# Dune question **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 9, 2001, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dune-question/49192 "2001-01-09T18:32:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Aglarond](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c77e96/32.png) [@Aglarond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aglarond)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2001, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dune-question/49192/1 "2001-01-09T18:32:01Z")
I’m pretty sure this belongs in this forum, since it’s really more of a rumor mill question. I just saw that the Dune remake is going to be released on VHS on the 23rd of this month. I have no VCR, and would rather not purchase one just to see this movie. Has anybody heard anything about a DVD release? And, why don’t they just release both formats at the same time? ---
**Author:** ![GraceTX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c4cdca/32.png) [@GraceTX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GraceTX)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2001, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dune-question/49192/2 "2001-01-09T18:36:31Z")
I don’t know why they do this. I’ve been waiting and waiting for The Godfather to be released on DVD. I’m convinced that just as soon as I buy it on video, they’ll finally release it on DVD. ---
**Author:** ![xizor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xizor/32/102_2.png) [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2001, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dune-question/49192/3 "2001-01-09T20:27:10Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Aglarond \* > \*\*And, why don’t they just release both formats at the same time? \*\* It is a piracy issue thing. They release the VHS version first so people don’t buy the DVD and make crystal clear tape copies of it for sale. By releasing it on tape first, most people who are going to buy it in that format do so and thus less money is lost to piraters. Then there are some film makers, like George Lucas, who don’t trust anybody to have their precious movies on DVD for fear that they will be ripped off. ---
**Author:** ![Tymp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Tymp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tymp)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2001, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dune-question/49192/4 "2001-01-09T20:38:24Z")
1. Aren’t most movies on DVD copy protected? 2. Some movies are released in the opposite order. DVD, then VHS. _Titus_ comes to mind. I don’t think it’s solely a piracy issue. ---
**Author:** ![Wonko\_The\_Sane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/258eb7/32.png) [@Wonko\_The\_Sane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wonko_The_Sane)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2001, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dune-question/49192/5 "2001-01-09T20:50:23Z")
Tymp- You’re right on the number one thingy there- However there was a recent court battle where certain sites were posting the encryption algoryhtm for DVD encoding. Having the info is legal, but posting it on the web is illegal. Seems to be a freedom of speech issue to me, and I don’t know too much about the case in question. The best bet to find out more is to check out [http://www.2600.com](http://www.2600.com) . Very paranoid site, but informative. Glad to see you survived the dopefest. ---
**Author:** ![Wonko\_The\_Sane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/258eb7/32.png) [@Wonko\_The\_Sane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wonko_The_Sane)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2001, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dune-question/49192/6 "2001-01-09T20:53:40Z")
It just occurred to me Tymp- Perhaps releasing the VHS first and then the DVD gets the more rabid fans to buy the VHS first, and then “upgrade” to the DVD. Twice the sales that way (at least for a small segment of the market). ---
**Author:** ![monkeylucifer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@monkeylucifer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monkeylucifer)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2001, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dune-question/49192/7 "2001-01-09T21:06:08Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Tymp \* > **1) Aren’t most movies on DVD copy protected?** Yes, they use [Macrovision](http://www.macrovision.com/dvd.html) to protect many, but not all, DVDs, but you can buy [copyguard eliminators](http://www.videoguys.com/sima.htm) that correct the image, and eliminate the distortion that Macrovision causes when the DVD output is routed through a VCR. ---
**Author:** ![Tymp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Tymp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tymp)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2001, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dune-question/49192/8 "2001-01-09T21:41:35Z")
> [@](#): > > Glad to see you survived the dopefest. Takes more than an army of drunken, crazed New Yorkers to do in the mighty **Tymp**! I trust you are still **Wonko** , yes? I shan’t make that mistake again. Back on topic . . . Although I can’t think of another example right now, I’m pretty sure there were more movies than just _Titus_ to be released DVD first. Because of this, I am led to suspect that there are more sinister forces at play here than just piracy avoidance. On the other hand, I would think that mass production on DVD media would be cheaper and faster than VHS. Thus it would be more sensible to go the _Titus_ route. Even more strange it is that most movies are released in the opposite order. > [@](#): > > Perhaps releasing the VHS first and then the DVD gets the more rabid fans to buy the VHS first, and then “upgrade” to the DVD. Twice the sales that way (at least for a small segment of the market). You might be onto something here, **Wonko**. Especially now when the customer base is in the process of shifting towards DVD.