But nonetheless I do have a mild interest in the different types of packaging for DVDs and CDs. I don't mean the cheapo cases you buy to put the songs you illegally ripped off your mates in, I mean the cases that CDs come in on the shelves, maybe the CD analogy isn't that appropriate these days, and if you read my blog at all you may know it isn't too familiar an experience for myself either.
I am a fairly prolific buyer of DVDs and also Video Games, which come in the same type of cases. Time spent frantically trying to claw a disk out of a box, while struggling not to snap the thing in half, made me wonder about how manufacturers go about designing the containers to put entertainment products in and how boxes are chosen. I tried to find the name of the offending manufacturer, but they had wisely declined to put their name on their shody human-unfriendly box and so instead I will move on to some positive designs.
The 'classic' for me has to be the Amaray DVD Single. It is elegant in it's simplicity, and the performance of it's function is poetry in motion...well a limerick...at least a Haiku!! The central button or 'hub' as they call it is integral to most case designs and few have managed to top the system incorporated by the Amaray box. The hub consists of a split circle which, when pushed, actually lifts the disc out so you can easily remove it, then with a simple push down the disc is securely locked in again - beautiful!!
- Designed in close co-operation with the DVD industry and preferred in consumer trials
- Unique, patent, stress-free locking disc hub
- Proven economical inlay system
- Compatible with available automated packing machinery
- Find out more at the manufacturer website
The only box with a slight improvement of this is the DVD case for the series Firefly which has a mechanism with a slightly smoother running, adding an extra touch of elegance to the same principle, unfortunately I couldn't track down the manufacturer for this one either. I haven't seen many around, and the Amaray I think will always be top dog for some time.
My last one (was that a sigh I heard?) doesn't have a particularly elegant mechanism, but it has solved the problems of earlier holding mechanisms of it's type so the disk lifts easily from the holder, yet is still secure in place. It is not this that I call your attention to - it is that it looks pretty sweet! This product is the Super Jewel Box, which I first came across holding Ta-Dah by Scissor Sisters and then in DVD form with the Gorillaz live gig.
- New and improved look and feel for higher perceived value
- Same size as the old CD jewel case
- Flexibility of inserts, from a single sheet to a 50-page booklet
- Fits existing CD-based retail displays, security keepers and other packaging standards
- More details at the manufacturer's website
This box features rounded corners, giving it a touch of class over your johnny regular box. You can also see the transparent corners which stand intependent of the hinge, reducing the chance of damage to your CD's "lid", which happens frequently in standard jewel cases. The cases also feature a nifty "push" button to open, which is smooth and again reduces chance for damage - good stuff eh?
Two things for you to know
- I needed to kill time and I wanted to post stuff on my blog
- I looked up the names while I was writing and got images and details from Google
Word of the post: Supplement –noun
| 1. | something added to complete a thing, supply a deficiency, or reinforce or extend a whole. |
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