Weekly RoundUp 2-12-2008

Re: Weekly RoundUp 2-12-2008

Man: The SD does have more features...and they ARE nice. They are basically 10 minute "making of" featurettes focussed on the episode you just watched. But...the HD picture of the BD makes the BD version the one for you to get. The programs stand on their own.

Maybe sometime you can borrow the SD versions from a library or friend just to see those features. I'm very much into TV production (professionally) and to see what those guys went through to get some of those shots was, indeed, fascinating. But I'd much rather have the HD images.

Those current prices at amazon are the bee's knees. I just bought my BD copy of Planet Earth in a used bin and paid more than the current amazon price.

Re: Weekly RoundUp 2-12-2008

I keep seeing screen caps and imagining what PE will be like on Blu. It's something the BF and I can get into together. I'm hesitating only because neither of us have an HD TV yet (coming soon, hopefully) and I don't know if we have the willpower to keep it on the shelf without watching it.

Re: Weekly RoundUp 2-12-2008

I watched the show all the way through in SD just a few months ago. Now that I've got a BD player (this was the title I couldn't wait to double-dip on), I am now re-watching the episodes in bits and pieces whenever I can find a few spare minutes.

They are images (that, frankly, even in SD) still blow you away. My teenage son watched all the way through and kept exclaiming "Fake!" (in a joking manner) as there was one image after another which seemed impossible to have happened in nature. The images are just that-much-more phenomenal in HD.

Re: Weekly RoundUp 2-12-2008

You make me jealous, sir. Very very jealous.

Re: Weekly RoundUp 2-12-2008

It is a nature documentary that transcends all others that came before it. It is majestic in scope. It is all about the images they have captured. It took years to complete.

Is there stuff missing? You bet. But what was captured is unbelievable. My family doesn't have the patience for nature documentaries, but this one...is different. You'll see. You and BF will be awestruck. That's a guarantee.

If you don't have the SD version yet and don't know when you will upgrade to HD (player AND set). Get the SD now and sell it used to a willing party when you upgrade and you'll be able to recoup most of your costs when you upgrade to BD and HDTV.

That's what I did. I had a relative who was more than willing to pay me $40 for my pristine used SD set...which covered most of the cost of my BD. Or, just as good, give your used SD copy to a close friend or family member who would appreciate (you'll know who that is after you watch the set) and give it as a gift! They will care less that it's been opened.

Re: Weekly RoundUp 2-12-2008

Got the PS3 and the HD A3 right now. I'm hoping for a 46 inch HD TV sometime in April. I'm thinking I can hold out that long. Maybe buy now-once pay day hits Thursday, obviously-and then stick it on the shelf.

I'm already sold on it. Just hafta pull the trigger now. (You're a good pitch man, Mike. )

Re: Weekly RoundUp 2-12-2008

Oh man...you've already got the PS3. Pull the trigger already. Even if you watch it non-HD...no problemo.

One day you'll have that HD set and watch it all over again...just like it's the very first time!

And don't forget to let me know if I was right!

Amazon should be sending some finders fees my way!

Re: Weekly RoundUp 2-12-2008

No question there. I know you're right. I've got around 60 HD/BD discs sitting on the shelf. They all work just fine on my TV now.


Affiliate program!

Re: Weekly RoundUp 2-12-2008

In addition to those featurettes (nearly 2 hours worth), the SD set also has a 2.5 hour companion program, Planet Earth: The Future. Here's Amazon's description of that:
So, in all, there's nearly 4.5 hours of bonuses exclusive to the SD set, which is why I haven't upgraded to either HD set, even though I've bought into both formats since getting the SD set.

I haven't actually watched my set yet (but after reading the comments in this thread, I'll probably do it soon), so i can't actually comment on the quality of the extras.

Re: Weekly RoundUp 2-12-2008

Scott: You are absolutely right. I forgot about the 5th disc. There's a reason for that. IMHO, it is eminently forgettable. But that is, obviously, a YMMV situation. I started to watch the 5th disc and found myself choking on the "Save our planet" message. I started to skip around and realized that there was nothing on disc #5 that was similar to what was on discs #1-4.

The short featurettes are a loss. No doubt about that. But I never gave ANY thought to the fact I was giving up disc #5.

But I suppose someone who's looking for a slice of "message" with their documentary ice cream would want to consider whether to get that fifth disc.

Sorry, Jason & Man that it slipped my mind. Thanks, Scott.

Re: Weekly RoundUp 2-12-2008

well bad news probably.
we had a destroy order for every copy of the dvd today, so it appears there may be a delay or other prolem with the disc.

Re: Weekly RoundUp 2-12-2008

Well crap...

Re: Weekly RoundUp 2-12-2008

just got one at bestbuy so who knows

Re: Weekly RoundUp 2-12-2008

I'm gonna go looking when I can...

Re: Weekly RoundUp 2-12-2008

When I went to best buy they had guess who's coming to dinner for 19.99. I said I thought this was 14.99 they said nope. So I said oh well and bought it. I went back to work and saw on their website as well as on our roundup that it was 14.99. So I had to actually go back to the store and show them their web page to get the right price.

Re: Weekly RoundUp 2-12-2008

Added to the table!

Re: Weekly RoundUp 2-12-2008

Hey Costco members, don't bother checking the stores for IN THE SHADOW OF THE MOON. I'm pressed for time today, so I had the forethought to call the Culver City store. Apparently -- based on the SKU # I gave them -- it's only available online, which, with shipping and handling, immediately negates its appeal to me. Blech. At least I got my Best Buy coupons for this weekend (sorry Mike).

Re: Weekly RoundUp 2-12-2008

Mark,

Any sign of Charlie Chan at Costco?

Jay

P.S. Many thanks to Mike for his tireless efforts in putting the roundup together!

Re: Weekly RoundUp 2-12-2008

Alright, what the hell's the deal with Best Buy? Their weekly ad lists Transformers etc as $29.99 B1G1, but the main site says their price is only $19.99. Which is it!?

Re: Weekly RoundUp 2-12-2008

Probably both.

It's not uncommon for a retailer's weekly sale flyer and website to disagree on deals/prices.

Anyone looking for the HD-DVD (which is what I assume you're talking about here) of Transformers can walk into their local BB store and purchase it in connection with the BOGO sale at the $29.99 pricepoint...or order it from bb.com where it is listed as "on sale" for $19.99.

Re: Weekly RoundUp 2-12-2008

Sorry Jay, but I only called Costco; I didn't go to the store directly.

Re: Weekly RoundUp 2-12-2008

It's not listed as "Web-Only" so Best Buy's price policy, which specifically mentions the website, should apply. Meaning it should be $19.99 in store as well.

Re: Weekly RoundUp 2-12-2008

Well, based on a number of personal experiences and accounts given by others in prior RoundUps...all I can say, Joe is "good luck with that."

Trying to get the personnel at a BB B&M to meet their website prices is a real YMMV situation.

Re: Weekly RoundUp 2-12-2008

best buy were i work will price match their own web site.

Re: Weekly RoundUp 2-12-2008

Okay...everybody...party at Tony's store!

Maybe they've finally figured out that they should all be working together. It seems like maybe these problems have died down some and that they have cleaned up their act. I hope so.

Of course, that could also be a lesson to any future retailer about the long memories people develop when their local store treats them in a way that just doesn't make any sense...

Re: Weekly RoundUp 2-12-2008

I found a copy of In the Shadow of the Moon at my local FYE store last night. They had received two. Although Best Buy (where I stopped first) showed they had 13 in-store...they couldn;'t find one for me. They surprisingly helpful employee spent quite a bit of time on the challenge. When he failed to find one, he immediately printed me up a raincheck so I could be sure to get their price.

====================

On the same trip I stopped at Circuit City to see if I could find some of their $6.99 titles this week (with the movie cash). I was only doing this to help out my daughter in Virginia who had called to complain she had zero luck at her local CC.

The four titles she wanted: The Patriot (new release), Memoirs of a Geisha, Pursuit of Happyness and the dual Spider-Man 1 & 2 set (a GREAT deal at $6.99 for the two WS movies!).

Even though I knew better, I went to the bins in the center aisle to see if there were any there. No. So then I start the search through their racks--which (as usually seems to be the case) were in the state of being shifted around--stacks of disc on the floor and on carts everywhere!

First, I find the old release of The Patriot and figure it'll have to do. I then go the "S" section of "Action" and find none of the Spidey sets. I found one Memoirs of a Geisha in the drama section! Woohoo! I figure I'm doing well to go 2-for-4 (sort of). I am basically looking at EVERY DVD on the shelves because of their lack of organization.

I HAD FORGOTTEN HOW FRUSTRATING CC CAN BE! I hadn't been there in a long time.

On an endcap I find a hidden copy of The Patriot (new release)! This is like a treasure hunt! Then, I find--in the box set section--the two movie Spidey set!

I then have a slight panic because I'm not sure if the movie cash is supposed to be inside specially-marked copies of the movies. Turns out, no...the movie cash is at the register.

No Pursuit of Happyness copies to be found ANYWHERE.

But, I end up with three of the films and movie cash tickets of the four that my daughter wanted. But it took probably the better part of an hour.

Re: Weekly RoundUp 2-12-2008

I haven't been there in a couple of years cause of that. I don't even pay attention to them in the roundup anymore. I don't care what their price is, it's just not worth it.

Re: Weekly RoundUp 2-12-2008

I honestly couldn't remember the last time I had been in my local Circuit City. They had moved some of their media stuff around.

For example, I don't know if they were stocking HD media the last time I was in there. So, for the first time, I looked over their Blu-ray section. And, yes, I was completely aggravated that I had to look completely through each stack of BDs on those stupid shelving units to see what was there. They had quite a bit in stock, though.

Re: Weekly RoundUp 2-12-2008

I went to my local Best Buy today to see if they had "In the Shadow of the Moon." The website showed that the store had it in-stock. I first checked the new release section which had tags for all of the new releases and their sale prices. They had a section and tag for "....Moon", but no copies there. I decided to also check the "special interest" section or whatever it's called where they have a pathetically small selection of documentary-type material. They had one copy of it there, so I grabbed it. I got it for $14.99 minus the 10% off coupon, so $13.50 plus tax.

But now I'm a bit concerned that there might be something defective with the disc if orders are being recalled/returned. Are actual discs being sent back from retailers to the distributor, or is it just that retailers aren't getting their stock of the title in? Has anybody watched the DVD yet to see if there are any problems with it functionally? I haven't had a chance to watch mine yet.

Re: Weekly RoundUp 2-12-2008

The disc is being pulled due to some rights issue (or something along those lines) and not a physical problem with the disc.