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    Invelos Forums->DVD Profiler: Desktop Feature Requests Page: 1 2 3 4  Previous   Next
High Resolution Cover Images
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DVD Profiler Unlimited Registrantredscull
Registered: June 24, 2007
United States Posts: 36
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First, let me say I tried to determine if this has already been requested. But search was timing out, and I couldn't find anything by manually looking for posts. Also, I've been a paid user for a very long time.

The current database of "high resolution" cover scans are generally about 500x700 pixels. This may have looked pretty 6+ years ago, but now even my cell phone stretches the image just to fill the screen. Can we please adopt a higher resolution (and slightly less jpg compression) for high resolution cover scans?

Bandwidth has gotten a lot faster and cheaper since the existing standard was adopted. Storage has gotten significantly bigger and cheaper too. And I realize that updating all the existing scans would be terribly daunting so I'm not suggesting a mandate to update old scans. But it'd be nice if we established a better spec for new images and allowed old images to be updated if people felt inclined.

I know I can do anything I want locally, but this is a community-driven product; I'd rather we all adopted this.

Now, as to what we should upgrade to, my personal wish is a meager 717x1004 so it fits "full screen" on an iPad in portrait orientation. But there's not a lot of future proofing in that number. Maybe a scale that'd work for showing front and back images, side by side, on a landscape retina iPad: 1024x1433. The current high-res scans tend to be under 200KB; even with jpg quality set pretty high (not much compression), 1024x1433 will still come in under 300KB.
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DVD Profiler Unlimited RegistrantStar ContributorAddicted2DVD
Registered: March 13, 2007
Reputation: Highest Rating
United States Posts: 17,330
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While it has been a while... I do remember this coming up before. I would say about a good couple years ago. At that time I remember the majority feeling what we have now is good enough. Whether that opinion has changed or not I don't know.

I will say...IMO... I am satisfied with what is there now. I have no need for images any larger.
Pete
DVD Profiler Desktop and Mobile RegistrantStar Contributorhal9g
Who is John Galt?
Registered: March 13, 2007
Reputation: High Rating
United States Posts: 6,635
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At one time, I recall that Invelos stated that they were saving images in 120 DPI or 600X850 in anticipation of a future upgrade in image resolution for the program.

Locally, you can save them in whatever resolution you wish (provided you have a scanner).
Hal
DVD Profiler Unlimited Registrantredscull
Registered: June 24, 2007
United States Posts: 36
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You know, I completely forget to express why it is that I'm not entirely satisfied with the current "high resolution" images. I love DVD Profiler, but I quite honestly don't use it for anything except cataloging my collection. I export the XML and run it through a code generator that updates my online listing that I can then access from any computer or iOS device. My website is how I browse/search my collection, even when I'm at home.

I prefer to let the cover artwork speak for itself with very little meta data actually displayed. And my problem is that, at the current quality level, it is often very hard to read the back side of the covers. Many are legible, just barely, but many others require some clever interpretation to make out the movie description paragraphs.

A higher resolution and tweaked compression settings would make this layout (relying entirely on the images) work a lot better.
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DVD Profiler Desktop and Mobile RegistrantStar ContributorTheMadMartian
Alien with an attitude
Registered: March 13, 2007
Reputation: Highest Rating
United States Posts: 13,201
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While I understand your reason for wanting larger covers, because the scans are designed to be used in the program, I just don't see the need for anything larger than what we have. 
No dictator, no invader can hold an imprisoned population by force of arms forever.
There is no greater power in the universe than the need for freedom.
Against this power, governments and tyrants and armies cannot stand.
The Centauri learned this lesson once.
We will teach it to them again.
Though it take a thousand years, we will be free.
- Citizen G'Kar
DVD Profiler Unlimited RegistrantStar Contributorwhispering
On ne passe pas!
Registered: March 13, 2007
Finland Posts: 1,380
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I save images locally at 700x1000 pixels, so this is what i would want to get from the master DB too.

Its big enough so you can read most back cover texts, but small enough that it fits easily on a full HD display without stretching it.

Another thing i would want is the use of .png instead of .jpg. Its just a horrible waste to see the images get corrupted in every stage of the contribution process. While a png-file would stay the same.

Quoting TheMadMartian:
Quote:
While I understand your reason for wanting larger covers, because the scans are designed to be used in the program, I just don't see the need for anything larger than what we have. 


Back in IVS days it was actually the reason why i bought the program. It was also the reason of buying my first and second (which i use ATM) scanner. I've also set my layout on DVDP so that both front and back cover are visible on the full master DB size. I like pretty pictures
 Last edited: by whispering
DVD Profiler Unlimited Registrantredscull
Registered: June 24, 2007
United States Posts: 36
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Maybe this could be a new feature in the program: Ultra-high Resolution Covers. The two existing options remain as they are, but this 3rd cover art option can be turned on to sync down 1024x1433 PNG images (where available as uploaded by the community - otherwise the standard hi-res JPG is displayed instead).

I bought DVD Profiler years ago and haven't given you any money since. But I would totally pay for an Ultra-high Res Covers upgrade, even if it meant that I'd be doing a lot of the scanning and contributing myself for awhile.

@whispering - Yes, JPG does make the text even fuzzier. Thanks for the PNG reminder.
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DVD Profiler Desktop and Mobile RegistrantStar ContributorTheMadMartian
Alien with an attitude
Registered: March 13, 2007
Reputation: Highest Rating
United States Posts: 13,201
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Quoting whispering:
Quote:
Another thing i would want is the use of .png instead of .jpg. Its just a horrible waste to see the images get corrupted in every stage of the contribution process. While a png-file would stay the same.

Now this I would support 100%.  I find it funny that the custom icons, used for custom categories, are in .png format but the coverscans have to be in .jpg.
Quote:
Back in IVS days it was actually the reason why i bought the program. It was also the reason of buying my first and second (which i use ATM) scanner. I've also set my layout on DVDP so that both front and back cover are visible on the full master DB size. I like pretty pictures

I like pretty pictures too and would be interested in seeing your layout.  Both frint and back are visible in mine as well, but not in full master DB size.  I am curious to see what information you might, or might not be showing that I am.
No dictator, no invader can hold an imprisoned population by force of arms forever.
There is no greater power in the universe than the need for freedom.
Against this power, governments and tyrants and armies cannot stand.
The Centauri learned this lesson once.
We will teach it to them again.
Though it take a thousand years, we will be free.
- Citizen G'Kar
 Last edited: by TheMadMartian
DVD Profiler Unlimited RegistrantStar Contributorwhispering
On ne passe pas!
Registered: March 13, 2007
Finland Posts: 1,380
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Quoting TheMadMartian:
Quote:
I like pretty pictures too and would be interested in seeing your layout.  Both frint and back are visible in mine as well, but not in full master DB size.  I am curious to see what information you might, or might not be showing that I am.


You can see my layout there (resolution is 1920x1200): http://i.picoodle.com/6a9ifv2l

Since its in Finnish; crew is behind cast, comments is behind front cover, gallery is behind back cover and all technical stuff (audio, subs, disc info and easter eggs) is behind extras
DVD Profiler Unlimited RegistrantStar ContributorLewis_Prothero
Strength Through Unity
Registered: May 19, 2007
Reputation: Superior Rating
Germany Posts: 6,730
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Just one minor point:

You can have the scans in any size you want (I have my coverscans in 1400 x 1000), provided you do the scans yourself and store them in your local database. The only restriction I found so far is that they get downsized to 96 dpi (screen resolution!).

I seriously doubt that the online-database will ever provide larger images. And this for one simple reason: While download speed and volume may not be a problem anymore, storage still costs money and real "High-Res"-scans for all profiles will simply blow up the servers that Invelos has today.
It all seems so stupid, it makes me want to give up!
But why should I give up, when it all seems so stupid?


Registrant since 05/22/2003
DVD Profiler Desktop and Mobile RegistrantDr. Killpatient
Here's my card
Registered: May 19, 2007
Reputation: Highest Rating
United States Posts: 5,917
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I believe one of the original reasons for the 500x700 200byte limit on the online servers is that the images would not be suitable for (high-quality) bootlegs - another reason why Invelos doesn't store the spine.
DVD Profiler Unlimited Registrantredscull
Registered: June 24, 2007
United States Posts: 36
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I know I can scan them myself. But my DVDP database always re-sizes my images when I edit a movie to import my own image. How do I stop it from doing that? I'd prefer not having to do all my own scans just to get better images, but I can't even figure out how to make that work if I wanted to. I know I could manually name my scans and upload them to my website fully external to anything DVDP, but I prefer just to pull my images out of my DVDP repository (even if it's my own scanning that loads them there).

Why do you assume that higher res images would "blow up" the servers? In my opening request I pointed out that 4x res scans take only 50% more space. 1 million ultra-hi res movie covers would require about a half terrabyte of data. My 2yr old laptop has that much disk space on it. If that little data is an issue for Invelos, they should re-think their business model (go to subscription - I'd pay a monthly fee to cover the nominal bandwidth increase needed to access ultra-hi re images).

At least the counter-point about inadvertently promoting bootlegs seems valid. I certainly don't want Invelos to get in trouble with movie studios.

Edit: I guess I'll quit asking on this. Piracy concerns aside, I really didn't see how this could possibly impact anyone negatively. I suppose if I didn't personally have a need for cover art that looked better than a zoomed-in thumbnail I would adamantly oppose it for everyone else too...
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 Last edited: by redscull
DVD Profiler Desktop and Mobile RegistrantStar Contributorhal9g
Who is John Galt?
Registered: March 13, 2007
Reputation: High Rating
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Quoting redscull:
Quote:
I know I can scan them myself. But my DVDP database always re-sizes my images when I edit a movie to import my own image. How do I stop it from doing that? I'd prefer not having to do all my own scans just to get better images, but I can't even figure out how to make that work if I wanted to. I know I could manually name my scans and upload them to my website fully external to anything DVDP, but I prefer just to pull my images out of my DVDP repository (even if it's my own scanning that loads them there).

Why do you assume that higher res images would "blow up" the servers? In my opening request I pointed out that 4x res scans take only 50% more space. 1 million ultra-hi res movie covers would require about a half terrabyte of data. My 2yr old laptop has that much disk space on it. If that little data is an issue for Invelos, they should re-think their business model (go to subscription - I'd pay a monthly fee to cover the nominal bandwidth increase needed to access ultra-hi re images).

At least the counter-point about inadvertently promoting bootlegs seems valid. I certainly don't want Invelos to get in trouble with movie studios.

Edit: I guess I'll quit asking on this. Piracy concerns aside, I really didn't see how this could possibly impact anyone negatively. I suppose if I didn't personally have a need for cover art that looked better than a zoomed-in thumbnail I would adamantly opose it for everyone else too...


If you save the image directly to the "images" directory using the proper naming convention, you can save images in your local database at whatever resolution you wish.
Hal
 Last edited: by hal9g
DVD Profiler Unlimited RegistrantStar Contributorwhispering
On ne passe pas!
Registered: March 13, 2007
Finland Posts: 1,380
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Quoting Silence_of_Lambs:
Quote:
Just one minor point:

You can have the scans in any size you want (I have my coverscans in 1400 x 1000), provided you do the scans yourself and store them in your local database.


As a reply to a feature request i don't see how that helps, as the main purpose of using a user built database is that you don't do all the work yourself.

Since i started using the program internet connection speeds have gone up and storage space prices down, so thats hardly an argument. IF Invelos is these days getting less money per active user, then thats another story.
DVD Profiler Unlimited Registrantredscull
Registered: June 24, 2007
United States Posts: 36
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Quoting hal9g:
Quote:
If you save the image directly to the "images" directory using the proper naming convention, you can save images in your local database at whatever resolution you wish.

Do I need to first add the DVD to my collection then overwrite the image that's there with my scan?Will DVDP know not to overwrite my image with one from its servers? What if I perform the action where DVDP re-syncs all the images from its online db? I ask because I think I need to do that since I haven't done so in quite a few years, and my DVDP db has some gnarled images in it (hi-res images that are only a few KB and thumbnails over 100KB).

Thanks. I do apprecaite the tip. I guess I'll do my own ultra-hi scans going forward.
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DVD Profiler Desktop and Mobile RegistrantStar Contributorhal9g
Who is John Galt?
Registered: March 13, 2007
Reputation: High Rating
United States Posts: 6,635
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Quoting whispering:
Quote:
Quoting Silence_of_Lambs:
Quote:
Just one minor point:

You can have the scans in any size you want (I have my coverscans in 1400 x 1000), provided you do the scans yourself and store them in your local database.


As a reply to a feature request i don't see how that helps, as the main purpose of using a user built database is that you don't do all the work yourself.

Since i started using the program internet connection speeds have gone up and storage space prices down, so thats hardly an argument. IF Invelos is these days getting less money per active user, then thats another story.


I cannot speak for Silence_of_Lambs, but I pointed out that you can save images locally at any resolution in order to give the OP an opportunity to get what he wants now, without having to wait who knows how long for Invelos to upgrade image resolutions in the program; not as an alternative to a program change.
Hal
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