Should you replace your DVDs with Blu-ray?

[DealsR4theDevil]

Originally Posted by Blu-Ray Hunter

I have a fairly sizable collection of DVDs (~400). Back in Jan, I took a gamble on Blu-ray and bought a Sony BDP-S300. Then, the war between Blu-ray and HD-DVD wasn't completely decided, however I got a sweet deal. I got the player and 10 free movies (five instant in-store selections and five through the mail). I tried to pick titles that I didn't already have on regular DVD. I've now got around 30 titles on Blu-ray.

I find myself really questioning which Blu-ray disks to purchase. Some titles I'll buy without question (i.e. Lord of the Rings, any Pixar releases, etc.). I really hate spending the extra money on a Blu-ray disk for something I already have on regular DVD, especially if the quality is not worth the extra price tag. For example, my Blu-ray player will up-convert (to 1080i) all of the regular DVDs I have. So the real question is, why spend $30 (or more) on a Blu-ray disk when I can get the same title at Wal-Mart in the $7.50 bin on DVD? Or, why replace a DVD that I already own with Blu-ray if the quality is not immediately noticeable? For example, I already own the movie Castaway on DVD. In looking at the Blu-ray version, I can't tell a noticeable difference in the picture. You can in the sound, but not the picture.

I buy Blu-ray disks for one reason, quality. How can you tell (from the back of a Blu-ray case or another method) if an older movie was shot in HD quality? What's going to make me run out and buy "American Graffiti" on Blu-ray when I know the movie wasn't shot in HD? I have the double-throw-down-anniversary version of the movie Jaws on DVD. I'll have to think twice about replacing it with a Blu-ray, if/when it comes available.

Thoughts?

On an ending note, if you like nature, you can't go wrong with the Blu-ray versions of "Planet Earth" and "Galapagos". Picture quality and sound are unsurpassed. These two are a must have for any Blu-ray owner.

A movie doesnt have to be "shot in HD" to benifit from Blu-ray. HD cameras are a relatively new thing. Old movies were shot on film which can hold more detail than just 1080p. It is not about the way it was shot, it is about how much care and effort goes into the blu-ray transfer. Just about any movie can benefit from a Blu-ray transfer.