The "Anti HD-DVD/DVD Combo" thread (1 Viewer)

[Christopher a]

Before I come off sounding cheap or like someone who isn't willing to invest an extra couple bucks in a newer and better format, let me preface this thread by saying:

Coming off of DVHS, I don't think I complained once about paying an extra premium for the tapes. Yes, they were pricier than dvd, but who cares? I felt as if that extra money was going towards a fantastic HD mpeg-2 encoded presentation....and 9 times out of 10, dvhs delivered.

With that point, I visited my local BB today (and I know Amazon is cheaper but not by a hell of a lot...I order from them as well) and was going to pick up some of the new discs. Sure enough, one of the Fast and Furious movies as well as The Lake House both about $38.00.

My issue is this: Why am I paying more for having the standard dvd? It was bad enough when sd-dvd was first released and wasted space that could have went toward extra bit-rate video was used on a "full-screen" version. At least I didn't have to pay an extra $15 for the full screen version. Yes, I understand that on some of these newer 30/9 discs, the hd video won't be compromised. I still can't see the logic in charging these prices. How will someone who is paying $15 for the new Fast and Furious movie on SD-dvd be intrigued to pay double the price for an hd-dvd? Or are the studios even doing it for the reason of attracting new consumers? It seems to me that these prices are being charged just for the purpose of the new adopters being willing to pay them.

HD-dvd has a future as far as I'm concerned and is a great format. I just don't like paying for crap that is added to the discs that serves me no benefit in the video or audio department. If you charged me 38.00 and told me that these disc has a substantial improvement in video, I'd be there. However, I don't like paying for old software that I don't plan on using.

Sorry for the rant...I generally don't post negative comments towards anything. Just wondering if someone could shed some light on some of these questions.

Chris

 

[ppltd]

It's not a rant, only a legitamate complaint. I think on paper the idea looked good to the studios, allow someone to buy into the future for a couple of extra dollars, and when they decide to go HD, the decision to go HD-DVD would be a given. Would have been a better idea to charge only enough to cover the cost of the dual sided pressing.

Being an owner of HD-DVD, I now look at it as a negative too. My guess is, IMO, that this will be a short lived test, and sooner or later, most likely sooner, the combo disks will fade from the market place.

Thomas Eisenmann

 

[Roger Mathus]

The combi discs are a definite NO BUY. It is an insult to those who have invested in the new HD format.

 

[BrettGallman]

I'm only buying them from Amazon, because they're only about 23 dollars there. Otherwise, I don't like the combos much either.

 

[Seth=L]

The purpose of the combo sets are to allow people to buy movies they don't want to replace once they can afford a player. It has some good things about it, though I have never liked dual sided disks for maintanance purposes. But their reasoning isn't completely undesirable for all consumers. They are trying to appeal to everyone, give them time, they will soon offer releases in both flavors.

 

[TonyD]

to hybrids

 

[Efrain Lopez]

Keep in mind the 2 movies you mentioned were new releases. Should studios not charge more for new releases than for catalog releases? Should we boybott the fact that Batman Begins is $29 MSRP and Syriana is $35 MSRP?

I agree that to people that don't ever plan to use COMBO discs paying an extra $5 is annoying and wasteful, but at least you aren't paying the $40 that Fox, Lion's Gate, and Sony are charging for barebones (little or no extras) Blu-ray releases on some titles.

Personally, I like the COMBO idea and favor these discs for several reasons:

-I can use them anywhere and lend them to family (I took ATL back home and my sister asked if she could borrow it).

-I don't own a big collection of DVD's, so with some catalog releases like Animal House and Dazed and Confused (which I hadn't seen and didn't own), I can own them on both DVD and HD DVD for only $5 more (instead of the normal $10-15 asking price for a separate DVD).

-I can get rid of my DVD releases and keep a slim collection. Since I'd like to be a space-saving with the new hi-def cases (smaller than DVD), if movie comes out on HD DVD/DVD COMBO and I already own it on DVD, I see it as an opportunity to get rid of the bulky DVD case.

-I can recommend friends start building their collection right now through COMBO purchases if a movie comes out they are interested in. I don't recommend they go pay the ridiculous $38 price Best Buy is charging, instead recommend amazon.com or Wal-Mart.


As for bringing up the $37.99 Best Buy price, I suggest you look elsewhere. dvdempire.com amazon.com and cduniverse.com usually have cheaper prices, and certainly Wal-Mart charges $30 I think for new COMBOs, and $25 for catalog COMBOs.

 

[LarryH]

Hard to see the relevance of this comparison.

I think there are many, many more consumers who resent paying extra for a version they don't want or need than there are who have the limited applications you have listed.

There are several titles I have skipped buying altogether because I don't want to pay extra for this format. Unfortunately, BR is getting my business on a few.

Every title must stand or fall on its appeal versus price, so the dual format HD-DVD's must appeal to me much more than less expensive disks. (Oh, yes - the $40 disks must also be much more desirable to me personally.)

 

[Jordan_E]

Combos. I don't buy 'em. I've skipped a few titles because of the combo price.

 

[Dan M]

*Combos. I don't buy 'em. I've skipped a few titles because of the combo price.
*

same here...I want to support this format but they are losing sales from me becuase of this. I dont need 2 copies of the same movie....

stupid

 

[Yumbo]

Not buying either.
It's NOT a hybrid - combo rather.
Hybrid is single sided, which is preferable.
But like hybrid SACDs, NO price premium.
THE STUPID thing is royalties are charged twice IF different format. That's the problem. They tried passing it on it with SACDs, but as we know have ceased instead.

Lending a double sided disc - eek...risky.

Combo - NO SALE in any case.

 

[TonyD]

argh, is king kong a combo?

listed at 39.99 on amazon. sale price 27.99

 

[MarekM]

yeah I just posted it in other thread, is universal again with higher prices ?
or they must earn more, because there is a free kong for hd-dvd addon ?

I think it's not a combo.....

Marek

 

[Travis Hedger]

I will only buy Combo discs when the price is the same as other HD equivalents. $38 bucks for a single movie is way too much.

 

[Sean Bryan]

I don't like combos either, and I've posted my reasons why I don't here at least a few times.

I won't, however, completely write off a title I really want just because it is a combo. But I won't pay full retail for any combo because the price is crap. For every 4 combos you buy you throw away $20 which could have bought another entire HD DVD.

If it is a movie that I'd like to have but isn't one that I need right now, then I'll pass if it's a combo where I may have bought it if it was HD DVD only. I'll eventually get BD also, so just planning on getting the BD at some point in the future is something I consider as well when the HD DVD is a combo. But if it is for something I really want right now, I'll get the combo disc, though only at a good discount for around $25 or so. I'll be getting King Kong whether or not it is a combo, but it looks like it isn't according to the cover art.

 

[Christopher a]

It comes down to the titles that I normally would have shelled out $15 for sight unseen, that I won't even look at now if they are combos. I mean, Tokyo Drift would have been an easy blind purchase for me on sd-dvd. I will let this one go on HD.

Granted, titles like Superman Returns are probably getting my business regardless of the pricetag.

Chris

 

[Harminder]

Amazon now lists the price of Tokyo Drift @ $27.95.

We shouldn't look at MSRP's as the basis of pricing for almost anything. Retailers can set the prices they want. However, retaliers cannot sell below a minimum price set by the distributor.

I know this all too well since I've been setting up my new electronics store.

 

[ppltd]

I had not thought of the reason, but it makes a good deal of sense. I fly weekly from Phoenix to Pittsburg, Washington DC or Maine and my portable DVD player is my lifeline when flying these in excess of 4 hour flights. Having a Combo disk, HD for home, DVD for flights actually would make since. Guess I will have to reevaluate my thinking on Combo disks.

Thomas Eisenmann

 

[Sean Bryan]

But if you look ahead a couple of years, the "managed copy" option should allow anyone who wants/needs a portable copy to obtain that without needing an SD DVD. Of course, this would require a device capable of playing that managed copy (I'd imagine that the copes and the playback devices will have several different manifestations/options).

Everything about these combos screams "only useful to a small amount of people for a year or so (but anyone who wants it has to shell out extra money so these few can benefit)". Aside from the extra cost, I think many just don't like the idea of their new discs in this new format that they hope to still be enjoying in their collection 5-10 years from now "tainted" with a copy of the "old format" glued to its back.

 

[Jerome Grate]

Combo discs works perfectly for those that are anticipating getting into HD-DVD, like myself. However, once I purchase a HD-DVD player will I buy combo discs? Probably not, the only issue that would make me consider it is where else will I play the combo disc.