Why do people hate upgrading DVDs? (1 Viewer)

[Jefe Noche]

This may sound ridiculous, but I like upgrading. For me it comes down to how much I like the film, and what I'm getting out of the upgrade. I definately care much more about audio and video quality than extras. A good example is The Doors. I love this film, and I own the old dvd. The SE is NOT ANAMORPHIC. Yeah I'm gonna buy that .
So far I've been happy with all my upgrades. Plus, my folks are new to dvd and appreciate the "hand-me-downs".
Upgrades to date:
Almost Famous
Saving Private Ryan-DTS (I bought the DD version first)
Se7en
The Sixth Sense (the only one I'm a little disapointed with)
The Usual Suspects
Future upgrades? (that I'd be willing to buy)
Goodfellas
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
Pulp Fiction
Scarface
True Romance
Unforgiven

 

[Brian-W]

I've done this a couple times, but stopped unless there is a compelling reason. A new transfer is usually enough, but I really need to like the movie. 16:9 enhancement is also (if originally not enhanced) another reason I'd buy.

However, these days I'm saving my nickels and dimes for impending D-VHS releases

 

[Daniel L]

Matt,

Considering that no sutdio is pointing a gun to my head when I buy a new version of a film, I suppose you could say I enjoy spending money new versions of films.

Besides, what are the studios supposed to do? Sit on a property an never re-invent it, allowing it to just sit there an not sell?

Joe DeMartino hit every reason as to why studios actually keep re-packaging products. If I don't like the practice, I don't buy the stupid thing. (See the pointless MIB re-release.)

Daniel L

 

[KeithAP]

I don't mind upgrading for a noticible difference in audio and/or video quality. I might upgrade for a different cut and additional footage. However, I almost will never upgrade for extras like commentaries, featurettes, etc.

In the end, even if it is a movie I like, if the original release is a single disc without a lot of features I will rent instead of buy. I will then wait a bit after the original release and see if a credible SE rumor pops up. If not, I will wait for a sale and make the purchase.

If the studios want to release movies that way it is certainly within their rights. I will choose to wait, some will buy and buy again, others will buy and pass on the SE. To each his own.

-Keith

 

[Matt Stone]

If I don't like the practice, I don't buy the stupid thing. (See the pointless MIB re-release.)

See...you agree with me. This is exactly my point. You call the re-release pointless, and therefore you are against the release. I'm not saying that I have to buy it...as no one should.

 

[Chas_Michael]

Your joking right? LOL! The Studio's don't need to bleed the consumers. First off, They made their money on the theatrical release, then the VHS rental market, The DVD Rental Market,The DVD market ( a real suckers paradise )Widescreen release, Pan & Scan release, Collectors edition, Ultimate edition, Superbit edition, television rights..Gee those poor studio's I feel soooo bad for them. Poor,poor pityful studio's.

 

[Matt Stone]

I agree Chas...but I agree with Daniel on the fact that studios do "have a reason to milk us" ... and that is obviously to make more dolla. I don't like it either though.

 

[Calvin Watts III]

Well said. I agree completely.
That said however, I gladly purchase or repurchase disks from the early days of the format which could be better. I will gladly upgrade flippers, for a better transfer, restoration, anamorphic enhancement or proper OAR.

That would be my reasoning for upgrading a DVD,unless a whole lot of people recommended upgrading a favorite film of mine - such as the DTS Saving Private Ryan - which I just did
Universal's Ultimate Editions are just plain stupid..
at least Sony realized (& they should have done this in the 1st place) about making their Superbit DVD's 2-disc sets.
Having said that...hey,the studios need to make money to give us this stuff,right?
As long as I know/am told about a special edition coming out,that might have things on it that I want, Before the bare-bones ed. gets released,then I'll be satisifed.
Not entirely happy,mind you...(just do one release & get it right,as has been previously stated in this thread)..
but satisifed.
Calvin

 

[Sean Oneil]

Keeping up with the Joneses... The studios (and every other salesman) play on this philosophy very well.

It's all about the demand, if we did not want it, they would not sell it.

Why upgrade? The desire to keep current, or to stay on the cutting edge and not get left behind.

As to why people may not like upgrading? Maybe because they see through all of the marketing tactics?

I tend to fall somewhere in the middle... I don't like to buy the same thing over and over again, but I like to stay ahead of the curve, and realize that new technology usually does yield worthwhile improvements (to DVD or anything else).

Some of it is planned obsolescence by the studios -they do want to milk people to a certain extent, but some advances really are unforeseeable.

I think a lot of us on the forum feel the pinch in the wallet more than most due to our refusal to accept anything but the highest quality of whatever is available. And as long as technology keeps moving ahead unpredictably, we will always need to upgrade if we want to take advantage of that 10%, 20%, 50%, or whatever percent increase in quality that each new 'breakthrough' yields.

If people are getting angry because the studios are purposefully holding out on them to double dip, it's understandable. But if they are angry because a better quality version of something that they already own is being released, well, who knew that the technology was going to be available to offer these better quality versions of DVDs? It's not like history is road mapped.

I would guess that a lot of people get angry because of what they have to give up (quite willingly) in order to always have 'the best' of everything -if you catch my drift. It's a lot like addiction.

Sorry if my post is a little wacky… it is late, and I am tired.

 

[Darren Lewis]

If it's a film that I love, and I think that the extras are worth it, then I'll consider upgrading. I don't often watch all the extras, but I like to have a good quality picture and soundtrack to utilise my system.

I've got so many films on my wishlist, with new ones being added every week (more since I went multi-region), that a re-release doesn't often make it to the top of the pile.

 

[Jon Robertson]

Some discs which I've upgraded to, and felt are worth it (after first getting rid of the originals):

The entire remastered Warner Kubrick collection

Spartacus: Criterion

Blue Velvet: Special Edition

Night of the Living Dead: Millenium Edition

Boogie Nights: 2-disc Platinum Edition

Nosferatu: BFI R2 edition

Silent Running: Special Edition

Die Hard: 5-star Collection

Brazil: Criterion Collection

Salo: BFI edition (from the Criterion - the BFI has a clearer transfer, better subtitles and more footage)

In each and every case, I was able to shift the originals for a decent sum (with Salo, for example, I got seven other great Criterion DVDs I'd been after for ages!), unless it was a disc like Nosferatu where the Image disc had two awful musical scores and an inferior transfer, but tons of special features that the BFI disc didn't.