Blu-ray, Isn't worth it or is it?

[Mr. Cinema]

Do you need us to tell you it's worth it?

[Deciazulado]

Originally Posted by Petra_Kalbrain

It was like they were being brainwashed because not a single one of them would respond to me for the first five minutes as I tried to get their immediate impressions of the difference they saw from before my arrival on the scene.

When our schedules don't conflict I am also going to go over and tune his TV properly. I noticed some saturation and colour imbalance problems with the image that need rectifying before the image is perfect.

From this day forth you will be known as Petra Calibrain with a C

[prerich]

Originally Posted by The world in blu

I've had blu-ray for some time now. People tell me that blu-ray isn't worth it and I tell them it is but they just say back it's not special. I don't care what other people think but sometimes I wonder if it really is What do you think about blu-ray and why is it special? I just want to get on the topic of why blu-ray is worth all the money. I mean I don't know what i would do without blu-ray but it's just I want to know what your thinking.

Don't kill me here, but I think this question is a two-edged sword. It's definately worth it if you have an HDTV and a good sound system with quality equipment. I believe BD is a must if you fit the above catagory. The advantages of BD are better PQ and AQ, but you will not get the true advantages of either unless you have the proper equipment.

It kills me to see a person with a ps3 and a 19 inch CRT television - listening through the tv speakers. BD is not worth it to them. BD should be part of a system - to achieve most if not all of its benefits. I've always said this, until people begin to thing system instead of just technology - others that are not informed will never understand. I wouldn't buy an expensive sports car (manual transmission) unless I could drive a stick or willing to learn. Some people are not willing to go the next step to experience what you can get with BD - so it's like having a car they can't drive - looks good but neither you or your friends know how it performs - the only thing you know is by hearsay and demos. Literally, a waste. Unless you come up - you will never experience it for yourself.

[prerich]

Originally Posted by Petra_Kalbrain

You see... this is what people need to start doing!!! GET INVOLVED WHEN SOMEONE IS COMPLAINING! They obviously haven't setup their equipment properly! Stage an intervention if you have to!!!

Or they don't have proper equipment

[dadkins]

BD Laptops here. VAIOs.
On a few occasions while at a coffee shop, I have had people ask me how it is that the movie that's playing looks so sharp and clear.

I look and smile... then I point to the little sticker on the palm rest.
The cool little Blu-ray Disc sticker.

I'm doing my part to enlighten at least a few un-knowing people.

like.no.other

The look on their faces alone is worth it.
Me being able to watch the best picture available where ever I happen to be... Hell Yeah!
The ability to connect HDMI to someone's HDTV who has only ever seen cable or Sat HDTV and make them stare at their screen - think about it.

[haushausman]

Not sure what kind of responses your looking for when asking a Blu-ray obsessed forum that kind of question...

We all think it's defintely worth it and cringe whenever we have to watch shi*ty DVD quality or less.

You'll find the above to be resoundingly true here across the board.

[jono_0101]

i remember when i first took my PS3 out of the box, i wasnt very informed about blu ray, as i was buying the PS3 for gaming, but i knew it came with blu ray, so i bought reservoir dogs on blu and after setting up, i wasnt impressed, in fact i was kind of mad at the quality. when i mentioned it to my dad, he asked if i was using HDMI. of course not, so i went out and got one, and the difference was amazing, i guess it pays to be informed but i think the problem is that a lot of people are so turned off by the price at this point, it keeps them from getting informed, and instead the just bash blu ray because they simply dont know how big a difference it is over SD

[Blaumann]

Sure Blu is "worth" it. However i can understand, if someone doesn't want to pay the MSRP at b&m stores and therefore thinks BD is not worth "that".

IMO the difference between BD and lesser sources is clearly visible, even if one is not a HT nut. Many are just using the price as an excuse, why they think it is not "worth it". Gladly prices keep falling, so BD will be "worth it" for more and more people each day.

[dadkins]

Originally Posted by Blaumann

Sure Blu is "worth" it. However i can understand, if someone doesn't want to pay the MSRP at b&m stores and therefore thinks BD is not worth "that".

IMO the difference between BD and lesser sources is clearly visible, even if one is not a HT nut. Many are just using the price as an excuse, why they think it is not "worth it". Gladly prices keep falling, so BD will be "worth it" for more and more people each day.

The price issue has always got to me...
Blow $1500 - $3000 on a big bad new HDTV and then they complain about $400 to feed it a decent source.

A $200 SDTV and then adding a $50-100 DVD player is ok, but a 2 Grand HDTV and a $399 player is too much?

[Blaumann]

I think we will be pretty much past the "expensive hardware" argument this coming holiday season. My point was more about the movie prices though.

IMO: Soon many people will buy BD players instead of DVD upscalers, except for the "rock-bottom-scrape-the-bottom-of-the-barrel" $30 dvd upscaler crowd. They'll have the future proof hardware in their houses. And then it is only a question of the movie prices in stores, until we see some exponential growth in people who think it is "worth it".

[dadkins]

Movie prices are within $10 of DVDs - but you get all the extras and 6 times the res.

Many BDs are within $5 of their DVD counterparts.
$19.99 vs $24.99.
It is stlll silly for someone to get a high-dollar display and skimping on the input source - player or media.

Its like having a Ferrari and painting it with Krylon.

[arrow61095]

Originally Posted by dadkins

Movie prices are within $10 of DVDs - but you get all the extras and 6 times the res.

Many BDs are within $5 of their DVD counterparts.
$19.99 vs $24.99.
It is stlll silly for someone to get a high-dollar display and skimping on the input source - player or media.

Its like having a Ferrari and painting it with Krylon.

Unfortunatelly, Movie prices are not within $10 of DVDs everywhere.

It's been years since I payed $19.99 for a DVD.
Most DVDs around where I live are around $14.99 or $15.99 new, while many Blu-rays are $24.99 to $29.99 new.

I've heard that it is far worse in the UK, where some Blu-rays are around $50 after the conversion rate is applied.


Now, the prices of used DVDs and Blu-rays in my area are pretty good.
You can get a used copy of a popular movie like King Kong or Matrix on DVD for $2.50. And I have seen used Blu-rays go as low as $10 at my local stores.
Because of this, I often blind buy used DVDs of movies. $2.50 - $5 to buy on DVD. As oppossed to $4.99 to rent on Demand from my cable service provider or $3.99 to rent from the PS3 store.

If it is a movie that I have seen before and like enough, I will buy the Blu-ray --- But I don't think that it is necessary to buy every movie on Blu-ray, when it is at times cheaper for me to buy on DVD than rent.

[Blu-Benny]

Yes it's worth it if the person w/the equipment is informed on what is need to get that stunning picture.

W/the change over the HDTV next year, why would you want to watch regualr tv in crystal clear clarity and then watch a movie w/lower quality??

It doesn't make sense.

[Blu-Benny]

Oh yeah, I forgot. Perfect example.

Batman Begins was on ABC last night in High Def.

It would really mess w/someone to watch it on tv and then watch it on dvd and wonder why the tv picture was better than the dvd picture.

[dadkins]

Many here are:

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage....egories&ks=960

$24.99 vs $29.99... if I were going to buy, I would opt for the BD at $5 more.

Yes, some exceed the $10 variance. You have to shop around.
Yeah, I still root through the bargain-bins too for DVDs - new and "Rental Returns" in the $3-$6 range.

As for actually renting DVDs, local shop is $0.99 each... there is also a redbox at the local Luckys.
Rent, for $3.99? Not me!

[arrow61095]

Originally Posted by dadkins

Many here are:

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage....egories&ks=960

$24.99 vs $29.99... if I were going to buy, I would opt for the BD at $5 more.

Yes, some exceed the $10 variance. You have to shop around.
Yeah, I still root through the bargain-bins too for DVDs - new and "Rental Returns" in the $3-$6 range.

As for actually renting DVDs, local shop is $0.99 each... there is also a redbox at the local Luckys.
Rent, for $3.99? Not me!

Lucky. All our local rental shops have closed except BlockBuster and RedBox.
I hate BlockBuster. I've been thinking about using the local RedBox for a couple of movies coming out later this year, even though the RedBox is a bit out of my way and They just don't have much selection of older movies that I wanted to catch up on (which is understandable).

[Snowgod]

I can tell you that there are people using small TVs that may not see the improvement that Blu-ray provides. If you are one of those people you should see the same film played on a projector with a 100" screen or larger and then you will not only see the difference, as my wife said "Never want to watch anything else". She is now waiting for Pixar to release the rest of their catalog on Blu-ray.

[weiland555]

I think somebody really needs a larger picture on an HD display to see the huge difference Blu-ray makes. Watching content on a 50" screen, the difference between Blu-ray and DVD was striking to me. I doubt folks on 27" monitor would notice much of a difference. They most likely don't see any problem with DVD's on that size sceen anyways. My point is that the more larger TV's get sold, the more you'll see people start noticing major flaws in the DVD's and looking for an upgrade. The answer will, of course, be Blu-ray. It was for me.

[doctorsteve]

Originally Posted by Petra_Kalbrain

When our schedules don't conflict I am also going to go over and tune his TV properly. I noticed some saturation and colour imbalance problems with the image that need rectifying before the image is perfect.

You would do him a much better service by hitting him in the head with a shovel to knock the stupid out of him... Then maybe his wife will sell his setup real cheap at the garage sale next week...

[Rothwilder Blu]

Show them Sunshine or the Nightmare Before Christmas....I have sent so many people running to their checkbooks. I think Best Buy owes me a kickback