thrifting for dvds

[Member-496106]

I'm not sure if this is the right place to talk about this but I just wanted to add in my 2 cents. I have almost completely moved away from buying new physical media in favour of seeking out used DVDs at local Goodwills and Value Villages. I've found a lot of good movies and over the past 6 or 7 months I have filled almost an entire bookshelf. I am constantly surprised at what I find at these places and they are worth looking into at least once a week.

I'm discouraged over the pricing of physical media and the push to 4k and I find that I am going back to dvds and happy with them for the first time since 2011 when I started moving into Blu-ray discs. It is great that boutique labels are releasing films but the prices have gotten crazy. I understand that they create limited ultimate editions because that is what is selling, but it seems like a dvd would be just fine for a lot of these. Vinegar Syndrome is releasing a 4k edition of Congo? C'mon man! That would be just fine on DVD.

anyway, thrifting has breathed new life into an old format and physical media for me and I feel like other collectors should look at this as an alternative to the ultra pricey boutique releases. I will still buy the films that I love, but the films are what is important: not the format. It's also kind of fun to see the old non remastered versions of films even if they are at a lower resolution. Not everything needs a remaster! Arrow is releasing Demolition Man in 4k ultra limited hardbox. I have a $2 snap case dvd that looks just fine. lol

[starmike]

I dunno what your setup is, but to disparage 4K is a bit odd, don't you think? DVDs are $2 in thrift stores for a reason.

[SpacemanDoug]

I'm crying

[apollo828]

Originally Posted by starmike

DVDs are $2 in thrift stores for a reason.

They're $2 because a gazillion of them were pressed back in the day, not because everybody's grannies are turning up their noses at DVDs in favor of higher quality discs. Even Blu-rays can often be found for $2 at thrift stores, almost always major studio pressings from the early days that were also pressed in significant numbers.

There's a shop in Portland, OR where the owner told me he had either two or three (I can't remember how many) truck containers in the back filled with nothing but DVDs. For years, he just bought whatever people brought in but won't do it anymore because he's basically a garbage collector at this point (the odd rarity or other quick flipper notwithstanding). It's pretty terrifying to think how many DVDs are in those containers, and how they probably won't even go for pennies before they go into a landfill or wherever.

[Member-496106]

Originally Posted by starmike

I dunno what your setup is, but to disparage 4K is a bit odd, don't you think? DVDs are $2 in thrift stores for a reason.

I wasn't meaning to disparage a format. I've spent quite a bit of money on blu-rays. I simply wanted to inform people that there was an alternative for those who want to collect physical media but are on a budget at a time when things are tough and physical media is getting more and more expensive.

[Wendell R. Breland]

Originally Posted by PhysicalMediaNut

I wasn't meaning to disparage a format. I've spent quite a bit of money on blu-rays. I simply wanted to inform people that there was an alternative for those who want to collect physical media but are on a budget at a time when things are tough and physical media is getting more and more expensive.

A few examples of some hardware that I procured: 1985 Pioneer LaserDisc CLD-900 - $1100 ($3201 in 2023) ● 1985 Sony Beta Hi-Fi SL-HF900 - $1050 ($3055 in 2023) ● 1997 Sony DVP-S7000 DVD player - $1000 ($1930 in 2023) 2006 Panasonic DMP-BD10 Blu-ray player - $1050 ($1626 in 2023).

From two years ago:

Thought I would do a little comparison between LaserDisc prices and current Blu-ray prices from Amazon. So I just selected the first few titles from my own LD database. In 2022 $ is the inflation adjusted price. The last column is the Amazon price of Blu-ray (blue) or UHD Blu-ray (light yellow). IMHO, makes Blu-ray and UHD Blu-ray look like the deal of the century.

Did not check the current Amazon prices but they most likely still cost way less than our LaserDisc did.

[Member-496106]

on the whole, you are right. Prices haven't changed that much in the last couple of years, but there is a trend that i've noticed, maybe in the last year or so, where the only way to get a film is to shell out big bucks for a special limited edition. Vinegar Syndrome and Arrow video seem to be leading the charge on this but it's becoming more mainstream to see 50-60$ versions of films. When you think that you could get 25-30 DVDs at a goodwill for that price it seems obvious, at least to me, which way to go. This is especially true if you are trying to build a library of films. It might be hard to go back to a previous format for some people, but your eyes do to adjust over time to the lower resolution, and you even begin to appreciate some of the warts that come along with the format. I was a Blu-ray snob for a long time and wouldn't even consider a DVD, but things are turning around for me and it is mostly because of thrifting.

[bhampton]

I buy the occasional DVD. My system upscales them well and the amount of things on DVDs is amazing. My thrift store charges more for TV series now but it's a way to get those cheap for things you may not "love" but still enjoy.

[cheez avenger]

I still buy DVDs. I get them used from eBay and/or Amazon - either directly from Amazon or an Amazon third-market seller(s).

I usually buy them for the lowest price possible if possible.

[veritas]

I used to buy alot of stuff on craiglist but the online markets never really recovered after covid. These days its 90% scalpers or idiots with things priced at prices higher then what the item sells for in store so I buy more from thrift stores which generally have lowered prices Except for goodwill who overcharges for everything.

idk why you would hunt dvds at a thrift store as most I go to charge the same for a dvd blu ray or 4k.

[veritas]

As far as store prices I don think I would say they are bad. Most 4ks cost me around 5 to 10. I buy things quicker then I watch them anyway so I don't rush particularly to own anything and buy when good deals show up. I feel like i have spent quite a bit this year actually due to amazons 30% off coupon and some good warner archive deals.