A couple weeks ago, Dick asked whether you still buy Blu-rays, or have given up physical media for online streaming. I’ll take that one step further. Who out there still buys DVDs?
I still have a large collection of DVDs but, honestly, I can’t bring myself to watch any of them on my projector. I’m too much of a picture quality snob, and they just don’t hold up on a large screen. In order to put some of my unwatched discs to use, I sometimes force myself to watch them on a computer or portable device.
I can’t remember the last time I bought a new DVD. Whenever that was, it was certainly something not available on Blu-ray and unlikely to benefit from high definition (like an old TV show that was photographed on standard-def video). I couldn’t justify it any other way.
What about you? Are you as picky as I am?
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lordbowler
I’ll buy on DVD if its an old movie that is unlikely to come to Blu-Ray in the next year or two.
For example, I’ve not bought the original Tron because I expect a Blu-Ray around the release of the new film.
But, Maximum Overdrive on Blu-Ray? Probably not for 5 years or more.
William Henley
I JUST got a DVD in the mail yesterday – from Germany. I somehow doubt I will be seeing either a US or a Blu-Ray release of it anytime soon.
http://www.amazon.de/Die-Trapp-Familie-Amerika/dp/B0001IOZSY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1290004754&sr=1-1
The closest American thing I could find of it was here:
http://www.amazon.com/Trapp-Family-Ruth-Leuwerik/dp/B0001FX5NI/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1290004800&sr=8-2
I bought both. The US version is in REALLY bad condition, the tape is recorded in LP, and the movie is the two German films spliced into 2 hours. The DVD is WAY better quality, but only has a German track and German subtitles. However, I like a challenge – and it wont be the first movie I translated. Simply rip the subtitles into Subtitle workshop, run through Google Translate, Clean up the grammer and wording on a few things, use Adobe Encore to export back out to DVD. Fun times!
Dail Whiteley
yes. not all movies i feel are blu worthy. i like the underworld movies but not love them so i have them on dvd.i bought a dvd yesterday. it came with the blu , does that count?. lol.
HuskerGuy
If it’s out on blu, then that’s how I want it (TV or otherwise). If it isn’t and has not expected release date for a blu version, then DVD it is.
Lone_gunmen
Some exploitation and other obscure films that’ll never see the Blu-ray treatment I usually order on DVD. Cannibal Holocaust, Blackula etc as well as old Australian TV shows.
Dick Ward
Blockbuster Video does 5 for $20 deals on older DVDs. Sometimes I just can’t help myself.
Shayne
Mostly if it’s available on blu I’m going that way, but certain things I like to be able to watch in my bedroom (no player in there) South Park for example. Also there are a lot of old horror movies that’ll never make it to blu (there are a lot that never made it to dvd actually.)
William Henley
That’s what Streaming Netflix is for! South Park!
I am planing to pick up a cheapy $80 Blu-Ray player for the bedroom in the next couple of months. My problem is, last time I hooked up Blu-Ray to my SD television, I couldn’t read the menus.
RQuinton
As Dail Whiteley mentioned, some are not Blu worthy, but I only hold this to DVD’s I already own. I own the DVD version of LotR: Extended, this will be a must buy upgrade for me when it hits Blu. I have and enjoy Her Alibi, but not something I am willing to fork money over if they brought it to Blu, even if the picture was greatly enhanced.
Maybe this is elitist, but if a new movie is not worth buying on Blu, I don’t buy it.
There is one aspect nobody has mentioned yet, the fact that many Blu-ray disks come with a DVD and/or digital copy. My mom doesn’t own a Blu-ray player, but all of the Disney movies I buy on Blu-ray for my daughter at home, she can take the included DVD copy to leave at Grandma’s. This is a win/win for me. Of course, there is an argument that I am paying for the DVD if there is a price difference.
Last DVD I bought was Dorkness Rising, and only because there is no Blu-ray option.
ilovenola2
I still buy dvds of films I want that are not on blu ray. And I’ll continue to do so. It’s the MOVIE that counts… not necessarily the platter its on.
Jane Morgan
I buy kids movies, used, on dvd. They only watch on an old 26″ HD CRT, and they’re still too young to care. Though, if they’re naughty, I threaten to turn down their bitrate.
For myself, I won’t even rent dvds any more. It’s blu-ray or nothing. For some odd reason, Netflix has Modern Family on dvd, but not blu-ray, so, even though I want to check out the show, I refuse to add it to my Q.
motorheadache
At this point, I think I have or will have every catalog anything either on Blu-Ray or DVD that I would want, so I’m only going forward with future new releases or double-dipping on Blu-Ray for movies I have on DVD. So since everything nowadays is pretty much being released on Blu-Ray, it is all Blu-Ray from here on out.
Now, when I consider rebuying a movie on Blu-Ray that I own on DVD, I look at how much I like the movie, if I would really care about watching it on a large projector screen in the future, and of course how well the transfer was done (and not half-assed).
Adam Tyner
Not much.
I’ve picked up 21 DVDs all year…meanwhile, I’ve picked up 236 Blu-ray sets in that same time.
I generally only buy DVDs if it’s something I desperately want but I know isn’t coming out on Blu-ray. Some were produced in standard-def in the first place, like the MST3K boxed sets and ‘Best Worst Movie’. The new Slumber Party Massacre collection was transferred in SD, so there’s no chance of an HD release anytime soon.
It’s not snobbery or anything, but I’m having a hard time keeping up with the new Blu-ray discs I want to watch, so unless it’s a must-have, I just don’t have time for DVD.
besch64
I got a blu-ray player last Christmas. The last time I bought a DVD was last November. No coincidence.
It’s still really hard for me to keep convincing myself to not buy DVDs anymore. I desperately need to own all five seasons of Six Feet Under, but the thought that HBO might announce a blu ray release a week later terrifies me way too much. That’s what happened to me with the Twilight Zone. Bought the complete series box set on DVD recently, and now…
EM
I’m going with “I’ll buy something on DVD if a Blu-ray isn’t available”; while I find it accurate, it’s not really a good summary of my position.
I still buy DVDs. Over the years I’ve generally done a good job of keeping up with my wants on DVD, and I tend to keep my wants relatively narrow. So, anymore there’s usually not a whole lot for me to even consider getting on DVD. I also buy Blu-rays; but, as Dail Whiteley said, not all movies worth having are Blu-worthy (and even when they are, sometimes the specific Blu-ray treatments are disappointing), and so I don’t care to upgrade all my DVD titles to Blu-ray when Blu-rays are available. If something is available to me on DVD only, I have no problem with watching the DVD in my home theater. For compatibility reasons, I still want movies on DVD even when I do own or plan to own the Blu-ray—so, for instance, I want the ”Toy Story 3” DVD/Blu-ray combo pack, and I kept my old “Toy Story” and “Toy Story 2” DVDs in my video library even after acquiring the Blu-ray discs. Of course, in my BD-equipped home theater, I usually choose to watch a given movie on Blu-ray instead of DVD if I own the work in both formats.
thulsadoom
I can understand not buying DVDs when there’s either a Blu Ray version or a good chance of a Blu Ray version being released in the future, but I can’t understand the logic of people who forego the pleasure of watching films they want/like, that are on DVD but not likely to receive a Blu Ray release.
For example, I recently picked up some of the old Hammer Horrors that I’ve always wanted. Also picked up a copy of Split Second, an old cheesy SF with Rutger Hauer and Kim Cattrall. All films that are never likely to get a Blu Ray release. Also ordered the Dark Skies series box set (A science fiction/conspiracy series from the mid 90s, for those who don’t know), which I don’t think was ever filmed in HD.
So why miss out on stuff I want to watch, by being an HD snob? lol! Buy Blu Ray where possible, I say, and where not, just enjoy in the best quality you can, even if that’s DVD.
Josh Zyber
AuthorThat’s a very valid philosophy. My only hesitation is that we live in a world where Ishtar and Barb Wire were just announced for Blu-ray release. As studios take chances with more obscure catalog titles, it’s becoming very difficult to determine which movies are unlikely to appear on Blu-ray. Now that you’ve just purchased it on DVD, I wouldn’t put it past someone to announce a Split Second Blu-ray any day now.
BambooLounge
If it is out on Blu-ray, I never opt for the lesser quality DVD. But, there are too many good movies out there that I would like to own/watch to completely stop buying DVDs altogether, but I have scaled back my DVD purchases recently to just about 0.
Even during the ongoing Criterion sale I have resisted buying a single DVD simply because too many good Blu-rays have been coming out in the past couple of months and I rather spend my money on those (Psycho, Sound of Music, Toy Story 3, etc).
When I do buy DVDs, they are either Warner Archive titles (no shot at Blu-ray) or bargain bin $3-$5 purchases from Big Lots!, Amazon Marketplace, or elsewhere. The days of spending more than $10 on a DVD are dead.
Bumbuliuz
I rarely buy dvd’s anymore. I am thinking about making the exception of the Dexter Tv series. It STILL hasn’t been released on BD in Europe witch is a crime in my book! And Showtimes insist on Region A locking their titles :/