Anyone use/recommend ONLINE DATABASES for collections?

[Katatonia]

Originally Posted by X-human

DVDAf now has large 300x400 scans. You can hover over a title and see it or go to a DVD's individual page to see the full scan and details. The system is also entirely public. You can search and see the database even if you're not a member. It's even matched up with IMDb and Amazon's data points.

Has tracking and history:
- Where and When you ordered AND/or received an item. Also what you paid.
- Last watched
- Loan loaned out and to whom
- Asking price if someone wants to message me through DVDAf's message system.
- Empty slots for any data points you want to fill in yourself.

I can see the following statistics about my collection:
Director
Publisher
Original language
DVD country
Region
Genre
Format
Film decade
DVD release year
Owned since by year
Owned since by month
Last watched by year
Last watched by month
Retailer

No sure about "cheap looking" because DVDProfiler webpages looks cheaper to me. It uses frames for god's sake. That hasn't been in vogue since Bill Clinton took office. You couldn't even get out of HTML 101 classes these days with that.

You can also star system a movie and a DVD release individually. It also has Facebook like features where I can friend someone and we can exchange comments on individual titles. You can make posts and your friends can get updates on that. I'm friends with several other HorrorDVD.com members on DVDAf. You can also see who else owns titles and they can even list an asking prices if they're interested in selling it.

You can also extensively manipulate how your collection is ordered. I have everything in genre folders by release year, then alphabetical, then boxset, then boxset by year and then boxset alphabetical. Horror is further separated by decades. Default is alphabetical but you can override a title's actual name to be anything you want to create any order you want. I use that feature to rearrange titles even past alphabetical when I have foreign releases or a funky titled DVD (like a double feature title; I always list it be the lowest year then alphabetical by that lowest title's name.)

For something free it's damn good. You can donate money and get a few extra perks like overriding a genre but it comes pretty complete for free. I'm very active in the submission process

That's all DVDAF offers? It's not much compared to Profiler then. The Profiler scans are 700x500 and don't have those watermarks on them, and due for a larger size in the future. 300x400 just look like thumbnails on my monitor. Can you even view the back covers on there?

AF hasn't changed much since I last tried it then. I guess for "free" it's passable, but it just wouldn't handle my needs. For me, it would be like going back in time to having less options.

I mean you can still only see and track the Director? You can view any crew or cast member in Profiler (with hi-res headshots) and see what else they appear in your collection and exactly what they did in each film or TV show.

DVD and Blu-rays are often notoriously inaccurate also, whether it's the running time, features, subtitles, region-coding, etc.. You can track those things in Profiler.

You can add stars/ratings for the film and the disc, etc. You can create "tags" and track virtually anything that's not a default in Profiler.

If I pop a disc into my player, it'll automatically go to that movie/profile in Profiler. A web-based collection just can't do things like that.

DVD Profiler's basic "online" database appearance is dated there's no denying that, and is due to get an upgrade soon. I use it mainly for the DVD Profiler software, the "online" is just a perk for others to view. Honestly though, I prefer its simplified frames appearance to AF's current online view style with the small typeface.

You can upgrade the look of your online database to this with phpDVDProfiler. I just really haven't had the time to upgrade mine. This is what those online collections look like:

http://www.kinkycyborg.com/phpdvdprofiler/
http://www.homeofhorror.com/phpdvdprofiler/

That easily blows anything away that AF can offer as an online appearance.

[bigdaddyhorse]

Yeah, the only downside to profiler is the online part. Sharing my collection could be far better, it's a shame ya'll can't see my custom covers online, while I can on the program. I'd have more people wanting to trade for my custom porn titles if they could see the covers, that's bet! Maybe I'll look into php sometime.

[X-human]

Originally Posted by Katatonia

That's all DVDAF offers? It's not much compared to Profiler then. The Profiler scans are 700x500 and don't have those watermarks on them, and due for a larger size in the future. 300x400 just look like thumbnails on my monitor. Can you even view the back covers on there?

Well if I want a closer look I'll hold the physical object two inches from my eye. After all this isn't suppose to replace your catalog just document it.

While the other stuff you mention is nice and some are also in DVDAf the simple fact is that DVDAf is free and already online. Being able to be anywhere at anytime and go online to edit my collection is very nice. I don't need to host my own website to do that. Often when I'm at parties and such I just go to the website.

The better web interface is more important to me than being able to see every movie I own that a grip worked on or know the last time I put a certain DVD in my computer (now if they had a PS3 interface that might be different).

[fattyjoe37]

I've been using DVD Profiler for years and love it. The desktop layout is a lot more interesting to me than DVDAf and I love how in depth they go with their disc info. Want to see if a movie you watch has easter eggs? There's a tab for that. Want to see the back cover scans of movies from your wishlist? They have that. This last one is especially helpful when I'm researching which foreign versions of a film have exclusive bonus features. I don't mind the online layout, I just wish I knew how to alphabetize the films instead of them being listed in the order I bought them.

[wago70]

Thanks so much!!!! Everyone very helpful - now on to see if there is something for movie posters...

thanks again!

[skinnypuppy]

Originally Posted by wago70

Thanks so much!!!! Everyone very helpful - now on to see if there is something for movie posters...

thanks again!

Let me know if you find one. I'd love to catalogue all my movie posters!

[Katatonia]

Originally Posted by fattyjoe37

I've been using DVD Profiler for years and love it. The desktop layout is a lot more interesting to me than DVDAf and I love how in depth they go with their disc info. Want to see if a movie you watch has easter eggs? There's a tab for that. Want to see the back cover scans of movies from your wishlist? They have that. This last one is especially helpful when I'm researching which foreign versions of a film have exclusive bonus features. I don't mind the online layout, I just wish I knew how to alphabetize the films instead of them being listed in the order I bought them.

Agreed. I've used it for about 8 years, and the one-time fee of $25 I paid was a bargain. If I want a mobile version, they have that too. If you already own hundreds or thousands of DVD/Blu-rays in your collection, $25 is nothing at all to spend for a lifetime fee.

And if yet another physical medium supplants Blu-rays, I know that my lifetime Profiler subscription will cover that and I won't have to pay yet again.

I often look at the back covers to find information, and check the easter eggs when I pull out something new.

Often I research foreign DVD or Blu-rays, and can't find the back coverscans anywhere else online except in the Profiler database. That has saved me a lot of $$ many times, just by checking the release details/features/audio/subtitles/etc.

You can alphabetize the films in your online collection joe, just set it up in your account here and set it to Alpha by Title.

[fattyjoe37]

Originally Posted by Katatonia

You can alphabetize the films in your online collection joe, just set it up in your account here and set it to Alpha by Title.

Thanks! I hardly ever spend any time on the Invelos site, so I was looking for a place in the desktop program to organize them. But now it's all taken care of. Thanks again!

[crikan]

I've been using DVDAF for years and love it. I think you are selling it a bit short Katatonia.

[DVD-fanatic-9]

Originally Posted by MorallySound

I also use DVDAF, and if they don't have a title in the database I have, I submit it.

Took them FOREVER to register that 4-movie Universal Comedy pack with King Ralph, Ghost Dad, For Richer or Poorer on it.

Not that I'm all-for Profiler. I've never been too impressed with their design. Then, I heard... $20-30??? Wow, no thanks. I still have at least 4 DVD's I've wanted to buy for months that I haven't been able to afford because of that nagging RENT, ELECTRICITY, WATER, INTERNET, PHONE, and CABLE bill habit I've got. And High Spirits just went out of print like a month ago, so I'm hoping the seller holding a copy for $13 doesn't sell it or the prices start doubling. (Ah, the life of the lower class.)

[crikan]

Originally Posted by DVD-fanatic-9

Took them FOREVER to register that 4-movie Universal Comedy pack with King Ralph, Ghost Dad, For Richer or Poorer on it.

Is that a joke. Darn Internet needs to agree on a sarcasm font.

I make submissions semi-regularly and they always get to it same day. So if something isn't there, no one has submitted it.

BTW, your "Universal Comedy pack" isn't very popular on DVDAF. Only the following have it in their collection.

angry-scientist /owned/comedy-and-drama 140/519 DVDs
artistversion1 /owned 909 DVDs
blunden /owned/0-c 111/905 DVDs
crimeboss1965 /owned 1630/2773 DVDs
darthprime /owned 166/251 DVDs
deadlyspawn /owned 683 DVDs
dvdmon /owned 1136 DVDs
kitcat1782 /owned 374 DVDs
penetron /owned 2888 DVDs