Is Disney Done with DVD? (The Never Ending Blu-Ray Debate)

[ajmrowland]

Blu-Ray on top
DVD on bottom


DVD


Blu-Ray



DVD


Blu-Ray

I would hardly call that a "slight improvement"


And as far as the DVD cap on T2 being squished... That is the point. The Blu-Ray is far superior to the DVD.

I had commented that the DVD version on the first pics was squished. I guess I had assumed it was displayed like this and not encoded squished on the DVD, but even if the DVD was encoded wrong/squshed, that IMO is an authoring error of that particular DVD and not indicative of any general flaw with the DVD format.

"Hunchback" on an HDTV doesn't look as good as the format would allow.

[David S.]

With DVD, I have never been less than pleased with PQ.

Wow - you must not buy a lot of discs from the Disney Movie Club. The Story of Robin Hood looks like it was struck from an old VHS tape from 1982. A Tiger Walks, Kidnapped, Third Man on the Mountain - they look awful.

Lol, point taken!

That is due to Disney using a poor transfer that would have looked bad on BD as well.

I guess I should have been more verbose and said that I have never been displeased with PQ due to any flaws of the DVD format itself - meaning, when the transfer is well done, the limitations of 480 lines or whatever has never made me say "Darn, I wish the picture was clearer/sharper, etc."

[Beast]

Re: The Review Argument.

Just read a review for the Blu-Ray, and assume your DVD is going to be less impressive.

Done.

[David S.]

Re: The Review Argument.

Just read a review for the Blu-Ray, and assume your DVD is going to be less impressive.

Done.

If it has the same bonus features, I won't assume it will be less impressive. But I still will want to know what IS on the DVD.

Also, I didn't get the impression the reviewer in question was complaining that she would have to buy the DVD. Heck, I'm sure it wouldn't be too hard to find someone willing to trade the DVD version for that screener Blu-Ray.

What I picked up on in the article was a distaste for the heavy-handed way Disney is trying to push BD while trying to (subtly) kill off DVD.

If everyone is reviewing the BD and not the DVD because they weren't sent it, even though DVD is the dominant format, then no one will be writing about the DVD.

And the subtle message the average Joe consumer will get from seeing all these BD reviews and no DVD reviews is that DVD is dying. Which is EXACTLY the message Disney wants people to get, so they will "go Blu".

Even though in reality, DVD is still the dominant format and if it ever does die, this process will IMO be accelerated at least in part by the big media companies giving it a firm push towards the coffin, moreso than the opinion of the average consumer turning against DVD.

[Rudy Matt]

And the subtle message the average Joe consumer will get from seeing all these BD reviews and no DVD reviews is that DVD is dying.

It IS dying. DVD sales are contracting, HDTV is the new standard, good luck trying to buy a non-digital TV, Blu-Ray sales are increasing exponentially...the Average Joe can't get that message enough, as far as I'm concerned.

[David S.]

Well, we'll see what happens. I think it could go either way (BD eventually replace DVD or coexist side by side with it) I mean no argument with you over this; all I know is if DVD dies, I want it to be because consumers reject it, NOT because the industry kills it!

[Rudy Matt]

With DVD, I have never been less than pleased with PQ.

Wow - you must not buy a lot of discs from the Disney Movie Club. The Story of Robin Hood looks like it was struck from an old VHS tape from 1982. A Tiger Walks, Kidnapped, Third Man on the Mountain - they look awful.

Lol, point taken!

That is due to Disney using a poor transfer that would have looked bad on BD as well.

I guess I should have been more verbose and said that I have never been displeased with PQ due to any flaws of the DVD format itself - meaning, when the transfer is well done, the limitations of 480 lines or whatever has never made me say "Darn, I wish the picture was clearer/sharper, etc."

You haven't seen The Pixar Story or the "D-Files" on Enchanted, which show Pixar films and modern Disney films in high definition. Beauty and the Beast looked extraordinary, A Bug's Life, Toy Story and Monsters Inc. were a revelation. I can't emphasize this enough. They were STUNNING.

[Rudy Matt]

Well, we'll see what happens. I think it could go either way (BD eventually replace DVD or coexist side by side with it) I mean no argument with you over this; all I know is if DVD dies, I want it to be because consumers reject it, NOT because the industry kills it!

Why? What difference would it make? Either way, its going to die.

[ajmrowland]

Well, we'll see what happens. I think it could go either way (BD eventually replace DVD or coexist side by side with it) I mean no argument with you over this; all I know is if DVD dies, I want it to be because consumers reject it, NOT because the industry kills it!

Why? What difference would it make? Either way, its going to die.

Yeah, but nobody likes being forced to get rid of DVD. They want to like blu-ray, but they see everything about as something they'll be forced into by the studios, and that's causing some people to cling onto DVD like there's no tomorrow. That, and the economy isn't good enough.

It's ironic, how people claim they won't indulge until the prices come down, and yet the only way for prices to be lowered at this point is if more people adopt the format.

[CampbellzSoup]

Thanks goofystitch for the information. Although I didn't understand one bit. I just know what looks good, and I wouldn't know bits from apples, so I will just go with all of my animated movies in SD DVD and save my money for the sweeping movies like "Australia", "The Wizard of Oz", and "Gone With The Wind", which by the way, "Oz" and "Wind" come to Blu-Ray May, 2009.

Sleeping Beauty made a believer out of me...with Blu Ray simply amazing dude, I was floord, and the sound was amazing as well. I watched it FOUR times, and I HATED Sleeping Beauty prior to this

Plus dude it comes with the DVD too, on Amazon it's only what 6 more dollars?

[CampbellzSoup]

The Blu Ray comes with a DVD so I don't understand what they aren't getting a chance to review?

[schoollover]

I think bluray will donimate evantually, but a lot of us including me aren't ready for blu-ray, so well stick to dvd, but we will get blu-ray sometime in the future. Were going to have to medern sometime.

[SpringHeelJack]

Uh, we don't really need to quote the pictures every time we talk about them, fellas. No need to eat up the bandwith.

[DarthPrime]

And the subtle message the average Joe consumer will get from seeing all these BD reviews and no DVD reviews is that DVD is dying.

It IS dying. DVD sales are contracting, HDTV is the new standard, good luck trying to buy a non-digital TV, Blu-Ray sales are increasing exponentially...the Average Joe can't get that message enough, as far as I'm concerned.

DVD sales are slowing down because of several things, not just Blu-ray. Its slowing down, but far from DYING.

Your right you can't buy a non-digital TV anymore, but digital doesn't mean HD. I can go out and buy a 27 inch SDTV right now if I want to. They don't make many models anymore, but old traditional 4:3 tubes are still made and sold today.

Your average consumer probably knows about Blu-ray, but doesn't have much interest for several reasons. Yes the "good enough" argument can apply here and often does. However price is more of a factor. Once the players, and discs (Yes they are still expensive compared to DVDs. Yes you can shop around, but most average consumers just pick it up at Best Buy, Wal-Mart, etc... They don't shop around.) their thoughts will probably change. However comparing DVD to Blu-ray in DVDs early days, I know fewer people that are willing to jump on the Blu-ray bandwagon right now compared to DVDs. When DVDs hit everyone I know was anxious to upgrade from VHS. With Blu-ray its a lot different. Most of the people I know that have upgraded are people that bought PS3s for games first. Only one person I know has bought an actual stand alone Blu-ray player.

We all may end up with Blu-ray eventually, but right now its hard to argue that DVD is not the main format. Leaving out the main format is ridiculous.

Looking at the screenshots above the Blu-rays do look better, but its not a huge leap in quality. The T2 DVD screenshot is messed up. I don't remember the DVD being squished like that at all. The quality may look amazing on a huge HDTV, but on normal sized sets personally I don't see the need to upgrade what you have on DVD based on those shots.

[ajmrowland]

Thanks goofystitch for the information. Although I didn't understand one bit. I just know what looks good, and I wouldn't know bits from apples, so I will just go with all of my animated movies in SD DVD and save my money for the sweeping movies like "Australia", "The Wizard of Oz", and "Gone With The Wind", which by the way, "Oz" and "Wind" come to Blu-Ray May, 2009.

Sleeping Beauty made a believer out of me...with Blu Ray simply amazing dude, I was floord, and the sound was amazing as well. I watched it FOUR times, and I HATED Sleeping Beauty prior to this

Plus dude it comes with the DVD too, on Amazon it's only what 6 more dollars?

25.00 at Walmart

[David S.]

Nice post, DarthPrime!

The Blu Ray comes with a DVD so I don't understand what they aren't getting a chance to review?

Disc 2 of the DVD, which does NOT come with the BD.

(Sorry for repeating myself again, just answering the question)

[buffalobill]

Good posts DarthPrime & DavidS. I have a 50" hdtv but I still am extremely happy with my sd dvds using a Toshiba hd dvd player to upconvert them. I will go blu ray when I absolutely have to & not a day before. Dvd to vhs was night & day. Dvd & blu ray is not that big of a difference to me.

[ajmrowland]

Good posts DarthPrime & DavidS. I have a 50" hdtv but I still am extremely happy with my sd dvds using a Toshiba hd dvd player to upconvert them. I will go blu ray when I absolutely have to & not a day before. Dvd to vhs was night & day. Dvd & blu ray is not that big of a difference to me.

Yeah, it's more like Day & Magic Hour.

My 47" is great for both formats! And the PS3 upconverts just as well as our HD DVD player!

[CampbellzSoup]

Good posts DarthPrime & DavidS. I have a 50" hdtv but I still am extremely happy with my sd dvds using a Toshiba hd dvd player to upconvert them. I will go blu ray when I absolutely have to & not a day before. Dvd to vhs was night & day. Dvd & blu ray is not that big of a difference to me.

...yet you purchased an HD DVD player??

[drfsupercenter]

Maybe if you don't care about the best picture and sound.

I find that hilarious, personally. Blu-Ray is nowhere near the best picture and sound. The best *at the moment*, sure. But DVD was the best picture and sound for years too. It's all relative to something else - Blu-Ray is the best compared to DVD, but it sucks compared to seeing it in a theater. The issue is really if DVDs look good to a certain person or if they need more.

I had commented that the DVD version on the first pics was squished. I guess I had assumed it was displayed like this and not encoded squished on the DVD, but even if the DVD was encoded wrong/squshed, that IMO is an authoring error of that particular DVD and not indicative of any general flaw with the DVD format.

Also, the DVD does look darker. Perhaps this is from a different transfer than the BD cap?

See, the funny thing there is Terminator 2 is infamous for having a particularly bad Blu-Ray transfer. In a certain screenshot I found (Google "Terminator 2 Blu-Ray" or something, I won't link it as it's huge), it shows the upscaled DVD vs. the Blu-Ray and there's hardly a difference at all. I would have gone with something like Iron Man, personally.

...yet you purchased an HD DVD player??

The thing is, you really need an HD DVD or Blu-Ray player to make your DVDs look good. I'm not saying I agree with the practice, it's just how it works. (Or you can get a standalone upscaling DVD player - I've heard models by Oppo are actually better than BD players)
Which is partly why I say HDTVs are a scam - if you think about it, the same companies that make TVs make Blu-Ray players. They're just getting more money. If you wanna test it, take your standard DVD player, plug it in with RCA or S-Video, and play a DVD over your TV. Then take that same DVD and put it in a Blu-Ray player. Why is there such a huge difference? It's the same freaking source. And the answer is because the manufacturers don't put quality resizing software in their TVs (most likely intentionally, so they can make more off the Blu-Ray player sales), and it shows.