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Knocked Up disappointment and combo discs in general....

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Knocked Up disappointment and combo discs in general....

Old 09-02-07, 01:17 AM
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Knocked Up disappointment and combo discs in general....

WTF Universal? Why must you ruin the high-def release of one of the funniest movies this year? Plus it won't even have all the bonus features of the 2-disc standard def release?

Anyone else like me who will just not buy HD/DVD combo releases? Besides the higher MSRPs and all their reported compatibility problems (not to mention lack of artwork), I have to question who exactly are these releases targeting? The way I see it, if you are buying an HD disc, you don't have any desire for a standard def version.....
With the uncertainty about the long term prospects for either or both competing formats, I can't see someone who does not yet have an HD-DVD player buying a disc today that costs twice as much as the standard def release "in case I decide to pick up an HD-DVD player later on if/when they become cheaper/the winning format"...I mean, as we have all seen with regular DVD, over time the prices come down on just about all titles....so why pay double today for a disc you may or may not ever use the other side of later on when by the time you do finally go HD, it will probably cost less to rebuy in HD than the premium you paid for it over the regular DVD today?

(Edited to add [before any accusations of format bias]: dual format supporter here: PS3 purchased in July, and HD-A2 bought in August)

Last edited by WMAangel; 09-02-07 at 01:21 AM.
Old 09-02-07, 02:38 AM
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Aside from the lack of extras, what specifically about Knocked Up is a disappointment? Just that it's a combo?
Old 09-02-07, 02:46 AM
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I don't understand all the hate about combos. Am I the only that doesn't give an F about artwork on the disc? I open the case and then the disc goes into the player. I see the lack of artwork for about 4 seconds.

It definitely sucks that they charge more money. WTF is that all about?
Old 09-02-07, 07:58 AM
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Originally Posted by PopcornTreeCt
Am I the only that doesn't give an F about artwork on the disc? I open the case and then the disc goes into the player. I see the lack of artwork for about 4 seconds.
No, you're not I have never understood people being dissapointed at lack of art on a disc, find it very strange
Old 09-02-07, 08:08 AM
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I like art on a disc just as much as most people...but I also buy new editions when they come out...I definitely double dip a little to much. Anyway...I really enjoy combo discs...we don't have a HD player in our room so if we want to watch a flick...it has to be dvd!

Matt
Old 09-02-07, 08:37 AM
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If lack of art on the disc was the only problem with combos, I probably wouldn't mind. But when you add in the extra price, plus the failure rate, it just seems like a bad idea.
Old 09-02-07, 08:45 AM
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Originally Posted by Suprmallet
Aside from the lack of extras, what specifically about Knocked Up is a disappointment? Just that it's a combo?
To me, it's both of those reasons....First, that it's a combo (so it costs more for a DVD side I don't want to be forced to buy, plus the possible manufacturing/compatibility problems)....and second, there is a whole mess of additional extras that will only be on the standard def special edition....
Extras on an Apatow comedy are gold (as they are on a Kevin Smith film)....I love all the alternate and uncut footage on the 40-Year-Old Virgin...and there's going to be hours of that stuff missing from the HD release...

If Universal HAD to put a DVD side to it, I'd much rather it have been the 2nd disc of the standard def special edition....that way you'd get the best of both worlds (HD movie and all the extras)....
Old 09-02-07, 08:51 AM
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Combo's are nice for me because I like a SD copy of a film still in case a format goes belly up and in the distant future I can't find any players for the HD format. My DVD collection itself will still be complete. Bring on the combo's.
Old 09-02-07, 08:51 AM
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Originally Posted by Suprmallet
If lack of art on the disc was the only problem with combos, I probably wouldn't mind. But when you add in the extra price, plus the failure rate, it just seems like a bad idea.
Exactly!
Hell, here we are, a decade into the life of standard def DVD and sometimes there are STILL issues with double sided dual-layered DVD-18s!
Plus, like you said, the extra price...why should I have to spend at least an extra $5 more to buy an HD title (that is already more expensive then its DVD counterpart to begin with) for a standard def side I won't use?
Old 09-02-07, 08:52 AM
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I like Combo discs, having the ability to watch it on a standard def player in the bed room is great, but where was it announced that the HD version would be stripped of extras? (URL?)

Last edited by RichC2; 09-02-07 at 08:57 AM.
Old 09-02-07, 08:56 AM
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The "artwork" on the HD DVDs cases can be printed up for a person's own tastes. In fact, I would imagine we have some custom covers out there already.
Old 09-02-07, 08:57 AM
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Originally Posted by RichC2
I like Combo discs, but where was it announced that the HD version would be stripped of extras?
Pretty much everywhere the specs are listed. Basically there's a theatrical and unrated dvd release, The HD Unrated release which is a combo with the SD theatrical release, and then there's a 2-disc Unrated dvd release. The 2-disc's features on the 2nd dvd are not available on the HD release.
Old 09-02-07, 09:00 AM
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Combo discs are going away, they're even reissuing the titles out on combo discs now on HD only discs. That means they'll probably sell whatever stock they have of the combo version for Knocked Up before announcing the HD only version. But they probably won't say a word until then, especially if they redo the later release to include all the bonus materials.

link

Part of it might be the possible threat of a recall/extended warranty with the HD-A1 (ala XBox 360) if all future combo discs don't play on 100% of their players, even with firmware updates. It'd be hard to get away from that with national exposure, and it may be cheaper to just replace a few discs with the new HD only version to keep HD-A1 owners happy instead of spending money trying to fix the problem.

Some like the combo discs as they don't have/need an HD-DVD player in the bedroom or basement for a smaller TV that may not be HD (or even widescreen). People with in-car DVD systems and portable players also have the option to use the SD side if they'd like to.

Last edited by Dignam; 09-02-07 at 09:11 AM.
Old 09-02-07, 09:08 AM
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I don't mind combo discs, but they should be, at most the same price as a reguar HD DVD.

This and Talk to Me being combos.
Old 09-02-07, 10:38 AM
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I don't like the extra cost and I definitely don't like you have to immediately watch the disc to make sure it actually works.
Old 09-02-07, 12:03 PM
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Again, combos don't cost extra money. It's just that all new releases are combos, and new releases carry a high price tag. But the combo releases from Universal are the same price as new releases from Paramount, Fox, and $1 more than new releases from Sony.

Combos aren't priced high. New releases are priced high. It just happens that new releases are also combos.
Old 09-02-07, 12:06 PM
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Originally Posted by Jericho
Again, combos don't cost extra money. It's just that all new releases are combos, and new releases carry a high price tag. But the combo releases from Universal are the same price as new releases from Paramount, Fox, and $1 more than new releases from Sony.

Combos aren't priced high. New releases are priced high. It just happens that new releases are also combos.
That isn't completely true. All Warner Bros new releases that are HD DVD combo's are $5 more than the Blu-ray release. You can't say for certain that Universal wouldn't be charging less for their new releases if they weren't combos.
Old 09-02-07, 12:10 PM
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Originally Posted by flashburn
That isn't completely true. All Warner Bros new releases that are HD DVD combo's are $5 more than the Blu-ray release. You can't say for certain that Universal wouldn't be charging less for their new releases if they weren't combos.
But you can't say for certain that Universal is charging more either. Paramount releases on HD DVD without combos, and they charge the same amount that Universal charges for new releases. Blades of Glory, a non-comno HD DVD new release is the same price as Knocked Up, a combo new release.

Last edited by Jericho; 09-02-07 at 12:12 PM.
Old 09-02-07, 12:12 PM
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Originally Posted by Dignam
Combo discs are going away, they're even reissuing the titles out on combo discs now on HD only discs. That means they'll probably sell whatever stock they have of the combo version for Knocked Up before announcing the HD only version. But they probably won't say a word until then, especially if they redo the later release to include all the bonus materials.

link
I'm not sure if this is true at all. That article you linked to is from April, and here we are five months later still releasing combos. Not to mention, only WB (not Universal) is re-releasing non-combo versions of some of their films.
Old 09-02-07, 01:37 PM
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I have never had an issue with combos and the $5 more will not kill me or make me eat Top Ramen for a week. I assume anyone who has either an HD DVD or Blu-ray Player is not poor and can afford the extra price of these discs. Its amazing how many people will complain about a $30 Universal Combo disc but will happily buy a $40 Fox Blu-ray movie with a 'theatrical trailer and TV Spot' as extras.
Old 09-02-07, 01:50 PM
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Originally Posted by Jericho
Again, combos don't cost extra money. It's just that all new releases are combos, and new releases carry a high price tag.
Nope. Blu-Ray counterparts are not as pricy and even old releases that were combos like Army of Darkness and King Kong were still expensive.
Old 09-02-07, 01:52 PM
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Originally Posted by GizmoDVD
I have never had an issue with combos and the $5 more will not kill me or make me eat Top Ramen for a week. I assume anyone who has either an HD DVD or Blu-ray Player is not poor and can afford the extra price of these discs. Its amazing how many people will complain about a $30 Universal Combo disc but will happily buy a $40 Fox Blu-ray movie with a 'theatrical trailer and TV Spot' as extras.
Fox Blu-Ray MSRPs are $39.99. Combo MSRPs are $39.99.

Both are overpriced, and if anything, the Fox Blu-Rays are more likely to be cheaper in B&M stores.
Old 09-02-07, 02:01 PM
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Originally Posted by The Bus
Fox Blu-Ray MSRPs are $39.99. Combo MSRPs are $39.99.

Both are overpriced, and if anything, the Fox Blu-Rays are more likely to be cheaper in B&M stores.
My bad, both are the same MSRP.
However I see Combos at $28-$30 at stores while Fox Blu-rays are still $34.99.
At least I am getting the SD version and extras for the same price though.
Old 09-02-07, 02:16 PM
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Originally Posted by Jericho
I'm not sure if this is true at all. That article you linked to is from April, and here we are five months later still releasing combos. Not to mention, only WB (not Universal) is re-releasing non-combo versions of some of their films.
Universal did it before WB (Army of Darkness, Unleashed). Amazon carries both versions, the combo is $4 more on both movies ($19.95/$23.95).
Old 09-02-07, 02:33 PM
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Originally Posted by GizmoDVD
I have never had an issue with combos and the $5 more will not kill me or make me eat Top Ramen for a week. I assume anyone who has either an HD DVD or Blu-ray Player is not poor and can afford the extra price of these discs. Its amazing how many people will complain about a $30 Universal Combo disc but will happily buy a $40 Fox Blu-ray movie with a 'theatrical trailer and TV Spot' as extras.
I don't know of anyone that is happily paying $40 for any single disc.

Combos would be fine, if they offered a non-combo version as well. I can see the need, but I can also see the other side where people are paying extra for something they will never use.

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