Do you ever worry about a new format replacing your beloved DVD collection? (1 Viewer)

[Harminder]

I'm not worried because even with the new formats coming out I will probably only upgrade a handful of my favorite titles, mostly action/adventure movies. Dialogue driven movies I will keep as DVD's. So far I think there are only about 20 titles from my collection I'd upgrade to BVD or HD-DVD (especially all Terminator movies, Lord of the Rings trilogy, Predator, Matrix Trilogy, etc.).

However, my upgrading will also be based upon what extra features or audio upgrades will be made for the new formats.
Example: The Matrix movies are in Dolby 384kbps. If the new formats upgraded it to 448kbps, or included at least a 1/2 bit rate aggressive DTS track, I would definitely upgrade. However, if it's going to be the same thing twice except for the increase in video resolution, forget it.

 

[Tim_C]

I'm pretty satisfied with DVD. Our screen isn't huge or anything (it's somewhere around 50 inches,) and I'm not hugely fanatical about picture quality, so...

With VHS to DVD I can see a huge improvement, but I don't really have any complaints with DVD. As long as the DVD release is good, it looks perfectly fine to me. When I watch an old VHS on our big screen it really doesn't look or sound good at all. On the other hand, DVD looks perfectly clear (at least in my ignorant and uninformed mind.) GOOD DVD releases have more than enough extras for me, too.

I'm sure 10 years from now when I have a bigger home theater and there really is a superior, ultimate format, I may upgrade some newer movies that benefit from the big screen, but until then...

 

[John_McKittrick]

I don't see how a new format would hurt anybody. I'm sure every single one of us has thoroughly enjoyed our collection. I'm sure I'll purchase a few titles on HD like LOTR, Star Wars, etc. But I don't think I'll be re-purchasing Three O' Clock High or Not Another Teen Movie any time soon.

John

 

[Darren Haycock]

Even when a new format does come out, why would you feel the need to buy every single title in your collection all over again? I'd probably want to upgrade a couple, but definitely not every single title, so bring on the newer/better formats.

 

[Lars Vermundsberget]

There is always going to be something better if you wait long enough, so whatever media format you collect is not going to stay the best forever. So we'll have to live with the coming and going of formats.

I think I've spent too much money (and time) on both LDs and DVDs to just throw my collections away, so I won't. I'm just replacing or upgrading certain favourites if I find the improvement important enough. As for LD vs DVD, I'm spending most of my DVD-buying-power on titles that I haven't already got on LD.

 

[Bryan X]

I'm not worried about it.

When the next gen format comes out (HD-DVD) I'll simply start buying new releases on the new format and only upgrade a few 'treasured' titles.

The big deal from VHS to DVD wasn't just video/audio quality. Yeah, that was nice, but the biggest improvements were instant scene access/menus/extras/no more rewinding/no worry about deterioration/ etc.

The step up from DVD to HD-DVD (or whatever) will be an improvement audio/video wise, but beyond that probably nothing significant.

 

[Matt_Smi]

Lots of good feedback and points in this post so far, just the type of thing I was looking for! Some good points mentioned are the fact that HD-DVD will be more like SACD is to the CD, not nearly as big of a leap as Tapes to CD’s or VHS to DVD, and that the average consumer will mostly likely not buy into it as nearly as much as DVD’s. So I bet that only a handful (compared to the amount of DVD titles available) of HD-DVD’s will come out, similar to the limited selections of SACD’s (but not as limited). Also the mention of backwards compatibly is nice, to have one player that could play the new format and still be able to play all of your old DVD’s. And finally the very rational fact that it is most defiantly not necessary to re-purchase all your DVD’s in this new format, and possibly only you’re old favorites and any new titles that come out in the format from that point on. Anyway I think that we are a very long way from a format that will make DVD’s look like VHS in comparison.

 

[Joe Karlosi]

For me personally, I'm done upgrading right here with DVD. This format will be the last time. I was fortunate in that I never got into LD's, so that saved me a ton of cash in the long run. But now I've re-bought every movie which I used to own on VHS tape (and I'm still filling in the holes as new DVDs of old tapes are made available). But I'm 42 now, and IMO there comes a time when you have to seriously step back and ask yourself just how many more times you're going to bite the bullet and re-re-re-upgrade. And besides, DVD is pretty damn good as it is already. We don't need any more clarity, and we don't need the discs themselves to become any smaller (just imagine giving away your copy of THE GODFATHER in change by accident!)

But I have to chuckle when I hear someone say things like, "nobody's going to switch over their entire DVD collection to a new format". -- This was the same thing I heard in regard to CD overtaking people's vinyl collections, and then DVD taking over from people's VHS and laserdiscs... the fact is, many people WILL indeed change over. And the argument that, "Joe Six Packs aren't going to care about high quality" was also said with regard to CD and DVD, but they actually did upgrade. But I'm done. You get older, you've spent a lot of cash, it's time to enjoy what you have. IMO.

 

[LanieParker]

Nicely said Joe Lozo!

 

[Bryan X]

Just my humble opinion, but I'd say most J6Ps didn't upgrade to DVD because of the higher video/audio quality. They upgraded because DVDs are so much more convenient, last longer, offer extras, etc.

Look at D-VHS. Does anyone really believe that J6P is going to rush out and replace their DVDs with D-VHS? It's not going to even come close to the market penetration of DVD yet D-VHS has superior video. And it won't become popular with the masses because it doesn't offer any significant advantages other than video quality over DVD. J6P will never buy into D-VHS because then he'll have to go back to rewinding and such. It would be a step back.

So no, J6P doesn't really care about video quality as much as he cares about convenience.

That being said, whenever a new format does arrive, there will always be some people willing to upgrade their entire collections. But for the masses to convert, you generally need more than just improved audio/video.

 

[Joe Karlosi]

Good points there, Bryan.

 

[Ernest Rister]

I don't worry about the inevitable. I just accept it and look to make the most of it. In the meantime, I try to maintain a healthy sense of humour, and make fun of everybody else.

 

[Drew Salzan]

I might be run over by a truck tomorrow or something worse. In the meantime, I'm going to enjoy my DVD's NOW.

 

[Darren Pillans]

Just remember to look both ways when you cross the street and you should be OK.

 

[Frank Ha]

I don't worry about it, but I am beginning to pay some attention to repeat buying. For example, I really like "My Fair Lady", but is it worth it for me to buy the newly remastered version. For me, the answer is no. I can enjoy what I have now, and when it comes out years from now on the HD format, then I'll probably buy it. The same is true for me with the "Lawerence of Arabia" superbit. I would like to have it, but I can wait.

On the other hand, I'll still buy DVD's of movies or Television shows that I want but don't have. That is particularly true of things that are coming out now for the first time. My thinking is that if it took this long for it to be released on DVD it might take a long time before it makes it to the HD format. I might as well buy it now and be enjoying it for the next several years before it comes out on HD.

The unkown question for me is if there will be a significant quality difference between what we have now on DVD and what we will have on HD with older movies and Television Shows. For example, "Once Upon A Time in the West" looks great on my projector. Can it really look that much better in Hi Def? I don't really know. The movie looks great on my HT system. It's hard to imagine how it could look much better, but I thought the same about Laserdisc's at one time. I guess time will tell how much better old movies will look on new video formats. Or does someone already know?

Frank

 

[Ted Todorov]

I wouldn't touch D-VHS with a barge pole and I'm hardly J6P. Why would anyone sacrifice a durable format like DVD for tape? Talk about taking MANY steps back. Not that there is any software worth mentioning on D-VHS anyway...

Ted

 

[Tony_Faville]

I'm not worried about it in the slightest. HD-DVD will have to be backwards compatible if it is to enjoy any success. As far as me upgrading, only a few movies will be replaced with HD versions when they come out. I have a big collection, 1200+, so I don't plan on doing many upgrades.

 

[Scott Burke]

If you spend your money worrying about the next new thing you won't be able to enjoy what you have. I have no worries about it because it will eventually happen, but I love what I have.

 

[AndreGB]

I don't think you should worry about backwards compatibility as far as BluRay is concerned. The BluRay FAQ states that BD players can be fully DVD compatible.

-> blu-ray.com/faq/

I also belive that any new technology that comes without backward compatibility is born dead.

 

[Eric Emma]

Does it matter? I think that it be sick to replace my dvd collection if a new format comes out because how much better can you get? Plus it's going be a long time before DVD goes obsolete, the american people were ready to make one big change since VHS had been around for so long and DVD IS VASTLY different. I see DVD having the same life time as VHS so it'll be awhile before something take DVD out.