Worth Converting DVD Collection to Blu-Ray

jumbotron · 03-15-2008, 07:25 PM

I was thinking about buying some movies on Blu-ray that I already own on DVD, but every time I think about it I don't buy them because it is hard for me to own the same movie more than once. Do you guys think it is worth starting to convert my dvd collection to Blu-ray then start selling off my dvd's? I mean my DVD collection is not extensive by any means, but that would be about 300-400 DVD's.

Jari K · 03-15-2008, 07:57 PM

There´s no "black and white" answer to that one. It´s up to you eventually.

I first promised myself that I won´t double dip (SD DVD to HD) unless I really love the film (I mean let´s face; bring e.g. "Aliens" and "Seven" to Blu-ray, and I´ll get them in a heartbeat..), but after these "BOGO-sales" etc I´ve now around 150 Blu-ray-titles and several that I already own on SD DVD..

IMO: First get the titles that you really want (even in "full price") and selected titles from the proper sales (if there´s "BOGO"-sale in the future, don´t hesitate). You don´t have to double dip just because something is released on HD. There´s no hurry.

Still, personally it´s already happening to me. I´m buying titles in HD that I already have in SD DVD and I sell the SD DVD. In some cases, I buy the HD-version and keep the old SD DVD for the extras.

It´s crazy.

But my opinion: In the future, get the Blu-ray-release over SD DVD (IF that´s available). It´ll be worth it.

(HD = Blu-ray, but I have bought some titles in HD DVD in the past)

Kyle McKnight · 03-15-2008, 08:00 PM

I think if you own 300-400 DVDs, like I do, you should only upgrade your absolute favorites. I don't know how to put a number on that. I find myself debating each time I can get a good deal on HD Media of a film I like.

Have you ever watched a DVD upconverted via a HTPC? They can be great quality. If I already own the movie on DVD, it will be very hard to convince me to update to Bluray. Even on movies that are already out, I can rip a DVD to my portable device or to take clips out for web postings, but I can't do that on blu-ray.

I guess, if I don't own on an HD format, and I can buy it for $10 or less, I'll buy it in HD. Otherwise, I'll buy DVD.

Douglas Monce · 03-15-2008, 08:03 PM

I've already bought all the films that I already have on DVD that are out on blu-ray or HD DVD so far. But I have no intention of getting rid of the DVDs just because I have them on blu-ray too. There are too many places I can't watch a blu-ray yet.

Doug

Jari K · 03-15-2008, 08:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Douglas Monce

IThere are too many places I can't watch a blu-ray yet.

This is partly a humorous question (=

), but I´ve read now many times that some of you want to watch your films in a million different places (home, bedroom, children´s room, car, minivan, friend´s house, grandmother´s house, in a hotel room, at work, on the way to work, etc etc etc).

...and that´s why you need all kind of combo-releases (I even read that one person buys all his films in "two times" or something - one in HD and one in SD DVD!) and every player should play "everything" that you could ever imagine. And if it doesn´t, it´s "no good".

Myself? I have my LCD. And my Blu-ray/HD DVD-players. And my receiver/speakers. And one couch. And from that couch I´ll watch all (most) my HD/DVD-titles. Since there I have my 5.1-system, calibrated set, controlled environment, my girlfriend, some beer/soda in the fridge (near by), etc.

You guys watch your films in a zillion different places? Just wondering..

**HTF Ads**

PaulDA · 03-15-2008, 09:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jari K

This is partly a humorous question (=

), but I´ve read now many times that some of you want to watch your films in a million different places (home, bedroom, children´s room, car, minivan, friend´s house, grandmother´s house, in a hotel room, at work, on the way to work, etc etc etc).

...and that´s why you need all kind of combo-releases (I even read that one person buys all his films in "two times" or something - one in HD and one in SD DVD!) and every player should play "everything" that you could ever imagine. And if it doesn´t, it´s "no good".

Myself? I have my LCD. And my Blu-ray/HD DVD-players. And my receiver/speakers. And one couch. And from that couch I´ll watch all (most) my HD/DVD-titles. Since there I have my 5.1-system, calibrated set, controlled environment, my girlfriend, some beer/soda in the fridge (near by), etc.

You guys watch your films in a zillion different places? Just wondering..

Do you have kids?

In my house, we have more players than displays (because I have some players for hi-res audio that happen to play DVDs, but I almost never use them that way). But we have three displays (four if you count the ancient TV I use to adjust audio settings in my HT without turning on my PJ). One is in the kids' playroom--it is an SD TV and won't be upgraded for a LONG time (it works just fine). Another is in the main living room (a bigger version of the one in the playroom). It also works just fine and won't be upgraded for a while. And there is the HT with a PJ. In the HT, I have an HD A2 (and the eventual blu-ray will join it later this year). I also have the hi-res audio player mentioned above and a region-free player for my PAL movies (it doubles as my CD player at which it excels). In the kids' playroom, I have an SD DVD/VHS combo deck. With the living room TV, I have an A3 (picked it up for very little money as I needed a player for that TV anyway). The bonus is that I can now play HD DVD in two places (even if one is in SD resolution for now). When we go on family trips, we bring along a laptop to keep the kids occupied on long drives and rainy days (we go camping a lot in the summer).

So, yes, DVDs get watched in many places (when my older child has friends over and it's a rainy day--movie in the kids' playroom; when my wife wants to watch a "chick flick"--of which she is fond--she will fire up the living room TV and I will retreat (if I'm free) to the HT to watch a "non-chick flick", most of the time (though I will occasionally join her in the living room and she joins me, on occasion, in the HT); I watch HD and SD material in the HT when I can, which is fairly frequently, and often I am alone as my kids are too young for many of the films and my wife and I don't really share the same taste in films (or music, for that matter--enough overlap to keep everything copacetic, but not enough to make "movie watching" a "group activity" a majority of the time). Someday, our laptops and TVs will each have a Blu-ray player attached to them in some fashion, but that is not for anytime in the near (or medium) future. Until then, some films will either get "double purchases" or be purchased in SD even if a "blu" version is available.

John Dirk · 03-15-2008, 10:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PaulDA

Do you have kids?

In my house, we have more players than displays (because I have some players for hi-res audio that happen to play DVDs, but I almost never use them that way). But we have three displays (four if you count the ancient TV I use to adjust audio settings in my HT without turning on my PJ). One is in the kids' playroom--it is an SD TV and won't be upgraded for a LONG time (it works just fine). Another is in the main living room (a bigger version of the one in the playroom). It also works just fine and won't be upgraded for a while. And there is the HT with a PJ. In the HT, I have an HD A2 (and the eventual blu-ray will join it later this year). I also have the hi-res audio player mentioned above and a region-free player for my PAL movies (it doubles as my CD player at which it excels). In the kids' playroom, I have an SD DVD/VHS combo deck. With the living room TV, I have an A3 (picked it up for very little money as I needed a player for that TV anyway). The bonus is that I can now play HD DVD in two places (even if one is in SD resolution for now). When we go on family trips, we bring along a laptop to keep the kids occupied on long drives and rainy days (we go camping a lot in the summer).

So, yes, DVDs get watched in many places (when my older child has friends over and it's a rainy day--movie in the kids' playroom; when my wife wants to watch a "chick flick"--of which she is fond--she will fire up the living room TV and I will retreat (if I'm free) to the HT to watch a "non-chick flick", most of the time (though I will occasionally join her in the living room and she joins me, on occasion, in the HT); I watch HD and SD material in the HT when I can, which is fairly frequently, and often I am alone as my kids are too young for many of the films and my wife and I don't really share the same taste in films (or music, for that matter--enough overlap to keep everything copacetic, but not enough to make "movie watching" a "group activity" a majority of the time). Someday, our laptops and TVs will each have a Blu-ray player attached to them in some fashion, but that is not for anytime in the near (or medium) future. Until then, some films will either get "double purchases" or be purchased in SD even if a "blu" version is available.

Wow. Kids make all the difference. We don't have any and my DVD's get watched either in the HT [99%] or on the upstairs RP TV, but these are mostly TV show DVD's such as Seinfeld or The Larry Sanders Show that pretty much live upstairs anyway. Other than that, on rare accasions, I may loan a DVD to a friend or co-worker. I've got about 450 SD DVD's and only 1 each Blu Ray and HD DVD that I bought for evaluation purposes.

When I see a quality Blu Ray mega jukebox, I'll think about replaced some of my favorite SD DVD's.

John

Ron-P · 03-15-2008, 10:13 PM

It's too difficult for me to watch an SD-DVD anymore do to the poor picture quality compared to Blu, so as for myself, everything SD-DVD is going and my collection is being upgraded to Blu. As I do this I'm selling off my SD-DVDs. Also, the only players in my house now are Blu-ray.

TravisR · 03-15-2008, 10:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ron-P

It's too difficult for me to watch an SD-DVD anymore do to the poor picture quality compared to Blu...

So if a movie you like is only on SD, you don't watch it?

Douglas Monce · 03-15-2008, 11:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jari K

This is partly a humorous question (=

), but I´ve read now many times that some of you want to watch your films in a million different places (home, bedroom, children´s room, car, minivan, friend´s house, grandmother´s house, in a hotel room, at work, on the way to work, etc etc etc).

...and that´s why you need all kind of combo-releases (I even read that one person buys all his films in "two times" or something - one in HD and one in SD DVD!) and every player should play "everything" that you could ever imagine. And if it doesn´t, it´s "no good".

Myself? I have my LCD. And my Blu-ray/HD DVD-players. And my receiver/speakers. And one couch. And from that couch I´ll watch all (most) my HD/DVD-titles. Since there I have my 5.1-system, calibrated set, controlled environment, my girlfriend, some beer/soda in the fridge (near by), etc.

You guys watch your films in a zillion different places? Just wondering..

I'm actually the one that said I buy most films in HD and in SD. I never said that a player that doesn't play everything is no good, I just said it would be nice.

I travel quite a bit for business, I am also caring for my elderly mother who has cancer, so I spend a fair amount of time in airport and hospital waiting rooms. And I mean hours at a time.

So I take my portable DVD player with me and a few movies when I go. If I only have the blu-ray version that means I can't watch it on my portable player and I can't transfer it to an ipod. It also means I can take a movie over to my brother's house for movie night with his family.

Yes I watch movies in many different locations.

Doug