DVD Talk Forum - Gladiator: Director's Cut

Quote:

Originally posted by bboisvert
I think people are being a little ambitious by thinking that they're going to start limiting their purchases *by next year* because of HD-DVD. Maybe I'll be proven wrong, but I think it's going to be a hell of a long time before that format takes off in any real sense (with reasonable price/decent selection of titles/etc.)

By next year? Nope.

I slowed way down on my DVD purchases probably a year or so ago in anticipation of whatever the HD equivalent to DVD ends up being (AOD, Blue-ray, whatever wins the format war). What prompted that was seeing how much better an OTA HD broadcast of Remember the Titans was than any DVD I have (and I watch DVDs via a powerful HTPC hooked up through DVI to my HDTV so DVD looks damn good to begin with). There was no contest. Granted, there's a lot of mediocre HD being broadcast now so not all of it is jaw dropping stuff but, when they get it right it's something to behold.

Anyway, that's pretty much when I decided I'd rather get a Netflix subscription for my DVD fix until HD-DVD is here, the format war winner is decided and the prices are within reason. Even if it takes three years I think it's the best decision for me. I'd rather wait to start building a huge collection until the new format is established because it will not only be a far superior format, but it will also have a longer viable lifespan. DVD came out at an unfortunate time; the end of the standard definition era. It's still a great format but that timing will insure a much shorter reign than it would have otherwise had. Of course, there's always the chance that the powers that be completely screw up the transition to HD and it never takes off but that's a risk I'm ok with for now.

I still buy an occasional new release (anything from Pixar, the Matrix Trilogy, LOTR etc) but for the most part renting supplies my fix and I spend the money I save on other things (like upgrading the HT sound system).