digital, I mean digibeta.
Are you really all that sure GSN is still using Digibeta playback? They were using that system way back in 1994. It's heavily outdated now, and most TV networks' master controls are switching to a hard drive based system now. Besides, I don't think Digibeta is capable of HD playback, which a small portion of GSN's lineup is now.

I'm with you in questioning their playback format. If they were using the same format in 2009 that they used in 2002, the 1987-88 eps would be viable, and we might have seen them again instead of the 1985-86. (That is not a preference in either direction. As much as I've enjoyed the eps they aired in '09 and this year, I would also have enjoyed the opportunity to get both finales and Kelly Grogan's shows.)

Ian Wallis · « **Reply #7 on:** July 09, 2012, 01:09:35 AM »

Quote

I don't trust digital. Some of my home recorded DVDs from 5 years back are already unplayable. (Admittedly used less than top-of-the-line blanks to save $) My VHS tapes still play after 25 years

I'm curious about this Jimmy. Originally I was kind of skeptical too, but figured I had no choice because that was the direction we were heading.

I've burned over 700 DVDs in the past 6 years. I usually use Maxells, but have also used TDKs. For the most part everything's still good...although I have found a handful where a particular episode won't seem to play properly. Luckily I still have the original source tapes so I made another copy and it's fine.

I had heard that approx. 2 in every 100 might be bad, so the handful I've had which I had to reburn seems like a good average. I keep them out of heat and sunlight and keep moisture away from them. I'm hoping they last more than just a few years because I wouldn't want to go through all that dubbing again! I think if you use name brands and take good care of them they should last a long time.

Since it's been a few years now since most of us switched over, anyone else have any opinions on this?

Jimmy Owen · « **Reply #8 on:** July 09, 2012, 06:56:43 AM »

Mostly due to hairline cracks starting at the spindle hole or scuffs. You can drop a tape and not much damage can be done.

clemon79 · « **Reply #9 on:** July 09, 2012, 01:16:14 PM »

So in other words, damage to the physical outside of the disc, not because of the dyes themselves croaking as everyone is so afraid of, yes?

Matt Ottinger · « **Reply #10 on:** July 09, 2012, 01:31:10 PM »

I burn a few thousand discs a year in my work and keep masters (actually nothing more than a standard copy) going back more than a decade. These days I use high-end discs that still only cost about 60 cents each. (How much were we paying for a VHS tape back in the day?) Coincidentally, I just had somebody ask for copies of two discs from 2004, back when I didn't buy top-of-the-line discs AND stuck paper labels on them*, and both copied with no trouble whatsoever.

I've not done a huge transfer of my collection to DVD, neither for game shows nor for my regular work, mostly because I don't have that kind of time. My feeling is if this was a real problem, we'd be hearing a lot more about it from a lot of places, instead of the occasional and usually apocryphal stories.

*Don't stick paper labels on them. Just don't.

clemon79 · « **Reply #11 on:** July 09, 2012, 01:37:02 PM »

Quote from: Matt Ottinger on July 09, 2012, 01:31:10 PM

*Don't stick paper labels on them. Just don't.

Yeah, lesson definitely learned here. Printable, Sharpie, or LightScribe FTW.

(I wonder if anyone makes a *dedicated* inkjet DVD printer. Like, not as part of a bulky full-on inkjet printer, since I already have an all-in-one inkjet *and* a color laser taking up desk real estate.)

Jimmy Owen · « **Reply #12 on:** July 09, 2012, 05:05:42 PM »

Good for you guys. I've still got the tapes, so I will make some new DVD masters eventually. I used to think the best way to store them was in a DVD case, but I think snapping them in and out of the spindle caused the damage. I've since switched to paper sleeves.

clemon79 · « **Reply #13 on:** July 09, 2012, 05:17:07 PM »

Quote from: Jimmy Owen on July 09, 2012, 05:05:42 PM

but I think snapping them in and out of the spindle caused the damage.

Or, possibly, using cheap poorly-made no-name media that doesn't stand up as well to repeated snapping and unsnapping?

Matt Ottinger · « **Reply #14 on:** July 09, 2012, 05:49:10 PM »

Quote from: Jimmy Owen on July 09, 2012, 05:05:42 PM

Good for you guys. I've still got the tapes, so I will make some new DVD masters eventually. I used to think the best way to store them was in a DVD case, but I think snapping them in and out of the spindle caused the damage. I've since switched to paper sleeves.

Probably not a terrible idea. I use these and put them in regular notebooks. The Vaultz company makes a whole line of pretty serious boxes and binders, but that all seems a bit much.