Questions for people who haven't gone Blu yet... (1 Viewer)

Are there any of you who haven't added a Blu-ray player to your system yet? If so why not? When it comes to buying discs, with the BD + DVD combo sets sometimes selling for essentially the same price as the DVD only release are you buying them to have a copy of the Blu-ray for when (or if) you get a player?

[COLOR= #0000cd]90% of what I buy was made before GHOSTBUSTERS. 99% of that is unavailable on Blu-Ray. End of story.[/COLOR]


[COLOR= #0000cd]Mike S.[/COLOR]

Originally Posted by cadavra

[COLOR= #0000cd]90% of what I buy was made before GHOSTBUSTERS. 99% of that is unavailable on Blu-Ray. End of story.[/COLOR]


[COLOR= #0000cd]Mike S.[/COLOR]

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Makes sense Mike, but with players so cheap, aren't you ever tempted by African Queen, Bridge over the River Kwai, Casablanca, Maltese Falcon, Wizard of Oz or any other titles available? Is there one "classic" title that would push you over the edge if it were released?

I find that results with Oppo DVD player, upscaling to a 1080 TV, are very good, and I don't feel I need another piece of hardware.


Dick May

My small house (actually a condo) is so cramped (some might say cluttered), that adding a new Blu-Ray player, in conjunction with a new, larger TV (to gain the full benefit) would be a major undertaking, requiring more time and expense than I care to invest at this time.


Plus, I'm used to watching old (or older) movies on TCM, that do not always look pristine, so for the most part I am satisfied with my standard DVD's.

Having said that, yes, I have been buying the combo packs when available, particularly for animation, such as 'Fantastic Mr. Fox' - because one day, I probably will screw-up the desire to invest the time and money.

I suspect player sales will skyrocket as we approach the Star Wars street date. My TV is only a 720p but the quality of most Blu-rays over DVD is mind-bogglingly superior. Now I can't get enough of the format and breathlessly await every announcement.

I hate hi-def. It's as simple as that. Susan Sarandon recently said, "Don't get me started on hi-def. I hated it. It makes movies look like video games". I couldn't agree more! I've been going to the movies (and still do) for over 50 years and I've yet to see a high def that even approximates what I've seen in theatres. They don't look like [COLOR= #4b0082]film[/COLOR], they look like well, video games. The texture, the grain, the whole film like look is gone. I shudder to think what something intentionally dark and grainy like Altman's McCABE AND MRS. MILLER will look like on hi-def and without Altman around to supervise the tampering ........ well, best not to think about it.


Also, my interest is primarily in classic cinema, not LORD OF THE RINGS, AVATAR, PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN, THE DARK KNIGHT or HARRY POTTER AND THE (fill in the blank). Films like THE AFRICAN QUEEN, CASABLANCA, GONE WITH THE WIND were never intended to be digitized to hi-def standards and look just fine and textured like film on standard DVD.


Grain is good, grain is cinema's friend. I even hate the way SUNSET BOULEVARD looks on standard DVD. It's been digitized to the point that it no longer resembles any pristine print I've ever seen in countless theatrical showings.

Personally, I just can't be bothered with it. I've got a smaller condo so my biggest display is still only 720p. Add that to the fact that I am perfectly content with the audio generated on the TV speakers and blu just doesn't really hold much promise for me. On top of all that, I'm a classic movie fan which is a pretty bad fit in the blu release strategy. I'm guessing eventually I'll find myself going blu. I doubt I'll do it explicitly, it'll just happen along the way when my current players die. All of the "killer apps" that I've been waiting for have already appeared on DVD, so I can't really foresee myself upgrading for any specific title.


With regards to the combo discs, I have yet to ever buy one. So I guess my answer is no, I'm not even interested in what are essentially free blu discs.

We've picked up a few combo packs, especially those that have good features on the BR, but none (or few) on the DVD (ie Scott Pilgrim, Toy Story 3, UP, and Inception). We can't afford to get a fancy new big TV at the moment, and having had a friend's BR player hooked up to our TV, there was not much difference at all in the picture quality. As such, we're doing the "bide our time" thing, looking at getting a new surround sound system first, then a TV and player later.

So for people like Dave and Alex who are investing in some combo packs is there a break even point where you forgo to combo pack for the DVD only? Fred Meyer, a regional retailer in my area had Inception, The Town and Despicable me combo packs on sale the week they were released for the same price as the DVD only release. That would be a no brainer to buy the combo pack if you wanted the film. For titles with a price difference what is the maximum premium you will pay to get the Blu-ray too?

Me. Most of the stuff I buy either wouldn;t benefit from HD and/or is niche stuff that will probably never be released on Blu. I honestly don;t see Blu ever becoming the mass market medium that DVD was, which was what enabled the release of some very niche titles. I think that Blu will remain limited to big titles, such as current and past blockbusters but will get overtaken by streaming and downloading.

after 10 years of collecting classic films & tv shows on dvd, i'm going to stick to that format.... regardless of the spectacular quality of blu.


i have 2 big 720p televisions and a few upconverting dvd players- one an all region player. i'm really enjoying my collection as is.


also i have bought a few blu/dvd combo packs, kept the dvd & packaging, and gave the bluray disc away to friends.... which i might have to also do for upcoming releases such as 'the stranger' 1946 combo pack.


however, i have lost out this year on brand new transfers of films released only on blu: 'jason and the argonauts' - 'the exorcist' - the 'alien' collection.


but i don't want to collect films forever, constantly changing to the latest format..... i'll make do with dvd, which is an excellent-enough personal copy of my favorite films.

Just went Blu, largely for the perceived jump in picture quality. (I have no choice but to be indifferent to audio, given space issues.) And it is a real jump; GONE WITH THE WIND and CASABLANCA are gorgeous in Blu. I damned near cried when I put on GWTW--this is it! (Until the next world-beating iteration.) I also like that the player upscales regular DVDs and can hook into my computer so I enjoy Amazon on Demand and Netflix Instant Streaming on my TV. (The HD is fine on both but not Blu-level to my eyes.) So it has uses beyond watching Blu-rays, which I've purchased (or not purchased) based on reviews here and DVD Beaver and DVD Talk.

A new format is useful for correcting past sins, so it'll be nice to have, say, 48 HRS. in Blu, which never got a proper anamorphic R1 treatment on DVD. Between Blus and MODs I may pretty much be done with pressed discs, a format and a market that's pretty much done with us.

Originally Posted by Thomas T
Films like THE AFRICAN QUEEN, CASABLANCA, GONE WITH THE WIND were never intended to be digitized to hi-def standards and look just fine and textured like film on standard DVD.

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I mean... that's not actually accurate. That's not how these things work at all. 35mm film has a much higher resolution than high def sources like Blu-ray. Blu-ray is just closing the gap between home video and the cinema.


As far as the actual material goes, there are awful Blu-ray transfers just like there have been awful DVD transfers for going on fifteen years. But a good Blu-ray transfer (like ALIEN or BLADE RUNNER or any one of the others that are out there) is like seeing a movie for the first time. It doesn't make these movies look like a video game -- its showing them to you in a quality that you've probably never seen before.


If you don't think older material looks fantastic in Blu-ray, you've clearly never seen the "Twilight Zone" screen captures or even the "Star Trek" episode restorations or, yes, the "Gone With the Wind" disc in motion.

Originally Posted by Adam Gregorich

So for people like Dave and Alex who are investing in some combo packs is there a break even point where you forgo to combo pack for the DVD only? Fred Meyer, a regional retailer in my area had Inception, The Town and Despicable me combo packs on sale the week they were released for the same price as the DVD only release. That would be a no brainer to buy the combo pack if you wanted the film. For titles with a price difference what is the maximum premium you will pay to get the Blu-ray too?

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It's not really a price point issue, per se. I have enough extra cash to buy a combo pack when I like the film. On the other hand, I prefer to save larger sums of money for other needs, rather than to undertake the major renovation that would be required in my small condo to accommodate a new TV, new audio system, new Blu-Ray hardware etc. - and retain space for all of my other 'stuff', including art works and so forth. I've reached a point where even buying a new book presents a two-hour challenge, figuring out a way to create space for the new book.

Originally Posted by Adam Gregorich

So for people like Dave and Alex who are investing in some combo packs is there a break even point where you forgo to combo pack for the DVD only? Fred Meyer, a regional retailer in my area had Inception, The Town and Despicable me combo packs on sale the week they were released for the same price as the DVD only release. That would be a no brainer to buy the combo pack if you wanted the film. For titles with a price difference what is the maximum premium you will pay to get the Blu-ray too?

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So far, only Toy Story 3 and UP were more expensive than the DVD and standard Blu-ray (Inception and Scott Pilgrim were actually cheaper than the DVD standalone version!), and I have a bit of a weakness for Pixar films.


I also picked up a combo set of The A-Team, and that was $2 more than the DVD. As such, I'd say that my limit would be within a few dollars of the DVD price, which most of the ones I've been interested in have fallen into. I am also one of those that really enjoys special features, so I will (generally) pay a bit extra to get the "special editions" with all of the added bonus features (as long as they are actually halfway decent). That's the primary reason that I picked up the specific combo packs that I have picked up.


Note that I have no plans to replace any of my older DVDs with the possible exception of the Pixar films, the new Alien set, and the first Matrix film.

Some of you already know I haven't gone Blu yet, mostly it's due to money issues. But, I plan to do it Christmas 2011. And, I have nothing against DVD/Blu-Ray Combos, just haven't got the money yet to afford any, but I'm pretty damn sure my first one is going to be ALL-STAR SUPERMAN since the combo is just as cheap as the Special Edition, which I would buy normally anyway. My only concern after going blu will be the fact that I won't be able to upgrade ALL the titles I have, too much moola involved. Still being a standard DVD owner, I still can't shake the annoaynce I feel when I see a title I desperately want coming out ONLY on blu-ray, or uncut ONLY on blu-ray (i.e. CABIN FEVER: DIRECTOR'S CUT). Or, giving the blu ALL the extra features.


Don't worry, guys, just 11 more months before my complaining on these issues stops.

i looked all over my 'fantasia/fantasia 2000' standard dvd for that acclaimed "destino" short, only to find to my dismay that it was not included & was only on the blu ray disc.


but this is a perfect example of a title i've bought many times over the years-- first on vhs, then the 2000 dvd, and finally the latest (restored) release in november. over the years i have paid disney three times for 'fantasia'.


i have repeated this with so many other "core" classic titles.... always trying to have the best quality restorations of my favorite films. disney animation-universal horror-hitchcock-westerns-musicals...so many.


mind you, it was worth the price, i love classic film and i have loved collecting them on dvd.


i just don't want to start that collection all over again with blu.

"i just don't want to start that collection all over again with blu." You won't have to; little of it will hit Blu, and a good upscaling player will add luster to your existing collection. I went Blu to cherry pick, not to repurchase the whole orchard.

Since I have gone Blu the original question isn't really for me but I want to bring up something about Blu-ray/DVD combos.


I've only bought one so far (Inception) and I noticed that the DVD is a very bare-bones disc. For example, it has chapter stops but doesn't have a chapter menu. Also, it is only a 4.8GB (more or less) DVD. Is this typical of the combos?