You know what annoys me? (HDDVD related)

[Lurker87]

What annoys me is that I always knew Blu-ray was going to win, and constantly used Blu-rays on my PS3. However, one of my favorite movies came out only for HDDVD - Transformers. It was announced only for HDDVD and because of that, I went out and bought an HDDVD add-on for my 360. On the bright side, I pretty much only spent about 80 dollars on the HDDVD add-on, and it gave me an extra USB slot for peripherals on my 360 (the add-on took up 1 usb port but had 2 in the back). I saved the extra amount because I went the buy a blu-ray/hddvd player and get 5 free blu-ray/hddvd movies, then return them at walmart for in-store credit route, netting me about $90 in credit.

But I digress.

I now find out that Transformers is coming to Blu-ray, which makes sense so that they have an HD outlet somewhere since HDDVD is dead. But still, I spent $100+ for Transformers, with a small reasoning that I'd be able to get any HDDVD exclusives even though I was a Blu-ray supporter. I probably could have gone that extra time without the HDDVD version if I'd known how quickly HDDVD was going to go down. And no, I don't have a receipt, and I don't think I have the box even, to return the add-on to Walmart. That means, I'll just have to stick with my $80 extra usb port. Kinda saddens me

[Beta Man]

Hmm I bought an HD DVD player, but managed to find 25-30 movies for it that I like..... (none involving large robots)

[nitteo]

I am still buying HD-DVD. To me HD-DVD is equivalent to Blu ray, whatever I can buy in HD-DVD for 50% less, is more $ for upcoming BD Titles I want to have.

[Mxr5150]

Originally Posted by Lurker87

What annoys me is that I always knew Blu-ray was going to win, and constantly used Blu-rays on my PS3. However, one of my favorite movies came out only for HDDVD - Transformers. It was announced only for HDDVD and because of that, I went out and bought an HDDVD add-on for my 360. On the bright side, I pretty much only spent about 80 dollars on the HDDVD add-on, and it gave me an extra USB slot for peripherals on my 360 (the add-on took up 1 usb port but had 2 in the back). I saved the extra amount because I went the buy a blu-ray/hddvd player and get 5 free blu-ray/hddvd movies, then return them at walmart for in-store credit route, netting me about $90 in credit.

But I digress.

I now find out that Transformers is coming to Blu-ray, which makes sense so that they have an HD outlet somewhere since HDDVD is dead. But still, I spent $100+ for Transformers, with a small reasoning that I'd be able to get any HDDVD exclusives even though I was a Blu-ray supporter. I probably could have gone that extra time without the HDDVD version if I'd known how quickly HDDVD was going to go down. And no, I don't have a receipt, and I don't think I have the box even, to return the add-on to Walmart. That means, I'll just have to stick with my $80 extra usb port. Kinda saddens me

You could always Ebay that stuff to put some money back in your pocket.

[Blaumann]

Originally Posted by Lurker87

What annoys me is that I always knew Blu-ray was going to win, and constantly used Blu-rays on my PS3. However, one of my favorite movies came out only for HDDVD - Transformers. It was announced only for HDDVD and because of that, I went out and bought an HDDVD add-on for my 360. On the bright side, I pretty much only spent about 80 dollars on the HDDVD add-on, and it gave me an extra USB slot for peripherals on my 360 (the add-on took up 1 usb port but had 2 in the back). I saved the extra amount because I went the buy a blu-ray/hddvd player and get 5 free blu-ray/hddvd movies, then return them at walmart for in-store credit route, netting me about $90 in credit.

But I digress.

I now find out that Transformers is coming to Blu-ray, which makes sense so that they have an HD outlet somewhere since HDDVD is dead. But still, I spent $100+ for Transformers, with a small reasoning that I'd be able to get any HDDVD exclusives even though I was a Blu-ray supporter. I probably could have gone that extra time without the HDDVD version if I'd known how quickly HDDVD was going to go down. And no, I don't have a receipt, and I don't think I have the box even, to return the add-on to Walmart. That means, I'll just have to stick with my $80 extra usb port. Kinda saddens me

Well, you did get to enjoy Transformers earlier. And since it is one of your favorite movies, it's money well spent, isn't it?

[Layd Dly]

Originally Posted by nitteo

I am still buying HD-DVD. To me HD-DVD is equivalent to Blu ray, whatever I can buy in HD-DVD for 50% less, is more $ for upcoming BD Titles I want to have.

+1 except i paid $200 for my HD add-on sincei bought it before a PS3, and i only had about 20 HD movies when they went under now i have 60 all for the price of about 10-15 BR's and mostly Uni. Movies that wont be out for quite a while.

[bhampton]

Quote "I spent $100+ for Transformers..."

Write to Paramount and explain it. You have money invested they should understand. Maybe you can get them to reconsider putting out Transformers on Blu Ray. It's worth a shot.

Good Luck,

-Brian

p.s. How is it you didn't save the box and receipt? The chances of a Microsoft product mal-functioning are about 100% so you need to keep the box and receipt unless they are lost due to the fire caused by said MS product. Walmart gave everyone that they con-ed into buying HD DUD $50,.. maybe you can have them look up your transaction and get the money? What about Kong? Didn't that come with the add on and can't you still bask in the glory of it's DUD exclusivity?

[Lurker87]

Originally Posted by Mxr5150

You could always Ebay that stuff to put some money back in your pocket.

Well, until Transformers comes out on Blu-ray, I need to keep the stuff with me. If I sell the HDDVDs, I'll get a reduced resell price, and then end up losing more rebuying them as Blu-ray. And it just sort of annoys me that I am going to lose money in the long run between me selling my HDDVD add-on and how much I had bought it for. I don't see me being able to get back enough to come out anywhere near even, especially with the news of HDDVD going down.

Originally Posted by Blaumann

Well, you did get to enjoy Transformers earlier. And since it is one of your favorite movies, it's money well spent, isn't it?

See, now that's the problem. Like I said before, I could have dealt with waiting for it to come out on Blu-ray, instead of buying it on HDDVD. That's because I only watched it once on my PS3, and have seen it many other times usually at a friend's house in standard def (blasphemy, I know). Also, related...

Originally Posted by bhampton

Write to Paramount and explain it. You have money invested they should understand. Maybe you can get them to reconsider putting out Transformers on Blu Ray. It's worth a shot.

Maybe it wasn't obvious in the first post, but what originally set me off was when I finally saw that Transformer's was coming out for Blu-ray. They are accepting pre-orders for it and everything. Therefore, this is mostly a money-related issue, while posting on the forum was a cry out for closure, if not just cognitive dissonance.

Originally Posted by bhampton

How is it you didn't save the box and receipt? The chances of a Microsoft product mal-functioning are about 100% so you need to keep the box and receipt unless they are lost due to the fire caused by said MS product. Walmart gave everyone that they con-ed into buying HD DUD $50,.. maybe you can have them look up your transaction and get the money? What about Kong? Didn't that come with the add on and can't you still bask in the glory of it's DUD exclusivity?

First of all, I only keep my receipts around for about 2 months or so after I buy an electronics product, unless there is a warranty that requires the receipt and is longer than only 2 months. I did not hear of any such warranty for HDDVD, and I ended up losing the receipt, as well as throwing out the box since it was an eye-sore (nowhere to put it). Anyways, I didn't think HDDVD would go under as quickly as it did, though I knew it was going to happen. I figured by the time it happened, I'd have plenty of HDDVDs in my library to justify keeping it anyways. However, I only have 4 movies: Tomb Raider, Transformers, Terminator 3, Unleashed. All of which had not yet come out on Blu-ray, or weren't even announced for Blu-ray (except Tomb Raider, which I got for free for getting an HDDVD). I returned King Kong with the other HDDVDs to Walmart for the in-store credit, as I stated in my first post.

[bhampton]

Quote "...while posting on the forum was a cry out for closure, if not just cognitive dissonance."

Hold up I need to go get my dictionary.

I feel bad for you dude. I feel bad for pretty much anyone who bought HD DUD or anyone who still thinks giving Microsoft money is a good idea.

But,.. time will sort this out for you. Hang tough good buddy,.. you will get through this.

-Brian

p.s. Crap. I looked up cognitive dissonance and read the definition and still have no idea what it's supposed to mean. I better read it again slower.

Cognitive Dissonance

Description
This is the feeling of uncomfortable tension which comes from holding two conflicting thoughts in the mind at the same time.
Dissonance increases with:
The importance of the subject to us.
How strongly the dissonant thoughts conflict.
Our inability to rationalize and explain away the conflict.
Dissonance is often strong when we believe something about ourselves and then do something against that belief. If I believe I am good but do something bad, then the discomfort I feel as a result is cognitive dissonance.
Cognitive dissonance is a very powerful motivator which will often lead us to change one or other of the conflicting belief or action. The discomfort often feels like a tension between the two opposing thoughts. To release the tension we can take one of three actions:
Change our behavior.
Justify our behavior by changing the conflicting cognition.
Justify our behavior by adding new cognitions.

[Lurker87]

Originally Posted by bhampton

Quote "...while posting on the forum was a cry

Cognitive Dissonance

Description
This is the feeling of uncomfortable tension which comes from holding two conflicting thoughts in the mind at the same time.
Dissonance increases with:
The importance of the subject to us.
How strongly the dissonant thoughts conflict.
Our inability to rationalize and explain away the conflict.
Dissonance is often strong when we believe something about ourselves and then do something against that belief. If I believe I am good but do something bad, then the discomfort I feel as a result is cognitive dissonance.
Cognitive dissonance is a very powerful motivator which will often lead us to change one or other of the conflicting belief or action. The discomfort often feels like a tension between the two opposing thoughts. To release the tension we can take one of three actions:
Change our behavior.
Justify our behavior by changing the conflicting cognition.
Justify our behavior by adding new cognitions.

What cognitive dissonance can be explained as, is your mind finding out something that hurts its reality, or even something that conflicts with an earlier emotion. An example could be you buying shoes on sale at the store and there are no returns. You buy them for 60 dollars, and then on your way home you see those same shoes on sale at another store for 40 dollars. To help you cope with this new information, rather than staying mad, you tell yourself, "Since I have a very unique shoe size, they probably have none in my size." It is a way to help cope with the conflicting new information, and this is a form of cognitive dissonance. By coming on this site, I was more or less looking for some sort of reasoning to put my mind at ease - even if it was only cognitive dissonance.

[Anthony P]

p.s. Crap. I looked up cognitive dissonance and read the definition and still have no idea what it's supposed to mean. I better read it again slower.

I am guessing what he means is that even though he new BD was going to win (first sentence) he decided to not listen to the smarter part of himself, not listen to people pointing out at the time that desperete moves usually mean deap sh!t and so mean the end is near, and even after HD DVD was gone he decided that it helped him sleep better thinking maybe Transformers would not come ut on BD. And now he is annoyed because it just hit him how much money he wasted. Something that will most likely happen to anyone that bought (or is still buying) HD DVDs

[broganreynik]

Patience my friend.

[TwYsTeD]

Originally Posted by nitteo

I am still buying HD-DVD. To me HD-DVD is equivalent to Blu ray, whatever I can buy in HD-DVD for 50% less, is more $ for upcoming BD Titles I want to have.

+1 i have a stand alone Hd player as well as my 360 add on

[AliceT]

well how about this


I spent tons of money on an NES and now its obsolete
I spent tons of money on an SNES and now its obsolete
I spent tons of money on a Sega Genesis and now its obsolete
I spent tons of money buying VHS tapes and now thye are obsolete
I spent tons of money buying DVD's and now they are almost obsolete

Do you get the point? Everything you buy will one day be "worthless" as you say and you will be "out that money", including BD one day. The risk you take as a consumer. Get over it.

[Lurker87]

Originally Posted by AliceT

well how about this


I spent tons of money on an NES and now its obsolete
I spent tons of money on an SNES and now its obsolete
I spent tons of money on a Sega Genesis and now its obsolete
I spent tons of money buying VHS tapes and now thye are obsolete
I spent tons of money buying DVD's and now they are almost obsolete

Do you get the point? Everything you buy will one day be "worthless" as you say and you will be "out that money", including BD one day. The risk you take as a consumer. Get over it.

The difference though, is that almost all of those had huge libraries, and you can continue to enjoy them over and over. I have all those, and I still use them all. Now, the HDDVD also had a huge library (around 400), but watching a movie will almost never take longer than playing a game, as well as the fact that it is all passive enjoyment, whereas video game playing is interactive.

Though you may disagree, I think comparing video game console with movies isn't really relevant as far as my main point was concerned. Also, video games often didn't go multi-platform back then, and still often don't. Once a video game console gives up, usually none of its exclusive titles then go to the competitor's system. However, movies are more diverse, and usually will come out on the competitor's system once the original one goes under. However, many older movies may have a smaller chance of finding their way on some following generation formats, especially if those movies are decades old.

Anyways, your point wasn't my point. In fact, you just made my point. That is not to say my point can't be debated. It is just that the examples you gave all confirmed it. My point was that I was only getting my HDDVD add-on so that I could watch one particular hddvd, as well as a couple others I was waiting for when they came out. Then I'd be capable of watching other exclusives as they came out. Each of those systems/platforms you mentioned survived much longer than HDDVD.

I believe that if you were trying to refute my point then you should have brought up systems that failed, such as the Atari Jaguar or the 3DO. The problem now, is that each of those offered constantly changing experiences (which is what can be obtained via video games), as well as interaction with the story-telling. The biggest problem with this argument, then, might be with 3DO, which had a $700 US price tag when it was first released, which would coincide with those who would be disappointed with such an investment. However, it lasted 3 years.

HDDVD launched in March of 06, and the final HDDVDs will be released in June of 08, giving it a shorter life span than the 3DO. However, the Jaguar would have been closer in its lifespan, with it coming out in late 93, then it died in late 95. The rest of those systems you mentioned all had 7+ years lifespans.

NES 10
SNES 9
Genesis 8
etc

I think the easiest, and most relevant, comparison that you could make against me would be something like Betamax vs VHS, with Betamax = HDDVD, and VHS = Blu-ray. The problem once again is life span. Though Betamax lost, it lasted for about 10 years (but it was not dominant). Technically, it lasted until 1988 (13 years after it was introduced), when Sony, the maker, gave up and started making VHS itself.

As I said before, the whole point of me coming on here was looking for some closure, and perhaps for venting. Now, I also need to say that video game collections, including systems, are often more valued than just technological advances. This might add more value if they were apart of a collection, or if they were to be sold unopened.

To sum everything up, it is a gamble for a consumer to buy into a new technology, and it is even a bigger gamble when it is competing against another company that has a similar technology. I believe that is a good summation of your point, correct? However, my biggest point was its lifespan, as I am sure all Blu-ray owners already knew was short. Unfortunately, I made the mistake of brushing aside the technology war often shared belief, but not quite cliche, "don't buy a system for one game" or "one game does not make a system". I took my chance since I expected the war to continue longer. It just turned out to be a bad decision.

Note: Yes, I had to look up a good bit of that data, since I only knew estimates of their releases and demises. I preferred more precise data instead.

[AliceT]

What you should have done was just buy the movie on DVD for $15 and then waited for the BD. That being said I own a 360 HD DVD player myself, so I know how it feels. I own about 50 HD DVD's and I would like to replace them all with BD's. Eventually I will, but I dont want to spend another $20 each. If I can find them used for say $10 or so, ill dump the HD DVD and buy the BD. Also, you spent what , $150 on the player and $20 on the movie so thats $170.

You got the 5 free movies that you exchanged at Wal Mart and got $90 for it. So right now your total for the player and the movie is $80. You could probably sell the player and the movie on Ebay for say, $20-$30. So all said it would have cost you $50. Sure thats $50 you lost, but think of it as a rental fee for having it for almost a year. Its not different than buying a game for $60 on launch day, and 2 months later seeing it in the store for $20.

[walk on the blu side]

I am still buying HD DVDs, they are extremely cheap, and I have been taking a break from purchasing Blu-rays for a while.

[Lurker87]

Originally Posted by AliceT

What you should have done was just buy the movie on DVD for $15 and then waited for the BD. That being said I own a 360 HD DVD player myself, so I know how it feels. I own about 50 HD DVD's and I would like to replace them all with BD's. Eventually I will, but I dont want to spend another $20 each. If I can find them used for say $10 or so, ill dump the HD DVD and buy the BD. Also, you spent what , $150 on the player and $20 on the movie so thats $170.

You got the 5 free movies that you exchanged at Wal Mart and got $90 for it. So right now your total for the player and the movie is $80. You could probably sell the player and the movie on Ebay for say, $20-$30. So all said it would have cost you $50. Sure thats $50 you lost, but think of it as a rental fee for having it for almost a year. Its not different than buying a game for $60 on launch day, and 2 months later seeing it in the store for $20.

That's an understandable argument. I would never buy it on DVD though. After br/hddvd came out, I got the best transferred great action movies that came out, that I enjoyed. I usually waited for ones that I didn't mind not having for a while to go down in price. My optimal decision, IMO, would have been to just not get it at all, knowing that HDDVD would die in a year (which I had no way of knowing).

As I mentioned before, if I'd known Transformers would end up coming out on Blu-ray, since HDDVD would die, then I'd have gone that route. At the moment, I'd be losing more than what you estimated since I also have 3 other HD movies that are coming out on Blu-ray. If I want them in HD, it'll be an even larger loss between how much I bought them for, then sold them for, then bought them again at. Then again, anyone who wants an all Blu-ray library would have to go through the same problem.

Also, as far as that game example goes, that sort of remorse doesn't happen to me. I know exactly what games I am going to want to play ASAP and others I research to find out just how much replayability they have. I get a game at release in order to get to play during the peak amount of online play as well as get to interact with online communities that are booming right after release, or just because I expect to play it many times and want to talk about it with someone at work. It is not the same for me with movies. I can handle waiting to get a movie once it has gone down in price, or in the case I would have preferred, once it comes out for my favored platform, which was Blu-ray. However, Paramount Pictures had said it would produce exclusively for HDDVD, so there was no reason to believe it would come out for Blu-ray any time soon.

[AliceT]

Eh, I did pick up like 15 movies back when it first died for cheap, but now I cant bring myself to buy an HDDVD even for $5. Id rather just own it on BD eventually.

[Lurker87]

Originally Posted by AliceT

Eh, I did pick up like 15 movies back when it first died for cheap, but now I cant bring myself to buy an HDDVD even for $5. Id rather just own it on BD eventually.

Also, it adds an extra USB port to my 360, so I'll end up keeping it around for that reason.