Blu-rays are 8 years old and DVDs still cling to them like a cancerous tumor. Why?

[stvn1974]

I just got back from Wal-Mart and they did an electronics reset. They cut the BD section so much that I think I own more titles than they have for sale now. Mostly cheap TV seasons on DVD now.

[mredman]

Stores cut back on everything these days. Because more and more people shop over the net now. They just buy their blu rays through amazon, Best buy and other online shops. I do that aswell. I rarely buy at the stores anymore. It happens sometimes but most times i buy my blu rays through amazon and other online services.

[Anthony P]

Originally Posted by Blu-Dog

This is not idiocy; it's skepticism, and waiting is not a bad idea.

agree again, and again it has nothing to do with the discussion you jumped into. Slick assumes there is a lot of people out there that said until very recently I am so happy with SD that I don't want to pay 50$ for a BD player but now are saying , you know what I am ready to upgrade but I won't because I will get the 1000$ 4k player as soon as it comes out(or what ever the first 4k player will cost).

Unless the guy was ready to spend on BD now before deciding to wait for 4K and get a 4k player when it comes out you can't say 4k hurts BD sales. (To put it differently if Joe has a DVD player and he is OK with it but in 20 years it brakes and all hre can find are 4k players and he buys one, him buying a 4K player at that point in time does not hurt BD now because his DVD player is still functioning and he is not looking at upgrading)

Someone who spends their money at the theater to see a film, and watches the news on TV in SD, doesn't need to be insulted. The point that staying with SD is a sign of derangement or limited mental capacity doesn't quite wash, with the history of staggeringly absurd technological rollouts from the industry.

where did I say that? you really do need to learn how to read properly. I said the person that was saying for the past 7 years "I am not buying BD because I am happy with SD and don't need anything better" and is now saying (because there are 4k TVs) "I am not buying BD now because I am waiting for 4k which is better" is an idiot. That person is just making up stupid excuses and just lying to himself. If he was honestly happy with SD (and so not interested in BD) he would still be happy with SD and so would not care about 4k now. So either him being happy with SD was BS or him being interested in 4k is BS or both are BS but the only thing that is obvious is that both can't be true.

We get trapped in double-dips all the time. Some people, very tired of that nonsense, just stay away from the whole thing and are waiting for the industry to grow up and allow backwards compatibility to finally win out.

don't know what that means. You can play a DVD on a 3D BD player so that backwards compatibility is already "worked out" and obviously the DVD player you bought a long time ago can't play a 3D BD since it does not have a blue laser and the chip does not have the power for what is needed to decode and transmit the content and in that way backward compatibility will never "work out" because tech will always be limited to what you buy.

Now if you mean that the studio will trade your DVD for a BD and then a 3D BD... as the new formats come out and you want to upgrade, that too will never be "worked out" since a studio is there to make money not lose it. Why would they go to the expense of getting the content ready for a new format and then give it away for free? There would also be the logistical issue (i.e. Anthony has a next gen player, Joe has an old gen player, Joe buys old gen format film and Anthony pays more and buys the next gen format of the film, if Joe buys the next day a next gen player and wants the next gen version and they send it out for free he would have paid less then Anthony and so wouldn't Anthony just buy the last gen version and ask for a free upgrade? so the only thing that would make sense would be to have all the formats included with the purchase and only have one price, but then you hurt the person that would be willing to save some $ and only have the last gen version)

The buyer walking into the TV store is faced with a decreasing number of quality sets in 1080p, which is Blu-Ray's world. Right next to it, on display, is a 4K set. That tells him or her that Blu will be supplanted - but that to buy into Blu, costing thousands, is the only current option for Blu content. I wouldn't do that, and I did buy into Blu when there was nothing else. I wouldn't do it today, and neither would you or anyone who is a savvy buyer.

That makes no sense what so ever. Let me ask you a simple question, a friend comes to you and says "Blu-dog, you are savvy when it comes to electronics, my house just burned down (or robbed) and I need to buy a TV and player to replace what was gone, what should I buy?", what do you tell him to do?

The next change is too close. Everyone should wait, SD, Blu, or not. And that is not good for Blu.

I disagree.
1) what does "too close" mean? we don't even have a date so how can you even pretend to evaluate it? In the 90's analogue HDTVS stopped being sold D-VHS (which was 1080p) came out in 98 but was very limited and lasted only until BD came out in 2006. Also, as far as I remember, there was no 720p distribution format. So how do you know when there will be a 4K playback possibility? I have not read of any dates yet. most of the times the displays come out long before the playback format just because there is no reason for studios to deliver content in a format that is unusable.
2) there are times when it makes sense to "wait" like just before blackfriday or a show like CES or CEDIA but people can wait for ever since there will; always be something better around the corner (even if it is only a new model with better features). People should just buy what makes sense when it ,makes sense.

They introduced 4K too soon - it's not ready, without playback

agree with the second part and that is why I am not changing my display but if someone is happier with a 4k display why should he be limited by my choices?

[slick1ru2]

Anthony, what you think I assume is an incorrect assumption. I didn't say numbers and I certainly didn't say 'happy' with SD. But since in the U.S. alone there are 40 million households with SD, there certainly is a lot of people who, for whatever reason haven't upgraded yet. And anyone doing so now, for whatever reason, is going to be looking at a market muddied by all the 4K/Ultra HD talk and if they waited this long, may wait longer for the dust to settle. I'd appreciate if you stop the personal attacks.

[Anthony P]

Originally Posted by slick1ru2

I didn't say numbers

so? who cares? if the number is 0 people then obviously BD won't be affected, if the number is 10 people BD sales will be affected but it would be insane to descrie it as "hurting sales" it would just be a rounding difference that won't even show in the numbers. It needs to be very large numbers to describe it as hurting sales.

and I certainly didn't say 'happy' with SD.

so who said

Originally Posted by slick1ru2

I actually think 4K is hurting Blu-ray. The average consumer considering going to BD from DVD now has 4k hurled in his face. It comes across as a marketing gimmick to sell more product. If they are happy with SD, I don't see them moving to HD especially with new formats being touted as replacements for relatively new BD.

maybe you should warn the mods that someone hijacked your account

But since in the U.S. alone there are 40 million households with SD, there certainly is a lot of people who, for whatever reason haven't upgraded yet. And anyone doing so now, for whatever reason, is going to be looking at a market muddied by all the 4K/Ultra HD talk and if they waited this long, may wait longer for the dust to settle.

but that makes no sense, the person that will think twice about spending 50$ on a BD player won't be willing to spend 100$ or even 500$ on a 4k player. This is like saying the 2015 Lamborghinis muddy the water for sales of used Kias

I'd appreciate if you stop the personal attacks.

there was no personal attack, but since we are saying what we would appreciate I would appreciate if you did not make garbage posts

[Anthony P]

Originally Posted by ZoetMB

There are indeed people who skip generations of technology, either passively or consciously. So it is indeed possible that there are people who aren't into BD, are aware that 4K is coming and will wait and skip to that technology.

agree, but you are missing the point

If someone consciously decides " I will skip this generation" (be it BD or some other generation or product category) then when ever the next generation shows up it won't make a real difference to the existing generation, the person is not interested in buying the generation. So 4K TVs being in store or him being happy with SD until now are not the real reason the guy is not moving from DVD to BD now.

and if this generation is skipped passively yet again the argument that it is because of 4K fails.

IF Joe is happy watching DVDs and in 2020 his DVD player brakes down and he goes to the store and says "HI I need a new DVD player to watch my DVDs" and the clerk says "what is a DVD player all we have are these 4k players" and he buys a 4k player that does not mean that 4k is hurting BD sales now since this guy does not intend to buy a BD player right now. And if the clerk sais "we have a BD player for 20$ and a 4k for 50$" and the guy chooses the 4k player, then we can say that 4k player in 2020 is hurting BD sales but not today since today this guy isn't looking at any of them.


If Joe is happy buying and renting DVDs and in some future date DVDs are not replicated anymore and so he thinks "I need a new player so I can watch new films" (the same way that someone that only had a VHS player until 2006 was forced to move on because studios stopped VHS in 2006) then at that point, like before, we can talk about 4k hurting BD sales if enough go directly 4kbut not today because at this point the reason this guy is not jumping into BD is that he considers what he has as good enough.


One can talk about lower DVD prices, DVD players in stores, Netflix.... as stuff that are hurting BD sales but not that there are 4K TVs in some stores.

[slick1ru2]

Originally Posted by Anthony P

so? who cares? if the number is 0 people then obviously BD won't be affected, if the number is 10 people BD sales will be affected but it would be insane to descrie it as "hurting sales" it would just be a rounding difference that won't even show in the numbers. It needs to be very large numbers to describe it as hurting sales.

so who said

maybe you should warn the mods that someone hijacked your account


but that makes no sense, the person that will think twice about spending 50$ on a BD player won't be willing to spend 100$ or even 500$ on a 4k player. This is like saying the 2015 Lamborghinis muddy the water for sales of used Kias


there was no personal attack, but since we are saying what we would appreciate I would appreciate if you did not make garbage posts

Pretty much your entire post is an insult toward me. You come across like some kind of forum bully/snob with a superiority complex. I think we all know if you don't agree with a post, you have to tell the poster they are wrong or don't get it and imply they are an idiot. This is a forum about sitting on your butt and watching a screen. You act like it's the most important thing in the world and only your opinion is right. Thankfully, there is an ignore function which I am putting you on, knock yourself out.

[wormraper]

Originally Posted by slick1ru2

Pretty much your entire post is an insult toward me. You come across like some kind of forum bully/snob with a superiority complex. I think we all know if you don't agree with a post, you have to tell the poster they are wrong or don't get it and imply they are an idiot. This is a forum about sitting on your butt and watching a screen. You act like it's the most important thing in the world and only your opinion is right. Thankfully, there is an ignore function which I am putting you on, knock yourself out.

The irony of this post is incredible

[slick1ru2]

Originally Posted by wormraper

The irony of this post is incredible

And your posts aren't much better.

[wormraper]

Originally Posted by slick1ru2

And your posts aren't much better.

Lol

[AgentOrange]

It made sense when blu-ray launched, because players were $600+ and all the movies were $30 or more. So of course they were going to cater to the incredibly successful, and entrenched DVD format, there was no way to abandon that market.

However in 2014 it just seems insane when there is practically price parity between DVD and blu-ray. Before it was a legitimate $$$ issue, now it seems to be lack of education on the part of the consumer that can be the only reason for DVD to continue to co-exist.

With DVD and blu-ray sales both declining. Studios should probably go 4K all the way within 12 months of that format, they should make this clear and make customers aware it's time to upgrade. Too bad they probably won't force this move, but it's likely the only way a 4K format can gain a strong foothold (particularly with catalog titles).

[eiknarf]

Nobody is going to re-buy their entire blu-ray library on 4K all over again

[Dylan34]

Who knows if there even is going to be a 4k disc format now. Things are looking pretty grim!!!

[mredman]

Originally Posted by Dylan34

Who knows if there even is going to be a 4k disc format now. Things are looking pretty grim!!!

well blu rays look stunning on a big projector screen why do you need 4K anyway. I am fully content with Blu Ray in 1080p

[eiknarf]

Originally Posted by mredman

blu rays look stunning on a big projector screen why do you need 4K anyway. I am fully content with Blu Ray in 1080p

That's what I say.

But then others say, "That's what people said about DVD"

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by eiknarf

Nobody is going to re-buy their entire blu-ray library on 4K all over again

Nobody is a strong word.

[eiknarf]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

Nobody is a strong word.

True.
I guess, less and less people.
It seems the percentage of people that collect drop each time there's format change.

I know five people that collected DVD in the DVD era.
Of those five, two collect blu-ray, and I'm one of those two (the other three stopped).
If there's another format, then that's fine, but I won't be a collector the way I've been for DVD and for blu-ray. I'd opt out the way the previous three have when the switch to blu-ray happened.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by eiknarf

True.
I guess, less and less people.
It seems the percentage of people that collect drop each time there's format change.

I know five people that collected DVD in the DVD era.
Of those five, two collect blu-ray, and I'm one of those two (the other three stopped).
If there's another format, then that's fine, but I won't be a collector the way I've been for DVD and for blu-ray. I'd opt out the way the previous three have when the switch to blu-ray happened.

Collecting will come back into fashion, just not sure it will happen in my lifetime lol. Regardless, I will collect as long as collecting is possible.

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by eiknarf

Nobody is going to re-buy their entire blu-ray library on 4K all over again

I think you're right. I love Blu-ray and I've got close to a thousand titles, but I've still got hundreds more on DVD that A) I never felt the need to upgrade, B) the BD transfer is so badly hobbled that I'll stick with the DVD, and C) it might not be out on BD anyway.
Hell, I just bought the DVD of Zero Dark Thirty. Why? Because the PQ is stunning (it upscales like a champ) and it cost a measly £2 used.

And as for the 4K future, let's not forget the hundreds, maybe even thousands of films that have been finished at 2K. Not every studio will want to rebuild them properly in 4K, so we might start getting a lot of upscaled content. Sure, the potential of 4K's higher bit depth, better colour sampling and wider colour gamut will provide an improvement over and above what Blu-ray can offer in those areas, so even if the spatial resolution isn't greatly improved there may still be benefits in getting the 4K upscaled version. But only the most hardcore videophiles will be up for that kind of shenanigans.

Don't get me wrongo, I'm gonna be front and centre if/when 4K BD finally streets, but I won't be in a rush to replace my BDs.

[xander]

I'm confident that my current BD collection will be relevant for a long time to come. Hell, we were at Nebraska Furniture Mart yesterday and I was amused to see they still were selling 3 models of VHS compatible players.