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Double dipping blu-rays (from DVD) standards

post #1 of 25
3/19/10 at 1:02pm
Thread Starter 
Well might as well and try to branch from that other thread, but thought it deserved its own thread.

I was originally 100% against double dipping, and usually tried to do my research before buying if I knew something was going to get a update. Then I hit an interesting scenario, where I got the standard free blu-rays with my player, and one of those was Pirates of the Caribbean. Needless to say I was pretty much blown away. Now being free helped, and my original DVD is collecting dust.

Where the situation turns is very recently. Pirates 3 came out and I bought the blu-ray instead of the DVD. So in my OCD complex, I had 1 and 3 sitting on my shelf, with 2 sitting in my DVD shelf. Randomly at Best Buy I saw the 2nd film, and got it at an Amazon price (and I had some reward zone coupons). The upgrade was a huge improvement, and thats finally where we're heading to the point.

Some of us have massive DVD collections, only for the technology to change (it always will), so some changed and moved to blu-ray. Under what circumstances do you see yourself doing the double dip? Are you even more cautious knowing that even one day blu-ray will be replaced by digital downloads some day? (I know some are jumping straight to it)

With me it comes down to price and if the disc had a visible upgrade. While all my new films are blu, I do have some of my old favorites that felt they came back alive after watching them in HD. Additional special features, especially for older films are also a bonus.

At the moment, digital downloads while convenient haven't caught up to the quality of blu-rays. I hope not to start a topic on the differences, but I do have the equipment to enjoy it at the best, so why not take advantage of the best. So it doesn't bother me that if I buy a film I like now, that I would always have to replace it with its digital HD counterpart. As there is a jump between quality between DVD and blu-ray and digital, the lines between blu-ray and digital are a little more gray.
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post #2 of 25
3/19/10 at 1:06pm
I've used Goozex, Amazon, and EBay to rid myself of any disc that has a worthwhile HD upgrade, with only a couple of instances where the DVD's the better package (The Hellboy Director's Cut, the Master and Commander 3-Disc, my Akira steelbook SE, the Superman Ultimate Box, though I did break down and buy The Movie and Returns on Blu). Anyone really complaining about how hard it is to get rid of the old discs isn't looking nearly hard enough.
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post #3 of 25
3/19/10 at 1:21pm
I don't care too much about buying new anymore as I see that eventually Blu-Ray will be replaced by something else. Also, don't care much about standard vs ultimate whatever editions. If there's a couple different versions on the shelf, I'll look at the extras and decide if I want one vs the other.

As far as getting rid of DVDs, I don't care much for getting the most money back, so I've been trading them in for store credit and using that to buy used Blu-Ray.
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post #4 of 25
3/19/10 at 1:24pm
I started collecting VHS tapes in the mid-nineties, and ended up with a respectable 200 or so by the time DVD came out. I then started buying DVD's hand over fist, and my wife noticed one day that I was duplicating a lot of my films - cut to me frantically and passionately justifying the fact that I was essentially buying the same thing again but I really wasn't because the QUALITY was so AMAZING and I was only going to replace the CLASSICS...blah blah I'm sure a lot of you have had exactly the same conversation.

Needless to say, I replaced every single VHS tape with a DVD. Those tapes are now in a giant, forgotten box in my attic. Along comes Blu-Ray. I bring home...I can't remember my first, maybe Pan's Labyrinth or something that I already had on DVD, and my missus says 'You are fucking kidding me. Not again. Surely.'. To which I replied but LOVE! The QUALITY! and I'm only going to replace the CLASSICS! She laughed in my face. But it was a kind of angry, 'you're such a fucking punter' laugh. Thing is, she's right. I am a punter. But am I managing to keep somewhat of a grip on it. I'm at about 40 Blus, and I'm very selective. I buy 'new' movies on Blu (Up, Fantastic Mr. Fox were my two recents), but I'm trying to avoid replacing DVD's as much as I can. Who am I fucking kidding. It's just that a lot of them aren't out yet. I have 4 copies of The Thing. VHS, DVD, HD-DVD (don't ask) and Blu. I think I may have a problem.
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post #5 of 25
3/19/10 at 1:29pm
I've had a Blu-Ray player for about 7 or 8 months now and so far I haven't double-dipped once. It's a real touchstone of my maturation.

As the discs get cheaper I'm sure I'll fuck up.
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post #6 of 25
3/19/10 at 1:36pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Phil Connors View Post
I buy 'new' movies on Blu (Up, Fantastic Mr. Fox were my two recents), but I'm trying to avoid replacing DVD's as much as I can. Who am I fucking kidding. It's just that a lot of them aren't out yet. I have 4 copies of The Thing. VHS, DVD, HD-DVD (don't ask) and Blu. I think I may have a problem.
The funny part is that the HD DVD's the best version of the four.

Stuff like that's why I still smile a little whenever someone laughs at me for still buying the little red devils. My 1080p Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind disc I bought for $2 mocks you right back, motherfucker.

I dont care the format. I just want the best possible presentation for a reasonable price.
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post #7 of 25
3/19/10 at 1:36pm
I haven't done it with many movies. Just ones that either I love, or the SFX make it worth the upgrade. I only own about 25 BRs right now. But with the price dropping, I may do it a bit more often. For example, I just double-dipped Bourne Identity. Actually, triple-dipped if you count HD-DVD (which I think I got for free anyway).
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post #8 of 25
3/19/10 at 1:38pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Phil Connors View Post
I started collecting VHS tapes in the mid-nineties, and ended up with a respectable 200 or so by the time DVD came out. I then started buying DVD's hand over fist, and my wife noticed one day that I was duplicating a lot of my films - cut to me frantically and passionately justifying the fact that I was essentially buying the same thing again but I really wasn't because the QUALITY was so AMAZING and I was only going to replace the CLASSICS...blah blah I'm sure a lot of you have had exactly the same conversation.

Needless to say, I replaced every single VHS tape with a DVD. Those tapes are now in a giant, forgotten box in my attic. Along comes Blu-Ray. I bring home...I can't remember my first, maybe Pan's Labyrinth or something that I already had on DVD, and my missus says 'You are fucking kidding me. Not again. Surely.'. To which I replied but LOVE! The QUALITY! and I'm only going to replace the CLASSICS! She laughed in my face. But it was a kind of angry, 'you're such a fucking punter' laugh. Thing is, she's right. I am a punter. But am I managing to keep somewhat of a grip on it. I'm at about 40 Blus, and I'm very selective. I buy 'new' movies on Blu (Up, Fantastic Mr. Fox were my two recents), but I'm trying to avoid replacing DVD's as much as I can. Who am I fucking kidding. It's just that a lot of them aren't out yet. I have 4 copies of The Thing. VHS, DVD, HD-DVD (don't ask) and Blu. I think I may have a problem.
Goddamn son. Get rid of those DVDs while they are still worth something.

Also, for what it's worth. There's still a few video stores that'll buy VHS from you for some change.
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post #9 of 25
3/19/10 at 1:41pm
As I've gotten older, my criteria for buying movies has increased so much that I only pick up a handful of titles in a given year. As a result, the only Blu upgrades I've purchased were the Matrix and Pirates box sets, and only because I got a pretty decent deal on 'em. I've also allowed myself a very finite amount of space for my movie collection, so I'm quick to sell off my old DVDs if I know I'm going to upgrade them down the line. So much so in that I sold off my extended LOTR and Alien sets almost two years ago. The wait for their eventual blu-ray release is killing me now, but I know I won't have any regrets doing that double-dip.
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post #10 of 25
3/19/10 at 1:43pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Justin Clark View Post
The funny part is that the HD DVD's the best version of the four.

Stuff like that's why I still smile a little whenever someone laughs at me for still buying the little red devils. My 1080p Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind disc I bought for $2 mocks you right back, motherfucker.

I dont care the format. I just want the best possible presentation for a reasonable price.
So I gather alright - it is a beautiful transfer. Haven't watched the Blu yet actually. I bought the Matrix Ultimate set on HD-DVD too, despite having a number of versions of the originals, and the fact that I'll only ever watch the original again. Must go buy ESOTSM now. Damn you Justin. I told you I had a problem.
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post #11 of 25
3/19/10 at 1:46pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by billylove View Post
Goddamn son. Get rid of those DVDs while they are still worth something.

Also, for what it's worth. There's still a few video stores that'll buy VHS from you for some change.
Nah all jokes aside, I have about 600 DVD's and realistically, I'll replace 60 with Blu, if even.
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post #12 of 25
3/19/10 at 6:10pm
I've had my Blu-ray player for about a month now and still haven't bought any new films yet. Lovefilm have sent me enough discs that it hasn't been a problem so far, which is good because buying them is still too expensive right now.

I will upgrade some of my dvds eventually, but only a select few.
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post #13 of 25
3/20/10 at 6:15am
Lovefilm are great for satisfying Blu-lust, especially seeing if a disc is worth picking up full time.

I double dipped on Speed, Reservoir Dogs & Die Hard. All of them cost £5 which was just too tempting.
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post #14 of 25
3/20/10 at 12:04pm
For the most part, on anything I double dip on I just give away the DVD version to some friends who don't have the film already. Spread the joy and all that.

Unless of course, the DVD has special features I can't get on Blu (i.e. King Kong).
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post #15 of 25
3/20/10 at 1:25pm
I've double dipped a few (three or four) but thankfully I've managed to snag them when they've been on sale cheap (usually around Christmas) or used. Typically I reserve the double dipping for movies that I really, really love. Ones that I know I'll watch over and over. But for now, no, I don't see myself replacing my collection with all Blu-Rays. I can't be bothered. But if Heat on Bluray dropped in price or when Raiders of the Lost Ark comes out then I'd buy those.
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post #16 of 25
3/20/10 at 1:30pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by joeypants View Post
For the most part, on anything I double dip on I just give away the DVD version to some friends who don't have the film already. Spread the joy and all that.

Unless of course, the DVD has special features I can't get on Blu (i.e. King Kong).
Exact same thing for myself. I like playing Johnny Appledisc.
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post #17 of 25
3/20/10 at 1:49pm
So far I've only double-dipped a few films King Kong, The Mist, Spinal Tap, The Searchers and Children Of Men. Sold off my DVD copy of The Mist. Having a harder time selling off the others, since my usual trip to Reckless Records ended in rejection. I just bought Ghost In The Shell, for the 4th time, but I can't seem to find my previous copy anywhere, so.... I'm thinking with the rest, I'll just give them to friends or family when their need for a great movie experience pops up.

My reasons for double-dipping are a bit floaty. Sometimes it's the packaging. Less giant box is always nice, or when a feature is spread across 2 discs. Sometimes its the total A/V upgrade. Films where music or audio is really important tend to wear my resistance down. (Seriously, DVD is like listening to a 160kb mp3 of your favorite band.) Upgrading the video is less of a reason since most DVD transfers from the past 10 years look pretty great considering the screen rez. Also, I knew well enough to stay away from purchasing DVDs of Speed Racer or Dark Knight, which were long films with a ton of visual data = heavily compressed. Rarely is it the extras that compel me to re-buy. There are so many other films I haven't seen yet, so while the collector in me wants the best version of everything, rarely does it make practical sense.
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post #18 of 25
3/20/10 at 11:00pm
Aaaand, I just bought Heat on Blu-Ray.
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post #19 of 25
3/21/10 at 2:52am
Dvds? Outta here. As soon as a better quality version of a title comes along, or I have just decided that I'm not watching certain dvds enough to justify keeping them around, they are on the selling block. Dvds, outside of select SEs and tins, just don't inspire any loyalty from the collector in me. They lack the personality in packaging that laserdiscs and big box VHS had in spades.

Thankfully, this is an advantage of dvd/bd, as it aids in cleaning house, without all the emotional wrangling over parting with something that might have a draw as a true collector's item.
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post #20 of 25
3/21/10 at 1:24pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Brendan View Post
Aaaand, I just bought Heat on Blu-Ray.
I somehow held out on the DVD, so the blu-ray was worth it. My VHS copy aged pretty badly, and I'm sure my friends were getting angry that I kept borrowing the DVD.

Jumping from VHS to blu-ray is like going from a lego USS enterprise to an actual ship.
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post #21 of 25
3/21/10 at 2:12pm
Eh, I just don't buy movies hardly anymore. Occasionally I'll pick them up if I'm at the store or I see them somewhere for less than $10 and sometimes I get them as gifts but realistically, I just don't have time anymore to ever watch them more than once or twice anyway so if I own it on DVD that's what I'm keeping.
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post #22 of 25
3/21/10 at 6:22pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Phil Connors View Post
Nah all jokes aside, I have about 600 DVD's and realistically, I'll replace 60 with Blu, if even.
About the same boat. Own about 500-600 dvds, and have replaced at most 50-60, and I only maybe another 20-30 replacements planned (a lot of them from feckless directors who never seem to release their shit on the newer formats). I buy new blu-rays (and hd-dvds, still) all the time.
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post #23 of 25
3/22/10 at 1:21pm
The other thing is, though, Netflix has seriously changed my buying habits.

Used to be, if I valued a film at all, I just bought it. Now I look at it with a more scrutinizing eye towards, "well, HOW many rewatches am I going to have?"

Granted, I placed Requiem for a Dream on my Xmas Blu Ray wish list, knowing damn well that I've probably only got 1 viewing left in me.

That said, under my "new criteria," if a film is good enough for me to own, it's good enough for me to upgrade (excluding the very few comedies that I feel it truly would serve no benefit, i.e. Spinal Tap).

I just keep my Amazon shopping list stocked, and constantly peruse waiting for price drops/sales.

ETA: It's also worth noting that my upgrading priority is also defined by my set up. I have a 1080p projector on a 106" screen. Even with the PS3's upconverting and a brilliant 1080p image, even the best DVDs look noticeably rougher. My parents have a nice Sony 50" HD TV, and upconverted DVDs look damn good. Good enough that I'd rarely upgrade. But on my set up, at that size, the flaws are far more pronounced. I consider the LOTR Extendeds to be a benchmark for DVD quality, and they almost look like ass on my set up. Enough that I'm going to willingly get double dipped AGAIN with the Blu Ray releases of those films.
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post #24 of 25
3/23/10 at 9:59am
Yes im currently in the process of rebuying everything. Out of 300 I habve now replaced 100 of them plus some new stuff I didn't own before like gangs of new york. I do however try to wait for them to go down in price. I check amazon every other day from a list of titles I have. Lions Gate has been great because when alot of their titles come out they are like 10 bucks. I slo read the reviews because I would rather keep the DVD then buy a shitty blu-ray.

Also im not that worried about digital downloads. I mean they will become the future and believe me I can't wait. But the good news is the discs will still work and be the same quality as the downloads. Plus im sure they will have the software to rip the blu-ray to the harddrive with the downloads on them just like they have now with DVD.
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post #25 of 25
3/23/10 at 10:09am
I'll double dip here and there.. My wife and I just sold off 3 huge boxes of DVD's. Pretty much all films we watch once or twice and never again. With a huge move coming up soon, it's just best to clear space now and buy later. If anyone here is a fan of Big Trouble in Little China, it's well worth the upgrade. it looks amazing on Blu.
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