Fanboy

I'm sure this has been discussed before, but I did a Google search on the site and couldn't find one.

Here is my dilemma:

I've recently had a chance to go through my collection and weed out the duplicates between DVD, HD DVD and Blu-ray. I got rid of the DVD dupes but have a pile of about 20 discs that I have on both Blu and HD DVD. The question then is what to do with the duplicates?

I have a perfectly functioning HD DVD player, as well as the HD DVD add-on for my Xbox 360 as a back-up, so playing the discs into the future is not an issue. The Red2Blu program is not running in Canada (despite their promises two years ago of "soon") so that's also not an option. Really, neither is selling the discs as a quick check of ebay shows completed auctions running at around $.50/disc.

On the other hand, Blockbuster up here, from time to time, gives out a $8 trade-in credit on Blu-ray discs, so I can pull about $160 credit for the Blu duplicates versus $10 or so for getting rid of the red.

It's not that by dumping the duplicates I'll be HD DVD-free. I still have about 50 discs, so it won't be a case of an entirely Blu collection at that point. As well, because of these 50 discs, I don't want to bundle my player with the dupes discs up on ebay, so that is out.

I guess it boils down to - should I dump the Blu-ray discs that are worth something or dump the HD DVD discs that are fully functioning, yet worthless?

Can someone give me a nudge in the right direction?

milo bloom

Do you have multiple viewing areas? Put red in one room and Blu in another?

GenPion

This is a personal dilemma. However, I will attempt to give some of my own advice on the issue.

First of all, If you enjoy Special Features and/or High Definition audio it would be wise to check each release to make sure you won't be losing anything by getting rid of one version over another. In fact, If you have any DVD duplicates left you might want to check into those as well. I'd personally find the loss of important extras a worthy enough cause to keep multiple editions (though I like to purchase multi-disc Blu-ray cases and then add the DVD's into the Blu-ray release 'package' -- I'm not really into having multiple copies of films sitting on my shelves packaging-wise).

After checking on extras/AQ you then might want to go further and check on PQ for certain releases. This aspect is a lot more limited, but there are examples of certain Blu's or HD's that are better than the alternative.

Once you have decided upon the version you want to keep based upon this kind of quality barometer I would sell the version that would get you the most money from. This is a personal decision, of course, but it might be the best option for you. HD DVD is a dead format -- this is true -- but as you said, they still play and you have two HD DVD players. It's not even an issue of being able to get rid of every HD DVD. I would tend to stick with keeping the HD DVD's if they are identical to the Blu-ray editions.

PopcornTreeCt

Easy answer, dump the HD DVDs.

Pizza

I don't understand. Why did you buy Blu-ray dupes if you were happy with the HD-DVDs? This makes no sense.

BuckNaked2k

I replace the HD DVDs once the Blu is out and $10. I think I have 9 HD DVDs left, including Phantom of the Opera (lossless audio), and the UK Brotherhood of the Wolf (very cool!)

Michael Corvin

Along these lines, why not post the list of 20? I'm sure the fine folks here could tell you pretty quick which release to keep/dump.

slimdude

Because the audio encoded on some HD-DVD's, were only compressed Dolby Digital Plus, while the blu-ray featured Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD 5.1MA lossless,and PCM 5.1 (uncompressed) audio.

StephenX

Kinda answered your own question with that statement didn't ya?

Jon2

GenPion has made some good points, but my advice would be to get rid of the HD-DVD dupes.

Eventually your HD-DVD players will have problems or stop working all together, and if you want to keep watching HD-DVDs you'll have to get your players repaired (if possible and it may already be impossible. I'd check with a local independent CE repair biz) or replaced with working used units (if any are available)... and in any case those will eventually go south as well.

Unless you need to raise money, why get rid of something that is worth more (BRs) for something that is clearly worth less (HD-DVDs)? It's not likely HD-DVDs are going to go up in value.

Also, before going an ebay/craigslist route, see how much a pawn shop will offer. Chances are you'll get more than 50¢ a piece.

Travis McClain

Here's what I would ask the OP: What's the impetus for this purge? If you're looking to make some money, then the Blus have to be on the chopping block. The nice thing is that if you decide later that you'd really rather have the Blu, they should be easy enough to replace given that the format is ongoing. If you're only really looking to free up shelf space, then I think it's more important to think long term. I'd part with the HD-DVDs. If you find yourself having equipment problems later, it'll be much easier to replace with a Blu-ray player. Better to hitch your wagon to the horse that's still moving.

mattysemo247

Shit, I thought The Blood Gulch Chronicles was finally coming to Blu.

davidh777

That's what I thought the thread was about too

Josh Z

Define "eventually." My 15-year-old Laserdisc player still works perfectly fine. Do you think Blu-ray is still going to be around in 15 years? I doubt it.

BSTNFAN

As someone who still has many, many HD-DVDs and 3 players, I would recommend you dump the HD-DVDs unless your goal of the purge is to free up some short term cash. As my family/friends move into the Blu world, it's much easier to bring those discs for movie nights, travelling, etc. As Blu-ray becomes more commonplace in laptops, portables, autos, etc. it's just more convenient to have the blus. HOWEVER, as mentioned previously, there are some BDs that are "downgrades" from their HD-DVD brothers. The Thing, Apollo 13, and Happy Feet are a few that come to mind.

Fanboy

I only have one real movie viewing area (with the projector), so I try to make that area as format-agnostic as possible. The other areas are just Blu and/or DVD. I don't see any real benefit to removing the BD player from the set up, or moving the HD DVD out of the HT as we keep the discs all in the HT area anyway.

I actually had another paragraph about doing this in my OP, but deleted it as I thought it was getting wordy. That is my current plan, but I wanted to see if anyone could make a truly compelling case for just jettisoning the duplicate Reds.

We were renovating for about the last 2 years (do it yourself! you'll save money! ugh!), so the basement, where the HT is, became essentially a storage unit. I didn't go into a bubble, so I was buying new discs whenever I saw a good sale, and, in essence, just "throwing them on the pile". Hence, I ended up picking up some duplicates. Hell, I even ended up owning HP Order of the Phoenix on 2x DVD (one new, one used), HD DVD and 2x Blu-ray. Sooo, long story short, I'm an idiot.

Well, it's not like the Blu-ray discs are rapidly increasing in value either. In time, with the many studio re-releases with new extras or a new transfer, likely most of the discs I have duplicated will be worthless in a few years regardless of the format. That's why I was focusing on the current value.

Well, money is always nice. I'd rather have something than, almost literally, nothing.

I thought about the equipment failing, but, as you even mentioned, it will probably cost far less to replace the Blus (and, more likely, with better editions) when that does happen. That is, if we're not into some new-fangled format war by then.

I did not take this into consideration. Currently, outside of the HT (and the living room upstairs) there is no other place I can play the Blu discs. My family/friends are either technologically impaired to the point that it will be years before they move to Blu (if ever) or such bandwagon jumpers that they already have anything I could lend them. That said, that is a good point that I neglected in my thinking.

And, of course, Apollo 13 and Happy Feet are two of the dupes.

I'll try to remember to do this tonight and post the list tomorrow. It's nothing remarkable, though.

Thanks for all the well thought out responses, folks!

JimRochester

This isn't going to help much I know but that's why I've not bothered to double dip on any HD DVD's. I have 3 players so I am figuring that by the time the players have all crapped, the blu's will be pretty cheap. If a HD DVD becomes scratched or otherwise unplayable, most are replaceable for pretty cheap or if the Blu is a bargain I'll spend the little bit extra.

I guess I'm not really sure what motivated you to buy the BR when you had a perfectly good HD disc? If it had some great packaging or an extra you had to have I guess that answers your question right there.

Fanboy

As promised, here is the list:

• 300
• Apollo 13
• Batman Begins
• Chronicles of Riddick
• The Departed
• Happy Feet
• Harry Potter OOTP
• Hot Fuzz
• Letters from Iwo Jima
• Oceans 13
• Pan's Labyrinth
• Shawn of the Dead
• Shooter
• Superman
• TMNT
• Transformers
• Troy
• Under Siege

GenPion

Josh Z

The version of Dolby Digital Plus that Warner used on HD DVD was the lesser 640 kb/s variety, which is identical to regular Dolby Digital at the same bit rate on Blu-ray. There will be no difference in audio on Ocean's 13. (Universal and Paramount used the higher bit rate 1.5 Mb/s version, which is closer to transparent.)

On both of these two titles, I would argue in favor of keeping the Blu-ray, mainly because these two HD DVDs were Combo discs with DVD on the backside. Combo discs tend to be glitchy in most HD DVD players. I'd say avoid that hassle and just watch the Blu-rays.

This also applies to 300, The Departed, Happy Feet, and Hot Fuzz.

Michael Corvin

Well there you go. Less than an hour and every disc was addressed by GenPion. Well done GP.

Willh51

When I found out HD-DVD was on its way out I sold all my discs (I only had about 10) and the player. If it were me, I absolutely would not get rid of a Blu-ray of anything. I know you have several HD-DVD players, but you stand a greater chance of losing the hardware for those than you do the Blu-rays.

Fanboy

Simply amazing. Thanks for everyone's help, and a special thanks to GenPion and Josh Z for going even further than could have been expected.

Thanks to everyone's input, I have decided to keep select HD DVDs (looking at GenPion's list should give you a good idea of which) and will find a way to dump the rest.

Thanks again, all!

Kedrix

Me 3, I thought I would be able to finally dump my first generation dvds. Anywho, compare the features in HDDVD and Blu, but try to stick to Blu in event of a tie. HDDVD is not making a comeback, and Blu will be the high def standard for now. Personally, I run into this still with DVDs and Blus. That's why I stocked up on 2 disc bluray cases. If there really is a dvd with some good special features that are missing from the blu, well then just snap it in there. If I ever have to sell it, I somehow don't think the end consumer will mind if there is also a dvd in there. Heck, they might appreciate it.