I remember reading about the forthcoming DVD format in the trade magazines around 1995. I knew even then that this was going to be one of the most fantastic things ever, as long as everyone would agree on a single format.
Finally bought in mid 1999. Picked out my own birthday/anniversary present at Best Buy for about $400. Still have it today, and I've never had a problem.
Came with a mail-in offer for 5 free DVDs and a rental book for Hollywood Video. I can only recall 4 of the 5 freebies; Lost in Space, Basic Instinct, Jumanji, and Stepmom.
The first disc I purchased was the original release of Die Hard 3. Man, does that picture quality on that disc suck.
The following year I bought a widescreen HDTV, and it's fantastic.

hmmm...that doesn't really look like a bell curve to me

but anyway, i got mine in '01 for $115 or so. still using it today (though the tray is acting up on me)

A dvd player with DIVX in 1996???

DIVX wasn't even announced until September 1997, went to test markets in June of 1998, and officially went to market for the Christmas season of 1998.

DVD wasn't even released in the U.S. until March 1997 and even then it was only in 7 test cities.

Thank you. I was just going to post the same thing (as I did in the other thread). One thing you forgot, though, is the most important date - DIVX died an ignominious death in June 1999.

And, as in that thread, I will say that my first DVD player was purchased in March 1997 (Panasonic A300, $750 - still works fine, but is in "semi-retirement" ), a few weeks before the 7-city rollout began.

1999. Bought my first DVD-ROM. And then I bought my first set top DVD player a couple months ago.

Nov '98. As soon as I heard Fox were finally on the case, I relented. I bought an imported Panasonic A310. Didn't work properly then, still doesn't. Replaced it last week with a Pioneer.

July 1998. Panasonic A105. Took a dump a little over a year later (out of warranty - of course). Will never by Panasonic again. But I do love thinking about all the abundant coupons of the day!

I got my first player at some point in 1998. I drove around to several places trying to find a video store that would rent DVDs and finally found a small mom and pop type place. They had a whole 12 to rent.

I remember the early days, buying from 800.com or DVDExpress, one of them would price match any on-line competitor and also had $10 or $20 coupons.

If I remember right, that's how I got the original Alien Legacy box set for something around $50. Which back then was a great deal.

And those early days the only place to buy DVD's was either on-line or video stores that dealt with DVD's. Now you can find DVD's at your major stores and even 7-11 and grocery stores. I have even seen them at garage sales.

As to the poll, my first DVD player was the Pioneer DVL-700 DVD/ LaserDisc combo player. I think I paid around $1200 for it back then. Back then I had around 300 LaserDiscs, and the LD player I had back then was on it's last legs, so I bought that to play both formats. I got 4 or 5 Warner Brothers DVD's free from the store I bought it from. Still have it to mainly play LD's of titles not yet on DVD or that I haven't bought yet on DVD.

The second one I got from work, as a Christmas raffle prize. A Memorex one with zoom and other features the Pioneer doesn't have. I use the Memorex to play all my DVD's, except one, the Beauty and the Beast animated from Disney. I have to play that on the Pioneer if I want to see the Work in Progress version.

Glad I got in early on DVD because I managed to get some hard to find titles such as Devil's Advocate with the un-altered sculpture and the original release of Little Shop of Horrors with the Alternate ending, both at retail.

My ex first got me into DVD's about 3 years ago - my first real DVD player was my PS2.

Now I have a few...

PS2
X-Box
Toshiba 3900
Polaroid P700 - Portable DVD player
The one in my computer

Early 2000 for me. It was a Sony 300(?) and my first disc was The Matrix.

August of 1998 - was a Toshiba S-1800, I believe.

My first machine was a Toshiba and it still plays, hooked up to the TV in our bedroom. The remote is poorly laid out, but works everytime. When ?"I bought it I got a mail in coupon for 4 or 5 free dvds. 2 or three REALLY bad ones, then the first Stargate and Lost in Space (pretty good for the price).

Reel.com, unlimited coupons, etc., I was averaging $6.46 per DVD after two or three years- including box sets!

Oh well...

I find that curve on the graph interesting... I think the people who've bought theirs recently don't want to admit it.

Got mine around thanksgiving 1998 - a Toshiba from BB when they had one of those free 5 DVD deals. It was priced at $299 but I had a $100 rebate check from a hard drive my dad bought earlier that year.

Actually, my brother-in-law got one for Christmas, 1997 (an old Toshiba with a huge remote, dozens of buttons, and a sliding cover to expose even more buttons. I got mine about a month later (January 1998, I think).

"Wow, you can see the trailer on this Dumb & Dumber DVD!"

That reminds me of how in my own buying, that I'm buying movies on DVD that I probably would never have considered buying on VHS. Not sure why that is. The format just seems to induce buying more than VHS.

And I don't think any of my VHS tapes are widescreen. I guess at the time it just wasn't something I gave any thought to. But all my DVDs are widescreen, because I know better now!

1998 got a panny. I've been a DVDTALK member for some time and it's because of the website my collection is what it is. 800.com, reel.com and checkout.com those names bring back good memories.

First player: Summer 1998, Hitachi 305 P. I got for $189 and it was a good deal back then.

Second player: February 2003, Cyberhome 500, region free, broke after 5 months. It cost me about $58

Third Player (current): August 2003, Pioneer DV260, about $89 at Walmart.

Currently considering a fourth player, but has to be region free.

Bought my first one in late '98. It was a Zenith w/divx.

My first DVD player was a PS/2. It suited my needs fine until I got a better TV and realized how bad the DVD playback was!

Paid $297 for a RCA 5200(rebadged panasonic a100) March 1998. I bought Air Force One also to play on it

I worked at Best Buy in 1997/1998. I paid $600 for one of those Pioneer laserdisc/DVD combo units with my employee discount. BB sold it for $1,000. Bought it in August of 1997.

I bought 3 DVDs when I bought the DVD player.

Eraser
Absolute Power
Mars Attacks!

Altimus, you and I are the two (so far) who got their first DVD player in 2003. Mine is a CYBERHOME that was 100% free (after various and assorted Mfg. + Prescription rebates from Longs Drugs).

I have, let me see, (52) DVD's + (2) 50-MOVIE MEGAPACKS (Horror & Family). Now what really amazes me is that the movies we're watching, hands down more than any other, are . . . the MEGAPACKS! LOL

Like you, I often stare at my two DVD towers and am overwhelmed — and that's just with 52! By the end of the year that will creep up to 60, when I add LAWRENCE OF ARABIA, the new (uncut) version of DAS BÖÖT, RAGTIME, ZORBA THE GREEK, THIS IS SPINAL TAP, DR. ZHIVAGO, THE 5000 FINGERS OF DR. T, and a few others that are on my list.

PEACH

May of 98. I bought a Panasonic A110.

-Jason