Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack Discussion Thread

[Berting]

I have found more and more Blu-ray discs are being sold with the Digital disc included. I do not want or need the Digital disc, so why should I have to buy it, and probably pay more. Now, we are seeing BD, and DVD, combo discs, appearing more often. I can't imagine why on earth I would want or need a Blu-ray disc and a DVD, at the same time, much-the-less the useless Digital disc. When I buy a Blu-ray disc why can't I get that without all the extra junk!

[OrlandoEastwood]

It's appeal to the people who haven't converted to Blu-ray yet. I like the digital discs myself since I do travel and I have an iPod.

[Beast]

The digital copy isn't adding a signifigant increase to the price.
In fact, if you look at those films released without one.... there is no difference.

And I guess you don't have kids. And must have a Blu-Ray player in every room.

Because parents have kids that want to watch their favorite movies in the Van or in their room.

Most people just have one Blu-Ray player in the Living Room. But may want to watch a DVD in the bedroom.

[steve_dave]

Why can't McDonalds & Carl's Jr. just be like Bakers & Wendy's and let me pick my side order? Sometimes I don't want fries with my burger and would prefer a baked potato or a parfait. Hell, why can't these four food joints offer dessert as a side option like Yoshinoya.

I want a choice because the price is the same regardless of what you bundle or do not bundle with it.

Oh, and Disney heard the cries so you can get the Blu-ray only for The Princess and The Frog but the price difference in stores might be at most four bucks.

[Berting]

Originally Posted by Beast

The digital copy isn't adding a signifigant increase to the price.
In fact, if you look at those films released without one.... there is no difference.

And I guess you don't have kids. And must have a Blu-Ray player in every room.

Because parents have kids that want to watch their favorite movies in the Van or in their room.

Most people just have one Blu-Ray player in the Living Room. But may want to watch a DVD in the bedroom.

Good point, no kids any more (too old), however I still do not like 2 sided discs BD and DVD.

[OrlandoEastwood]

Originally Posted by steve_dave

Oh, and Disney heard the cries so you can get the Blu-ray only for The Princess and The Frog but the price difference in stores might be at most four bucks.

Yeah, Ponyo is only Blu-ray and DVD, no Digital Copy. No worries about that, I made a digital copy off of my Japanese DVD.

[jjbsn5192]

Originally Posted by steve_dave

Why can't McDonalds & Carl's Jr. just be like Bakers & Wendy's and let me pick my side order? Sometimes I don't want fries with my burger and would prefer a baked potato or a parfait. Hell, why can't these four food joints offer dessert as a side option like Yoshinoya.

I want a choice because the price is the same regardless of what you bundle or do not bundle with it.

Oh, and Disney heard the cries so you can get the Blu-ray only for The Princess and The Frog but the price difference in stores might be at most four bucks.

you my friend

have won the comedy award of the night

exactly!!!

let's pay the price, when it's the same anyway's
and not have the Digital Copy

and then later be wishing we had Digital Copies with each Blu Bought! or the select Blu's which is more then half that come with Digital Copies.

[Beast]

Originally Posted by Berting

Good point, no kids any more (too old), however I still do not like 2 sided discs BD and DVD.

The 2-Sided ones I don't like as a general rule. But I didn't like double sided DVDs either.

[steve_dave]

Originally Posted by OrlandoEastwood

Yeah, Ponyo is only Blu-ray and DVD, no Digital Copy. No worries about that, I made a digital copy off of my Japanese DVD.

Sorry, I was not clear enough:

Disney will have two SKUs for The Princess and The Frog:

Blu-ray Disc only with a retail price of $39.99 US

Blu-ray Disc/DVD/Digital Copy combo pack with a retail price of $44.99 US.

The actual price difference between the two releases in stores will be at most four bucks and I'm betting that during the first week, the difference will be $0-$1.

[OrlandoEastwood]

Originally Posted by Berting

Good point, no kids any more (too old), however I still do not like 2 sided discs BD and DVD.

And let's just pray it's only staying on the Bourne Trilogy.

[nmycon]

Was just at Wal-Mart today and was looking at some of the cheaper blu-rays...

im a big Arnold fan so was looking at Commando and Running Man (these are both $9.99 titles at Future Shop and BB, but $14.83 at Wal-Mart)

then i saw a rack of Blu-Ray/DVD Combo Packs for only $10 each. I picked up Commando and Planet of the Apes for $20 combined, but it would have cost $30 to get them each as a standalone blu-ray.

is there any reason these combos are cheaper or is it just an oversight in the pricing. I really wont be using the DVD and would prefer the blu-ray cases over the DVD ones, but hey, i saved $10! at least i can watch either movie on my laptop now.

both of the blu-rays have the same extras (next to nothing lol) in the combo and by themselves so nothing missing there. the DVDs are both missing the extras however. Perhaps if I was to point this out to a clerk they would give me the $10 price on the blu-ray... but i was just wondering if there was any known reason for the price difference or if anyone has had a similar experience...

[DJ Manyak]

Originally Posted by nmycon

Was just at Wal-Mart today and was looking at some of the cheaper blu-rays...

im a big Arnold fan so was looking at Commando and Running Man (these are both $9.99 titles at Future Shop and BB, but $14.83 at Wal-Mart)

then i saw a rack of Blu-Ray/DVD Combo Packs for only $10 each. I picked up Commando and Planet of the Apes for $20 combined, but it would have cost $30 to get them each as a standalone blu-ray.

is there any reason these combos are cheaper or is it just an oversight in the pricing. I really wont be using the DVD and would prefer the blu-ray cases over the DVD ones, but hey, i saved $10! at least i can watch either movie on my laptop now.

both of the blu-rays have the same extras (next to nothing lol) in the combo and by themselves so nothing missing there. the DVDs are both missing the extras however. Perhaps if I was to point this out to a clerk they would give me the $10 price on the blu-ray... but i was just wondering if there was any known reason for the price difference or if anyone has had a similar experience...

probably because there packaged with dvd's

[recS-12]

I think they're just trying to lure people into the next format who are on the fence. Having these options could entice some.

[nmycon]

makes sense about bringing people over who are on the fence...

but it just seems odd that you pay $4 more to NOT get a copy of the movie on DVD

[Jezza]

I don't know if this has been asked anywhere else before, but I haven't seen a thread, so I guess it's alright.

So are they good or bad, for me I think it souly depends on the movie and audience it is being targeted at. But also you have to remember that not everyone still has a BD player so the DVD copy does mean you can watch in about 75% of the places you visit, wether it be holiday, friends house, car, kids' room...

Two good examples on for and against it are these two:-

For
Disney/Pixar Movies - I think in this case these the combi packs are a great idea, because most families would only be able to afford one BD player. So if you watch say Snow White as a family you'd watch on the big screen in Hi-Def, but if the kids want to watch it in their room before they go to bed for example they can watch the DVD.

Against
Avatar - This really is just pointless on the whole, because Cameron and Fox keep saying how they want the best PQ an AQ on their release, yet they through in a DVD, why? Because in this case it is not the same scenario as Disney movies, as Avatar is for an older audience and needs to be seen on a big screen and wouldn't be watch in a car, bedroom or really anywhere else.

So what is your take on Blu-ray/DVD combi packs, are they useful or a waste of time where the DVD should be left for the DVD consumers?

(Oh and I have set up 2 threads for this, one for NA and one UK, just so I can get two different views as I couldn't find a forum page to accomodate of countries).

[Al_The_Strange]

I'm for them. I prefer BDs for their quality and extras, but I still can't use them in every player I own (namely, my laptop and PC only have DVD drives ). So having a spare DVD for my favorite movies will help me watch them on the go in the laptop (digital copies would be fine too, but they take up memory and I really hate the way these files are protected). Come to think of it, having the DVDs may also allow me to lend out one copy and keep another for myself just in case something happens (or in case I want to see that same film).

I imagine that the combo packs are helpful for others, especially folks who have families, so their kids can have a copy of a movie for their rooms while the parents retain a second copy. It would also help consumers who still don't know whether or not they want to invest in BDs; they can just get a combo pack and future-proof themselves.

I say, go for it.

[MOONPHASE]

I think it's stupid especially if done like how Universal has been doing them lately. But really though don't see a need for the dvd and just becomes a wasted disc. I say just give an option of Blu-ray disc only or dvd copy included and/or digital copy.

Of course if I have one like say my Ponyo release, i'm not going to ever use the dvd but to me it's like oh whatever as long as I can enjoy the Blu-ray.

[kevin87]

Personally, I like them. I bought combo packs atleast a year before I ever had any intention of buying a Blu-ray player. I also like the added security, unless Blu-ray players go way down to $50, if my player breaks I won't be able to just go out and get another one, so then any Blu-ray movie I have will be unwatchable and that's where a DVD copy is helpful.

I say give me combo packs, get rid of the digital copy discs. now THOSE are a waste of a disc. I don't use my digital copies, mainly because I don't have anything to play them on, but even then I'd never watch them on a small ipod/phone/whatever screen. Digital copies should be just that, digital, a slip of paper in the case that directs you to a website with a code to enter. No need for the disc.

I think they should get go exclusively with combo packs and stop releasing all these seperate Blu-ray and DVD releases then they'd save a lot of money on packaging resources. Even if they didn't do combo packs exclusively, just doing them in general would most likely make more people buy the Blu-ray copies because most people nowadays know they'll upgrade to Blu-ray eventually, so then they'll have movies already and still be able to watch them before they get a Blu-ray player.

[Jezza]

Originally Posted by kevin87

I think they should get go exclusively with combo packs and stop releasing all these seperate Blu-ray and DVD releases then they'd save a lot of money on packaging resources.

The only real probably with that idea is what happens with TV boxsets that contain possibly 6 BD discs, which means they would have to double that to add the DVDs, so that's 12 discs.

But for movies yes, because if the reduced the price enough on BD, consumers would buy them as future proofing, so once 90% of consumers have gone Blu they could stop them.

[Taat]

I agree with Kevin and Clone Trooper because it will save money.