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Database of overseas releases with English sub/dub.




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einhorn303



Joined: 20 Nov 2006
Posts: 1180
PostPosted: Sun Jul 10, 2011 10:03 am Reply with quote
Overseas releases with English subs is one of my favorite trends in the last few years of anime. So, I wanted to do something to contribute to the trend. I've seen the old list of R2/R3 releases with English options, but I wanted to make something more convenient, easily searchable, and comprehensively updated. ...Also, I just love lists and databases. This is the rough framework I've made of the site so far:

http://anglotaku.netii.net

Right now it just has some dummy entries to give an idea of how it works. I'm not sure how much information to include per entry, and I want to finalize that before starting the massive task of adding all the data. It must include enough information to be helpful, but not enough that the data for new submissions is excessively hard to track down. And it's not like I want to replicate ANN's database...I only want to include data relevant to the context, which is "helping people find and import overseas releases with an English language option."

The "Add a release" button, btw, doesn't add releases right away. It adds them to a "waiting list" database where they have to be mod approved before being added to the public database (just in case people thought it simply wasn't working).

The precise definition of "overseas" for this list is "from a country whose official language isn't English." Because otherwise it would include all UK and Australian releases, which isn't really the point. Although it'd be nice to have a similar database for stuff licensed in the UK/AU, but not in the US.

Some features I'd like to include:

Tags: Tags on entries to enhance search results. For example, it seems odd to me that when one searches for "Strike Witches," it doesn't include the Nogami Takeshi doujinshi. I could also include stuff like genre, production company, etc.

Shopping Buttons: On each entry, there's a button which links to a search for the item on CDJapan/Amazon.co.jp/some similar site. Sort of like last.fm does for albums. Ideally, I'd like to use a store-agnostic option like Google Shopping, but it doesn't have many JP import stores on it.

User Accounts: Users could tag entries, check on the status of entries they've submitted, and add entries to a sort of "Wishlist/Watchlist."

Multi-volume Releases as One Entry: I think this could be a more convenient way of displaying multi-volume releases, like TV anime. There'd be a single entry, with multiple dates for each solicited volume.

"Game" Format: I'm sure there'll be some doujin games like this eventually...rather, I'll bet there already are. It'd be a lot of trouble and space to give each console it's own Format, though.

Removing the R1 DVD/Region A BD Categories: Hypothetically, there could be a Latin American DVD release with English subtitles, or something like that. I'm not sure if these will ever be used, though.

Is there anything else you think would be useful? I appreciate all feedback (or any advice on how to improve my amateur-ish site design!).
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Mylene



Joined: 07 Feb 2006
Posts: 2792
Location: Indiana
PostPosted: Sun Jul 10, 2011 11:39 am Reply with quote
I think this sounds like an excellent idea, einhorn303. I would like to see how it looks with dummy entries, but unfortunate I'm receiving the following error when I visit the site:

Quote:
Warning: mysqli_connect() [function.mysqli-connect]: (HY000/2003): Can't connect to MySQL server on 'mysql7.000webhost.com' (110) in /home/a1783292/public_html/includes/db.inc.php on line 3


Regarding the shopping buttons, I can understand your desire for provider-neutral type, but I think as long as the major 3-4 are pulled in (CDJapan, Amazon, YesAsia, and maybe J-List [or do they even do DVDs?]) it would probably be satisfactory.
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The King of Harts



Joined: 05 May 2009
Posts: 6712
Location: Mount Crawford, Virginia
PostPosted: Sun Jul 10, 2011 11:51 am Reply with quote
I'm getting the same error as Mylene. I also like the idea, and I'll try to help out as much as I can. Several titles come to mind off the top of my head, and I'm sure I could dig up more.

Not to sound like I'm plugging, but if someone wants to go through all the releases other countries have, I started a thread not too long ago that lists most (all?) of the non-North America distributors. What I'm going to do is go through the various Amazons and see what has subs/dubs.

A good site to use for Taiwanese releases besides Yes Asia and Play Asia is JSDVD Mall since it has an English option.
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ethanftw



Joined: 29 May 2011
Posts: 107
PostPosted: Sun Jul 10, 2011 1:24 pm Reply with quote
If I may intervene here, I assume you are using PHP so users can upload things to your server with MySQL. I believe you have the possible PHP scripts right but your database isnt connecting to your server. This is the error. Are you sure your scripts are also in your server and working properly?
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einhorn303



Joined: 20 Nov 2006
Posts: 1180
PostPosted: Sun Jul 10, 2011 1:51 pm Reply with quote
ethanftw wrote:
If I may intervene here, I assume you are using PHP so users can upload things to your server with MySQL. I believe you have the possible PHP scripts right but your database isnt connecting to your server. This is the error. Are you sure your scripts are also in your server and working properly?


I think this is a case of low-quality free hosting. From the support forums, it seems that MySQL server ("http://anglotaku.netii.net/") was down today. It seems to work fine now from my computer, and from a proxy IP too. Yeah, I really ought to get real paid hosting ASAP...or a better free host.

(Line 3, btw, is
Code:
$link = mysqli_connect('mysql14.000webhost.com', '**********', '******');
)

In related news, it was revealed that the Japanese BD release of "Dog Days" will have English, French, and Chinese subs. Completely unexpectedly. And it wasn't even simulcasted or anything.
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The King of Harts



Joined: 05 May 2009
Posts: 6712
Location: Mount Crawford, Virginia
PostPosted: Sun Jul 10, 2011 2:38 pm Reply with quote
Is the "other titles" option required? I ask because if we're adding something from an English site like Play-Asia, it won't have the original text. Like, I'm adding the Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya BD from Hong Kong off of Play-Asia because that's the only place (at least that I know) where it can be bought, and it doesn't have Chinese text for me to copy.
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einhorn303



Joined: 20 Nov 2006
Posts: 1180
PostPosted: Sun Jul 10, 2011 3:16 pm Reply with quote
Alright, if the other site continues to not work, try http://anglotaku.99k.org alternatively.

The King of Harts wrote:
Is the "other titles" option required? I ask because if we're adding something from an English site like Play-Asia, it won't have the original text. Like, I'm adding the Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya BD from Hong Kong off of Play-Asia because that's the only place (at least that I know) where it can be bought, and it doesn't have Chinese text for me to copy.


No, it's not required. Ideally, I'd try to track down any missing data myself. But the primary need for the "Other Titles" field is to help people find the item on foreign sites, or make sure they're buying the right release. But in such a case where it can only be found with the English title, the "Other Titles" field isn't needed as much.

I see what you mean on the item page, though...that's pretty weird. I wonder why they do it like that.
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ethanftw



Joined: 29 May 2011
Posts: 107
PostPosted: Mon Jul 11, 2011 1:19 am Reply with quote
einhorn303 wrote:
ethanftw wrote:
If I may intervene here, I assume you are using PHP so users can upload things to your server with MySQL. I believe you have the possible PHP scripts right but your database isnt connecting to your server. This is the error. Are you sure your scripts are also in your server and working properly?


I think this is a case of low-quality free hosting. From the support forums, it seems that MySQL server ("http://anglotaku.netii.net/") was down today. It seems to work fine now from my computer, and from a proxy IP too. Yeah, I really ought to get real paid hosting ASAP...or a better free host.

(Line 3, btw, is
Code:
$link = mysqli_connect('mysql14.000webhost.com', '**********', '******');
)

In related news, it was revealed that the Japanese BD release of "Dog Days" will have English, French, and Chinese subs. Completely unexpectedly. And it wasn't even simulcasted or anything.


Oh, I see. Yes, paid hosting is the way to go. Honestly, it isn't too expensive and if you are willing to pan handle a bit, you usually can make enough donations in a very short period of time to cover your hosting for a year plus more.

If you do decide to go with paid hosting, I would reccomend RAM host. Great everything there, and decent prices.

Whatever you do, don't make the same mistake I did and use siteground. If you ever want to use PHP, then they are garbage, and their site functionality isn't the greatest. They have strict rules in their TOS about PHP to the point of almost being tyrannical about it. Good luck, this seems like a good project.
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Shiroi Hane
Encyclopedia Editor


Joined: 25 Oct 2003
Posts: 7578
Location: Wales
PostPosted: Mon Jul 11, 2011 11:13 am Reply with quote
If the site isn't too high traffic I could host it.
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Kruszer



Joined: 19 Nov 2004
Posts: 7981
Location: Minnesota, USA
PostPosted: Mon Jul 11, 2011 9:37 pm Reply with quote
The Japanese release of Kara no Kyoukai (aka Garden of Sinners) can also be added. I believe it was similar to the US release in that it had English subs, no translation for the menus or art book I'd imagine though.
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Sceleris



Joined: 12 Oct 2004
Posts: 43
Location: Sweden
PostPosted: Fri Jul 15, 2011 6:25 pm Reply with quote
Nice idea, but the Japanese Blu-ray releases are all listed as Region A when most of current anime BD releases seem to be region free. Speaking as a Region B user, this is a quite handy distinction to make... Wink
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Shiroi Hane
Encyclopedia Editor


Joined: 25 Oct 2003
Posts: 7578
Location: Wales
PostPosted: Sat Jul 16, 2011 10:00 am Reply with quote
Kruszer wrote:
The Japanese release of Kara no Kyoukai (aka Garden of Sinners) can also be added. I believe it was similar to the US release in that it had English subs, no translation for the menus or art book I'd imagine though.

It was identical since the US release was an import of the Japanese, with translations for the booklets added. This was the BDs only, the DVDs had no English subs.
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einhorn303



Joined: 20 Nov 2006
Posts: 1180
PostPosted: Sun Jul 17, 2011 1:08 pm Reply with quote
Sceleris wrote:
Nice idea, but the Japanese Blu-ray releases are all listed as Region A when most of current anime BD releases seem to be region free. Speaking as a Region B user, this is a quite handy distinction to make... Wink


Thanks for pointing that out. I'll have to add a new category for Region Free BDs. Though it seems that this information isn't always explicitly included in product listings, which could make things pretty complicated. I guess assuming things based on past publisher history would be mostly safe, but I don't want people to accidentally buy things that are outside of their region.
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