FAQ

WHAT IS YOUR PREVIEW POLICY?

WHY ARE THE DVDs YOU DISTRIBUTE SO EXPENSIVE?

• McNabb Connolly is primarily an educational / institutional distributor, as opposed to a consumer DVD or home video distributor. Our programs come with public performance rights, which gives the purchaser the right to show the film in a public forum provided no admission fee is charged. This does NOT include the right to show the film on television or online, without permission.
• Our main customers are educational institutions who will use the film within the campus community. Faculty and teachers seldom assign DVDs for their students to buy.
• When you buy these programs, remember that a good portion of the price is returned to the producer in royalties, helping them to recoup production costs or invest in a new project.

• We are primarily a Canadian distributor.  Most of the rights we hold, allow us to sell our programs exclusively throughout Canada.
• Occasionally, a producer will also grant us world rights. 
• Regardless, you should not hesitate to place your order, as we make every effort to locate the legal rights holder in your country and pass that information on to you and the legitimate distributor. 
 

• Ascent of Money, The (6) means 'The Ascent of Money' is a 6 part series
• Risky Business (4/6) means 'Risky Business' is the 4th program in a 6 part series

• Many of our older titles have been made available as DVD-Rs. Though the manufacturing process differs, the –R media functions in the same way as a regular DVD disc. DVD players manufactured before a certain date (generally prior to 2001) and many bargain consumer models are not able to “read” the DVD-R format. We recommend that you research the DVD player model you or your institution will be using to anticipate any compatibility issues.

First and foremost, we want to ensure that your viewing experience is as trouble-free as possible, and so we encourage customers to inform us of any problems they experience when viewing our films on DVD. We do recommend that before contacting us about defective media issues, customers take the following steps:

• Research the DVD player model you are using to identify any compatibility issues that could be responsible for the problems you are experiencing.

• If you are playing the DVD on a computer, try using a different software program.
• 
Carefully examine the data (non-label) side of the disc. Often times gently wiping the surface of the disc with a clean soft cloth or rag can remove minor dirt from the disc surface and correct the problem. Always wipe the disc surface from the center hole to the outer edge. Don't follow the concentric circles while cleaning. Avoid using paper products or materials with an abrasive surface, as they will scratch the disc. It is also advisable to refrain from touching the data side of the disc, as fingerprints can also cause playback errors.

• If there are fingerprint marks on the CD surface, dip a soft cloth in rubbing alcohol and gently wipe the surface. Never use a petroleum-based solvent like acetone as that will permanently damage the DVD surface. Ordinary water, or better yet mineral water, can be used as a substitute.

• If the DVD surface feels sticky or greasy, mix some baby shampoo in lukewarm water and use cotton or soft cloth to gently rub the DVD surface with this solution. Make sure the DVD is completely dry (no water drops) before attempting to play it again.
• If you still experience poor playback, make a note of what type of playback error you experienced and where on the disc it occurred (supplying the time code info from your DVD player display is best) and contact McNabb Connolly. In most cases we will immediately replace the title free-of-charge or offer a refund if the customer so desires. We will provide a return-shipping label for the problematic media and test it for defects.

ARE YOUR DVDS/DVD-RS REGION ENCODED? ARE THEY PAL OR NTSC?

• All our DVDs are “all-region” (but often referred to as “region free” or “Region 0”), meaning they should be compatible with any DVD player in any country. Region codes do not apply to the recordable DVD-R format.
• Our DVDs are formatted for NTSC. For customers in areas that use PAL this is generally not an issue, as most DVD players sold in countries using the PAL standard are able to read both PAL and NTSC-formatted DVDs and DVD-Rs*. However, the majority of players sold in areas using the NTSC standard will not play PAL-formatted media. According to DVD Demystified, NTSC discs will play on over 95% of DVD players/systems worldwide.
• Customers who require PAL-formatted DVDs should contact us via phone or email with your requests.
• *Viewers in PAL regions may encounter a problem when attempting to watch an NTSC-formatted DVD/DVD-R via a PAL-only television set.

• To safeguard your investment in McNabb Connolly DVDs, we will replace any damaged, stolen or misplaced DVD for $25 within the first year of purchase and at 50% of the current price for the first three years. This warranty applies as long as the program is offered for sale. Please notify us of the circumstances. In the case of defective media, we will replace the item free of charge.

• Filmmakers who wish to have their films considered for distribution are encouraged to browse through our online catalogue to be sure your production fits our collection. If you believe it does,  email a description of your film to Anne Connolly, anneconnolly@mcnabbconnolly.ca who handles all of our acquisitions. Please include any links to your film’s website, photo galleries, and online trailers.