Will we ever see Allen Keller's Great Model Railroads on DVD?

[Anonymous]

I've been holding off buying any of the series because it was VHS, I'd love to see the series re-released from the start on DVD. Has there been any word of this happening?

[Anonymous]

On his web site it shows tapes #46-49 (or so, I forget already!) are available on DVD.
Check it out yourself: http://www.allenkeller.com/

Bob Boudreau

[jfugate]

While the convenience factor of a DVD is good, the video quality of DVD would demand that Allen go back to the original tapes and remaster the video from scratch to get the quality up to DVD standards. This would amount to a near total rework of the video volume.

Just transferring the VHS video to DVD will yield a disappointing result as to quality. I certainly wouldn't pay $40+ for a VHS to DVD port.

For this reason, I wouldn't hold my breath.

[AggroJones]

Thats too bad Joe. I would really like to get vol 33 and 40 on DVD, but there's little chance of it happening.

[jfugate]

Yeh, it's technically feasible, but it would be a lot of work to do it right.

Do you want the convenience of the DVD or the quality? If convenience is the issue, you could buy the VHS video and with a video capture program and a cheap DVD authoring program you could port it yourself.

You're talking maybe $200 worth of software to do it, and a DVD burner on your PC. Once you are set up you could do this to any of your video tapes.

Or for this one video, you could have a transfer service do it for you. These guys will do it for $10 per tape:

http://www.apmstudio.com/default.asp?refid=google&tid=g1

But don't expect the transfer of a VHS video to DVD to look like much. It certainly won't look as good as most video remastered from the start to target DVD.

[Anonymous]

A few weeks ago I bought a no name DVD recorder at Wal-Mart for $150.00. I'm currently copying my VHS tapes onto DVD's. Seems to work OK so far.

Bob Boudreau

[Wdlgln005]

On the TV they've been selling a RCA VCR-DVD recorder combo for $349 that is supposed to improve the quality of the tape somewhat. cost of the disc is $1.00. I'd like to see that money go to allen Keller than some guy working in his basement. It may be impossible for some of the old programs shot 20+ years ago, but perhaps it's time for AK to revisit the Reid bros. Nscale layout?!

Wouldn't be cool if MR could include a disc with the magazine? Some English mags sell them for about $15 per issue.

[AntonioFP45]

I very much like the DVD technology, but I plan on keeping a VCR around for a long time just for cases like this. Except for the Allen Keller series, I won't buy anymore tapes but I'll take care of the ones I already have.

Why go through the extra expense and hassle of transferring to a DVD if one has a good VCR on hand? Yes, tapes do wear out but store them properly and they last years. Several of my VHS tapes are 15 years old and still show no degrading of quality.

Just my [2c][(-D]

[csmincemoyer]

I had emailed Allen sometime ago and asked that very question and he said he had no plans of releasing the older volumes on DVD.

[PennsyHoosier]

Didn't I hear this week that they are making plans for the next generation DVDs. I seem to recall that we'll have to change formats AGAIN!

[Anonymous]

I would HOPE that DVD format will stick around like VHS - for a good, long while. It's convenient (much more so than the old video discs), robust (as long as you handle them carefully) and the quality is great - even compared with HDTV.

I think that the marketplace won't want to "upgrade" any time soon. So I think any new product would be backward compatible with the old product. You'll STILL be able to play your old DVDs on it.

[maandg]

I consider Allen Keller to be one of the true unsung heroes of the hobby. I have ALL 49 of his videos/DVDs. I am so confident of the quality and education/entertainment value of his product that I am on his advance list. Whenever I am working in my train building, which is A LOT, I always have a GMR program playing. I have literally memorized the interviews. In addition, I have all of the original Kalmbach tapes he produced. Even though these are 20+ years old, I still enjoy them. I really enjoy the DVD format - not only for the sustained picture quality, but for the convenience of jumping to specific chapters. One of the layouts I would like to see (re)visited is the Great Southern of Lorrell Joiner (it was featured in one of the old Kalmbach layout tour tapes, but has not been taped as part of the GMR series). I would also like to see a Part 2 to Rick Rideout's L&N Henderson Subdivision as well, since about half of it was still under construction during the first taping. Thank goodness we have David Barrow's Cat Mountain & Santa Fe, Chuck Hitchcock's Argentine Division, Allen McClelland's V&O and Tony Koester's Allegheny Midland preserved on film before their abandonments or revisions. It was also nice to have John Armstrong featured before his death. My hats off to Allen...he has really enriched my enjoyment of the hobby. Heck, I would probably buy an hour-long DVD of him just mowing his lawn!!!!

Cliff Powers
The Mississippi Alabama & Gulf

[Anonymous]

I, too, am a big fan of Allen Keller. The GMR series is a great source of entertainment and inspiration. It's only because of the GMR series that I know about "ground goop" and several other obsure bits of information that impact my enjoyment of the hobby. If you've ever tried to photograph some of "those places" on your layout you can appreciate Allen's outstanding efforts. DVDs or not I'll continue to buy his stuff.

Cheers,

Ed

[Anonymous]

I just wish Allen would run more copies of vol #9,Rick Rideout's L&N Henderson subdivision. I like the way Rick made his sub-roadbed.

[jfugate]

I agree ... it would be nice to see more on Rick Rideout's L&N. I scarfed up volume #9 and watch it again periodically. I used Rick's method of subroadbed until I discovered masonite spline.

Now this EasySpline (I wrote about it in the March 2000 issue of MR) is all I use. Great stuff.

However, I wonder about Allen's prices. $44 + shipping for a DVD seems mighty steep. I can understand the need to charge more for hobby DVDs because they don't sell anywhere near the volume that the Hollywoood movies do (and they can sell them at under $10 and still make money). But the Pentrex and Charles Smiley DVDs are way more reasonable, selling at $29.95 or so.

I know I think twice before spending almost $50 on a DVD, hobby or not.