DVDizzy Forum

Er... Siren, how can you readily spend $700 on two robotic toy dinosaurs, yet balk at hardware prices for a home video format still in its infancy?

Anyhoo, 2008 is the turnaround year for Blu-ray, since the format war just ended and the entire film industry (including smaller studios like Anchor Bay and Blue Underground... *winks at Lazario*) is prepping its BD releases and PR campaign. One must remember that the format isn't even two years old yet, but compared to the adoption of the DVD format in its early stages, BD is doing incredibly well in comparison. Like Bill Hunt just wrote yesterday at the Digital Bits, 2009 is really going to be BD's breakout year, and will only be edged on by the digital TV switchover mandate in the U.S.

As to Blu-ray hardware prices, those will definitely be dropping over the course of 2008 and into 2009. Christmas '08 will especially see lots of sales and incentives popping up in both Blu-ray films and players. Again, Bill Hunt says it best when it comes to Blu-ray issues. And I quote:

Bill Hunt wrote:Here's something else to keep in mind, lots of new models of Blu-ray players are coming later this spring and over the summer, which means the previous models will be price reduced. You can also expect retailers and the various manufacturers to offer major discounts and other incentives to encourage people to buy Blu-ray players as we head into the holidays later this year. You'll see outright sales, you'll see combo offers where when you buy a new HDTV you'll get a free or discounted Blu-ray player (and keep in mind, with the FCC mandated switch to all-digital broadcasting next February, lots of people will be looking at HDTVs in the coming months). Sony has said that it expects to see at least a few Blu-ray player models priced as low as $299 later this year, with prices possibly under $200 next year (see this piece at The New York Times). And here's something interesting.... Warren Communications News (subscription required) is reporting that Samsung is planning to have a Blu-ray player available for less than $250 at Wal-Mart stores later this year, probably in the third quarter.

So if you're interested in a Blu-ray player but price is an issue, just relax. The prices will continue to drop later this year, and plenty of great deals will be available in the coming months.

The bold emphases are mine, of course, but you get the point. If price is an issue, save up and play the waiting game. It's definitely worth it. ^_^

And yes... Planet Earth is utterly stunning in Blu-ray. I recommend the widely-available BBC release over the Discovery Channel version, of course - David Attenborough's narration is second to none. And Amazon is selling it for even less than the DVD set right now!

Heck no! When DVD players start to disappear like VHS machines. I'll just buy a combo. Right now I have a DVD player that plays VHS tapes too. So when the time is right I was probably look for a Blu-ray player that plays DVD'S too. I am way to cheap to buy a blu-ray player. Blu-ray players are for the rich folk.

Disneyfan, Blu-ray players already play DVDs. CD, DVDs, BDs - they are the same size and shape; little 5-inch wide, plastic discs. And a BD player even upconverts the picture on a DVD to make it look even better than conventional DVD players.

I won't replace all my DVDs for blu-rays.

Right now, I don't own a blu-ray player. I think I will get a home theater in about 2 to 3 years. Then I'll buy the player!

I don't think I'll replace my normal dvds. BUT, I will buy every disney release on blu-ray, even if I don't own a player yet.

Actually, I only have two disney blu-ray but as soon as I get the chance I'll buy the other ones.

Paka wrote:

Disneyfan, Blu-ray players already play DVDs. CD, DVDs, BDs - they are the same size and shape; little 5-inch wide, plastic discs. And a BD player even upconverts the picture on a DVD to make it look even better than conventional DVD players.

Then that really gives me no reason to get rid of my DVD'S. I guess the only thing stopping me is the cost.

If some of my favorites are released on Blu-ray I'd love to buy them again. Not all of course, but there are some I would not be able to resist. I'm a sucker for excellent picture quality and I definately see a big difference between blu-ray and regular dvds. Of course I can't wait until Mary Poppins is released on Blu-ray! Whenever that will be.

I'm guessing we'll have a wait for the Mary Poppins Blu-Ray release. I can't wait for it either. The 40th AE (which I love by the way) was released on December 14, 2004.

I'm guessing we are waiting until Fall of 2014 for the 50th Anniversary Blu-Ray Edition. Oh well, good things come to those who wait, and we have an awesome edition to watch in the meantime.

Why should I?

The new Blue-Ray players decode all the actual formats no, (I guess they have the red and blue laser) so there's no reason to do so; unless that the movie is way good(for example, the photograph on the house of the flying daggers)

Besides..I should first get an LCD Tv and a blue ray player:P

I've not even replaced all my VHS tapes yet and fairly recently I've purchased a new DVD/VHS combi player, so Blu-ray is not on my prority list.
I'm sure blu-ray movies have better picture quality than regular DVD's, but does it really enhance the enjoyment of a movie like for instance 101 Dalmatians if you watch it in blu-ray? I doubt it.

So no, I'n not going to replace my old DVD's for blu-ray disks as I'm also not replacing my old DVD-player for a blu-disk one.
I'd sooner buy a beamer (which is also costly) to have that ultra-cinema experience. Other wish: a multiregion DVD-player (they're quite affordable)

I'm happy with my DVD player for now. I'll wait a few years for the Blu Ray player prices to come down before considering purchasing one. So I won't be buying any Blu Ray discs til then. For example, I'll probably get "Sleeping Beauty" the second time it's released on Blu Ray (if that's still the top technology then!).

I think so too. My DVD player works just fine and movies are still available on DVD. As soon as the prices drop a little bit and I get a new TV then I might buy a blue-ray player.

I won't replace my DVD's but I will purchase Blu-ray disc releases. I'm definitely not going to buy any sequels if they appear on Blu-ray, only the animated classics.

I don't get why a blu-ray DVD should cost $8 to $10 more than the equivalent standard DVD.

The effect this is having on me is that I will wait for the price to come down, both for player and discs. And part of that waiting is that I will hold off buying standard DVDs that I might want in blu-eray eventually. I haven't bought any Pixar films on DVD yet for just that reason.

I will now confine my DVD purschases to classic TV series, and Disney Treasures, whihc I don't expect to look that much better on blu-ray.

I'm not buying any dvds from now on, even the really good movies that are DVD Exclusive "eg : Aristocats, Oliver & Company, Sword in the Stone rerelease", however I won't get "all" Disney blurays, I'll get all the Platinum Blurays of course, and all the other Disney classic movies that come on Bluray.

If your the type that likes to buy rereleases of movies that you already own (Yep, that includes Sleeping Beauty), Bluray's for you !

I've sort of changed my mind a little on Blu-rays after watching some at my friends house last week.

They look and sound better than DVDs, however it wasn't as big of a jump as I thought it would be. He was using a 60GB PS3 on a Sony 1080p HDTV. His setup looked great and everything was hooked up fine, it just wasn't as big of a jump as I thought it would be.

After watching a few movies I've decided that I'm still going to get Blu-ray (with a PS3), but I'll probably only buy titles that I don't have on Blu-ray. I may upgrade stuff like Star Wars, but I will not replace everything.

I have already started replacing all the disney's with blu ray. Right now I need to stop buying blu's as I need to save for my wedding.

for getting married.

for not being able to buy as I please.

It would be impossible to replace all my DVDs for Blue Ray even if I wanted to (which I don't), simply because even if Blue Ray becomes the dominant format and replaces DVD completely (which I still have doubts will happen), there will be many DVD titles which will NEVER BE RELEASED on Blue Ray.

This happens every time there is a format change. In music, not all vinyl made it to cassette, and not all vinyl and cassette made it to CD. There is still LOTS of stuff that has yet to be released on CD, and likely never will.

Likewise, there is still a large number of titles that were released on VHS and have yet to see the light of day on DVD. Many of these likely never will.

That's one of the things I really hate about format changes - titles get left behind and lost forever...

I will certainly not replace all my DVDS with Blu-Rays. I will only buy Blu-Rays of movies I like if they have an improved picture that must be seen in High Definition.