I think owning DVDs might be a HUGE waste of money...

Javery

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I've got a pretty good collection of DVDs that I never really watch. If I do watch them it's usually only one time. I think owning them might be pointless yet I seem to like having them in my drawer. Maybe just knowing I could watch them if I wanted to.... I don't know. I think I might just be wasting money....
 
Pretty much every purchase you make could be considered a waste of money in one way or another.

Personally, I would rather pay $10-$15 for a DVD and own it for the rest of my life than pay even $1 to a rental company.
 
[quote name='BillyBob29']Pretty much every purchase you make could be considered a waste of money in one way or another.

Personally, I would rather pay $10-$15 for a DVD and own it for the rest of my life than pay even $1 to a rental company.[/quote]

yeah, what he said. plus if you really like a movie, instead of renting it a handful of times to rewatch it, you've got it at your place and can pull it out and watch it any time.

man i am making some weird comments.
 
a similar thing could be said for games. Some arent played through all that many times and gets shelved. It happens. Theres something about ownership though that people dig.
 
The OP said he never watches them again after the first time. I have to agree with him. All the discs start to pile up and soon you run out of space. Of all the DVDs I have, less than 10% gets replay time in my player after the first 2 or 3 weeks of purchase.
 
I've always felt the same way, which is why I only own a few movies. But then, I get to looking at the ever growing game collection...
 
I try to only buy DVDs that I will watch multiple times. These are almost always comedies and action movies

For me it'd be the (truly) special editions, like the Criterion Collection releases or LOTR Extended Editions. Mutiple-disc releases of David Fincher films, etc.
 
I agree, thats why i got a bunch that I knew for sure I'd never watch again and sold them to blockbuster during the "each dvd worth $7" sale. I did the same for the games i never play as well. I think it finally hit me a few months ago that I don't have room, time, space, or money for the "whatever" movies and games that didn't really interest me. Now I feel pretty happy with the stuff I have knowing that about 90% I'm definately going to watch again.
 
[quote name='javeryh']I've got a pretty good collection of DVDs that I never really watch. [/quote]

you buy the wrong dvds then, most of the dvds i own are movies/shows i can watch over and over
 
I feel the same way, I own a lot of DVD's and I just heard that Blue Ray Discs and players will be released in 2005 and play in HD quality, I dont want to start my collection all over again. I really dont watch my movies that much either but when Im not working or really really bored I do.
 
[quote name='maxflight']you just have to know a friend who has all the good dvds for you to borrow :)[/quote]

8-[ looks like that's me. I loan out shelf-fuls of dvds to my friends.
 
Buy what you like. If you realize you've outgrown it, pawn it off. Just take the time to realize what you dont like at the moment due to certain things, that you would like to keep later (Pawning off stuff just to get more crap you wont like later, for example)
 
[quote name='LinkinPrime']I feel the same way, I own a lot of DVD's and I just heard that Blue Ray Discs and players will be released in 2005 and play in HD quality, I dont want to start my collection all over again. I really dont watch my movies that much either but when Im not working or really really bored I do.[/quote]

There are actually 2 different formats blu-ray is being pushed by sony and will be the media for the ps3 but there is also HD DVD being supported by different studios and the media wont be compatible with other players
 
i know every dvd i've bought i have no regret in doing so. i can say for sure that i've seen every one of them 3 or more times. i guess it's just that i'm picky and frugal. don't like to waste money :D

do most of you buy your dvd's on impulse? like... because it was cheap, heard it was good from so and so, etc?
 
[quote name='maxflight']you just have to know a friend who has all the good dvds for you to borrow :)[/quote]
Ya I have one of those neighbors in my dormitory.
 
[quote name='LinkinPrime']I feel the same way, I own a lot of DVD's and I just heard that Blue Ray Discs and players will be released in 2005 and play in HD quality, I dont want to start my collection all over again. I really dont watch my movies that much either but when Im not working or really really bored I do.[/quote]

What are these Blue Ray discs and players you speak of? I really need to get out more. A kid and working from home really limits my exposure to the outside world. ;)
 
I've been feeling the same way and have thought about taking a modified buddhist approach where I sell off most of my things except for my furniture, TV and stereo/game consoles, computer, basic clothing, cookware, and whatever game I am currently playing. I would basically be selling off all movie's, videogames, and toys. Wow, that doesn't sound very buddhist when I still keep all those things, but you get the idea.
 
[quote name='hutno'][quote name='LinkinPrime']I feel the same way, I own a lot of DVD's and I just heard that Blue Ray Discs and players will be released in 2005 and play in HD quality, I dont want to start my collection all over again. I really dont watch my movies that much either but when Im not working or really really bored I do.[/quote]

There are actually 2 different formats blu-ray is being pushed by sony and will be the media for the ps3 but there is also HD DVD being supported by different studios and the media wont be compatible with other players[/quote]
I remember reading a news article that gives HD-DVD the upperhand, they have developed a process which creates DVDs with two partitions. One part with normal dvd, one part with hd-dvd. So the dvd would have high def for HD-dvd players yet still work in normal dvd players. This would greatly help with the transition.

I just hope they decide on one standard, if they get in a media format war and put both on the market, it's going to destroy it.
 
i think Blu-Ray has more companies backing it though. Also I don;t know about HDDVD but Blu-Ray players can play regular DVDs in them too which is why everyone is pretty sure that PS# will be backwards-compatible.
 
From what I remember, they do not cost much more to produce than normal dvds. So I would imagine if they are not similarly priced to current dvds in the beginning, they will within a year or so.
 
[quote name='Lizard Axe']Does anyone know how much money these new DVD's are going to cost?[/quote]

They will have a higher price point for the first year of release, and will come down in price as they are more widely adopted. The same is true for the players. I know... its a generic response, but no one knows what the price will be at this point.

Most videophiles believe that DVD-HD will win the format war over Blue Ray due to studio support. Only time will tell if they are right.
 
I think that dvd's are a waste of money. then again I think they are not a waste. my big problem is space I think if movies could come in the thin dvd cases that would be awesome. or better yet dvd's did not exist at all. you would go to you local movie joint buy something simlar to a flash drive. that you pluged into you player and it would have all of the same stuff a normal dvd has or more, that would be cool. and they would come in cases half the size of cd cases.
 
About blu-ray and HD-DVD:

Blu-ray has more support from hardware makers at this point in time. (Sony, Dell etc.)

HD-DVD has more CONTENT support from movie studios.

Both types of players will be able to play current DVD's in addition to blu-ray or HD-DVD but at this point there are no plans for players that play both HD-DVD and blu-ray.

The PS3 is going to use blu-ray.

Microsoft is providing codec technology for HD-DVD which is why many believe the Xbox 2 / Xenon will have HD-DVD support.

Blu-ray has roughly twice the storage capacity of HD-DVD but HD-DVD has more than enough space to hold a full length Hollywood movie in high-def with DTS EX audio.

HD-DVD discs can be manufactered on existing DVD production lines while blu-ray production will require additional investments in production.

Blu-ray is out in Japan right now with players capable or recording high-def material onto re-recordable blu-ray discs for about $2k. I believe re-recordable blu-rays discs run about $40 a pop.

For those worried about possibly re-buying their current DVD's on HD-DVD or blu-ray.....

Only movies that were filmed in high-def will actually see a benefit from these new formats. If the movie wasn't filmed in high-def the only thing it will get from these new formats is more room on the disc for special features.

At this point, the majority of Hollywood has shifted it's support behind HD-DVD with Disney and Sony, who will soon be in control of the MGM library, the only two real content players in support of blu-ray.

There is a lot more to the HD-DVD/blu-ray story, a quick google search will provide a variety of links about each format and its potential benefit if you guys are interested.

BTW.....the -HD-DVD disc type that was mentioned earlier that also has a layer of normal DVD on it.....there is a new blu-ray disc with the same capacity. there is an article about it at thedigitalbits.com today.
 
I have maybe 15 DVD. I only buy ones I know I MUST have. Things like LotR, BttF, Indiana Jones.

Currently the quality of DVD just plum sucks! I am hoping Blu-Ray is the next DVD replacement instead of HD-DVD. Blu-Ray can have anywhere between 23 - 27 GB (Yes, Gigabytes) on a single layer. Double it for Dual Layer and 4 layer 100 GB and 8 Layer 200 GB discs have been announced. Some of the supporters of Blu-Ray are Sony, Disney, Dell, HP, Panasonic, Mitsubishi, and many more. Also, Sony has announced that the next Playstation (Playstation 3) will be using Blu-Ray.


Only movies that were filmed in high-def will actually see a benefit from these new formats. If the movie wasn't filmed in high-def the only thing it will get from these new formats is more room on the disc for special features.

Unless you mean Hi-Definition Digital Cameras then no need to worry. Just about any movie/film can be transferred to hi-definition. I have watched movies in Hi-Definition as old as 20 yrs.


Chris
 
I have that problem with games more than dvds, although my dvd collection has grown quite a bit in the past month or two now. Anyway, I have all these games that I never play, hopefully I'll get around to the 20-25 games that are either in the shrinkwrap still, or I've only played them once and then moved back to doing something else, hopefully...
 
Yeah owning DVDs can be a waste, but if you watch it more than once, or with more people, its better. Especially if you would have seen the same movie for $9 each in the theater. At least its a little better.
Having roommates is good too cause then you can buy different ones.
Also in response to Chickenhawk, if you want to know about Blu Ray discs stay in and read up tech websites, why go out into the real world? :)
 
IGN's Everything we know about Blu-Ray

This is the list of current supporters of the Blu-Ray format:

Dell Inc.
Hewlett Packard Company
Hitachi, Ltd.
LG Electronics Inc.
Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
Panasonic (Matsushita Electric)
Pioneer Corporation
Royal Philips Electronics
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
Sharp Corporation
Sony Corporation
TDK Corporation
Thomson
Twentieth Century Fox
Walt Disney Pictures and Television
 
[quote name='chickenhawk'][quote name='LinkinPrime']I feel the same way, I own a lot of DVD's and I just heard that Blue Ray Discs and players will be released in 2005 and play in HD quality, I dont want to start my collection all over again. I really dont watch my movies that much either but when Im not working or really really bored I do.[/quote]

What are these Blue Ray discs and players you speak of? I really need to get out more. A kid and working from home really limits my exposure to the outside world. ;)[/quote]

Iv'e heard about them before, but this is where I learned more about them:

http://gear.ign.com/articles/574/574334p1.html
 
[quote name='"basketkase543"']I agree, thats why i got a bunch that I knew for sure I'd never watch again and sold them to blockbuster during the "each dvd worth $7" sale. I did the same for the games i never play as well. I think it finally hit me a few months ago that I don't have room, time, space, or money for the "whatever" movies and games that didn't really interest me. Now I feel pretty happy with the stuff I have knowing that about 90% I'm definately going to watch again.[/quote]

I think that most of the people here have boughten stuff that they don't really need at some point, or bought something that they thought was going to be great then it turns out to be mediocre. I will be the first to admit that I do this more often than what I should. Something looks like a great deal and you think that you are going to use it, then you never get around to using it and it becomes clutter.

I buy mostly used movies from places like blockbuster since they are relatively new titles in good condition and are about half the cost of what I would pay for them new. If I buy a movie for $8 or so used, that is cheaper than what I would have paid to see it in the theater and the concessions at my apartment are alot cheaper to procure than the overpriced theater popcorn. Rental is around $5, and you only get the movie for a couple of days then have to return it. If I buy a movie at $8 and really don't like it, then I can sell it back to the video store as mentioned above and recover most of the money.

The box sets are the dvd's that I would be most likely to watch again. Especially a show like 24.
 
[quote name='BillyBob29']About blu-ray and HD-DVD:

For those worried about possibly re-buying their current DVD's on HD-DVD or blu-ray.....

Only movies that were filmed in high-def will actually see a benefit from these new formats. If the movie wasn't filmed in high-def the only thing it will get from these new formats is more room on the disc for special features.
[/quote]

This is extremely confusing and incorrect..

film is at a higher resolution than current ATSC HD specs. A movie that you see in HD on HBO HD or Sho HD or whatever channel is transferred from film to High Defintion. All DVDs these days are downconverts of the HD "masters" that the studios make. These HD masters are what will be on the Blu Ray discs.

Anything shot on film or on HD video will be available in proper HD. 99.9% of all movies released are shot on film or HD video.

Shows like Three's Company and such which were shot on standard video cannot be transferred to HD because they are at a lower resolution than HD.

I wouldn't count on seeing those shows on Blu ray or HD-DVD..maybe they'd do somehting like put a full season on one disc at standard dvd resolution.

Another point to note: Sound will be uncompressed on these next gen discs and will also be way better than current Dolby and DTS tracks.

Bottom line is the Blu Ray discs and HD DVD discs will absolutely smoke the current dvds..The jump will be similar to the VHS -> DVD jump so unless you like inferior picture quality and compressed dolby sound, you will be buying all your movies again.
 
[quote name='Backlash']I try to only buy DVDs that I will watch multiple times. These are almost always comedies and action movies.[/quote] Amen , brother . :p
 
[quote name='javeryh']I've got a pretty good collection of DVDs that I never really watch. If I do watch them it's usually only one time. I think owning them might be pointless yet I seem to like having them in my drawer. Maybe just knowing I could watch them if I wanted to.... I don't know. I think I might just be wasting money....[/quote]

I used to be the same way..every Tuesday, I would grab the latest DVDs coming out..but only a handful I would watch more than once and tons were just sitting there still in their shrinkwrap.

Now I just buy a DVD on occasion and just rent everything else.
 
I had a ton of VHS films (mostly purchased on the cheap) and realized I didn't watch them . . . so I sold many off on ebay (about 1999) so I've not purchased many DVDs.

I only own about 15 and don't plan on buying many more . . . I just don't have time to watch them even once.

I really don't understand people buying the TV show DVDs . . . its television for heaven's sake! OK, maybe the Simpsons . . .
 
[quote name='schultzed']I had a ton of VHS films (mostly purchased on the cheap) and realized I didn't watch them . . . so I sold many off on ebay (about 1999) so I've not purchased many DVDs.

I only own about 15 and don't plan on buying many more . . . I just don't have time to watch them even once.

I really don't understand people buying the TV show DVDs . . . its television for heaven's sake! OK, maybe the Simpsons . . .[/quote]

Show me where they actually still show episodes of Transformers or G.I Joe. Even finding Dukes of Hazzard on TV has become difficult.
While you won't watch them all the time, it's nice to be able to drop in a disk and watch an episode or two.
 
[quote name='gsr'][quote name='BillyBob29']About blu-ray and HD-DVD:

For those worried about possibly re-buying their current DVD's on HD-DVD or blu-ray.....

Only movies that were filmed in high-def will actually see a benefit from these new formats. If the movie wasn't filmed in high-def the only thing it will get from these new formats is more room on the disc for special features.
[/quote]

This is extremely confusing and incorrect..

film is at a higher resolution than current ATSC HD specs. A movie that you see in HD on HBO HD or Sho HD or whatever channel is transferred from film to High Defintion. All DVDs these days are downconverts of the HD "masters" that the studios make. These HD masters are what will be on the Blu Ray discs.

Anything shot on film or on HD video will be available in proper HD. 99.9% of all movies released are shot on film or HD video.

Shows like Three's Company and such which were shot on standard video cannot be transferred to HD because they are at a lower resolution than HD.

I wouldn't count on seeing those shows on Blu ray or HD-DVD..maybe they'd do somehting like put a full season on one disc at standard dvd resolution.

Another point to note: Sound will be uncompressed on these next gen discs and will also be way better than current Dolby and DTS tracks.

Bottom line is the Blu Ray discs and HD DVD discs will absolutely smoke the current dvds..The jump will be similar to the VHS -> DVD jump so unless you like inferior picture quality and compressed dolby sound, you will be buying all your movies again.[/quote]

In terms of raw resolution the difference is huge. When a company like Disney is scanning a film frame by frame for restoration the output resolution for a 70mm is 6000x4000 (approximate). When they were doing the restoration of Snow White worked out 40 megabytes per FRAME. That is, of course, with no compression.

Digital cinema can looked pretty good using 1080i source but it has a long ways to go before it fully equals the best quality. OTOH, unless something scrambles the bits on the hard drive the digital format is more consistent and doesn't accumulate scratches and dirt with each showing.
 
After the novelty of DVD had worn off a bit I stopped buying so many but then there started being very low prices for desirable material that had formerly been $15 to $25 in stores. So I still made some purchases.

Nowadays, I buy a DVD for two reasons. Either it's something I want to have on hand for those "You never seen X?" or something I might have seen in the theater but just couldn't be bothered to make the trip. My DVDs are typically only the cost of a movie ticket or less and I can easily recoup the cost if decide it has no ongoing value. The same cannot be said for a theater ticket. True, the theater gives a higher quality presentation but it also gives the presence of obnoxious others. I'd rather apply the money towards having better equipment at home to use with all of my viewing applications. DVDs, games, broadcast TV, etc.
 
[quote name='CrashSpyro123']IGN's Everything we know about Blu-Ray

This is the list of current supporters of the Blu-Ray format:

Dell Inc.
Hewlett Packard Company
Hitachi, Ltd.
LG Electronics Inc.
Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
Panasonic (Matsushita Electric)
Pioneer Corporation
Royal Philips Electronics
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
Sharp Corporation
Sony Corporation
TDK Corporation
Thomson
Twentieth Century Fox
Walt Disney Pictures and Television[/quote]

That's interesting. Blu-Ray is Sony's invention right?
I though that HP (possibly among others on that list, i dunno) was against Sony in the whole DVD-R+R mess. I know now most burners can burn both plus and minus dics, but for a while that was a heated battle. It's interesting that those companies are now on Sony's side. Just thinking out loud here.
 
[quote name='hutno'][quote name='LinkinPrime']I feel the same way, I own a lot of DVD's and I just heard that Blue Ray Discs and players will be released in 2005 and play in HD quality, I dont want to start my collection all over again. I really dont watch my movies that much either but when Im not working or really really bored I do.[/quote]

There are actually 2 different formats blu-ray is being pushed by sony and will be the media for the ps3 but there is also HD DVD being supported by different studios and the media wont be compatible with other players[/quote]

Yes some of the companies have went behind sony and BLu Ray and others have stood beind HD.... Fox has yet to declare what they want to push for.
 
[quote name='javeryh']I've got a pretty good collection of DVDs that I never really watch. If I do watch them it's usually only one time. I think owning them might be pointless yet I seem to like having them in my drawer. Maybe just knowing I could watch them if I wanted to.... I don't know. I think I might just be wasting money....[/quote]

I think the word that you are looking for is HOBBEY. Everyone has to have one and compiling a collection of DVDs is a perfect example of that. I know I think its cool when I go over to someones house and see a giant wall of movies. I am amazed sheerly by the size of their collection. This can be compared to when you go to the golf course and you are swinging dunlops and your buddy is using calloway. You wish you had calloways so at some point you go and get them or something better. This is why when I shop on ebay i make sure the dvd is complete with case and insert. It is not that you have 350 dvds, it is the fact that you have one giant collection that you can show off to people who share you similar interests.
 
[quote name='jughead'][quote name='javeryh']I've got a pretty good collection of DVDs that I never really watch. If I do watch them it's usually only one time. I think owning them might be pointless yet I seem to like having them in my drawer. Maybe just knowing I could watch them if I wanted to.... I don't know. I think I might just be wasting money....[/quote]

I think the word that you are looking for is HOBBEY. Everyone has to have one and compiling a collection of DVDs is a perfect example of that. I know I think its cool when I go over to someones house and see a giant wall of movies. I am amazed sheerly by the size of their collection. This can be compared to when you go to the golf course and you are swinging dunlops and your buddy is using calloway. You wish you had calloways so at some point you go and get them or something better. This is why when I shop on ebay i make sure the dvd is complete with case and insert. It is not that you have 350 dvds, it is the fact that you have one giant collection that you can show off to people who share you similar interests.[/quote]

Hobby*

But yes. Mine is collecting XBox games, and i'm starting to collect DVD's. It's definately about showing it off.. that, and having whatever movie you like at your demand. I like people being envious of my XBox collection, but I also love having a ton of games and I can play whenever I feel like it. Games change every time you play (most do, anyways) but DVD's are always the same. You watch a DVD, it sits for six months, then you watch it again. That's how it works.
 
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