Blu-ray, in General

[Michael Kerpan]

I love the argument that Blu-Ray is worse than DVD because Blu-Ray is only worth bothering about if you can afford the ultimate dream home theater system -- and since most people can't, why bother.

[Napier]

I love the argument that Blu-Ray is worse than DVD because Blu-Ray is only worth bothering about if you can afford the ultimate dream home theater system -- and since most people can't, why bother.

I bought my awesome home theater one piece at a time. The most expensive being the 52 in. HDTV. I got over $300 worth of Best Buy gift cards after that big purchase too. That pretty much paid for the sound system. Best Buy are even offering 36 months of no interest on purchases over $2,000.00 These people who continue to bitch about Blu-ray and upgrading are running out of arguments.

[Michael Kerpan]

Blu-Ray sound is just fine when piped through our regular 15 year old (middle-tier) receiver to our 10 year old Klipsch speakers. Our BR player co-exists on the very same system with a turntable.

[rwaits]

Some sales numbers from an interesting article in The Times

[Gregory]

I agree that buying new audio equipment is really not necessary to benefit from Blu-ray.

Best Buy are even offering 36 months of no interest on purchases over $2,000.00 These people who continue to bitch about Blu-ray and upgrading are running out of arguments.

Even interest-free purchases of large-ticket items can be irresponsible when you consider that the average U.S. household with credit cards has an average of between $8,000-$10,000 in credit-card debt. It's shocking how many people replace perfectly functional equipment (and just about everything else) while being either loaded with consumer debt and/or are living paycheck-to-paycheck with virtually no savings. A huge number of people simply don't care about better resolution, audio etc. If people are happy with what they have, for once, I think that's great. The less electronics equipment being sent off to toxic dumps the better. I think people should be more skeptical ("bitching" more, as some would put it) about consumerist pressure to "upgrade."
Do I plan to get a Blu-Ray player myself? Yes, but then movies are far more important to me than most people I know. I could name several people I know who watch fewer than ten movies per year at home. How's that for another valid argument against buying new equipment?

[Tribe]

The main points of this argument could be applied with equal force to an explanation of why Gene Woodling was a better hitter than Mickey Mantle.

This totally cracks me up!!

[Napier]

How's that for another valid argument against buying new equipment?

A good point Gregory, they can have their Victrola's and be happy. I'll stick with my LED Samsung and Blu-ray. Different strokes.

["membrillo"]

"Best Buy are even offering 36 months of no interest on purchases over $2,000.00 These people who continue to bitch about Blu-ray and upgrading are running out of arguments."


I for one, am of the opinion that it is completely irresponsible to make a purchase like this on consumer credit. Even if they aren't charging you interest, the fact that you need to open a Best Buy credit card is bad enough. FICO getting double whacked for opening the credit line and then carrying 2 g's or more.

If you have a Best Buy credit card already, then my question is why? Their rates have to be terrible.

With that said, Blu-ray players are very inexpensive. Why not just buy a Blu-ray player, purchase Blu-ray's and save for the HDTV?

Realistically audio components aren't that necessary especially if the bulk of your viewing is CC Blu's. Seriously if audio is important to you, then you (probably) arent buying components/speakers at Best Buy anyway.

[domino harvey]

Wouldn't you know it, a new TV and Blu-ray player run you $1,999. That's how they get ya!

[manicsounds]

Blu-Ray sound is just fine when piped through our regular 15 year old (middle-tier) receiver to our 10 year old Klipsch speakers. Our BR player co-exists on the very same system with a turntable.

Same here! Well, my receiver is not that old, but I have the turntable, CD recorder, VHS (collecting dust), MD player (collecting dust), Super Nintendo, N64, Wii, and Bluray player all hooked up to the receiver.

I currently have a Standard-def widescreen TV, and differences between DVD and BR are negligible on my TV, but it'll be worth it when I get a new TV in the future.

As for price, currently, a lot of new releases have recently become cheaper on BD than the DVD counterparts, and not just in the US, but in Japan too! I got a bluray player at the right time, I think.

[Jonathan S]

It's totally backwards compatible with everybody's existing collections.

Only if you're willing to pay a lot more for a region-free Blu-player, whether or not you're interested in Blus from other regions. I have a Region B-locked Sony player (given to me) but lots of non-Region 2 DVDs that of course won't play on it! (I know there are cheaper region-free makes but I wouldn't consider them after no end of trouble with small-brand DVD players everybody else recommended in the early years of DVD.)

[ellipsis7]

It's totally backwards compatible with everybody's existing collections.

Only if you're willing to pay a lot more for a region-free Blu-player, whether or not you're interested in Blus from other regions. I have a Region B-locked Sony player (given to me) but lots of non-Region 2 DVDs that of course won't play on it! (I know there are cheaper region-free makes but I wouldn't consider them after no end of trouble with small-brand DVD players everybody else recommended in the early years of DVD.)

It should be possible to make your Sony Region Region B Blu Player multiregion/region free for DVDs easily - I did it with my Sony BDP S350 using a oneforall remote and hacks like this one - of course it remains locked to Region B for Blu, but given the richness of RB Blu releases, I am as yet not troubled by this...

[Jonathan S]

Unfortunately, mine is the S300, for which that site has no region hack. But maybe one will turn up - thanks for the suggestion.

[mikkelmark]

Unfortunately, mine is the S300, for which that site has no region hack. But maybe one will turn up - thanks for the suggestion.

I have heard that you can take it into a Sony Center, and for a small fee, they will make it region free (only for dvd). Should cost around $20, or something in that area.

[Jonathan S]

Thanks - I might investigate that, although if it involves physical modification, I'd be a bit nervous; years ago, a friend took his very expensive Sony DVD player into the local Sony Centre for region modding, and he had no end of problems with it afterwards!

[mikkelmark]

Thanks - I might investigate that, although if it involves physical modification, I'd be a bit nervous; years ago, a friend took his very expensive Sony DVD player into the local Sony Centre for region modding, and he had no end of problems with it afterwards!

Its not physical, they use a "dealer remote" for it.

[Blood Pie]

2: How many thousands of bucks have you spent over the last year on DVDs? And how much is a basic Blu player?

I think this is the biggest obstacle on this and many other forums where we have members with multi-thousand DVD collections who simply don't want the headache, time suck and financial investment involved with upgrading a collection that large.

That being said, even if you concede that point it shouldn't be used as a jumping off point to rant about why the format sucks or make other wild accusations, like Eureka inciting class war, because others are fine with the upgrade and welcome it.

[Michael Kerpan]

Some of us who have "gone blue" (perhap lots) have no plan to upgrade our collections, but only to make as many _new_ acquisitions in BR format as feasible. No one HAS to discard a single DVD they already own.

[oldsheperd]

I still don't buy every newly released dvd in blu ray. I bought World's Greatest Dad on dvd because 1) it was cheaper and 2) I don't think a movie like this will give me a better experience on blu ray.

[ellipsis7]

I buy on Blu only those films from directors (or related to) in my personal pantheon (6 or 7) - so Godard heads the lists of misses - DVDs are an absolutely fine 'aide memoire'...

[manicsounds]

Warner to issue Bluray/DVD/Digital Copy combos for all new releases

Dumb.... Dumb... Dumb...
Why are studios looking backwards and wasting money pressing extra discs with the same content? I said it elsewhere, but it's like Sony issuing a PlayStation-3 BD/PS2 DVD/PS1 CD/PSP disc combo set of the same game! It would make no sense at all, and same with movies....

[ellipsis7]

Makes a lot of sense insofar as many people have their main setup as BluRay & HDTV, but have 2nd or 3rd sets still DVD & SDTV... It also seems to apply just to new theatrical releases coming to DVD/BR, not necessarily any fresh DVD/BR release from their back catalogue...

[domino harvey]

I think it's the kind of thing that would make me more likely to switch over, so I'm who it appeals to. Me

[Oedipax]

I can see the reasoning behind it, but yuck. I hate having those occasional extra "digital copy" discs as it is. At least I can give the DVD copy away to a friend. I mostly just hate the way it tends to make the packaging excessive and gimmicky feeling.

[colinr0380]

Some of us who have "gone blue" (perhap lots) have no plan to upgrade our collections, but only to make as many _new_ acquisitions in BR format as feasible. No one HAS to discard a single DVD they already own.

Or VHS either, as I recently picked up a wonderful copy of Tampopo for 50 pence!