It is much more "satisfying" purchasing movies in high-def. (1 Viewer)

[RickER]

Hey Russ, just to let you know, Sony will send you firmware updates in the mail if you need. Any time i read about a firmware update i just get online with Sony and request one. You can burn them off your computer as well, if your able.

I buy Blu-ray mostly, TV shows are almost the only DVDs i buy.
I am all about the good deal, so i wait for them. Usually it costs me about what a DVD would have cost. You just have to shop around, or wait.
The most satisfying thing about Blu for me...the scratch resistant coating. scratched DVDs are so damn frequent, it really ticks me off! Of course its the multi disc TV shows that are the problem. Band of Brother, and Firefly on Blu were great, and no scratches!

 

[CraigF]

When the hi-def is done well, then it is "satisfying". But frankly, and IMO, there are way too many BDs that are done not that well, and the HD image just exacerbates all the SD problems. But more clearly and obviously. That is less satisfying to me. I would rather have the flaws better masked. Luckily, I have only been bothered by this a few times in BDs I've bought, thanks to the reviews here, and I knew it going in, so I wasn't disappointed (just not satisfied).

The second thing that is less satisfying is the convenience of starting and stopping many BDs. I have to jump through some little hoops to do that, to resume where I left off. I mean, I'm not going to watch all 5 hours of a TV BD at once. I really could do without the Java, as far as watching convenience vs fancy menus or whatever. Some BDs are done with all the convenience of a DVD, but the SQ/PQ of a BD...that is very satisfying. As opposed to things done "just because we can". When useful things that could be done, like seamless branching, are more generally ignored.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

Allow me to quickly state that Blu-ray has been a totally satisfying
experience for me. When these films are mastered correctly, even
the best DVD looks pale in comparison.

 

[Carlo_M]

I agree, it's the old axiom GIGO: Garbage In, Garbage Out. A poorly mastered BD is indeed unsatisfying, but a well mastered BD on a properly calibrated 1080p set and lossless capable sound system, at the proper viewing distance (~1.5-1.75X the diagonal width) is a fantastic experience that truly brings the theater experience home.

 

[Shad R]

I have a 720p projector and 100 inch screen. I am sitting about 8 feet away. I notice a HUGE difference between blu and dvd, and i'm not even 1080.
It is totally worth it for me for picture, but what makes it really worth it...SOUND! I don't have DTS-MA/HD capabilities, but let me tell you, the core soundtrack I'm hearing blows away dvd DTS. No joke. My friends even noticed the difference in sound. Top Gun and Incredible Hulk...just plain WOW!

 

[Xylon]

If its a great transfer very, very satisfying.

 

[OliverK]

Blu-Ray and HD-DVD are the first mediums that allow me to sit almost as close to the screen as I like, I currently sit at a little bit more 1 than screen widths away for scope movies.

For me these are the first really satisfying movie purchases - everything before was too low in resolution and with too many artefacts so there was still so much missing to fully enjoy most kinds of movies at a closer seating distance. Now I'd say that I am happy with the quality of more than 90% of the movies that I watch on Blu-Ray and occasionally HD-DVD - that is what I consider a great quota

 

[Dave H]

Of course, seating distance is important too regardless of 1080p.

Chart: 1080P Does Matter - CarltonBale.com

 

[Inspector Hammer!]

The short answer to the OP's question is a rousing yes.

I must not be very critical because outside of the T2 BD which looks virtually identical to the Extreme Edition DVD to me, BD has to try very little to please me, heck I can see improvements in films that don't get positive reviews on BD like Die Hard and Predator, both of those BD's look superior to my eyes than their DVD counterparts.

As for The Dark Knight BD the image quality is freakin' beautiful IMO, I could pause any one of those IMAX sequences and just sit and stare at it like a painting.