Me and my wife were thinking about going to blu-ray,but decided against it.To be honest in my opinion it is,and will stay,a nich market.The picture is beutiful,but it's not that big of a difference.Not like VHS vs DVD was.I think Sony planned on the PS3 being bigger than it is.They would have had an instant installed base.Instead the wii and 360 have dominated that market.The only way I would switch over is if my DVD broke and I could go out buy blu-ray for roughly the same price.The disc price is way to high also.I think this is the last cash grab before it goes to what we all know is coming.Downloading.There will always be a market for physical product,but the casual movie fan is heading in that direction.Here's a good article if anyone wants to read it.
http://blogs.zdnet.com/storage/?p=365
I'm not going to Blu-Ray this year. Most of the films I want are not even available in HD. Looking at the DVD shelves beside me, I see very few recent films - Hellboy II, Sweeney Todd, RZ Halloween, Grindhouse, Doctor Who sets...not many. I don't even have Cloverfiield or The Mist. I'm just not excited about buying new movies. But I see about 400 DVDs of films made before 1980. It's going to be a long time before most of those come out in HD. My TV is getting kind of old. It's an early Hitachi HD widescreen projection LCD with a built-in standard DVD player. I imagine I'll buy a new one in a year or two. That's probably when I'll upgrade to a Blu-Ray player. In the meantime, I can watch HD satellite on this TV. I don't see a big difference. Yes, there is more clarity and detail with HD, but it's not like day and night. It's a moderate improvement, not a quantum leap over standard DVD. Especially with older films, this difference is not that great. And it would take me 10 years to rebuild this DVD library in HD, even if the titles were available. I'm in no hurry to spend that time and money to reclaim something I already have.
I could never figure out why they brought out Blu-Ray. Having DVD equipment at a more expensive cost made no sense to me. Growing up watching B&W TV with rabbit ears and having to constantly adjust it, made me really appreciate VCR's and DVD players. Besides I have so much money invested in DVD's there's no reason to change.
Agreed!
I to agree, until the price drops, I will stick with what I have. I am still replacing some of my VHS with DVD's. I'm not gonna do it with Blu-ray. Maybe I'll try to hold out for the next format. Anyone know this life span of a DVD?
BK
90% of the films I watch are pre-1970. And really, given the equipment they used in those days (especially the old 20s/30s/40s stufff) how much better is Blu-ray really gonna make that look and sound. I have a 57" hi def TV, I have hi-def cable, and a DVD player and am 100% happy with that stuff. When I watch, say Bride of Frank, on DVD I really don't see how much better they can "restore" it without making it look artificially messed with by removing elements that where there in 1935 (such as film grain).
Also, we're all heading towards direct download anyway and the days of buying VHS, DVD, Blu-Ray, Beta, 16mm or whatever are rapidly dwindling.
I've debated on going for a BluRay player. Remember when they were first introduced? $999.95 at Best Buy. I bought a Sony upconvert DVD player with HDMI outputs and it does a dandy job. I paid $129 for it a few years ago. However comma, Blu Rays have come way down. You can find them anywhere for $299.
And in case you're on the fence about getting one, I saw a K-Mart ad today (for one day only either tomorrow or Friday) $179. That's a VERY tempting price.
My son has a PS3, which has a blu ray built into it, but we've never watched a blu ray movie on it and don't own any. I don't really care about blu ray.
Right after I submitted that, an ad came on the radio I was listening to for blu ray. They said they are releasing Hancock on blu ray as a way to get people to want to get it. I don't want to see Hancock on any format.
I have a Blu-Ray player but only because it's in my PS3 which I bought for gaming not for movie watching. The film quality really is amazing but i'm not 100% sold on it. This being the reason i've only upgraded a few older films that I had on DVD. However when purchasing newer films, I will buy the Blu version as I really think they're making these films to cater to the HD crowd and it really shows when you watch them...
Technology is a really unpredictable thing. You really can never tell what's going to stand the test of time...
Also, dispite the fact (or perhaps because of) that Blu-Ray is most likely a fad that will be replaced by (a type of types of) direct download/on-demand the format is not be exploited to its fullest potential in terms of just how much capacity those things have. We're still being sold one film at a time ala VHS/DVD when the format is just to big to justify that. The discs are 50GB, thats huge, it'll hold 9 hours of HD video or 23 hours of standard video. Now, doing the math we all come to the same conclusion: WHERE ARE ALL THE FRANK/DRAC/MUMMY/INVISIBLE MAN/CREATURE/WOLFMAN films on a single disc!?!?!
I bought an HD DVD player in December of 2006 and have had a Blu-ray stand alone player since around June of 2007. The picture quality is a huge improvement over DVD, so in my opinion it is a worthy upgrade. With most online deals, I get new Blu-ray discs for around $15.
Seeing the older classics that have been released in HD (The Shining, Planet of the Apes, Adventures of Robin Hood, etc.) is like seeing the movie for the first time. Most of the really old movies may never be released on HD so I understand why many do not want to buy into a new format. King Kong (1933), Wizard of Oz, Ben Hur, and Lord of the Rings, are some rumored 2009 releases so more classics are on the way.
Are you kidding? ;D I have about 383 classic horror and sci-fi, not to mention family dvd collection, star trek, star wars, super heroes. I probably have about 700+dvds. Not a chance I will go blu-ray. It took me forever and a fortune to go dvd. Ill just dvd till I die. I don't see blu-ray doing much to help films like Nosferatu or Phantom of the Opera anyway. What's it gonna show me I didn't see before...extra scratches, enhanced dirt. LOL! Seriously...I'd go broke so...Uh, nopey, nope, nope nopers. ;D :D ;)
Walmart has a blu-ray player on sale Fri., Magnavox NB500MG9 , for $128.00
I can't see replacing all my Monster, Horror, and Sci-Fi dvd's and starting over with Blue-Ray. The kind of stuff I watch would take years for them to re-introduce ( since most titles would be centered on new releases, instead of the older stuff I crave), and it would cost a small fortune to replace everything. No, no Blue-Ray for this Creepy fan.
Little to no interest in Blu Ray, just another new technology. Happy with dvds. Still working on replacing VHS Tapes!
I'm pretty happy with DVD, and I still watch and buy VHS tapes (used, generally) and even the occasional laserdisc. As one of the newer formats, DVD is just fine for me, and it's the same for me as others have described...I have seen very few recent films that I have any interest in, most of my favorite movies are decades old, and I'm happy with the resolution I can view movies in now, I figure. I too grew up watching black and white TV with the rabbit ears, and it spoiled me.
Like, I recently bought a used VHS tape of "Abbott and Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde," and it's perfectly okay...no need to get all new-fangled about it when Mr. Hyde's fangles will do just fine.
I am surprised no one has mentioned this but from what I understand (have a techno geek friend) that you can play regular DVDs on a Blu ray player just not vice versa. That means if you go Blu ray you won't have to replace any DVDs you can just selectively purchase what you really want on Blu ray and keep the rest of your DVDs and play them on the Blu ray player. Like many of you I have a huge collection so I would not replace any but a few special films on Blu ray but I may be inclined to purchase others that I don't have on the Blu ray format such as the new Wolfman when it hits DVD. Frankly, I am very pleased with regular DVD. I plan on purchasing a high def tv soon but I do have a hi def monitor that plays DVDs. I can see a difference in high def but not certain that is all good. While watching Abbott and Costello meet Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde I could see Lou sweating bullets through the make up and you can see pimples and all kinds of things you don't care to see.
One thing to beware of is that with many of us having huge collections of DVDs the companies have to develop new ways to seperate us from our dollars. Coming up with some new technology is one way or companies go the way of Peter Jackson/George Lucas and create new versions of their films by tweaking and playing with them as a method for seperating us from more dollars. In the end is the technology really that signifigantly better? Or is the difference so minute that only the techno geeks will ever see the difference? So beware of the almighty greed of the companies because in the end they care not what movies we have in our collections only ways to seperate us from more dollars.
I think we will all have to by a Blue ray player eventually . I think the DVD player just like VHS players will be fazed out in the years ahead and I'll have to buy one when my DVD player dies.
No problem as long as it plays normal DVD's too.
RE -buying all my DVD's ? ..not gonna happen. I did it once when I replaced or transfered my VHS collection to DVD.
They are not gonna sucker me into it again.
I don't even have a high def TV yet and I'm still very happy with my 62 inch projection TV.
Tom
The only time I feel Blu-Ray tugging at me is when I purchase a contemporary film on DVD. I feel like I should be buying the HD version. I know that, when I finally do get a Blu-Ray player, I will want the modern films in HD. I will end up double-dipping on anything made in the last 25 years. With the older films, I don't think the upgrade is so critical, and a lot of them might not even come out in HD.
I bought a Blu-Ray player for modern movies such as Iron Man and The Hulk. Blu-Ray players "upscale" older DVDs so that the picture quality is improved, but honestly I don't notice that much of a difference on older movies. For newer movies, Blu-Ray is quite remarkable, however.
So did anyone that answered previously change their mind and cross over?
I've had the dvd vs. Blu-ray debate on other boards and I'm still anti Blu-ray!! There was much hoopla over the Aliens films being restored and released on Blu-ray with so many, "You've never seen the movie until you see it on Blu-ray." posts, if you printed them out you'd have something roughly the size of a phone book. But my problem was everyone was comparing the Blu-ray release with prints from previous releases, you can't look at a Blu-ray release against a previous dvd version in order to claim Blu-rays superiority! Nor can you claim that the difference of Blu-ray to DVD is comparable to the difference between VHS to DVD. Blu-ray isn't that far removed from DVD's technology (or for that matter laser disc) as VHS was to either. Basically like comparing the 8track vs. cassette (same basic technology just cassettes were smaller) to cassette vs. CD (CD's clarity goes without saying compared to tape whether you prefer it or not) format wars!
Anybody can look at a vhs movie and see it's inferior to it's dvd brethren but there just isn't that much difference between dvd and Blu-ray...well there is but there isn't! Some see a huge improvement, some see nothing or little improvement. Maybe it's a matter of wanting to see the enhancement over actually "seeing" the enhancement!?! Obviously the specs don't lie, Blu-ray is superior to dvd but is it superior enough for everyone to be blown away by it? Apparently not....
I have had a Samsung 50" plasma for some time now along with a 5 disc dvd player from Panasonic and films look incredible already! Horrordvds.com did a big write up (as they do for all Blu-ray now) on TCM on Blu-ray, touting that you could see so much more detail than ever before. Well I popped in my TCM Special Edition from 2003 and I can see every bit of what he refers to as the clarity that Blu-ray provides. Anyone else notice that at one point a few years ago dvds usually had a tagline somewhere on them, "...from the HD print." but now you don't find that anymore? An HD print can be (and probably many times is) used on standard dvd but it isn't true HD 1080p, it must be 720 i/p or in some cases 480 i/p but either way the difference between those numbers isn't that noticeable when your talking an HD print of a film.
I accept....on paper that Blu-ray is better! If you want all the extras (when those are even given) then Blu-ray is the stand out or at least the disc itself can hold that much more over a dvd. Picture, there is no denying that true 1080p is a better picture (I already said numbers don't lie.) but it isn't mind blowing in anyway.
Here's what pisses me off, I've seen several comments here and on other boards saying, "You better get those dvds now because Blu-ray is taking over." or something to that affect. Blu-ray is not taking over on it's own; 10 years from now it might but not right now. The Blu-Ray Disc Association, yep that's right they have an association (and a website), is forcing Blu-ray on us quicker than the medium itself is being welcomed in.
Blu-ray will never truely take over dvd but it will become the dominant (I would say only format but another format is always right around the corner.) format only because the Blu-ray Disc Association are pushing out dvd not because of a consumer demand for it!!
VHS was released in 1976 and led the market (Laserdisc tried to become the new format but failed miserably.) until DVD's debut in 1997! It only took DVD (introduced in 2000) 3 years to replace VHS as the preferred distribution method and a total of 6 years to actually kill it off! Interestingly enough the same year VHS was finally killed was also when Blu-ray was introduced to the masses, 2006. Here we are in 2011, 5 years since Blu-rays launch and consumers as a whole aren't excepting Blu-ray as the winner, though Blu-ray does gain popularity as prices drop and deals/bargains are used as incentive...so far the only thing Blu-ray has successfully killed off was HD DVD. The Blu-ray Disc Association isn't going to wait for the market as a whole to accept Blu-ray they're going to do away with dvd whether the public demands it or not! Once that's done they'll move on to the next new format......if they even wait that long!
The shrinking dvd and expanding Blu-ray sections aren't based on sales, it's based on the industry pushing it!! According to the Digital Entertainment Group (DEG.com); dvd sold 14 billion in 2010, while Blu-ray only sold 2.3 billion (Digital downloading sold 2.5 billion)...Now you tell me if you are selling a product are you going to stock something that tops 14 billion a year or 2.3 billion?!!? Even if you account for a percentage of those numbers being off a few billion dvd still stands king so the only reason stores are shrinking their dvd section is because that's what the industry wants, not the consumer at large!! Blu-ray is still only making up around 20% of the digital market! Someone asked if dvd is a 14 billion market then why would they get rid of it in favor of a product selling 2.3 billion. The answer is simple, it's a gamble, a bet that that lost 14 billion of dvd sales will be ported over to Blu-rays billions and make even more money given that Blu-ray still cost at least 5 bucks more than dvds. So you've gotten rid of a 14 billion market but turned it into a 25 to 30 billion market. If you notice there is a lot of info out there about Blu-ray sales being up so much from this time last year, the DEG says 68% from last year in fact, but what isn't out there is the news that even at that 68% they're still nowhere near dvds numbers. If you look at top selling Blu-rays they still haven't crossed even the 50% sales line of dvds although they are getting closer but that is only a handful of titles and not the majority of Blu-rays. Blu-ray.com is boasting Social Network selling 45% and being a record (only becuase it didn't include a dvd or digital copy), so again should the Blu-ray have more copies per store when the dvd sold more? I'm pretty sure that's not what most people learn in business class....unless of course you have a new product your pushing/forcing out there. It used to be a simple thing of supply and demand but in this case most people are happy with dvd and are still demanding it but the industry is basically saying they know better and you need Blu-ray!!
It's the same thing they are doing with Special Features, now you have bare bones dvd, special features dvd and even more special features on the Blu-ray. I love behind the scenes stuff but studios holding back and only releasing that stuff on Blu-ray is a bunch of sh*t there is no reason why most of that stuff couldn't be put on the dvd. I have other Special Edition dvds (single disc mind you not double sets) that are loaded with tons of features, some with an amazingly huge amount but now you're telling me they can't fit all that on a dvd but they can on Blu-ray?! Sorry but if you think I'm buying that then I'll just do without the Special Features and go bare bones dvd.
I was really thinking about getting my first Blu-ray disc, Hammer's Vampire Circus, but only because it's the only way to get the dvd as it's included with the Blu-ray. Then I start reading reviews that the print is horrible and in one particular scene towards the end you get the same effect as watching the movie with no picture since it is so dark. Not only that but the same scene is included in part of a special feature and is perfectly clear. That is another thing that pisses me off about Blu-ray, you still get substandard releases meaning whether you think the technology is superior or not you might as well be watching the film on vhs. I see to many Blu-ray reviews where the picture and sound are not getting A+'s (from both huge studios and lower ones alike) and if that's the case then why bother releasing them in HD?
I'm holding out as long as I can and I'm not even sure if I'll ever switch over!
When our DVD player died recently we replaced it with a Blu-ray player with Netfllix streaming capabilities. We can still play our DVDs -- and the (very) few Blu-ray discs we own -- or rent from Redbox. It gets used for Netflix streaming more than anything.
The same here. I only have 2 Blue-ray discs, but I use the Netflix instant streaming all the time.
We bought a blu-ray player for Christmas, and have bought a few films in the format. THE WIZARD OF OZ looks incredible. You can actually tell that the Munchkins' costumes are made of felt, and almost count the stitches (like film). I never noticed that before. THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL looks pretty great, too. I am going to buy FANTASIA when I get a good price on it. Will I upgrade all my DVD's to blu-ray? Nawww, but I will buy select titles when I feel like it, after reading reviews on the 'net.
I believe DVD is in the process of going south as we speak, and blu-ray will replace it, for the time being. It seems that DVDs are being blown out all over the place, and many Netflix DVD titles are at the same time disappearing and becoming only available as 'streaming', which is where I think the whole thing is going. They aren't going to produce DVD's for $3-$5, as there is no money in it.
None for me thanks. Unless they offer a new colorized version as a extra viewing option. Dvds will be good enuff for me until I drop dead. Money is not nearly as expendable as it used to be for me. :(
I got a Blu Ray player as a gift which is the only reason I have one. I have bought a couple of movies and have come to the conclusion that movies made after 2005 I probably will get in Blu Ray because of the picture. The older ones such as King Kong I bought mostly because of the extras, those I will get in regular DVD and save the money. But my regular DVD's get upconverted in the Blu Ray and some of my older ones like Popeye and DC Cab look clearer that the older titles on Blu Ray.
Been getting blu-rays for the last couple years. I do notice a great difference between DVD and blu-ray but a film has to be more special for me to get it on blu-ray if I already have it on DVD.
So far I have a little over 50 or so BR's and I'm seeing more vintage titles come out all the time (Which is what I concentrate on).
I can't even figure out why there are Blu-rays. Nope, not changing over. No need.
Quote from: ChattyLMS on February 25, 2011, 11:16:57 AM
I can't even figure out why there are Blu-rays. Nope, not changing over. No need.
In general, a cleaner and sharper image, better colors, etc., (aka higher resolution/definition) which is really evident on today's huge television sets. Not all that big a deal with old and ratty B&W films, but light years of difference in the right combination. In short, looks more like film.
I have not switched over and still happy with DVD. The only blu-ray disc I own is Avatar and that came with a regular DVD. I don't see myself switching as I have 3 rooms that have DVD Players, plus computers, plus a portable DVD player.
BK
I have a few blu ray dvds, but I mostly purchase regular dvds and I have a ton of them. I also still purchase the dead-format VHS, and still watch and have a great collection of those, also. I may purchase a blu ray here and there, but to totally flip to blu ray isn't for me, because I have put so much time and money into my current dvd collection, what would be the point? Most blu rays high-definition quality isn't all that great or different from the original, and they slap a huge price of 25-30 bucks for it. Not worth it man, if you ask me. My huge fear is that all movies, tv, music, books, etc. will be formated to digital. I would totally be upset if everything went digital. But that's me.
I would love to convert to Blu-ray but will keep my DVDs for now and am enjoying seeing things off of Netflix downloads(the wave of the future). I still have tons of VHS and am seeking a used, cheap laserdisc player - I remember when that was a huge fad that just didn't really fly like everyone thought. But someday - who knows about the Blu-ray?
I'm like you. I have too many DVDs to go Blu-Ray, and they cost too much, and frankly most older films used sets, costumes, and props which weren't made with adequate detail to be right for hi def.
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I have read again and again how great the blu-ray versions of the classic Disney feature cartoons are. I'm definately going for those.
Quote from: Toy Ranch on February 27, 2011, 08:27:48 AM
I'm like you. I have too many DVDs to go Blu-Ray, and they cost too much, and frankly most older films used sets, costumes, and props which weren't made with adequate detail to be right for hi def.
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The films of old were made to be seen on huge screens ( on the average more huge than today's multiplex screens). While some of the special effects may look wobbly, you can be assured that the best of them were made to stand up to huge screens.
I'm in no hurry to switch.............DVD still looks quite good to me, and the difference in quality between DVD and Blu-Ray doesn't justify in ANY way the extra expenditure for the Blu-Ray discs.
I'm so hoping that digital downloading doesn't become the only way to secure a movie in the future; it has it's place but not for collecting at home. I do love having Netflix Watch Instantly but I don't want that to become the only medium (or lack of a medium since there is no hard copy).
Speaking of cartoons; One thing that I really think can show the ability of your home theater be it dvd, Blu-ray player, standard or HD tv is CGI flicks! If you have a crappy set up you will loose so much of that meticulously placed fine detail; in CGI textures aren't natural they are painstakingly created hair by hair, bump by bump, scale by scale, etc. That being said, again my standard dvd player and Plasma tv do an excellent job of capturing all that detail without me jumping to Blu-ray.
I have the 2005 release of the Wizard of OZ; when I get a chance I'll peruse it and see what, if any, detail I can see. I'm assuming this disc may be lacking as it wasn't released consecutively with the Blu-ray but the dvd release in 2010 probably isn't that far off from it's Blu-ray counterpart. Though I do recall seeing the burlap texture on the Scarecrow's face for the first time when we watched the dvd.
Also as far as Blu-rays life expectancy is concerned; the industry is already working on:
Holographic Versatile Disc (HVD) is an optical disc technology that may one day hold up to 6 terabytes (TB) of information, although the current maximum is 500GB. It employs a technique known as collinear holography. InPhase Technologies were developing a rival holographic format called Tapestry Media, which they claim will eventually store 1.6 TB with a data transfer rate of 120 MB/s, and several companies are developing TB-level discs based on 3D optical data storage technology.
5D DVD, being developed in the Swinburne University of Technology in Melbourne, Australia, uses a multilaser system to encode and read data on multiple layers. Disc capacities are estimated at up to 10 terabytes, and the technology could be commercially ready within ten years.
Anyone notice that Lion King was unceremoniously dumped onto dvd this past week after having a huge market blitz for the Blu-ray release just a month earlier? This was one of the few Disney flicks we didn't have on dvd so when the commercials started airing the wife and I pretty much new it was a given that we would pick it up. Well it's Oct. 4th Blu-ray release date neared and I investigated to see about picking up the dvd only to find out that you had to either wait until Nov. 15th to get the dvd or buy the Blu-ray/dvd combo pack?!? A co-worker told me that he bought the combo pack because he knew his grandkids would like the movie and he couldn't find the standalone dvd: How many other uninformed consumers did the same thing, thusly boosting the Lion Kings Blu-ray sales in the process? If these are the kind of tactics they have to resort to to sell Blu-ray then they should really just give it up.
Not only that but like so many other newer dvd releases the Lion King as hardly any bonus features (I think there is some kind of retrospective documentary about the film)!
The Blu-ray Association and other sources are touting Blu-ray players being in 30 million homes but what they don't tell you is that there are 70 million homes with HD tv's! Also there is much boasting that current releases Blu-ray numbers are outselling dvds but if you look at the charts it is usually only the top 5 new releases that garner those sales. That isn't very impressive for the 5 year old format in my opinion.
(http://i41.tinypic.com/2uel4q0.jpg)
DVDs (standard or Blu Ray) are obselete.
The future will be streaming once rights are bought and bandwidth is allotted. I'm not investing more money in a soon to be dead technology.
Look at what has happened to NetFlix. Their streaming library is great for older movies, good luck finding a newer one. Vudu is expensive to rent, but they have alot of new releases for rent or purchase. Granted, a digital collection doesn't look as cool as a DVD one on a shelf, but it is the future.
So many thoughts to agree and disagree on lol. I have a BR player but not a BR tv. Though I do plan on getting one after Christmas. I have no intention of replacing all of my DVDs but will buy select BRs on certain movies. One thing that bothers me is that Pirates (?) is only available in a DVD/BR pack. Should make it one or the other and let a lot of us buy the DVD without having to spend for the more expensive BR. A local second hand shop is now selling BRs for $5 now.
I do believe BR will eventually replace DVD as prices continue to come down but I still have VHS tapes in my library. Heck, I even still have 78s in my audio library!. (Yes, I do have CDs) I also agree that downloading will soon replace BR but I will always want something I can hold my hands on to. Maybe its the collector in me but how can you show off what you have.? Ten years from now, we'll be showing a picture of a small silver plastic box with ear plugs and small adhesive circles for our eyes and saying: "See my collection?"
As blu-ray prices come down (and they have alot), I have been buying favorite (mostly classic) films that benefit being in the blu-ray format. On a really big screen, there really is a remarkable detail difference in most films. I always read the internet blu-ray reviews of any particular title I am interested in, which are VERY helpful in making choices.
In most of the cases, I have been able to get BR/DVD combos for about the same price as I used to pay for DVD's or lower. I got both Toy Story and Toy Story 2 the week they were released on BR both for less than $30 when I paid something like $40-50 back in the recent day for the 2 pack of DVD's.
So, even if I didn't have an HD set up, I would be fine with getting a BR under those conditions as a way of future proofing my collection.
As it turns out, DVD is a currently a really mobile format (there are small w/screen DVD players that you can carry around or set up in cars. There are smaller TV's in the house with a DVD player connected) while the blu ray format is generally confined to the main video/audio set up with the largest TV in a given house. The DVD/BR combos are a recognition of that.
Quote from: Zombiology on November 21, 2011, 04:24:39 PM
So many thoughts to agree and disagree on lol. I have a BR player but not a BR tv. Though I do plan on getting one after Christmas. I have no intention of replacing all of my DVDs but will buy select BRs on certain movies. One thing that bothers me is that Pirates (?) is only available in a DVD/BR pack. Should make it one or the other and let a lot of us buy the DVD without having to spend for the more expensive BR. A local second hand shop is now selling BRs for $5 now.
I do believe BR will eventually replace DVD as prices continue to come down but I still have VHS tapes in my library. Heck, I even still have 78s in my audio library!. (Yes, I do have CDs) I also agree that downloading will soon replace BR but I will always want something I can hold my hands on to. Maybe its the collector in me but how can you show off what you have.? Ten years from now, we'll be showing a picture of a small silver plastic box with ear plugs and small adhesive circles for our eyes and saying: "See my collection?"
The notion that "the end is near" for DVDs (and eventually blu-ray) is exactly why I am buying what I want now, when it's cheap and available. I've been averaging $3-$6 for DVDs and have gotten many classics on blu-ray for $8-$10. On a few (like LOST SOULS) I'll spring and pay a little more, and have never been disappointed.
Quote from: BaronLatos35 on November 21, 2011, 03:47:58 PM
DVDs (standard or Blu Ray) are obselete.
The future will be streaming once rights are bought and bandwidth is allotted. I'm not investing more money in a soon to be dead technology.
Look at what has happened to NetFlix. Their streaming library is great for older movies, good luck finding a newer one. Vudu is expensive to rent, but they have alot of new releases for rent or purchase. Granted, a digital collection doesn't look as cool as a DVD one on a shelf, but it is the future.
Streaming has decades before it destroys any physical media for the most part people still want to feel/touch/hold what they are buying! Digital downloading of music has been going on for how long? But cd's still aren't going anywhere! Seems to me that arguing that streaming movies will keep people from buying dvd/Blu-ray is like arguing that video stores will keep people from buying movies?!? Or hell that libraries will keep people from buying printed media. Netflix is great if you want to watch it before you buy it but I'd bet for the most part people are still buying their favorite films as opposed to counting on streaming them.
Quote from: Zombiology on November 21, 2011, 04:24:39 PM
One thing that bothers me is that Pirates (?) is only available in a DVD/BR pack. Should make it one or the other and let a lot of us buy the DVD without having to spend for the more expensive BR. A local second hand shop is now selling BRs for $5 now.
I do believe BR will eventually replace DVD as prices continue to come down but I still have VHS tapes in my library. Heck, I even still have 78s in my audio library!. (Yes, I do have CDs) I also agree that downloading will soon replace BR but I will always want something I can hold my hands on to. Maybe its the collector in me but how can you show off what you have.? Ten years from now, we'll be showing a picture of a small silver plastic box with ear plugs and small adhesive circles for our eyes and saying: "See my collection?"
Are you referring to Pirates of the Caribbean On Stranger Tides? If so that one was another case of the dvd being released nearly a month after the Blu-ray/dvd combo pack! The combo pack came out on Oct. 18 but the standalone dvd didn't hit until Nov. 15th. Just more tactics by the Blu-ray Association to get folks buying those Blu-rays; They are clearly counting on the impatience of consumers who just have to have a flick now and of course the uninformed consumer that doesn't realize they just have to wait a month to get the standalone dvd!
Again I don't see digital downloading replacing physical media anytime soon....then again I don't see Blu-ray replacing dvd anytime soon, although the Blu-ray Association is trying their damnedest to make it happen; i.e. dvd's with little to no special features, later release dates and they are continually dropping the price point for older Blu-ray releases.
Quote from: Monster Bob on November 21, 2011, 06:25:05 PM
The notion that "the end is near" for DVDs (and eventually blu-ray) is exactly why I am buying what I want now, when it's cheap and available. I've been averaging $3-$6 for DVDs and have gotten many classics on blu-ray for $8-$10. On a few (like LOST SOULS) I'll spring and pay a little more, and have never been disappointed.
I think the next step for dvd is online only ordering (still several years away); As stores are pressured to expand their Blu-ray sections whilst shrinking their dvd sections retailers will start offering dvd strictly thru online shopping. Merchandisers and manufacturers, hell even the Blu-ray Association can't deny there is still a demand for dvd and I'll bet they aren't willing to just ignore that by stopping dvd manufacturing all together and chance losing a huge chunk of revenue.
Quote from: zombiehorror on November 21, 2011, 07:08:20 PM
Streaming has decades before it destroys any physical media for the most part people still want to feel/touch/hold what they are buying! Digital downloading of music has been going on for how long? But cd's still aren't going anywhere! Seems to me that arguing that streaming movies will keep people from buying dvd/Blu-ray is like arguing that video stores will keep people from buying movies?!? Or hell that libraries will keep people from buying printed media. Netflix is great if you want to watch it before you buy it but I'd bet for the most part people are still buying their favorite films as opposed to counting on streaming them.
I wouldn't say decades, more like years. You can get $5.00 DVDs and BRs will be cheaper as well, doesn't mean they will be dominant in a few years. They will go the slow death of CDs. Of course people can still buy CDs, they are in the minority though. I still have my records, tapes and CDs. I've bought a few records over the past 3-4 years (still looking for a few Sabbath ones) otherwise, I haven't bought a new CD in years. Most CDs are filled with fluff these days. Gone are the days of liking the whole album. Even my favorite bands do this. I downloaded Maiden's Final Frontier off their website for $7 and maybe half the songs I still listen too. CDs and DVDs will be available for a niche market, much like records are today, but in no way will they be the dominant format.
A new day my friend.
As far as I am concerned, I don't really "have it", unless I have it on a physical piece of media (or at least my own hard drive). If I have to stream it off of another server, it can be taken away. Also my viewing it depends on good streaming conditions and while the quality of the best stuff is fine for casual viewing it doesn't do for your special movies and shows. I consider streaming as sort of "instant renting".
I stream a ton of stuff, but I want a physical disc if it's a favorite flick. I want the artwork and the booklet. I want to dust the thing along with the rest of my collection.
Damn!
I'm really feeling my age.
All this technology is getting too much. It wasn't that long ago, I finally gave up on Beta and went over to VHS.
Now Scatter is talking about steaming videos. Doesn't all that heat and moisture ruin the tape?
Quote from: Fester on November 23, 2011, 05:12:20 PM
Damn!
I'm really feeling my age.
All this technology is getting too much. It wasn't that long ago, I finally gave up on Beta and went over to VHS.
Now Scatter is talking about steaming videos. Doesn't all that heat and moisture ruin the tape?
Look again. Your eyes are obviously going. ;D ;)
Never mind ::)
Quote from: Scatter on February 27, 2011, 03:53:58 PM
I'm in no hurry to switch.............DVD still looks quite good to me, and the difference in quality between DVD and Blu-Ray doesn't justify in ANY way the extra expenditure for the Blu-Ray discs.
Agreed. I love technology, but I don't have the time, $$ or the inclination to replace my movies (& music) every 10yrs.
I'm PO'ed that DVD recorders with hard drives are near impossible to find for purchase. Buddy
For me, I bought in to the whole bluray explosion a few years ago. I knew bluray would prevail over
the other competitors. But, it doesn't negate the fact that, I will replace or switch~out my dvd, vhs
collection for bluray. Bluray is just another option. Some bluray titles have never been released on dvd.
Especially Horror and Exploitation titles.
Quote from: marsattacks666 on November 29, 2011, 07:29:35 AM
Some bluray titles have never been released on dvd.
Especially Horror and Exploitation titles.
And conversely, some VHS has never been released on DVD. Probably won't now.
Quote from: Zombiology on November 29, 2011, 05:34:47 PM
And conversely, some VHS has never been released on DVD. Probably won't now.
I agree. Many, many titles. Or should say, thousands.
Sorry Baron, but you couldn't be more wrong.
DVD and Blu-Ray aren't going anywhere. I've never streamed a movie or TV show and I don't plan to start. I am all about the ownership of the physical media, and so are millions of others. People enjoy collecting libraries of their favorite movies, TV shows and music. Hell, even
vinyl is making a comback! Ten years ago, who thought you'd be able to go into a store and buy new records?
It's all about the joy of ownership. Think of it this way...even if everybody on earth had public transportation, there's still gonna be people who want to buy a car drive themselves.
Quote from: BaronLatos35 on November 22, 2011, 08:42:06 AM
I wouldn't say decades, more like years. You can get $5.00 DVDs and BRs will be cheaper as well, doesn't mean they will be dominant in a few years. They will go the slow death of CDs. Of course people can still buy CDs, they are in the minority though. I still have my records, tapes and CDs. I've bought a few records over the past 3-4 years (still looking for a few Sabbath ones) otherwise, I haven't bought a new CD in years. Most CDs are filled with fluff these days. Gone are the days of liking the whole album. Even my favorite bands do this. I downloaded Maiden's Final Frontier off their website for $7 and maybe half the songs I still listen too. CDs and DVDs will be available for a niche market, much like records are today, but in no way will they be the dominant format.
A new day my friend.
Now I've heard reports by a local radio personality that 3D TV's deliver a superior picture using 2D discs.
Anyone out there gone the 3d route yet? Do your old 2D DVD's look any better on the new set?
Quote from: Monsters For Sale on December 02, 2011, 08:48:55 PM
Now I've heard reports by a local radio personality that 3D TV's deliver a superior picture using 2D discs.
Anyone out there gone the 3d route yet? Do your old 2D DVD's look any better on the new set?
I'm really jonesing to get Samsung's 59" 1080p 600hz 3D plasma (currently around $1200) but unless it rains money sometime soon it won't be happening! That being said I think the local radio personality is seeing what he wants and not what is actually on screen! In my opinion a dvd isn't going to look any better on a 3D HD display than it is on a regular HD display because the resolution is still going to be based on the dvd player/Blu-ray player playing it.
Quote from: zombiehorror on December 02, 2011, 09:08:24 PM
I'm really jonesing to get Samsung's 59" 1080p 600hz 3D plasma (currently around $1200) but unless it rains money sometime soon it won't be happening! That being said I think the local radio personality is seeing what he wants and not what is actually on screen! In my opinion a dvd isn't going to look any better on a 3D HD display than it is on a regular HD display because the resolution is still going to be based on the dvd player/Blu-ray player playing it.
Hi-Res TV's claim to give an "upgraded" picture from standard-res DVD's, but I don't know if it is true, I a still using a standard 3x4 27" TV.
Are they still making Plasma TV's? I seem to remember the maker of what was, at the time, the best of them (Pioneer?) had stopped making them because of the high costs and energy requirements of the sets. There was also concern about the heat they produced and somewhat limited life expectancy. This was quite some time ago.
I remember when high end Plasmas were $10,000.00!
I must say, $1,200.00 for 5 ft. of Plasma TV sounds pretty darn good.
Quote from: Monsters For Sale on December 02, 2011, 09:24:18 PM
Hi-Res TV's claim to give an "upgraded" picture from standard-res DVD's, but I don't know if it is true, I a still using a standard 3x4 27" TV.
Are they still making Plasma TV's? I seem to remember the maker of what was, at the time, the best of them (Pioneer?) had stopped making them because of the high costs and energy requirements of the sets. There was also concern about the heat they produced and somewhat limited life expectancy. This was quite some time ago.
I remember when high end Plasmas were $10,000.00!
I must say, $1,200.00 for 5 ft. of Plasma TV sounds pretty darn good.
Yep plasma is still around! I've had mine for, I dunno, 6 or so years and my energy bill has remained the same...LOL. When I went to purchase my flat panel it was all about just staring at that wall of tv's and choosing the one that I thought gave the best picture for me it was plasma...I love my plasma! Heck who knows maybe I'll go back and stare at that wall of flat panels and be blown away by an LCD or LED!? My living room is a rectangle with the tv on one of the longer walls so viewing from any angle is extremely important, plasma (at least at the time) was the only display you could see when standing directly to the side of it. My brothers tv is an LED and I noticed that even viewing it from a 45% angle gave the picture a funhouse effect, distorting faces/bodies for some reason!?
As far as the dvd upgrade it is common knowledge that dvd's will look better on an HD tv especially with a player that has upscale as a feature. A dvd's resolution is 720x480 or 480i, with progressive scan on it is 480p. (i) interlaced is inferior to (p) progressive by the way! Interlaced samples every other line of a dvd whereas progressive scans line after line giving a superior picture. With an upscale feature it is possible to get 1080p but you may also end up with 1080i or 720(i)(p) but it will never match true HD.
I really cannot wait to do a true-in-home side-by-side comparison of a dvd to a Blu-ray! My Panasonic dvd player has progressive scan but does not upscale and the picture is pretty damned clear/detailed to me. I read a review of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre Blu-ray (from 2008) so I popped in my TCM dvd (from 2003) and noticed all the same stuff that the Blu-ray reviewer mentioned; pin stripping on someone's pants, being able to read some of the signs at the gas station and the dings and dents on the van. I think a lot of Blu-ray hype comes from reviewers not using the dvd as a comparison but as I stated I've not done a true side-by-side for myself. Not sure if I mentioned this in this topic before but I recall when HD first started coming out and you could find dvds that stated, "Remastered from HD print" right on the front or on the back in the specifications but I guess someone decided that that wasn't a very smart thing to do when you're pushing a new format!! Now going on to a different release lets just say that Munster, Go Home! (which I compared to a previous dvd release here http://www.universalmonsterarmy.com/forum/index.php?topic=13403.msg232990#msg232990 (http://www.universalmonsterarmy.com/forum/index.php?topic=13403.msg232990#msg232990) ) was released only on Blu-ray instead of dvd back in 2006 as the Two-Film Fright Fest, every Blu-ray reviewer out there would have been jumping head over heels claiming the superiority of this "HD" release compared to it's dvd brother when it actually would have had little to do with the film being presented in HD as much as it had to do with someone taking the time to do the film justice, no matter the format!
I think I got off topic?!?
I'm glad you did - I'm grateful for the information.
Thanks.
Quote from: Monsters For Sale on December 02, 2011, 08:48:55 PM
Now I've heard reports by a local radio personality that 3D TV's deliver a superior picture using 2D discs.
Anyone out there gone the 3d route yet? Do your old 2D DVD's look any better on the new set?
I think it is more that 3D TV's are more high end and have higher refresh rates that can improve the look of some video (increasing smoothness in motion shots, etc)
Basic HDTV's have a 60hz refresh rate (the number of times per second the TV refreshes the picture) and can exhibit "choppiness" and streaking with fast moving images. I bet the radio personality was reacting to seeing a smoother image instead of a real increase in quality. I have a 2D TV with a 120hz refresh rate. Most 3D TV's come with at least a 240hz refresh rate, on 2D TV, thay would be a bit overkill but 3D cuts the peceptive refresh rate in half when a viewer is viewing 3D properly through the shutter glasses (which sytematically shuts out half the images for each eye).
The benefits of watching regular DVD on HDTV as opposed to a standard set are thay old TV's never show a full picture at any one time. The TV first shows the odd lines, then the even lines so fast that you see it as one picture (it's called interlaced scaning). This was to save bandwidth for TV transmition back in the day. The drawbacks were that the overall picture was less bright, had more flicker and any stripped pattern would have a shimmer to it because the odd and even lines are flashing quickly back and forth.
With any HDTV, all lines in the picture are shown at once (progressive scaning) which makes for a more solid picture.
Resolution wise, TV has 500 lines, HDTV has either 720 lines or 1080 lines. The more lines there is, the more "solid" the picture looks, no matter what you play on it.
So, a DVD has 480 lines of resolution but played on a HDTV that picture is handled by at least 720 lines of resolution, scanned progressively, instead of interlaced (early 1080 line HDTV's were also interlaced, but the line structure was so small, it was not subject to the same problems that standard TV had for interlaced scan) that DVD is going to look a lot better.
Quote from: Mego73 on December 02, 2011, 11:10:56 PM
I think it is more that 3D TV's are more high end and have higher refresh rates that can improve the look of some video (increasing smoothness in motion shots, etc)
Basic HDTV's have a 60hz refresh rate (the number of times per second the TV refreshes the picture) and can exhibit "choppiness" and streaking with fast moving images. I bet the radio personality was reacting to seeing a smoother image instead of a real increase in quality. I have a 2D TV with a 120hz refresh rate. Most 3D TV's come with a 240hz refresh rate, on 2D TV, thay would be a bit overkill but 3D cuts the peceptive refresh rate in half when a viewer is viewing 3D properly through the shutter glasses (which sytematically shuts out half the images for each eye).
I think that as far as refresh rate goes with dvd there isn't going to be any difference....at least on a high end tv! I've never experienced blurring/streaking or any pixelization when viewing dvds but my brothers tv (not sure on specs) as always plagued him with these problems; He couldn't believe how gorgeous Finding Nemo looked on my tv compared to his! Then again is it due to refresh rate? Cheaper tv? Older dvd player? Now with Netflix streaming I do see some ghosting/pixelization on fast moving objects but then again is it due to my tv and it's 60hz or the stream itself? I will not be able to answer effectively until I get that new tv!!!
Quote from: zombiehorror on December 02, 2011, 11:17:43 PM
I think that as far as refresh rate goes with dvd there isn't going to be any difference....at least on a high end tv! I've never experienced blurring/streaking or any pixelization when viewing dvds but my brothers tv (not sure on specs) as always plagued him with these problems; He couldn't believe how gorgeous Finding Nemo looked on my tv compared to his! Then again is it due to refresh rate? Cheaper tv? Older dvd player? Now with Netflix streaming I do see some ghosting/pixelization on fast moving objects but then again is it due to my tv and it's 60hz or the stream itself? I will not be able to answer effectively until I get that new tv!!!
It could be anything from him connecting the DVD player in anyway but a Componant or HDMI connection to the type of panel
http://www.pchardwarehelp.com/guides/lcd-panel-types.php (http://www.pchardwarehelp.com/guides/lcd-panel-types.php)
My TV is a 37" Panasonic with 120hz and an IPS panel. I don't notice much of anything in the way of ghosting or streaking (pixalization depends on the source, Netflix streaming is more compressed so you will notice pixalation). DVD's look great on it, which wasn't as much the case for mu first HDTV. It was an off brand budget model I got for Xmas. I couldn't understand how anyone could say DVD can look almost or as good as blu ray because on this TV blu ray looked great and DVD was good but quite lacking compared to Blu ray.
That budget TV developed a blemish in the screen and I replaced it with the Panasonic. Now I know why some say DVD can rival blu ray. This TV makes DVD look much more beautiful. I can still see that it's not as much resolution compared to blu ray but it still looks pretty.
One of the nagging aspects of my older TV was thay there was some "shimmer" on any material that had sharp lines and panning. For instance, I really wasn't able to enjoy the blu ray of Nightmare before Christmas until my new TV (looks fab on my new TV) because all that line textured landscape would shimmer whenever it moved. My old TV was 60hz but I am told that wouldn't cause it and the TV was 1080p so it wasn't a 1080i interlace issue (guess it might be the panel type).
Finally bit the bullet! My wife (and the girls) wanted to get "me" a Bluray player but she didn't want to pick it out so Saturday after work I did some shopping around. I ended up getting a Sony BDV-E385 (home theater in a box as they are reffered to), Bluray, 3D, fm radio, wifi w/Netflix and a ton of other music/media apps I'll probably never use!
Originally my wife said I'd have to wait to open it until Christmas but I bribed the girls with Spaceballs (picked it up for 4 bucks over the weekend), they both wanted to watch it but I told them, "We can't because it's on Bluray and I can't open the Bluray player until Christmas!", they both decided that it needed to be opened immediately!
So I hooked it up and we watched Spaceballs! The wife and I still didn't see a big difference between the Bluray and most dvd's we've watched!? I had our old system hooked up thru component cables (at one time considered the best hookup for video) and it had progressive scan, as well as a setting for viewing on plasma tv's. The sound though is definitely top notch and much clearer than our old dvd system. Then again the old system was only around 600 watts whereas the new one is 1000! The one thing I will miss is the old Panasonic was a 5 dvd/cd changer.......then again with the new one I can put movies/music on a hard drive or usb and have entertainment for hours on end or link to my home pcs media.
Next step is that 3D tv, which I think I'm gonna try for a Vizio 50" lcd 1080p 3D smart tv......not sure when that may be.
An added bonus, now I get the HD content on Netflix! Black Sabbath in HD.........Yes please!
Quote from: Mego73 on December 03, 2011, 01:10:21 AM
...
One of the nagging aspects of my older TV was thay there was some "shimmer" on any material that had sharp lines and panning. For instance, I really wasn't able to enjoy the blu ray of Nightmare before Christmas until my new TV (looks fab on my new TV) because all that line textured landscape would shimmer whenever it moved. My old TV was 60hz but I am told that wouldn't cause it and the TV was 1080p so it wasn't a 1080i interlace issue (guess it might be the panel type).
I sometimes get different colored rainbow effects when someone in a b&w movie is wearing a herring-bone suit. Is that the "shimmer" you are talking about?
No, what you talk about is different. Does that effect happen with a true HD signal?
Quote from: Monsters For Sale on January 03, 2014, 01:34:29 PM
I sometimes get different colored rainbow effects when someone in a b&w movie is wearing a herring-bone suit. Is that the "shimmer" you are talking about?
I may at some point in the future get some blue ray films but for now I am quite happy with dvds as I have a bulk of vintage tv shows on the dvd format and really do not see the need for tv broadcast items to be upgraded to blue ray as tv back then was not the best.
For film on the other hand it would be worth it to eventually upgrade some big screen movies like Forbidden Planet , etc
Quote from: WnewCreatureFeatures on January 03, 2014, 04:11:28 PM
For film on the other hand it would be worth it to eventually upgrade some big screen movies like Forbidden Planet , etc
As long as you are getting the film remastered & restored (especially when done within the last decade) it really doesn't matter whether you go with dvd or Blu-ray. The only exception would sometimes be special features which Blu-ray generally offers more of...unless it happens to be a 2 (or more) dvd set!
No.
I totally disagree. There is no comparison of DVD vs. blu-ray on a contemporary, higher-end TV set.
I still collect DVD when I have to (like there is nothing else available, but want the material), but the image from [esp. restored] blu-ray discs played on the newest generation TVs are better than I ever remember them in the theater, and super HD televison programs/movies are truly startling visually on the new better brand sets (like Panasonic)- almost as if you are watching a live image through a glass window. Same is true with 3D on the newest, large screen 3D televisions. Absolutely AMAZING. Old films on blu-ray that come immediately to mind as dropping me off the couch are Creature From The Black Lagoon, Mary Poppins, House of Wax 3D, Wizard of Oz 3D, and The Sound Of Music. The 3D Creature blu-ray looks so good, on close-ups you can easily tell it's a rubber suit!
It is true, regular DVDs look a bit better on a newer set and blu-ray player.
I was checking out the newest TV sets at Costco the other day and POW...whatever the source they were using was spectacular. I need to get it in gear before the new baseball season gets here!!
And with some TV shows, they can look great too. It is a double edged sword since you can see things they were betting on you not seeing on TV (example: on Star Trek, they used a mesh, instead of glass on the helmets of their space suit to avoid reflections and pick up dialog. It looks like a clear faceplate on old TV, looks like mesh in HD) but you also see the great cinematography done in some Star Treks and Twilight Zones.
Quote from: Monster Bob on January 03, 2014, 11:43:27 PM
I totally disagree. There is no comparison on a high end set.
I still collect DVD when I have to (like there is nothing else available, but want the material), but the image from [esp. restored] blu-ray discs played on the newest generation TVs are better than I ever remember them in the theater, and super HD televison programs/movies are truly startling visually on the new better brand sets (like Panasonic)- almost as if you are watching a live image through a glass window. Same is true with 3D on the newest, large screen 3D televisions. Absolutely AMAZING. Old films on blu-ray that come immediately to mind as dropping me off the couch are Creature From The Black Lagoon, Mary Poppins, House of Wax, and The Sound Of Music. The 3D Creature blu-ray looks so good, on close-ups you can easily tell it's a rubber suit!
My personal recommendation is a Panasonic VIERA 60" 3D plasma. WONDERFUL color. Tough to find in a store, though.
http://reviews.cnet.com/flat-panel-tvs/panasonic-tc-p60st60/4505-6482_7-35566952.html (http://reviews.cnet.com/flat-panel-tvs/panasonic-tc-p60st60/4505-6482_7-35566952.html)
Cnet rates it ***** "Spectacular", additionally, I agree with the consumer review on cnet.com- "the best picture I have ever seen on a television set".
Quote from: Monster Bob on January 03, 2014, 11:43:27 PM
I totally disagree. There is no comparison of DVD vs. blu-ray on a contemporary, higher-end TV set.
Just curious, do you actually have dvd/Blu-ray combos that you've compared?
I do.
I won't be re-buying anything on BD. There is a small improvement, especially on newer movies, but my money is better spent elsewhere. The difference between VHS and DVD was huge. The difference between DVD and BD...not so much. The only BDs I have are the combo packs I was forced to buy (to get the DVDs) of Vampire Circus and Twins Of Evil. The Blue Ray discs look great on my PS3, but the DVDs look close enough that I won't be dropping big bucks on a bunch of BDs when I've already got it on DVD. I'd rather spend the money on other parts of my collection.
Quote from: Mego73 on January 03, 2014, 11:52:11 PM
It is a double edged sword since you can see things they were betting on you not seeing on TV (example: on Star Trek, they used a mesh, instead of glass on the helmets of their space suit to avoid reflections and pick up dialog. It looks like a clear faceplate on old TV, looks like mesh in HD)
I think a lot of these "new" discoveries are because we're watching movies now with the thought that since it is HD there is going to be new stuff to discover in the first place! I've read so many Blu-ray reviews touting some new found texture, wire or some other detail in a movie and we I check (even an older dvd sometimes) the detail is usually noticed....we just weren't so focused on finding it! I noticed with A&C meet Frankenstein Blu-ray there is a wire visible when Dracula is looking in a window in bat form; well this is also present when I put the HD print on a standard dvd and even on older dvd releases! I'm betting you couldn't see it on VHS but then the image was darker and had more grain/noise!
There was also talk of how amazing the scarecrows make up looked in HD and how you could see the potato sack pattern in it....well guess what, this is also present in the dvd version I have!
One reviewer mentions all the dents, dings and scratches that were on the van and detail on signs in the gas station scene in an HD print of Texas Chainsaw Massacre...well again, all that stuff is clearly visible in the dvd I have!
Here's another one I thought of; In the HD print of Frankenstein there was some mention of the bulge on Baron Frankenstein's (Frederick Kerr) neck.....yep, you guessed it! Just as easily visible on dvd!
I'm really hoping to get a 50" (maybe a little bigger depending on price) 3D Vizio some time this year to do another Blu-ray vs dvd comparison, my Samsung 50" plasma is at least 7 years old and I don't see a gigantic improvement from one to the other......I was blown away by my sister's 60" Vizio when I saw it in action a few weeks ago; but I also don't see why the tv itself would effect the look of a Blu-ray vs a dvd!
I love the blu-ray format and frankly have trouble watching some things on DVD now. Seeing pristine HD images on bd, and then switching back to DVD, where I notice blocky, pixilated imagery, makes me wonder why some folks can't see the upgrade.
I still have plenty of stuff on DVD -- and for vintage TV series, b-movies, etc. -- it's just fine. But a widescreen classic like Lawrence of Arabia, The Great Escape and such? The increased definition/detail/clarity makes an enormous difference. The sound is better too, y'know.
And the restored Dracula on blu? Astounding!
I have slowly upgraded my favorite films to blu-ray (waited for sales, one-day deals on amazon, etc.) -- and won't buy anything on DVD if a blu-ray is available. I finally feel like we have something that nearly replicates the theater experience at home.
Quote from: Scary Terry on January 05, 2014, 03:02:39 PM
I love the blu-ray format and frankly have trouble watching some things on DVD now. Seeing pristine HD images on bd, and then switching back to DVD, where I notice blocky, pixilated imagery, makes me wonder why some folks can't see the upgrade....
How big is your screen - and what brand/model?
What Blu-Ray player do you have?
LG 46 inch TV. Sharp BD player.
But I recently tried watching the DVD of GREAT ESCAPE on the much smaller TV in our bedroom -- and the low image quality of the DVD was evident there, too.
Quote from: Scary Terry on January 05, 2014, 07:49:17 PM
But I recently tried watching the DVD of GREAT ESCAPE on the much smaller TV in our bedroom -- and the low image quality of the DVD was evident there, too.
Not surprising that a dvd released in 2004 featuring a print done in 2001 looks less than stellar; unless of course you are watching a previous dvd release (1998?) then it would definitely look low quality!
Well said, Terry.
Quote from: horrorhunter on January 04, 2014, 01:45:10 PM
I won't be re-buying anything on BD. There is a small improvement, especially on newer movies, but my money is better spent elsewhere. The difference between VHS and DVD was huge. The difference between DVD and BD...not so much. The only BDs I have are the combo packs I was forced to buy (to get the DVDs) of Vampire Circus and Twins Of Evil. The Blue Ray discs look great on my PS3, but the DVDs look close enough that I won't be dropping big bucks on a bunch of BDs when I've already got it on DVD. I'd rather spend the money on other parts of my collection.
I forgot to mention that I did buy the new Universal set on BD when I found a good deal. In all fairness I have to state that I don't have a big screen TV. I'm also not disputing the fact that BD, on the average, is an improvement over DVD. I just feel that the small amount of extra money I have is better spent on things I want more than the difference between DVD and BD. Another thing is that I'm just tired of buying the same movies over and over. With all the great extras, better picture, and longevity, of DVD over any medium prior to it I just built my movie library with DVD and decided to call a halt to incessantly buying the same movies over and over again. If I had unlimited spending money I would go BD with anything possible. I would just rather spend my extra money on toys, comics, and monster mags.
Regarding DVD longevity, I know some people have been concerned with disc rot. The only thing I can say is that I haven't run into a single case where any of my DVDs have stopped playing over time. I know DVD hasn't been around that long, and my oldest ones are only around 13 years old, but I had VHS which screwed up as quickly as a few months from the time I bought them. Some broke, some just stopped playing, and some developed such terrible picture and sound that they were unviewable. A few years ago I burned every VHS tape I had onto disc, that I didn't already have on factory DVD. Of the 200 or so tapes I had 25-30 of them wouldn't even play after 10-15 years. All that lost video left a bad taste for VHS. I don't know how long our DVDs will last, but mine have already outlasted those tapes I copied. Like Mike Scott said in another thread, "As long as we take care of our discs they will probably outlast us".
Yeah -- GREAT ESCAPE is an old disc. But I notice the lesser picture quality on newer DVDs too.
That said -- I have DVDs that look great (VALLEY OF GWANGI for one) and Blu-rays that have bad transfers and stink up the joint (BODY HEAT -- a damn shame they issued such a lousy version). But all in all, the increased definition of blu-ray makes a difference to my eye -- and when watching something that looks as rich and pristine on blu as, say, ZULU -- I'm in movie heaven.
If your mileage varies -- well, that's what makes horse races.
I have seen some DVD's look good and some not but I can always tell the difference. If it so happens your DVD is of a letterboxed movie that is non anamorphic, it can look pretty ragged on HDTV's
Quote from: zombiehorror on January 05, 2014, 08:44:30 PM
Not surprising that a dvd released in 2004 featuring a print done in 2001 looks less than stellar; unless of course you are watching a previous dvd release (1998?) then it would definitely look low quality!