Home Video Sales Thread (HMM weekly/DEG quarterly/Nielsen Top 20/etc.)

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by avs commenter

I was pulling for HD DVD. I still think the dual sided disc would have been the best option for mainstream consumption, but who knows...

It may, or may not, be analogous to HD DVD, but regular dual sided DVDs had terrible disc failure rates over time. My laserdiscs, overall, have had better longevity than my dual sided DVDs.

[bruceames]

Originally Posted by Vilya

Well, try not to become the guy with the beautiful rare car who is too afraid to drive it and who instead just dusts it everyday with a diaper.

No, the HD DVD players are backups (although I now realize mostly unnecessary), but if I keep the 205 I will hook it up. But right now the 203 is doing a fine job and I mainly watch on my Sony Z8H in the living room (yeah I'm mad with Sony over the FMP-X10, but not that mad, as I love their LED TVs and processing that comes with it). If I hook it up then I'll put the 203 in the bedroom.

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by bruceames

No, the HD DVD players are backups (although I now realize mostly unnecessary), but if I keep the 205 I will hook it up. But right now the 203 is doing a fine job and I mainly watch on my Sony Z8H in the living room (yeah I'm mad with Sony over the FMP-X10, but not that mad). If I hook it up then I'll put the 203 in the bedroom.

I doubt that there is much demand for HD DVD players, but that Oppo 205 is a coveted thing of beauty that should be enjoyed.

[bruceames]

Originally Posted by Vilya

It may, or may not, be analogous to HD DVD, but regular dual sided DVDs had terrible disc failure rates over time. My laserdiscs have had better longevity than my dual sided DVDs did.

I'm going over my Warner HD DVD discs and the ones giving me problem are the dual sided ones. The single-layer discs are fine but about half the dual-layer "combo" discs freeze at the start of the second layer. I think the Universal HD DVD combo discs are fine though, but I'm going to check those later.

[bruceames]

Originally Posted by Vilya

I doubt that there is much demand for HD DVD players, but that Oppo 205 is a coveted thing of beauty that should be enjoyed.

It will in good time.

[avs commenter]

Yeah I meant to say the HD DVD combo disc. I had hoped that would gain traction

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by bruceames

I'm going over my Warner HD DVD discs and the ones giving me problem are the dual sided ones. The single-layer discs are fine but about half the dual-layer "combo" discs freeze at the start of the second layer. I think the Universal HD DVD combo discs are fine though, but I'm going to check those later.

Dual sided discs are problematic with much higher failure rates than regular one sided discs. Whenever I stumble across a dual sided disc in my collection, I can safely bet that it needs replacing.

[bruceames]

Originally Posted by avs commenter

Yeah I meant to say the HD DVD combo disc. I had hoped that would gain traction

Yeah, but in hindsight, they should have just included the DVD, like Blu-ray did shortly after the format war ended. That would have been a much better sell, IMO, and would avoid the problems later in these types of discs. I think DVD dual layer discs are not made anymore, or are they?

[bruceames]

Originally Posted by Vilya

Dual sided discs are problematic with much higher failure rates than regular one sided discs. Whenever I stumble across a dual sided disc in my collection, I can safely bet that it needs replacing.

I have some Universal double-sided DVDs (mostly TV shows. I'm curious as to whether they will play now.

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by bruceames

Yeah, but in hindsight, they should have just included the DVD, like Blu-ray did shortly after the format war ended. That would have been a much better sell, IMO, and would avoid the problems later in these types of discs. I think DVD dual layer discs are not made anymore, or are they?

I have not encountered any dual sided DVDs among the DVDs that I have purchased for many years now. I can not say conclusively that they are no longer being used, but if they are I have managed to avoid them.

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by bruceames

I have some Universal double-sided DVDs (mostly TV shows. I'm curious as to whether they will play now.

Even if they do play now, you might want to make a back-up of them while you still can.

[bruceames]

Originally Posted by Vilya

Even if they do play now, you might want to make a back-up of them while you still can.

I haven't play any of them in many years so not worth the time, but I am curious to see if they still play (to see how it correlates to the HD DVD combos). Besides, many of them are available via streaming on the Peacock channel and in mostly better quality too. I thought TV on DVD was such a bargain back in the day but ended up buying waay too many of them.

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by bruceames

I haven't play any of them in many years so not worth the time, but I am curious to see if they still play (to see how it correlates to the HD DVD combos). Besides, many of them are available via streaming on the Peacock channel and in mostly better quality too. I thought TV on DVD was such a bargain back in the day but ended up buying waay too many of them.

[Show spoiler]You're not allowed to like anything about streaming around here.

[bruceames]

Originally Posted by Vilya

[Show spoiler]You're not allowed to like anything about streaming around here.

Being better than a DVD though isn't saying much.

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by bruceames

Being better than a DVD though isn't saying much.

I get that sentiment, but I am surprised at how well many DVDs upscale. Our fancy 4K TVs and 4k/blu-ray disc players can work wonders with many of them.

It also helps that I remember what it was like to watch a pan and scan movie on a 19" CRT via a VCR. I thought I was styling when I got my first Hi Fi VCR. Anyway, it means that I have a high threshold for pain when it comes to what is, and what is not, watchable.

[Wendell R. Breland]

Bruce, according to The Numbers the Bond movie Skyfall did almost 53 million on BD sales. If No Time To Die is as good and does well at the box office what amount of BD sale would be needed before you thought it would be a BD sales success? Yes, I know, a lot of unknowns.

Sure wish Deakins had been the DP on this one. IMHO, Linus Sandgren and First Man was unwatchable, in La La Land he did much better. Love Hans Zimmer so glad to see he did the music track. Normally do not recommend titles but Hans Zimmer: Live in Prague will test out your sound system and give your subs a workout.

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by Wendell R. Breland

Sure wish Deakins had been the DP on this one. IMHO, Linus Sandgren and First Man was unwatchable, in La La Land he did much better. Love Hans Zimmer so glad to see he did the music track. Normally do not recommend titles but Hans Zimmer: Live in Prague will test out your sound system and give your subs a workout.

This movie? Unwatchable?



https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/First...218025/#Review

What's wrong with it? I remember enjoying it.

[bruceames]

Originally Posted by Vilya

I get that sentiment, but I am surprised at how well many DVDs upscale. Our fancy 4K TVs and 4k/blu-ray disc players can work wonders with many of them.

It also helps that I remember what it was like to watch a pan and scan movie on a 19" CRT via a VCR. I thought I was styling when I got my first Hi Fi VCR. Anyway, it means that I have a high threshold for pain when it comes to what is, and what is not, watchable.

I haven't compared the Peacock shows to the DVDs, but I did notice a huge difference in the Flintstones and a few other shows on HBO Max compared to my DVDs. I may as well throw my Flintstones DVDs in the trash.

On the other hand, comparing apples to apples, BD vs. HD streaming or UHD BD vs. UHD streaming, the disc always looks better. Less compression matters. Also they sound a lot better on disc. I was comparing UHD mostly on VUDU, and BD on HBO Max. HDR highlights aren' throttled on disc like they are on streaming either, so it looks more impressive (regardless whether it's HDR10 or DV, as my display can get up to 2500 nits).

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by bruceames

I haven't compared the Peacock shows to the DVDs, but I did notice a huge difference in the Flintstones and a few other shows on HBO Max compared to my DVDs. I may as well throw my Flintstones DVDs in the trash.

On the other hand, comparing apples to apples, BD vs. HD streaming or UHD BD vs. UHD streaming, the disc always looks better. Less compression matters. Also they sound a lot better on disc. I was comparing UHD mostly on VUDU, and BD on HBO Max. HDR highlights aren' throttled on disc like they are on streaming either, so it looks more impressive (regardless whether it's HDR10 or DV, as my display can get up to 2500 nits).

You might want to keep those Flintstones DVDs. The blu-ray release is apparently riddled with problems according to the now 845 posts in its thread:

https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=330302

When a blu-ray release gets that many posts, it almost always means that people are unhappy with it.

The other reason to keep your DVDs is because SVODs are not above editing or removing episodes deemed by someone, seemingly anyone, to be offensive.

I have the DVDs, too, but I have never watched them. How fugly are they?

[Wendell R. Breland]

Originally Posted by Vilya

What's wrong with it? I remember enjoying it.

Too much handheld camera.