The VOD's are great, but...

[Edward J Grug III]

By the way, here's an example of a quote in context for you:

This is going back a few pages but anybody who thinks syncing up a MP3 with a DVD is "hard" or "work" should ... in the interest of public safety ... never be allowed to use a GPS navigator and drive at the same time. Clearly that would be too complicated for them.

The VOD business model is more profitable blah blah blah ... that's fine. Syncing is too much hard work? THAT's beyond the pale.

Emphasis mine, but do feel free to waste your time scouring through my old posts.

[kiwi.mike]

My thoughts,

They can get $9.99 for a VOD, and only $4.99 at most ( usually $3.99 ) for an Mp3 and both require about the same amount of work. In fact many of the movies in the VODs are quite short ( under 90 minutes ) where some riffed in MP3s can be 2 or 3 hours long so can take a lot more work.

The VODs you can watch straight away, the Mp3s you have to wait until you've sourced the movie ( I still can't find a copy of the Island of Dr Moreau ) and while the syncing process isn't hard not everyone is going to be willing to do it.

The VODs are a lot of fun and sell well.

However, Rifftrax started with the promise that basically 'now we can riff anything' and that was, I think, what attracted a lot of fans, particularly those who weren't coming from being fans of MST3K. I do think the MP3s help grow the fan base as there are a lot of people who, if they haven't seen a Rifftrax before would probably not sit down and watch Santa and the Ice Cream Bunny but might watch The Avengers or Twilight or Harry Potter.

Anway, I remember reading somewhere that there are still plans for some more MP3s but, much as I love the VODs I would still like to see more regular MP3s, even if it's just one every couple of months.

[Edward J Grug III]

I googled "amazon dr Moreau"

http://www.amazon.com/Island-Moreau-Unrated-Directors-Blu-ray/dp/B007VI4TKQ/ref=tmm_blu_title_0

Five seconds or so.

The person you are talking to is in New Zealand, I believe, so they might not be a person who buys from Amazon, or be prepared to buy a terrible movie for the sake of a Rifftrax - maybe they rent. Even a cheap secondhand DVD comes with a hefty shipping fee to us.

In this instance, though, the version of Dr Moreau available in Australia and New Zealand is a different cut to the US one, so, if that is what you were planning, Mike, it's not going to sync with a local copy.

[Thrifty Version II]

I wrote a couple comprehensive guides on reauthoring, and I admit, it's a pain in the ass.

The part where you put the combination movie audio/Rifftrax as a second audio track is relatively easy.  The tough part is getting the volume right so that you can actually hear the movie dialog when it's not being talked over by riffs.  Also, it's never fun when the DVD won't rip properly or you put the whole thing together and it's got video out of sync with the audio, and you gotta do trial-and-error to figure out what kind of audio delay to introduce to get them right.

[MrTorso]

With my new computer I can do a reauthor from start to finish in about an hour.  I do miss the MP3 for the ability to make HD versions

[losingmydignity]

I doubt anyone would want to listen to me for more than a few seconds.

Go for it. No one's listening to you now. 

[TheUnabeefer]

I finally got a new faster laptop too, so I've just been spending my time re-authoring all of the old ones again to get better audio volume compression standard across every riff...

[kiwi.mike]

Thanks to all those who replied about finding a copy of the Island of Dr Moreau. I was looking for one to buy ( which I prefer to do so I can re-watch the rifftrax whenever I want ). I saw the copy on Amazon.com but by the time you include shipping it was just too expensive to justify and I can't find any available locally.  You do find some US imports in New Zealand and the NSTC DVDs will play on our DVD players/ TVs, we just don't seem to have this particular movie. Most other movies Rifftrax have done with Mp3s I have been able to find here, except for The Room, there isn't a single copy available in NZ and it's too expensive to buy from overseas. Shame, I hear the riff is a particularly good one.

[BoB3K]

(I like the VOD's a lot and really like the newer licensed VODs, although I can see why people like the Blockbuster riffs also.)

I wanted to add another view to the whole 'syncing is hard' debate.  I very rarely sit down and watch a full riffed movie in one sitting, going back to before there was a RT.  I watch riffed stuff late at night and often only watch for a half hour to 45 mins.  Often, to replicate the old MST3K feel, I watch a short before watching the movie.

The point is that yes, I can see that syncing isn't that hard if you actually do hit play on both players and then sit and watch the whole thing through.

I never do that.  And even when I do watch the whole thing, I probably pause it 3 to 4 times throughout for snack breaks, beer breaks, and bathroom breaks.

Sometimes, if I've watched half a movie, it might be a day or two before I come back and watch the second half. 

So, for me syncing is a pretty big annoyance compared to having everything together in one file that I can start and pause and stop and restart without thinking twice.

[d00hickey]

Syncing a Rifftrax to a movie isn't hard but there's allot of people that like Rifftrax (probably not as much as us) but prefer the VOD's for the convenience.     

[Lemming Howard]

Back in 2006 I would have thought it was great to download VOD's with MKB riffs.  As it is I thought it was great Mike's concept of mp3 synced up to big name movies.  Fans of MST3K could only imagine big Hollywood movies being riffed back in the day.  I learned to reauthor DVDs and feel smarter as a result and I'm one of  the baby boomers so anything is possible.  I hope they keep riffing blockbuster movies but I want the business to succeed and if VOD's are the way to go then go.  I want the fun to continue.

[NRRork]

There's some pretty valid reasons for the VODs being produced in favor of the blockbuster riffs.

But, as someone who prefers the blockbuster riffs, it doesn't really help much. Unless I can take one of those explanations, sync it up to a movie, and laugh myself into hysterics, I've still lost something that I was very fond of. Even though I can't begrudge the guys for wanting to stay in business and preserve their livelihoods, I'm still upset that circumstances have led to the end of something I took great pleasure from.

Lest you think I'm all gloom, let me point out that my FAVORITE riffs are the shorts. They always have been. As long as they keep those coming, I'll remain a loyal customer and fan. I guess I prefer my cheese in smaller bites.