What is your Blu-ray buying philosophy?

[LMN8R]

Pretty simple actually. If I want it and have the cash to spare I buy it.

[InMyTree]

Originally Posted by benricci

I don't need a set of rules, a philosophy or any other nonsense. If I liked the movie enough to own it, then I buy it wherever it's cheapest. Pretty simple.

Some of you are seriously nutty with your obsessiveness, rules and habits.

Simple indeed and sums up my blu-ray buying habits.

If i like it enough and want to see it again i buy it. Replay value doesn't really factor in, more so now with all the rental spots by my place going under.

Sites like this one make it so much easier to find stuff cheap...i'm probably doing 95% of my blu-ray purchasing online and more often than not i'm importing.

[mark808]

Originally Posted by Panther71

When I first got a DVD player back in the late 1990s, I was an impulsive buyer. Like others have said, I would buy a new release and never watch it more than once. Of course, when I first started collecting DVDs there were some great deals on-line and not as many options to rent. I have around 500 DVDs and probably have 20% that I have not watched yet.

Now that I own a BD player, I am taking a more conservative approach on purchasing Blu-rays.

this pretty much describes my old and new philosophy to a T

although with the rash of sales going on now I may find myself succumbing
back to my old DVD ways.. but at least it'll be on a cheaper scale

[boxterduke]

When I started with Blurays I would buy movies I liked, soon my collection was big and I had to slow down and trim the collection.
Now I have 92 blurays of movies I really love.
Also lately I wait until I find the movie I want dirt cheap, I don't care about owning the movie on release. Waiting pays off at the end.
I also used to buy lots of steelbooks and I had to end that as well.
I'd rather save my money.

[Deromax]

Originally Posted by HD Goofnut

Wait a second. You're not rich, but yet you have a buy only policy? I rent about 8-12 BDs a month for $19 after tax. Is $19 a month too much for someone who's not rich? I think not.

I made the decision to purchase my movies, so I gave up on spending money on renting and going to the theater to have more ressources to purchase the movies. Going to the cinema + renting it later, once or twice, is more expensive than purchasing it once and be done with it. It's the choice I made.

Around here, last time I checked, new releases were 4$ to rent. I'd rather pay 10$ once for all.

[HD Goofnut]

Originally Posted by Deromax

I made the decision to purchase my movies, so I gave up on spending money on renting and going to the theater to have more ressources to purchase the movies. Going to the cinema + renting it later, once or twice, is more expensive than purchasing it once and be done with it. It's the choice I made.

Around here, last time I checked, new releases were 4$ to rent. I'd rather pay 10$ once for all.

I am not sure when you figured your math, but it is definitely wrong. To rent a BD through Netflix with 2 at-a-time runs me about $1.50-1.70 per movie. Then there's Redbox, which charges $1.50 per day for new releases on BD. I go to the theater about twice a year so I don't really spend any money on that.

My point is that it is cheaper to rent, especially if you never go to the movie theater.

[Deromax]

Of course renting is less expensive. But at the end of the year you'd have exactly 0 titles in your collection by doing so!

I decided to assemble a collection, this is one of my very few hobbies. I have enough income to do it but I still have to be somewhat careful with the spending.

[HD Goofnut]

Originally Posted by Deromax

Of course renting is less expensive. But at the end of the year you'd have exactly 0 titles in your collection by doing so!

I decided to assemble a collection, this is one of my very few hobbies. I have enough income to do it but I still have to be somewhat careful with the spending.

I rent and then if I like it I will buy it when it is available at a good price. There is not a cheaper alternative unless I simply stop watching movies, which is impossible for me.

[RingTrick]

Nothing complex. My philosphy is the same as many others here, if I like the film and see myself viewing it multiple times, I purchase it. Plain and simple.

Why deprive yourself of great films? Life's too effin' short.

[bradley4846]

well... i started by upgrading everything. but have recently decided against that. Now i ussually just buy newer movies, and i ussually just go with amazons price.

[shinseiRomeo]

Originally Posted by Badamec

I'm really curious and interested as to the philosophies of the veterans here and the new guys and gals like me.

(If a thread like this exists already, then my bad. I did in fact use the search function! )

When BD first came out in summer 2006 I visited Sony and saw the first BD player, at $1,000. I had no interest at that point. Fast forward a tad and I started to collect them after I got a PS3. In the beginning I only bought a movie based on a combination of the right price, if I'm very interesting in it, and/or if the reviews were near perfect 5/5 AV.

Last year I joined here. At first I had about 75 BDs in my collection in three years of buying BDs. One year later I now am at approximately 330 BDs. The deals section, and especially the slipcover thread, turned me into a diehard collector. I started buying movies based on deals and if they had a rare slip. I've since simmered down and swore off blind buying unless the following are met:

1) It's an extremely limited BD (steelbook, exclusive, etc)
2) I have a high interest in it and the reviews are stellar
3) It's a Disney BD I can get for a very good deal (love those DMR discounts!)

[beefytwinkie]

My only rules for buying new blu-ray movies deal with buying new movies on release dates.

1. I can buy any movie on release date as long as the release date is an even number date in the month.

2. If the release date is an odd number then I can only buy a blu-ray if the title begins with a vowel.

3. On the third full week of the month, if the date is an odd number I can only buy a new release blu-ray beginning with a consonant so long as the sequence of the first four letters in the title is consonant, vowel, vowel, consonant otherwise rule 2 applies.

Other than those rules, everything is up for grabs. I do try to spend 10 bucks per movie, though. I'm averaging about $11.40 per movie I currently own.

[motorheadache95]

I do have three rules that I use for double dipping a movie I already own on DVD (I used to buy a lot of DVDs back in the day).

1) How much do I care about this movie? Is it movie I like revisiting often?
2) The PQ/AQ reviews of the Blu-Ray-- good transfer, or did they just slap an old DNR and EE master on the disc?
3) Do I care about watching this movie on a big screen? I watch Blu-Rays on my 61" set (eventually I'm going to get into front-projection), and I watch DVDs on my older 34" tube set.

[cricket]

Here's mine:

If the movie is really good and a new release, I'll pay $15 for it. If it's a catalog title, I'll pay $6-$7.

I have Netflix, so I can usually wait for good deals. If it's a WB flick and I get it 30 days, I can still wait. I don't have to own a movie on release day.

I've been spoiled by the 5 for $20 and $.99 deals at Blockbuster so I'm reluctant to buy anything above $15. I'll be buying Avatar Extended for $15 at Best Buy though using the coupon.

[painted_klown]

I thought I had no rules, but after considering the question, I do have have some rules I adhere to.

The number one rule is price. If I REALLY want a movie I will buy it at whatever price the local big box retail outlet charges. That is a very rare thing for me. I am the kind of guy that uses the price tracker to get the most out of my money. I hardly ever buy new releases and almost all of my purchases come from Amazon. Retail outlets have a difficult time matching/beating their pricing. If the retail price is equal to Amazon, I will buy it at the store. Sure I end up paying tax but to me it's worth paying tax to have the movie instantly.

I rarely buy used, but have a few times...I just hate getting burned on used stuff not being in the condition described. That makes me VERY hesitant to go used and angry when it happens. Why are people ALWAYS trying to rip others off!!! People who lie about the condition of their used products need to be punched in the face!

I just don't understand how anyone could send a scratched up BD in a DVD case, with wrinkled up artwork, and the second disc missing, and describe that as "Very Good". WTF?!?!?!?!?! That is not even close to what I would consider "Acceptable".

This literally happened to me today with a used disc, no joke. It's a sad. sad world we live in when people can't even be honest when selling a used blu-ray!!!

When buying used, the copy needs to be in the same condition as a new retail copy with the shrink wrap removed. All original artwork, all discs, no scratches, etc.

Also, I will not buy BDs that are former rentals and say the word "Rental" on the disc or artwork. Although I don't care about special features...for some reason I just feel like these copies should be free or only a dollar or something.

[Coligion]

I'm a poor college student, so I make very selective purchases: I try to never double-dip on releases I already own on DVD (and am still happy with); only buy movies that really deserve BD treatment; and of course, scour the ads for the best deals possible. Obviously, I picked up Back to the Future trilogy on sale for $14.99

[Shagadelic]

Painted Klown, are you buying used on gaybay or Ballbuster Video?
S#!t if somone pulled that kinda crap in front of me I'll break it in their face (shamestop). Good luck in the future, wear your clown outfit when u go shopping

Anywho, like some have mentioned must have titles such as box sets and digibooks get 1st priority. After that sales are the only way to go, lately a month or two after release for some turn into great deals + this website!

[BohemianGraham]

My BD buying Philosophy:

- If it's something I really love, I'll double-dip from a DVD purchase regardless of price, most times I'm fortunate for the films to be on sale
- If the price is good, and it's something I don't already own
- If the plot sounds interesting and the price is good - Criterions are a big one in this category
- Rarely do I blind buy, Criterions are the exception
- Coupons are a gal's best friend, that is, if Disney gives a decent one, and it's a decent movie
- Price check Amazon US, CA, and UK (I only just began this, got burned a few times by not price checking. It was only a couple dollars, but still)
- Never buy used BD, DVDs are ok on a rare occasion
- Buy DVDs if the Blu-Ray is looking unlikely, and/or the film's only good enough to own on DVD, and not worthy of a BD purchase
- ON any double dips or DVD combos, DVD copies go to family and friends, depending on what the film is, and if the special features from the DVD ended up being ported over to the Blu-Ray.

[thetechnique]

If I want it I'll buy it

No rules, though my wife thinks I buy too much

[Exist2Inspire]

I used to go crazy buying Blu-Rays, usually picking up 4 every week. Granted they were titles that I really wanted, but I was still spending way too much. Racked up some nice credit card debt between local purchases and imports, and that's when I decided that I had to cut back.

Now, I only pick up movies that I enjoyed and will definitely watch more than once. I've also discovered in the past year LaserDiscs, so I spend some of my blu-ray budget on them.

I think in the past month the only movies that I have picked up are: True Grit, SuperNatural: Season 2, Tron: Legacy German SteelBook.

Even this month is pretty bare, with the only real big purchases being Superman Collection from the UK, Paul UK, Akira UK and LoTR