ViewAskewbian

So, in conjuncture with my other thread about learning how crappy some of my old DVDs now look on a 4k tv, I am wondering what discs you have chosen to upgrade and why?

I certainly don't plain to replace my entire DVD collection with Blus but wondering what are some of the more worthwhile upgrades out there.

Why So Blu?

Nothing.

DJariya

ViewAskewbian

To add my upgrades, I only got a BluRay player at the end of 2017 and, as mentioned in the other thread, was watching them on a ten year old plus rear projection TV. So, wasn't really getting the full HD feel but I did do some upgrading not because of look (as, to be honest, I didn't know what I was missing), but for features or for sets that included films I didn't have.

I upgraded these DVDs to Blu:
Star Wars prequel/original trilogy
Matrix Trilogy
Alien Quad
Jaws
Close Encounters
E.T.
Dark Knight Trilogy
Rocky Series
Nightmare on Elm Street Series
Halloween Series
Lord of the Rings
Hobbit films
Scott Pilgrim vs The World

Pondering upgrades for:
Jurassic Park series
Indiana Jones
Fight Club

***
Truth is, most of my DVD collection is 1940s Noir/Gangster flicks or flicks that probably wouldn't benefit from HD.

rw2516

They definitely benefit from HD. As much as anything thing else and there is a greater benefit than recent movies. A new movie, Aquaman for example, is pristine. They make a 4K master that is used for all the formats, even DVD. This DVD from a pristine 4K master is a lot closer to HD quality than older movies from 35mm 2K masters. You will notice a larger leap in quality with older films.
I'm 61 years old. Been collecting since 1983. I seen it all. Never blind bought. My collection, about 2500 now, is well defined with every title a must have. I know exactly what I want in my collection and upgrade each as they become available. When a catalog title I want is released I upgrade. There are 10-12 new movies per year I add to the collection.
If your collection is defined and you don't stray by blind buying catalog titles on impulse, it's rather easy to upgrade your entire collection as they become available.

ViewAskewbian

I told myself when I got a BLURAY player it was only for new purchases and I wouldn't upgrade my DVDs. Then I trickled a few choice ones. I don't think I will be doing the collection the same way I nixed VHS and am content with having my awesome Warner DVD Noir/Gangster sets. Got a sentimental attachment, too.

That said, some flicks I couldn't resist seeing and I bit on the recent 2001 and just picked up Jurassic Park and Indiana Jones sets today. If anything, those flicks give the home theatre sound a work out too where as, say, Chaplin's City Lights not so much.

Willh51

I've upgraded a small number of discs, as I am satisfied with the very large majority of my Blu-rays.

1. The Dark Knight and Batman Begins - both are improvements, with the Dark Knight being the more impressive of the two
2. Blade Runner - looks amazing in 4K, kept my BR for the bonus content
3. E.T. - got it to review, was an impressive upgrade to an already fantastic BD
4. Die Hard - huge upgrade from the Blu-ray
5. Predator - ditto
6. The Fifth Element - the latest Blu-ray was good but this looks amazing in 4K
7. Leon - got it for review, a clear filmic upgrade
8. Forrest Gump - got it to review, subtle upgrades, wouldn't have purchased myself
9. Saving Private Ryan - got it to review, bigger upgrade than FG but likely would've not purchased
10. The Patriot - another excellent Sony title and welcome upgrade (purchased without realizing I owned the Blu-ray)
11. Mission Impossible I, II, III - well worth upgrading the awful Blu-rays to reference 4K
12. The Mummy Collection - didn't own the Blu-rays, sold the DVDs long ago. The first, especially, looks insane.
13. Starship Troopers - hadn't owned since DVD
14. Unforgiven - an upgrade from BD with a couple of flaws
15. Jack Ryan Collection - huge upgrade from the DVDs and Blu-rays I sold


Several of these were huge improvements, some were "gifted" by DVD Talk and a few I skipped the BD format because of subpar releases, so I'm pleased with the relatively limited selection.

ViewAskewbian

I think I needed to be more clear. What DVDs did you upgrade to BluRay

Although it's interesting to see what Blus people up'ed to 4k

Nick Danger

Metropolis. The blu has 25 minutes of restored footage. It's a vast improvement to the plot.

fumanstan

It feels like I moved on to blu-ray so long ago that I can't even remember what movies I specifically upgraded at the time, but I've basically gotten rid of almost all my DVD's so just about everything left are TV sets. Everything else has been trimmed down in various purges, or moved to Blu-ray and 4K. In terms of blu-ray to UHD, it's been The Matrix, The Dark Knight Trilogy, and the first Avengers movie.

DJariya

Oh yeah I did also upgrade Avengers 1 and 2 to 4K from BD. I got Avengers Infinity War on 4K the week it came out.

I ended up also donating those Avengers BD discs to the local library since the 4Ks also come with the BDs. Not going to waste my time getting measly money for it when at least donating it gives something to the community.

A few months back I upgraded my Predator 1 and 2 DVDs to the new Predator 4K 3-movie set. I had Predators (the 3rd movie) on BD and since that came with the set, I ended up donating it as well.

mwbmis

In terms of DVD to Blu-Ray at this point the much smaller answer would be to the question, "what haven't I upgraded?"

Hazel Motes

I'd say at least 500.

Gizmo

All digital. I’m done with discs.

Paul_SD

I don't know the exact number, but I would guess at this point it's at least half of a 1200+ title collection.

The majority of my purchases in any given year have been upgrades of titles I already own that have inferior a/v. I don't usually upgrade for supplements. Olive's Signature edition of Invasion Of The Body Snatchers springs to mind immediately as an example of upgrading solely to get the extras as the PQ was virtually the same. IotBS is also an example of upgrading a title I already had upgraded to Bd.

I have a front projector and use a 9' wide 'scope screen. A 2.35 AR movie at standard resolution has enormous limitations. I'll still watch them if no other alternative exists (a good chunk of the Paramount back catalog). The benefits of 1.85 and 1.33 AR content can be a lot more subtle, but those improvements manifest themselves in a cumulative way. But as with most things, it comes down to things like the quality of your eyesight, the distance you sit from the screen, quality of the gear, quality of the source material , etc.

Now that you have a 4K display, you are going to want to invest in a decent 4K player. And if you want to upgrade your collection later rather than sooner, invest in a player that is known for having a good 4K scaler. It's not going to make a poor older standard def disc look amazing, but it will help you squeeze the most out of the ones that are halfway decent.

Also, research before you upgrade each title.

Jurassic Park is something you are going to want to skip the Bd of and go straight to the 4K version.
A lot of Universal titles, especially up until the last several years, have been struck using very early, outdated 1080p masters. Many with baked in EE and noise reduction to varying levels.
At this point in time, we are getting more and more catalog that have newly struck 4K masters. Even if they don't get a 4K release, a new 1080p disc down converted from 4K should yield an appreciably superior, higher fidelity image.

BTW, there is a hell of a lot of good Film Noir available on Bd now.

rw2516

Same here. I have nothing on DVD that is available on BD. Exceptions were OOP by time I switched to BD in 2013. I've passed on THE OSTERMAN WEEKEND because of things I've read in reviews. Holding out for Arrow or somebody else to release it. Lastly THE DEAD POOL. Among the first BDs I got were the two Dirty Harry double features, $4 each. The Dead Pool single was already OOP and I'm not paying the box set price just for the worst of the series. If it's released as a single I'll pick it up.

Last night I watched an episode of Hawaii Five-O (original), Mannix, Kolchak and Tales of Wells Fargo on DVD. Using a 19 year old Sony 5 disc changer connected to 40" Samsung purchased in 2016 with composite hookup, no up conversion. All discs looked awesome.

rw2516

Yup. The OP should pick up one just to see how it looks. White Heat, Big Sleep, Key Largo, Sunset Blvd.
Appears that right now he's gooving out on how big spectacular movies rock on his new tv with the HD audio.
When things settle down he should try one out.

ViewAskewbian

Just upgraded to Jurassic Park series Blu Ray last night. Perhaps for future releases I will get sets that have both 4k / Blu Ray to Future Proof, so to speak, but I thought the JP looked fine on the tv and sounded amazing! Rumbled our neighbours across the street

ViewAskewbian

Four of my favorites. Now that I check my collection, seems I never picked up Key Largo on DVD.

Adam Tyner

Key Largo in particular is a knockout in high-def:

ViewAskewbian

I've always wanted to connect the dots on Edward G. Robinson

thetao

I haven't consciously upgraded that much. The original Universal Monsters BD set was mostly an upgrade, some silent film purchases were, too. Honestly, many of my upgrades came from replacing a $3 Big Lots DVD with a $3 Big Lots or $1 Dollar Tree BD.

Paul_SD

I don't actually own any JP films, save for the most recent which was a BF impulse purchase. I was just going by the WOM I was seeing from people that did have it.

If it looks good to you and you're happy with it, that's really all that matters.

The bigger point about taking titles on a case by case basis also goes for 4K releases. I wouldn't automatically take it for granted that the 4K, or most recent remastering, is de facto the best. Usually it's the case, but there have been exceptions.
Close Encounters in 4K has gotten a lot of criticism. OTOH Die Hard in 4K is definitely a better representation of that film compared to the Bd.

melasnus

The UHD release of the first 3 films actually looks pretty good for catalog titles.

Alan Smithee

Rule of thumb- I watch every movie I already have on my current setup (even if it's on VHS) and then decide if the quality of what I have needs improvement, and if I like the movie enough to justify that improvement. There's some movies that I've paid a decent amount to upgrade, and some that I wouldn't even pay $1 for a better copy of.