Andy Brooks Posted October 15, 2019 Share Posted October 15, 2019 (edited) Hello fellow modellers. I am a subscriber of BRM Magazine paper form.. But i have been thinking of transferring it to the Digital form. But was wondering what the Pros and cons are with Digital... I like the fact with a paper Magazine I can flick through it at work and know the power isn't going to fade. But I like the idea of the digital form. If i could get peoples opinions on both that would be great. Andy Edited October 15, 2019 by Andy Brooks 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Keith Addenbrooke Posted October 15, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted October 15, 2019 Hi Andy, I've been a happy subscriber to both versions and I have enjoyed the luxury of having both. As a paper subscriber, it's worth highlighting (for others who read this thread) the monthly BRM TV DVD is included in paper subscriptions, as it is not automatically available with off-the-shelf purchases as I understand it. What I've learned is that the things that make a difference to me aren't about content and the benefits of zooming into pictures versus details disappearing into the spine of a magazine's inner pages (for example), or extra digital content, but are more about circumstances, which will apply differently to each reader: 1. The key variable for the digital edition - for me at least - is the age / type of devices I have available to download and browse the magazine. My laptop is now six years old, and while I have a smart phone the screen is very small for reading fine text. I suspect a new ipad sized tablet could optimise the digital experience, but this is something for others to comment on. 2. Paper editions require space. I don't keep every edition, and from time to time I recycle ones I no longer want. Over time, keeping them all could need a lot of storage space for items I may only occasionally refer to. With regards to the DVD, I had to buy a new DVD player last year after my old one stopped working - so there was a technology cost here too anyway. 3. I need to cut down the amount of time I spend reading the magazines / watching the videos / browsing and contributing to RMWeb, simply because I don't have any hobby time left for modelling! There is so much inspirational material at my fingertips, I really ought to be producing something of my own by now. Hope this helps, Keith. 2 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Brooks Posted October 15, 2019 Author Share Posted October 15, 2019 Thanks Keith.. That helps loads. Yeah i must say Paper magazines do take up alot of space. I love the DVD on the magazine. Definitely something to think about.. Andy 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Keith Addenbrooke Posted October 15, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted October 15, 2019 2 hours ago, Andy Brooks said: Thanks Keith.. That helps loads. Yeah i must say Paper magazines do take up alot of space. I love the DVD on the magazine. Definitely something to think about.. Andy Just to clarify, the BRM TV DVD content is included in the digital subscription download too so you do get to watch it. However, when I've watched the DVD that comes with my paper copy I pass it on to another modeller in exchange for Model Railroader back issues, as I'm also interested in US modelling. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bo-Bo Posted October 15, 2019 Share Posted October 15, 2019 Andy call me old fashioned but I still like to have the magazine in my hand to read. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium TheQ Posted October 15, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted October 15, 2019 I've had both, but returned to paper, Unless they've improved the software, even with a 24 in monitor. I was scrolling the screen side to side, in order to read a page. Two page spreads in the paper magazine had to be read page at a time, to make the text big enough to read, then you lost the view of the picture across the pages. I found trying to read them on a tablet computer in bed was totally unsatisfactory. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steamport Southport Posted October 15, 2019 Share Posted October 15, 2019 I tried a couple of the "free taster" issues they send you occasionally. From different publishers. I'm afraid I wasn't tempted, finding them a bit difficult to read. Just not for me rather than any actual problems with the format. YMMV as the kids say. Jason Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Brooks Posted October 15, 2019 Author Share Posted October 15, 2019 7 hours ago, Bo-Bo said: Andy call me old fashioned but I still like to have the magazine in my hand to read. I agree Bo-Bo I like to have the magazine in my hand to read.. 7 hours ago, Keith Addenbrooke said: Just to clarify, the BRM TV DVD content is included in the digital subscription download too so you do get to watch it. I heard that it's included as well.. But also understand they have a bit more on the digital TV form. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium ColinK Posted October 15, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted October 15, 2019 As a ‘paper’ reader I tried the digital version for three issues when there was a special offer on. However, I didn’t get on with the digital version and remain a ‘paper’ reader. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold mikes rail Posted October 16, 2019 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 16, 2019 Paper reader here as well having tried a number of mags in digital format on iPad and PC I just don't like the format and returned to paper issues 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete the Elaner Posted October 16, 2019 Share Posted October 16, 2019 I tried the digital edition for a year. Occasionally I chose to read it later but never got around to it. On the occasions when I did read it straight away, I flicked through it from start to finish. stopping on the articles which interested me & never went back to it. When I have bought paper editions, I frequently re-read the articles. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Brooks Posted October 16, 2019 Author Share Posted October 16, 2019 Thanks all... Some great feedback... Think i have made my decision now. I like the Paper editions so for now think i will stick with them.. Andy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold BoD Posted October 16, 2019 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 16, 2019 I can understand the preference for hard copy and it’s ease of reading and I must admit that at first I found it hard to adjust to the digital version. I did eventually get used to it, having taken my morning paper for a while in digital form. As someone has already mentioned it may well depend on your device. Rotating and switching to double page spread helps with the larger pictures but it does take practice to ‘manage’ the whole thing satisfactorily. I have a large screen IPad and it serves me well. On the plus side, tonight I’m sitting in a hotel room with all the issues of BRM back to 2007 at my fingertips. 3 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nearholmer Posted October 16, 2019 Share Posted October 16, 2019 (edited) I don't know about BRM, because I haven't seen the digital version, but the other digital railway magazines that I have subscribed to ended up not getting read after a few editions because they were very clearly the paper version, on screen. Why does that matter? Because designing and laying out for a comfy read on paper, which usually means two pages of A4 or slightly smaller before the eye, is very different from designing for a comfy on-screen read, which probably means one <A4 page before the eye, and possibly a "tank driver's view" of a part page in order to get print-size up for readability. A large screen iPad helps (I steal my good lady's one for the purpose sometimes), but even so it still isn't the best experience. I believe that there are railway magazines that are designed from the start as "on screen", and I think that one or two "coffee table glossies" with huge international circulations and megatons of advertising actually have two editions, separately designed, one for paper, one for screen. If there was a global award for the worst magazine to read in digital format, I would nominate the US "Classic Toy Trains", which is a poorly laid-out print magazine, directly transferred to make a truly awful digital version....... I haven't the heart to tell my good lady this, after she bought me a perpetual digital subscription to it as a birthday present! Edited October 16, 2019 by Nearholmer 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craigw Posted October 16, 2019 Share Posted October 16, 2019 I get Model Railway Journal and Narrow gauge and Industrial in print form because I tend to refer to them more. Steam days, BRM and AFV modeller I get in digital form. I only tend to buy BRM and Steam days when they have things of interest or relevance to me but digital offers enticed me to subscribe. Regards, Craig W 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ross34 Posted October 17, 2019 Share Posted October 17, 2019 Digital.. No room for piles of magazines Digital is sometimes cheaper Occasionall you get a lot free back issues with a digital sub.. I did with Continental Modeller. Some of the mags I read are published and sold outside the UK. I use a Kindle Fire HD as a reader - it has it faults (reading it outside in bright sunlight isnt easy) and takes a bit of getting used to but on the whole I wouldn't go back to paper. 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium boxbrownie Posted October 17, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted October 17, 2019 (edited) I admit I was dead against a digital subscription mainly because it’s a pain to have to “go to the computer room” to read it or read it on the small iPad, but since getting the iPad Pro which is not far off an A4 sheet......OK about 11”x8” TBH, it is far better in digital form in my view (no pun intended) as I can read it anywhere and I have access to all the back issues I bought, where ever I am with the iPad. Big bonus is also being able to zoom into detail in the pictures and they hold resolution (well done digital team) and of course all the extra video content available, although truth be told I rarely view that. It’s cheaper also......so now my man maths says I can sub to BRM, Model Rail and Hornby Magazine and not get too much stick from the Boss, especially as there are no massive stacks of paper magazines around! Edited October 17, 2019 by boxbrownie 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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