How do you decide which format to buy a movie/tv show in nowadays?

[JediKnightButler]

With so many ways to buy movies/tv shows how do you decide what format to buy it in? What makes it difficult for me is that I'm really a "pick-and-choose" person rather than a "completist" when it comes to collecting movies, tv shows, music, etc.

For me, at least as far as movies (that I REALLY want) go and shows that I really like, I still prefer to stick with Blu-Ray/DVD because I want to be able to watch most movies on our home theater system.

However, when it comes to TV shows or programs where I only particularly like a few episodes here and there, I get torn because I have an iPhone with an AV cable for my TV and I'm often just tempted to download select TV shows/episodes of certain series from iTunes so that I can watch them on my iPhone or TV set rather than invest a lot on box sets on Blu-Ray/DVD (which, frankly, I can't really afford, particularly for LONG-RUNNING series such Simpsons). I have also found downloading TV shows from iTunes to be a good way of "sampling" shows that I'm interested in but not able or willing to fork over a large amount of money on a season box set for....yet, anyway.

I'm sometimes even tempted to download stuff I already own (or plan to own) on Blu-Ray/DVD from iTunes so that I can have a "digital copy" (which really should become a standard part of future Blu-Ray/DVD releases IMHO) that I can take anywhere on my iPhone and because there does not seem to be a reliable way of converting Blu-Rays/DVDs, at least none that have matched the quality of iTunes video content, particularly the HD content.

Does anybody else struggle with a similar dilemma and if so, how do you decide what format to purchase your video content in?

 

[Temis the Vorta]

For me, it's simple. I don't buy anything. I just use Netflix.

When & if the format wars settle down, my policy may change. I'm not big on buying stuff in any case. Why bog your life down with a lot of crap?

There are exceedingly few movies or TV shows that are worth seeing more than once anyway.

 

[JediKnightButler]

We belong to the Blockbuster Video Club and I would have to say that that has considerably cut down on the number of movies that we buy as a result. That's been a terrific way to check movies out before plunking down money for them- and I would have to say that we have probably only bought a SMALL fraction of the movies we've ever rented. Usually, we only buy the big blockbuster movies like Star Wars, Star Trek, Indiana Jones, Harry Potter, etc. Most of the rest we watch once and that tends to be enough.

 

[Small White Car]

If I buy, I buy DVD and rip it to my computer. I then either watch it on my iPhone or on my Apple TV.

But buying is rare. I mostly get DVDs from Netflix and just watch those.

I have sometimes rented from iTunes (on my Apple TV) when it's something I really want to see it in HD, or it's something I decided to see tonight and don't want to wait for Netflix.

So the short answer is: I'm mostly renting these days. Besides my favorite top-10 films, I see no reason to own the film. Even renting it three times is quite often cheaper than buying it.

 

[tomalak301]

I don't buy anything. We're in a recession and money is tight as is. Can't really afford it. Behinds, I too belong the blockbuster and just rent stuff. We also get coupons for free movies every month so I take advantage of that too.

 

[DanTheGrey]

I buy DVD's. I invested in a good quality up-converter and I see no reason to change. In any case I buy probably 60% of my DVD's used within a month of them being released, paying a fraction of the cost and supporting a local business.

I do have an extensive collection of TV shows and movies on DVD, and probably half of them don't need to be in blu-ray or whatever the successor will be. In a few cases DVD is the only way I can get UK shows that I like.

 

[Dar70]

I also dont buy much. Most of my dvds are nostalgic buys of shows i grew up with and love today that are rarely shown on tv. I only have a few movies and intend to sell most of them because I can just watch them on Hulu now or TCM unedited.

It really is silly today to have such extensive film and tv collections in homes. Many shows and moves are still played on tv and online for free. Many unedited.(TCM is a great source for some great films uncut)PLUS most people who have hundreds of dvd films and series willprobably never watch them more than once. There are actually people out there with well over a thousand dvds.

DVDS just take up space and collect dust if you have to many. I have a friend who has hundreds of dvds and many still have the cellophane on them. Most of them were impulse buys for him. It was all about the purchase for the most part.

 

[firehawk12]

Now that I have a PS3 and two laptops with BD-ROM drives, I'm officially making the conscious decision to switch to Blu-Rays if possible. It's why I haven't picked up Generation Kill yet, for example.

 

[The Evil Dead]

I only buy DVDs that seem like the absolute definitive edition in terms of bonus material. For example, I picked up the Blade Runner 5 disc in 2007 but skipped The Dark Knight2 Disc because it looks like it had pretty forgettable special features.

 

[Chess Piece Face]

I don't buy any dvds or blurays except for one category: cartoons like Justice League that I want my future kid to be able to see. I have to make sure I have stuff like that in case it ever goes away.

The rest is netflix, iTunes, library or rental.

 

[BigFoot]

If it's available on Blu-ray, that's what I get. If it's only available on DVD, it depends. Some things I buy on DVD, and with some things I just wait for the BD.

 

[WillsBabe]

If I watch a show and enjoy it, I'll copy it from the tv to keep. If I watch a show and am passionate about it I buy the dvd, if the price is right. I think my desire to "own" tv shows comes from the times when I was a kid and a fan growing up and there was no way to see your favourite shows or episodes again, never mind have them to keep and watch them when you want.

 

[JoeZhang]

I have never purchased CDs or DVDs or blurays - I have purchased a lot of books but the format wars have been over for quite a time.

I got myself a lovefilm subscription, I watch something and then send it back - easy and simple.