The (in)sanity of collecting DVDs (1 Viewer)

[Adam_WM]

...I agree with you about the idea of buying TV series. As much as I love Star Trek, there is no way I am going to plan to buy all 7 series of each Voyager, DS9 etc....etc...

Well, I figure this will be my little post about "collecting DVD's". Let me say I've only been buying DVD's since September and thanks to Christmas, etc., I'm already close to 100. I try to buy things ON SALE or for good prices. I buy things right when they come out to get the lowest price. I do Columbia House to get the old ones that I want, but I only buy things that I WANT, not stuff I "should" have. After all, as fun as they are, they are only movies and if I'm not going to watch them, I'm not going to pick them up.

Let me take a step back in my life and explain "collecting" in my eyes. I started when I was a wee lad in 5th or 6th grade buying comic books. I started off by buying 3 in a convenience store one day. Soon thereafter, a new comic book store opened at a nearby mall. I started by buying 1 or 2 titles a month. Within 5 years, I was buying over 60 titles a month! That was over $60 a week when I was only 15 or 16 with a crappy part-time job. I bought and bought and bought and have over 6000 comics now. One day, in 10th grade (5 years ago), I called my local store to find out what came in. "We're closing," the guy said. I was shocked, but I knew that was the time to get out. Most of my comics I only read once and just had stored away. After all, I was a "collector". I bought a lot of stuff, a lot of crossovers and one-shots, because I "had" to have them. If I bought Spider-Man, that meant I bought every one of Spider-Man's books. Now, looking back, I was so so foolish. What I spent almost $8000 on over a 5 year period could have been a much better car than the 15 year old one I'm driving now. You know what my comic books are? 15 Boxes of stapled paper books stored away. Will someone buy them? Are they "worth" what some price guide tells me? Hell no. I bought during the boom. I will never ever recoop my expenses on those damn comic books.

The same could be said for DVD's. I am buying an awful lot of DVDs, as are many people. Is this really going to be worth it in the long run? God, I hope so. I have over 500 CD's, but those are going to last for another 5 - 10 years before something else takes over. What about DVD's? Will they be here in 5 years? Or are we doomed to be stuck with "laserdiscs" all over again? To those of you who buy what you want, like me, that's cool. If you are a movie person, it's great to have a fun little collection of the movies you love. For those of you who are buying 5 DVD's a week or more, look at what you are spending your money on. How many hours are there in a day? It'll take weeks to watch all of the Star Trek: TNG series just ONCE! Let alone ever again. Just stop and think about the amount of money you are WASTING on things you might not ever watch. There was a guy a a few posts above who has over 100 he has not ever watched yet. Even if those movies alone are about an hour and half each, that is 150 hours for the MOVIES, forget the supplements. Save your money, folks. Buy what you are actually going to use. Don't just buy DVD's to buy DVD's. You'll kick your ass later. I did.

 

[Mike Frezon]

Adam_WM...very interesting perspective. And, well said.

 

[Mark_Wilson]

"For most people collecting is the one thing they have control over in their life..."

"Mail order gives you something to look forward to..."

Or so they say. I actually heard the first quote on an NPR show about a guy that collects 'Americana' stuff.

Don't flame me, just thought it was interesting. I'm definately in the 'insane' camp. I'm running about 70 dvds per month.

 

[Patrick Larkin]

Save your money, folks. Buy what you are actually going to use. Don't just buy DVD's to buy DVD's.

Its all relative. It depends how much money you have! I'm an average working stiff. I buy 1-2 DVDs per month. Sometime I'll buy a bunch at a time. I'd rather save my money for a nice TV in the next year or so ... and one of those new flat panel iMacs with a DVD burner. Then, I can make my OWN dvds (and spend $5 a pop on BLANK dvds.)

 

[Shad R]

Holy crap! I've been a DVD'er since December 1998...I only have about 40 DVD's, most of them are movies I really like and are my favorites (Chasing Amy, Road Trip, Die Hard), but some movies I bought because they sound/look amazing(Jurasic Park, Toy Story, T2, Tomarow Never Dies), and I bought some sight unseen(Gladiator, Mummy Returns). I've sold a few that I thought I would watch over and over(Drop Dead Gorgeous, Mission Impossible 2, Blade). My buying depends on what I think I'll enjoy(mostly popcorn flicks like the ones mentioned above). If I've seen it and know I'll watch it more than once, I buy it, if I haven't seen it before and can't rent it widescreen , I'll buy it, If it looks like it will sound and look good(you know, showoff peice for friends), I will buy it. I don't analyze my purchases, if I want it, I buy it. Let people do what they want, though, without being judgemental. if they enjoy buying DVD's and dont have time to watch them, so be it. It's fun for them(admit it...it's a blast to go down to your big chains like Best Buy and look at the DVD's!).

 

[John Stone]

Just stop and think about the amount of money you are WASTING on things you might not ever watch. There was a guy a a few posts above who has over 100 he has not ever watched yet.

Yeah, that was me. Guess how many DVDs in my collection that I had not watched 2 months ago? 4 months ago? 6 months ago? A year ago? About the same--100. But I'm buying 30-35 per month, so looks like they are getting watched. Hardly a waste. I enjoy having a lot of new DVDs on hand because I never know what I'll be in the mood to watch. I work hard and am fortunate enough to be in a position to buy a lot of DVDs if I want. You're entitled to your opinion, but please don't presume to tell me or anyone else what is and is not a waste.

 

[Adam_WM]

You're entitled to your opinion, but please don't presume to tell me or anyone else what is and is not a waste.

Didn't mean to be pushy.

 

[Richard Waller]

We've all got stories similar to Adam's. I also have a collection of comics at my parent's house. They cost me thousands of dollars and are now sitting in boxes, waiting to be read again.

I also have close to 300 DVDs. Like any collection, once we obtain a large amount of something, we start to have regrets. Do I regret spending all that money on DVDs? Yes. How about the comics before that? Yes. But the thing I keep coming back to is that during each of these "phases", I was spending money on things I enjoyed more than anything else.

 

[Marvin Richardson]

Boy, I'm sure glad Adam is here to show us the error of our ways. Here I thought I was a 30 year old who knew better. Thanks Adam!

But seriously, "stuck with LaserDiscs?" I still have about 50 LaserDiscs that I haven't upgraded to DVD yet, and some of them I probably never will. I still have a LaserDisc player that functions (plus an unopened back-up one just in case) and I can (and still do) pull out a LaserDisc to watch. The Star Wars trilogy in particular will never lose their value to me, because I'll probably never get to buy the original versions of those movies again. Now I have them to watch for as long as I have a LaserDisc player.

I also have about 30 Super Nintendo cartridges, and every now and then I play one. I still have LPs I listen to. Why are DVDs going to be out of date in 5 years? As I look at my DVD collection, I have about 20 out of 328 I haven't watched.

I could sit here and say collect now or you'll be sorry you didn't. I'm still sorry that I never got around to buying Final Fantasy III for the SNES, and now I can't unless I want to pay some ridiculous price for it. But others probably wouldn't give a damn.

Look, I'm sorry if I'm being an ass here, but please don't try to push your values on others. Your situation is not everyone's situation. On further consideration I'm sure you mean well, but at first blush all you did was irritate me.

 

[Chad Gregory]

What about DVD's? Will they be here in 5 years? Or are we doomed to be stuck with "laserdiscs" all over again? To those of you who buy what you want, like me, that's cool. If you are a movie person, it's great to have a fun little collection of the movies you love. For those of you who are buying 5 DVD's a week or more, look at what you are spending your money on.

Adam, you should probably back off of value-laden comments such as these. Maybe to you it is just a "fun little collection", maybe this hobby isn't for you. But my "fun little collection" is approaching 400 fast and I look at what I am spending my money on and am very happy with the choice. There are individuals around here whose "fun little collections" exceed 1000 and I would assume that they have all recognized the amount they have spent and are happy with the choice. If you aren't happy with your choice, I couldn't care any less. But I sure don't appreciate you trying to tell me, or anyone else around here whether or not we're making the correct choice.

-Chad

 

[Darren Rowley]

All in good time you shall stop buying DVD's at the current rate. You will start paying off the dept you got yourself into when you thought all you would get is a DVD player. Suddenly you needed the new receiver and speakers and TV. You will, some day, start making wise choices on your DVD purchases and only get what you really like.

Then you will find another hobby to spend all your money on. Oh, yes, I remember. It all started in 1988 with comic books. Computers entered the scene shortly after, and you all know how that goes. Then it was mountain biking and needing the best bike and accessories ("oh! that one month old breaking system and rear derailleur needs to be upgraded!). Then it was HT with two DVD players and three receivers and a TV within one year! Not to mention the 200+ movies in that time. Now I'm looking at that $3000 digital camera and $1500 worth of lenses.

When will it end???

 

[Tony_Faville]

Alright, just to make myself feel better, I bought my first DVD and DVD player on Thanksgiving-eve 1999 and this last tuesday I purchased my 653rd DVD. And to respect the first rule of DVD club....I won't do the math. Let's just say, I could have bought a decent car with the money I have spent.

 

[MichaelPe]

I now limit myself to buying only DVDs of movies I REALLY like, which averages out to 3-4 DVDs per month. I used to be really bad... I remember the times I would purchase 15 or 25 DVDs in one shot back in "the old days".
However, I think the worst part for me is the fact that I NEED to have the latest edition of a DVD. I must have repurchased almost 25% of all the titles I currently own just for DTS, more extras, or a superbit transfer. Is it worth it? Oh yes...

 

[Aaron Croft]

These threads are always interesting to me, and I made a comment that I got flamed for a few moneths ago in one.. so I'll try to be nice and all
Any spending habbit can cause problems, and DVD's are a HUGE one for a lot of people. It's not about the size of the collection, or even WHY you buy the movies.. it's wether or not you can AFFORD them.
Money isn't everything, but look around you and ask yourself if there are more IMPORTANT things to spend your money on. I'm not trying to judge ANYONE here at all.. but people with addictions tend to blind themselves to who and what they are hurting with one. This may sound like a crock to you but an addiction that costs a LOT of money can effect you and everyone around you in negative ways.
I realize that a lot of you can afford this hobby, and that is great. BUT for those of you who can't, and KNOW you can't, or are in DENIAL about the fact that you can't... Please try to take a look at your spending habbits and how they are effecting you..
ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE CHILDREN - Think about the future.. saving for disaster.. college education.. etc...
SAVING MONEY IS IMPORTANT...
Or maybe you don't care... BUT.. if you have kids, please at least take a look at your spending and wether there are better places to spend your money.
I'm seriously not trying to offend anybody. Juest RECOMMENDING that everyone save money, and spend responsibly.
-Aaron

 

[David Von Pein]

Great thread here!! I've enjoyed tremendously reading all your thoughts!
I've felt much like a lot of you here....You know the thoughts, "Should I buy this one or not?" It's sometimes agony trying to decide! But, ultimately, the hobby wins out! You buy that title...and the next one too! The shopping cart and "to-get" list keep getting bigger! And I think, for the most part, it's been completely worth the price.
I, too, will buy a lot of titles sight unseen. But, before plunging head-first, I'll always seek out some credible reviews on each title. I tend to trust Mr. Ebert and Mr. Maltin quite a great deal. I've based many purchases on these 2 excellent movie critics. For the most part, I'd say, if Ebert & Maltin both like it, then I find I wind up liking it as well. (Perhaps I've been brainwashed by good reviews....but I do not think so. ) I personally like having lots of films "in stock" that I've never seen before. You get that "first time" feeling. Remember when you sat down in a big theater to see Star Wars for the very first time? Or Jurassic Park? Or E.T.? Now you can experience that thrill right in your own HT! Having films I've never seen before in my collection is essential, I believe!
As for the huge cost of our DVD hobby .... Here's something that might make us all feel better about shelling out big bucks for these little discs ........
I saw just today on CNN, that there will soon be a new automobile on the market that costs $260,000!! Can you imagine doling out 260-grand for ONE car??!! To me, THAT'S the ultimate in insanity!! (Just think of your depression should you wreck this beast!)
I'd be so pre-occupied with the cost, I'd be scared to death to take it out of the garage!!
Anyway, to put the above in perspective .... The crazy lunatic that spent $260,000 for his ONE vehicle could have had the pleasure of owning a lifetime-lasting collection of 14,857 DVD's!! [Based on an avg. of $17.50 per DVD title.]
Geezzz, Louise!! Give me the 14,000 DVD's any day of the week!!
To be more on a realistic level, you could still have bought more than ELEVEN HUNDRED DVD titles for what you would pay for just an average-priced automobile these days.
Heck, I'm feeling better already about my DVD hobby!
So, guys, don't feel depressed and down in the dumps about all the dough you're dishing out for discs! Simply wait a couple more years before buying that new car. Think of all the new DVD's you'll be getting in the interim! (IMHO, there's NO bigger waste of cash than buying a BRAND NEW car! Go USED all the way!)
In summation....If DVD collecting makes you happy: MORE POWER TO YA! And don't forget to pre-order Spielberg's "Duel"! It was just announced; pretty cheap too! Another one for the wish list. Oh, well.....

 

[Josh_Hill]

Its fun to be addicted to DVD's. Same for me with toys as well.

 

[Joseph S]

BUT for those of you who can't, and KNOW you can't, or are in DENIAL about the fact that you can't... Please try to take a look at your spending habbits and how they are effecting you..

Yeah, maybe I don't actual job yet. However, I'm going to be in prof school for 2 more years + residency + deferment period. I'll owe over $160,000 no matter what I do. With the low rates and the opportunity to defer the initial payment schedule until I'm making a decent salary I simply don't find an issue with spending $15,000 or more on myself for some diversion. In the end, the money will likely be a drop in the bucket. That's why I don't care that much if that initial $15,000 turns into $30,000 after interest. I'm happy and if something came up I could always sell them all at roughly the price paid. I guess I'll just have to retire three to four months later. The horror.
We all know HT is like crack, but it has replay and re-sale value.

 

[Stu Rosen]

In defense of Dave F, actually, someone did in fact ask him (and the rest of us) to opine on his purchasing habits. Also, Dave makes quite a good point. Unless you think the Library of Congress will come to you after a nuclear holocaust and ask for your library in an effort to repopulate its archives, it's...difficult to explain the need to purchase the title that completes a set.

Walk past Beverly Hills Cop III, I say. Ignore Batman & Robin. Pay no mind to Phantom Menace (calm down, just having some fun).

 

[Adam_WM]

Adam, you should probably back off of value-laden comments such as these. Maybe to you it is just a "fun little collection", maybe this hobby isn't for you. But my "fun little collection" is approaching 400 fast and I look at what I am spending my money on and am very happy with the choice. There are individuals around here whose "fun little collections" exceed 1000 and I would assume that they have all recognized the amount they have spent and are happy with the choice. If you aren't happy with your choice, I couldn't care any less. But I sure don't appreciate you trying to tell me, or anyone else around here whether or not we're making the correct choice.

I'm not trying to insult you. I felt the same way once. Everyone told me comic books were never going to pay off. What something is "worth" is entirely in perspective. If you like what you are doing, that's cool. All I was trying to do is provoke thought. I wish someone told me earlier the TRUTH about "collecting" anything. I look back in retrospect in something that was "important" to me at a time and see it is worth little to me now. My question was, "Will DVD's be the same?" Will some of you look back when HD-DVD or beyond comes out and say, "Man, I wish I didn't buy 1500 DVD's because now I have to repurchase them in some new format!"? Like an above poster says, there is always something else to collect.
And for the record, I wasn't trying to impose any values on anyone. If you guys can't read an opposing viewpoint without getting all pouty, maybe you guys are the ones who should read my comments a bit more closely. Feeling guilty about buying all those DVD's? Hmmm?

 

[John Stone]

Feeling guilty about buying all those DVD's? Hmmm

Guilty? Nope, not a bit. Not that its any of your business, but I invest more money each month than I spend on DVDs. Sorry you were not more responsible and wasted so much of your money on comics that you never wanted in the first place. That's what happens when you do something for all the wrong reasons. You could have passed along your experiences in way that didn't insult others. That's all we're trying to say.