Question for DVDTalkers who support only 1 HD format
 

What do you guys do with new releases that are only in one HD format?
For example, The Prestige is gonna be only on BD and SD but not HD DVD. Are you guys going to buy the SD?


I only have HD DVD and there are a lot of upcoming BD releases that I want.

There's like, 2 of them. They may both be banned right now, and they would simply do without any such movie or stick with DVD. According to posts I've read.

Everybody else is perfectly willing to get both, if the price is right. Which may mean waiting a year or 2 for some.

I just won't buy it. Only buying HD-DVDs right now. If a tilte is only in SD or Blu than I don't get it.

I'll wait until the Prestige comes out on HD DVD in Europe (Warner distributes it in Europe) and import it just like I did with Total Recall, Basic Instinct, Brothers Grimm, Equilibrium, and Reign of Fire. For new releases, I can wait or if I really want it I'll buy the DVD and sell it off later.

I was supporting both formats but now that I'm blu only I'll simply rent the Universal titles until they support Blu-ray as well.

With the added cost of importing wouldn't it be less expensive to just pick up a cheap Sammy or PS3 and get the BD versions? This might not make sense if you're only importing a couple but if you plan on importing a lot it seems to me to be the more affordable option.

only have HD-DVD for now.

Once BR players get into the sub $400 area, and at a decent quality, I'll get one.

Until then, BR only releases will get an SD rental.

There's only two people with only HD or BD? I find that difficult to believe.
I only have HD. Price was a big factor in that decision. Yes, I'd get both "if the price is right." I'd own a motorcycle and a pickup and a 4-wheeler, if the price was right. It's not. It's somewhat disingenuous to say that, because most people will take anything "if the price is right", which covers a range from zero dollars to a thousand plus.
If something is only in BD, and has no chance of coming to HD anytime soon, if I want it, I buy it in SD. If BD player and software prices drop to a level I find reasonable, I'll buy one and consider upgrading some titles.

I simply don't buy it. I'm not going to give home-video money to studios that won't support HD DVD. When Blu-Ray prices drop, then I'll support it. But I don't want to give anyone the idea that it is ok to launch a player in the $1000 price range.

(Yes, I know, other formats launched at that price too: I didn't buy those then either).

Um, no. Imports range from $32-$50. Supposing all of the movies that the previous poster listed were $50, that's $250, far cheaper than the cheapest refurbed BD player, not even including the price of software. And even then, some of the import HD DVDs have better transfers than the BD versions, so it may not be worth it even if the BD were cheaper, which it isn't.

If its a movie I want I will just wait awhile to get the Blu-ray version when I actually own a Blu-ray player. Either those titles will get released on HD DVD or Blu-ray player prices will drop to an acceptable level. One of those two will happen and I will just have to be patient. I could also just buy the regular DVD in the meantime if its a real must have movie.

I only have HD and dont plan on getting BR unless prices come down a lot.

Hopefully imports can cover what we will miss.

HD-DVD = cheaper + better quality . . . at least when I bought in. After having just gotten married and moved to a new city, though, the priorities are a bit different, so I've cut WAY back. For now I'm just watching and waiting to see what studios like Fox and Disney do now that Christmas has passed and so many disappointed PS3 owners are trading their units straight across for a Nintendo Wii.

There are so few films I want that are exclusive the Blu Ray and that doesn't seem like it will be changing anytime soon after taking the SONY survey. I will most likely buy The Prestige from Europe. Awesome film.

I buy the standard DVD for studios that do not support HD DVD. There are not many catalog movies left that I want though. I am not going to pass on seeing a movie I like (Narnia, Pirates of the Caribbean, etc.) just because it may or may not get an eventual HD DVD release.

I'll be buying the DVD unless Disney caves and announces HD-DVD support at the CES next week :D

I've quit buying regular DVD's unless they're must haves (none yet) or ones whose picture I could care less about (Jackass Number 2.) Until there is a winner of the format war, or some of these companies that are Blu-ray only switch to HD DVD too, imports are your friends.

There is actually one European companys (Studio Canal?) that owns the rights to many Blu-ray exclusives that will be released in HD DVD, or so says one guy from High Def Digest.

I'm not buying many new releases in SD. I'll pick up TV shows if there isn't a high def version in the offing, but if a title is a BD exclusive (I have HD DVD) I will just rent the SD or skip it entirely at this point...if it's an absolute favourite I might cave and buy the SD... eventually I may go BD (might have to) but for the next year, it's HD DVD or bust for me.

Unless its a Disney classic, or new animation that I want, I pass...Like Bus said, BD is just to expensive for me right now and once the prices start dropping (at least sub-$400) then I will look into getting one (probably a PS3).

Like I said, it'd be worthwhile if he intended to buy "a lot" of imports.

That still doesn't take into account the fact that some of the import HD transfers may be better than the U.S. BD transfer.

I appreciate that you used the term "may be better." Alternatively, it's possible the imports could have worse transfers. Supposing the import HD DVDs did have better transfers than the U.S. BDs then the question is how much better? Marginal or a vast improvement? One needs to consider what each aspect is worth on a personal basis. Anyway, I'm not trying to start an argument. I just thought that if someone thought they'd be importing a lot then maybe they'd be better off just getting an inexpensive BD player/PS3. I'm raising four kids and don't have a lot of disposable income. I would recommend to those that do that they support both formats because both have a lot to offer. I've seen dozens of discs on each format and each format has their "wow" factor titles but also has their duds.

Have a happy new year!

I also don't have a ton of disposable income, which is why I'd rather import one or two must-have titles than drop $1,000 plus $30 a pop to buy BD. It's all in how you look at it.

Same here. Blu-Ray is roughly a mortgage payment right now, and there's just no way I can warrant making a purchase like that, especially when the format currently has no movies in which I'm interested.

Well I see it this way. The cheapest Blu-ray player out right now is the 20gb PS3 which is $499 which isn't too hard now a days. On top of that I'd have to pick up another cheap HDMI cable. Then I'd have to get a switch box for HDMI since I have no more inputs available (same for component). Then I'd have to get a new rack or TV stand because I literally have no room available.

So yes, this is probably only specific for me but there are no must have titles that would make me invest in BD for the time being. In my opinion there is no movie (Star Wars, Spiderman, etc.) that would cause me to invest another $1000 (approximation). While I would love to have all of my movies in HD, I think I can hold out for a while and enjoy my HD DVDs.

As for the whole transfers of imports vs. BDs, obviously there aren't too many to compare right now. I think the only ones are Total Recall and Brothers Grimm right now. I've heard the Studio Canal transfer of Total Recall is better than the Lionsgate version and that the Brothers Grimm transfer is the same. I have not seen the BDs of these two movies so I can't tell you from experience.