Can't Stomach Blu-Ray

[Tombfyre]

I just had to come on and say... i'm just not able to get into blu ray.... i can see the different on new films but old stuff doesn't seem any better.

I see that they are not releasing the revamped version of films i bought on DVD.. like star trek 2. Blu-Ray = Original Theater version.

When i see a blue ray and dvd movie side by side i just think... ok so i can make out a touch more detail.. but only becasue i'm looking for it. Why I ask, would i do that normally?

My soundsystem is only 100w perchannel max.. and 5.1.... i can't tell the difference between lossless and compressed audio on it lol....

I feel like they are goading me on to adopt a technology that almost feels meaningless! VHS to dvd seemed great... but blu-ray feels like a money tap for its backers.

GAH!... and so i continue to buy dvd... i continue to enjoy a film just as much on a dvd as a blu ray.. even on a high def tv. I know the blur is there from upscalling.. but it just doesn't seem to matter while you watch the movie!

 

[Hermiod]

Nobody is forcing you to buy Blu-Ray discs. DVD is not going anywhere, it's the most successful home entertainment format of all time.

I would argue that it's older films that have seen the most benefit as well, especially those that have been remastered.

 

[Rii]

Blu-Ray is a surprisingly small leap over DVD. Most successful new technologies incorporate far more significant advances over their predecessors. The 8MB Floppy Disk didn't take off either.

I was thinking that the LOTR EEs would be my first Blu-Ray purchase, but in their continued absence it may turn out to be the new Trek film instead.

 

[Amaris]

^ Yeah, Star Trek XI will be my first BluRay purchase, followed by a major BluRay purchase, i.e, the player.

J.

 

[Rii]

^ That might come in handy, yeah.

I've had a PS3 for a while now, no Blu-Rays yet though. Too expensive for my tastes.

 

[backstept]

it's just too expensive for me . . . I'd be out at least 2000 bucks just to watch 'em . . . I'd have to buy an HDTV, BD player, BD movies . . . just tooo pricey for me

 

[Nardpuncher]

Yeah...I've got a big enough TV..a DVD player and a bunch of good movies, and a decent sound system for it all...I really don't need a Blu-Ray.

 

[Michael Chris]

I love Blu-Ray, the increase in resolution can be astonishing.

 

[Warp Coil]

I can easily notice the difference between a standard-def DVD and a BluRay disc (just like I can notice the difference between SD and HD TV). However, I am pretty satisfied with the picture quality on most DVDs and I don't feel compelled to spend more money to buy a new BluRay player and then fork out more money to buy the discs (which are more expensive than regular DVDs). The jump in quality isn't so dramatic, and isn't so important, that it's worth the investment.

 

[CommodoreKong]

I recently bought an HDTV and the over the air HD broadcasts look gorgeous, but not enough for me to upgrade to Blu Ray. I bought an upconverting Oppo DVD player and I'm really happy with the image quality I get out of my DVDs even if they aren't quite HD quality.

 

[jefferiestubes8]

consumer video formats

i'm just not able to get into blu ray.... i can see the different on new films but old stuff doesn't seem any better.

It is said that an HD widescreen TV noticeable resolution starts around 40 inches of TV size.

I see that they are not releasing the revamped version of films i bought on DVD.. like star trek 2.

Paramount will undoubtedly release multiple versions of their films in Blu-ray. They always have.

DVD will be around for a long time. Blu-ray will eventually take over the format but maybe in 10-15 years.
FYI the largest VHS videotape distributor has officially stopped duplicating VHS tapes in December of 2008.
DVD was introduced in 1995 to the public.

You should be fine through 2020 with DVDs.

FYI there is another format that is expected to start broadcasting in 2015 or so:
Super Hi-Vision (SHV), also known as Ultra High Definition (UHD), Ultra High Definition Video (UHDV),
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultra_High_Definition_Video


Blu-ray players are backward compatible and will play DVDs. When your DVD player dies what will you do?

 

[freak]

I personally like DVDs...never really seen a Blu-Ray DVD upclose so I couldn't help you there. Those things are too danged expensive for me. If I was filthy rich..then maybe. But I'm not.

 

[barnaclelapse]

It's shiny, but there still isn't enough to the whole thing to make me want to go for it. As Rii said, the leap in sound and picture is nice, but it hasn't struck me as anything particularly revolutionary.

It's kind of annoying though that some Blu-Ray discs have special features missing from the DVD releases. I was kind of pissed off that the round table discussion on pro wrestling by guys like Roddy Piper wasn't put on the DVD release of The Wrestler, for example.

It's a really, really small thing, granted, but it's still vaguely irritating.

 

[Michael Chris]

You can't appreciate what Blu Ray can do unless you have the right screen to watch it on. When I made the jump and picked up a plasma screen, the increase in quality was much more noticeable. LCD/Plasma prices are coming down and so is the prices of Blu Ray discs. According to thedigitalbits.com, We should see brand name players go under $200 this Christmas. Blu Ray will be here for a while and I am looking forward to it.

Hah, my parents got a player for something like $115 last Christmas. And I got one for about $110.

 

[Mr. B]

@Tombfyre - What kind of TV do you have? That will make most of the difference in the improvement HD offers.

I have a 32'' LCD and a 50'' Panny plasma at home. On the smaller TV a blu-ray disc only offers a marginal improvement over 1080i DVD upscaling but on a 50 inch 1080p plasma, the improvement is astounding and definately worth it. Blu-Ray also offers a big jump in surround sound but like most people I don't have the hardware to take advantage of it.

 

[Omnius]

I'm skipping Blue-ray altogether. I don't feel a need to buy all the movies and series I already have on DVD again in HD format. Instead I'm going for digital storage (on a dedicated multimedia pc).

 

[Stone_Cold_Sisko]

If you dont have a huge HDTV then don't bother with Blu-Ray. You need, what 40+ inches for it to even be a remote factor.

 

[melancholymecha]

I have a question, do they sell flat screen tvs that are not hdtv? I want to get a new tv to replace the humongous 27 inch Magnavox in my room I bought in 1995 but I dont want an hdtv(I believe all plasma/lcd flat screens on the market now are hdtv's right?). I just want a tv of a similar size to my old one with a flat screen so it doesnt take up so much space. Also i have a perfectly fine working dvd player but its from 1999-2000 so it probably doesnt work on the new plasma/lcd tvs...

 

[Mr. B]

They do sell flat screens that are merely digital televisions rather than HDTV, but with the cost of high def sets plummeting, it's rather senseless to buy one.

 

[Sheep]

If you dont have a huge HDTV then don't bother with Blu-Ray. You need, what 40+ inches for it to even be a remote factor.

You can see the difference between a DVD and blu-ray on an HDTV much smaller than 40".

I think the 40" thing you're citing refers to where 1080p actually matters for an HDTV.