OldBoy

i would really hate if my collection became obsolete and i don't think i have it in me to start again

Cameron

backwards compatible...far from obselete. Out of the gate blueray/hd will be more like laserdisc was to vhs. higher quality at a higher price. It's not for sure that the market even wants it. And I don't see many Joe Six packs buying the Equipment needed to use it until they are forced to, which is still several years away.

joshd2012

I believe DVDs will co-exist with Blu-Ray/HD-DVD, at least for a while. When DVDs first came out, special features and higher quality were given to DVDs and VHS held the stardard movie. Since then DVD has taken over. I see Blu-Ray/HD-DVD mirroring this. They will have the additional content and higher quality (Special Editions) and the regular releases (Standard Editions) will be reserved for DVD (instead of having both types in DVD format as we do today). Eventually Blu-Ray/HD-DVD will take over completely.

Josh H

Of course not, the new players are backwards compatible.

So only obsolete if you're a videophile and HAVE to have the best looking version available.

Personally, I really don't care. I don't plan on buying an HDTV anytime soon, nor an HD DVD player. I'll keep on buying DVDs, and when I eventually get an HD set up I'll start buying all new releases in HD and rebuy a select few of my favorites that are special effects heavy like Star Wars and LOTR.

marcellusk

I don't know if i can double dip again. I have around 1500 dvds. My VHS was never that big. I wonder what will become of our dvd collections once hd-dvd and blue ray takes over completley

DRG

Until Wal-Mart starts selling $200 HDTVs and $60 HD-DVD players, I don't think standard DVDs will be obsolete.

OldBoy

that is what i am afraid of. i like the bigger, better releases with as much new content as possible on the movies i love and thus double dip fever. now, more content on the movies i love (besides the better a/v quality)? it would be so hard to resist. and then i think with some double dips coming out now (on standard DVD) that have added content from their bretheren, but yet they all seem to be holding back (Titanic) so why should i buy those? it is such a catch-22. i love each and every DVD i own and always want to think they are the best out there, ya know?

DthRdrX

Eventually dvds will go obsolete. I think we'll see a long period of hybrid discs before they go obsolete though.

digitalfreaknyc

it amuses me that people only reserve HD for "special effects movies." As if they're the only kind that would benefit from HD's picture and sound quality.

I'm actually JUST as interested in the sound improvement as the picture.

PopcornTreeCt

I'm probably not gonna start buying into HD-DVD. I'll just wait till they release movies on flash drives or whatever it will be.

Cameron

yah it makes sense that many special features disc would be a standard dvd to keep cost down, while the HD movie is reserved for its own platter

cultshock

They will be a niche product for a long time (see: laserdisc, SACD, DVD Audio). Especially if everyone can't get their shit together and avoid a format war (a war that seems almost inevitable at this point). So with the combined issue of people who are interested in a new format sitting out and waiting to see which competing format may win, along with many average people thinking that current dvds are good enough and not willing to spend money on something new, sales will be slow for quite awhile, and regular DVDs will remain the dominant format. Studios are convinced that HD-DVD or Blu-Ray will be their new cash cow now that sales of DVDs are starting to flatten, but it won't happen for a long time.

JasonF

Standard DVDs aren't going anywhere, just the same way that HDCDs haven't replaced standard CDs.

digitalfreaknyc

I don't think that's what he's saying.

digitalfreaknyc

There's a huge difference between the improvements of CD->HDCD and DVD->HD.

People also rarely just sit and listen to music. They do, however, sit and watch movies.

evilninjax

I'm waiting with bated breath, but much of the DRM is going to kill my intrest in it.

DVDs look good on my 50" DLP, but HD looks better.. muhc better.

And if you want to see the difference for yourself, check out standard 480p v 720p v 1080p on your computer. x264 encoded 1080p looks beateous on my AMD x2 4800+.

Check out quicktime.com and look at the movie trailers. You can often get 720p and 1080p and compare to the "normal" resolutoins.

it's worth it (to me) to upgrade to HD components. But there are all sorts of weird issues right now. WIll BR output 1080p? Ok, then don't all 1080p tv sets tale 1080p IN?!

it's a hardware mess right now and for the next couple of years. There's no way DVD is going anywehre soon.

-goro-

SINGLE104

This would be my philosophy too! Like for instance, DVD Audio, and SACD never successfully caught onto the mainstream market for average consumers because, under presumption, that standard CD quality is sufficient. Beside, there is a very low percentage of titles to select from on DVD Audio, and SACD formats, which has a large contribution to their failure in the international marketplace.

joshd2012

That, and a lack of one true format. Fortunately, NBC/Universal is only movie studio not distributing movies on Blu-Ray vice numerous studios not distributing for HD-DVD. It appears as if we may be close to a single format, which would prevent any war from haulting consumer adoption.

With HD-CD, there are too many formats and no unified stance in the music industry. Also, as noted earlier, HD-CD is not yet a portable format, which prohibits it from getting mass acceptance.

Fok

CD's are still used widely. I'm happy with my DVDs for now, but I'm assuming that HD will be the new format, but I'll try and hold off from double dipping

DthRdrX

You know, go back to 1997, right before dvd was introduced to the market, and say the same thing about VHS. Everyone said VHS isn't going anywhere.

How many new VHS titles you see out there today?

On another old and topic:
To say the least SACD/DVD-Audio is a flawed arguement based on the merit that they weren't really even marketed. Most people have never heard of them.

cisman

I still buy DVD's all the time. I mean Dvd's still give great picture quality and sound. How much better can it get. I think HD will be reserved for those willing to buy it at first like any new technology and SEVERAL years down the line it might change.

I will hold on to my DVD's regardless and only upgrade the most important films if needed. You can still buy DVD/VCR combo systems today and we're already talking about the next thing after DVD so I wouldn't worry.

I do believe thought that unless they decide on one format it's going to flop. It's going to scare too many off. I know I won't even think about doing anything till they get that worked out.

Mr. Cinema

Ya, but the difference in audio/video quality between dvd and vhs was enormous. It won't be as great between dvd and hd-dvd. Sure, it will be better, but dvd still offers great audio/video whereas vhs just sucked. Plus, vhs wasn't packed with special features...what dvd offered was a new thing.

DthRdrX

VHS was a lot closer quality wise to dvd than Dvd is to HD-dvd. This is fact.

Comparisons

cisman

I agree...how much better can it get?? I know there is some improvement but there's not that much of a difference. I'll not be impressed until we have movies that make you part of the movie literally

Video and Audio quality has come so far already my eyes won't be able to pick up much more improvments and I'm only getting older

darkshadowdog

I'm sticking to my dvds until a large improvment comes along. I'm not really a picture/sound quality freak... I mean sure I don't buy VHS anymore but the quality between VHS and DVD was such a huge jump... Nothing compared to DVD and HD....