What is Blu Ray and Why should I Give up my DVDs?

[Darth Enalan]

While I am a fairly modern person who tries to keep up with many technical gadgets and gizmos, I am uncertain what to make of Blu Ray technology. When DVDs came out in the veryy late 1990s, I definitely saw the improvement over VHS/VCR tapes and eagerly began my DVD collection. I have some questions for everyone and would appreciate incisive comments and answers.

1. What exactly are Blu Rays?
2. Why are Blu Rays superior to DVDs?
3. Will Blu Ray technology eventually eclipse DVDs?
4. Now what do I do? Do I scrap my DVD collection and switch to Blu Ray?

Thoughts? Comments? Opinions? Oh-My-God-How-can-you-think-of-such-ludicrous-concepts remarks?

[Boba Fett]

While I am a fairly modern person who tries to keep up with many technical gadgets and gizmos, I am uncertain what to make of Blu Ray technology. When DVDs came out in the veryy late 1990s, I definitely saw the improvement over VHS/VCR tapes and eagerly began my DVD collection. I have some questions for everyone and would appreciate incisive comments and answers.

1. What exactly are Blu Rays?
2. Why are Blu Rays superior to DVDs?
3. Will Blu Ray technology eventually eclipse DVDs?
4. Now what do I do? Do I scrap my DVD collection and switch to Blu Ray?

Thoughts? Comments? Opinions? Oh-My-God-How-can-you-think-of-such-ludicrous-concepts remarks?

1.) A HD media format. That's an overly simplified answer but that's how I'd sum them up.
2.) Since they're HD and can hold 25-50GB (as opposed to DVDs 4.7-9GB), you can get 1080p (as opposed to DVDs 480p) resolution.
3.) In my opinion, no. It's a niche market since the average American doesn't want to pay $20-$30 for a movie when they can get it for $15 or less. Then you have to add the cost of a new player (at min. $300) and a 1080p HDTV and decent audio setup to truly get the full benefit of the format and you're talking $1200+.
4.) Chances are if you aren't sure about Blu-Ray, you probably want to stick with DVD for the time being. I could go Blu-Ray at anytime, but I don't want to, because I'd rather be able to get 4 or 5 DVDs used for the price I'd pay for one new Blu-Ray disc. If you do go Blu-Ray don't scrap your DVDs; the players still play them and actually upscale, giving you a better image on the DVDs than you may have seen before. The number of Blu-Ray titles while impressive is still nowhere near the number of DVDs out there (which in turn pales when compared to the number of movies that were on VHS).

I'm sure some of the other people around here can offer their opinions on things as well since many do use Blu-Ray and have firsthand experience.

[mkiker2089]

Blu Ray has a price factor against it. DVD's hooked right up to your tv's (mostly) and looked much better. To get the blu ray advantage you need a high def TV and even then the difference between upscaled DVD and Blu Ray is less dramatic. The general market doesn't want to justify the expense for improved picture quality especially in the troubled economy. For that reason alone Blu Ray will not supersede DVD any time soon, or likely ever.

DVD was a hit because of two things, it was good and VHS was bad (quality wise).

If it's troubling you the best you can do is just ignore blu ray, it won't bother you again and all the hot new releases will still be available on traditional DVD.

[tucco]

I agree with both answers given above but have to say: When I read the recent review on the Verdict of the Blu Ray release of FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE, and how it looked as good as celluloid, I was SALIVATING!!! The prospect of a film from 1963 (and a Bond film no less) looking as good as (drooling, now) celluloid, had me almost out the door to upgrade to Blu Ray player, HD t.v. and all in one fell swoop.........
Thankfully the urge passed. The initial thrill will be a one off type of thrill and I can't afford the Blu Ray disks. Upgrading I could do...but building a library of Blu Ray disks is where the real money would go. I'd be living on the street with a Blu Ray player, HD t.v. and twenty or so Blu Ray disks......And I would definitely want to upgrade catalogue titles like the Bonds, etc.
Newer titles I would make do with standard DVD except in rare cases like THE DARK KNIGHT or something.
It's the disks that break you not the upgrade, but even upgrading only older titles would bust me.

[J.M. Vargas]

1. What exactly are Blu Rays?
2. Why are Blu Rays superior to DVDs?
3. Will Blu Ray technology eventually eclipse DVDs?
4. Now what do I do? Do I scrap my DVD collection and switch to Blu Ray?

1.) A HD media format. That's an overly simplified answer but that's how I'd sum them up.
2.) Since they're HD and can hold 25-50GB (as opposed to DVDs 4.7-9GB), you can get 1080p (as opposed to DVDs 480p) resolution.
3.) In my opinion, no. It's a niche market since the average American doesn't want to pay $20-$30 for a movie when they can get it for $15 or less. Then you have to add the cost of a new player (at min. $300) and a 1080p HDTV and decent audio setup to truly get the full benefit of the format and you're talking $1200+.
4.) Chances are if you aren't sure about Blu-Ray, you probably want to stick with DVD for the time being. I could go Blu-Ray at anytime, but I don't want to, because I'd rather be able to get 4 or 5 DVDs used for the price I'd pay for one new Blu-Ray disc. If you do go Blu-Ray don't scrap your DVDs; the players still play them and actually upscale, giving you a better image on the DVDs than you may have seen before. The number of Blu-Ray titles while impressive is still nowhere near the number of DVDs out there (which in turn pales when compared to the number of movies that were on VHS).

Agree on these points but I'll add a caveat. Just because you already bought a lot of movies on DVD doesn't mean you have to ditch them when/if you upgrade to an HDTV and Blu-ray player (assuming the good future-proof players drop in price to a wallet-friendly $200 or lower price tag). Keep your DVD's and, when you meet the conditions to go Blu (basically an HDTV and basic surround system) start renting and seeing if there really is a dramatic difference between regular DVD and Blu-ray that's worth the price premium. I've talked myself out of upgrading many of my DVD's to Blu-ray by the simple recollection of how many times I've watched and re-watched a certain film/TV show. If it's zero to maybe one or two times then DVD is good enough. But, if I re-watch a movie constantly or I don't already own it and plan on rewatching it a lot (like, for example, Kevin Smith's "Dogma") and the visual upgrade to Blu-ray is dramatic-enough then I can justify upgrading to high-def. You don't have to ditch your DVD collection, but for the special select flicks/shows that mean a lot to you the gift of Blu is making something you'll be watching/hearing again and again look/sound better than any other home video format.

tucco's reaction to the new Bond Blu-ray's mirrors mine this weekend when I was holding "From Russia With Love," "Thunderball" and "For Your Eyes Only" (three of my favorite Bond flicks) in my hands wanting to re-buy them so I could relive them in 1920x1090 high-def glory. Unlike him though I already got the Blu-ray player (PS3) and 1080p HDTV hooked-up and ready to go. Then I remembered that I already own all the Bond DVD's and, as much as I wanted them, I'd rather have access to the whole Bond collection in high-def than just three entries. Plus my set-up happens to upscale the old Bond DVD's so well (not Blu-ray great but pretty good) that the last time I watched these flicks on DVD I didn't think I needed the Blu-ray upgrades. Basically the new Bonds are a neat treat but not a necessary one. Where Blu-ray shines is when a new movie or a remastered-for-high-def version of a bonafide oldie-but-goodie classic you don't own on DVD yet becomes available at a reasonable price. There's no way I'm getting "Wall-E" or "The Dark Knight" on DVD after seeing how "Ratatoille" and "Batman Begins" look in high-def, and the "Sleeping Beauty" Blu-ray (which comes with a DVD version of the movie) is the type of catalogue title where the aural/visual improvements are so massive over regular DVD your movie senses demand perfection.

Cheer up Darth, Blu-ray isn't necessary to enjoy movies but if you can afford it (by owning an HDTV and a subscription to Blockbuster or Netflix) it enhances the experience considerably IF the movie in question isn't "Ultraviolet."

[tucco]

Question to J.M.Vargas: Am I correct in assuming that BATMAN BEGINS is not remastered for hi-def, but merely ported over to Blu Ray format? And that THE DARK KNIGHT is the same deal?
I wonder why BATMAN BEGINS looks bad on hi-def if it WAS remastered?

[J.M. Vargas]

^^^ The "Batman Begins" HD master is the same that's being used for HD-DVD, Blu-ray and HD broadcasts (HBO, ABC-HD, etc.). For it's time (2006) it was top-tier stuff. I don't know what you mean by it looking bad and not high-def, "Batman Begins" is still an excellent-looking/sounding (though identical) HD-DVD/Blu-ray flick. Since '06 improvements in HD mastering techniques, better codecs (AVC, enhanced VC1, etc.) and the expanded capacity of Blu-ray (50GB versus HD-DVD's 30GB) have surpassed "Batman Begins" as top-tier material though. It'll be at least a couple of years before Warner feels the need to re-encode it (Warner is known for recycling their HD-DVD masters for Blu-ray) so what's out there is as good as it's going to get for a while, and personally I think its pretty damn good.

[tucco]

Sorry, Vargas......I mis-read what you wrote earlier.
But you did learn me a couple of things so you didn't type for nothin', thanx.


Still the words "looks just like celluloid" sounds like a piece of candy i want to unwrap and devour.

[Tinderbox]

As a recent Blu-ray convert (I waited until this summer after the format wars ended) I have to say that the difference between it and standard DVD is astounding. There is no comparison. The only valid comparison I've found to Blu-ray is a brand new celluloid print seen at the theater. I usually find my big screen HDTV with Blu-ray to be a better experience and not only because of the deplorable projection you get at most theaters.

Regarding double-dipping in order to upgrade to Blu-ray: I'm still in the honeymoon phase with the format so I'm upgrading more old discs than I probably should, out of sheer joy. The Blu-ray library is still small and composed mostly of modern releases so this hasn't been much of an issue yet. However, my occasional triple-dips from a previous upgrade of DVD to a special edition DVD to Blu-ray rightly makes me think of all the starving children in India. Thank goodness for eBay!

Bottom line: if you are a confirmed movie buff at the cinephile level, or any kind of photography hobbyist, then I definitely recommend that you go Blu-ray. It should be mandatory for any regular to The Jury Room. You will be blown away by the quality, you will see new details you never saw before in your old favorites, and you'll look forward to BR releases as much or more than the theater releases. A bit pricier? Yes, but worth every penny!

[Future Man]

[
tucco's reaction to the new Bond Blu-ray's mirrors mine this weekend when I was holding "From Russia With Love," "Thunderball" and "For Your Eyes Only" (three of my favorite Bond flicks) in my hands wanting to re-buy them so I could relive them in 1920x1090 high-def glory. Unlike him though I already got the Blu-ray player (PS3) and 1080p HDTV hooked-up and ready to go. Then I remembered that I already own all the Bond DVD's and, as much as I wanted them, I'd rather have access to the whole Bond collection in high-def than just three entries. Plus my set-up happens to upscale the old Bond DVD's so well (not Blu-ray great but pretty good) that the last time I watched these flicks on DVD I didn't think I needed the Blu-ray upgrades. Basically the new Bonds are a neat treat but not a necessary one.

I think Vargas just saved me $90 and counting.

[mavrach]

It's not worth upgrading anything that you don't really love.

Blu-Ray is in its infacy, and everything is so basically released that you can tell that they're preparing double dips on everything. It's like the early days of DVD when there were flipper discs.

Their still too expensive, again not worth upgrading your old collection. Not worth buying most movies that aren't special-effects laden either. There's no reason to spend an extra $10 to own an average drama on Blu. On the other hand, I'm gettingHellboy 2 on Blu tomorrow because it will be worth it visually.

For mass collection, you should wait for the prices to go down to affordable prices like regular DVD's, and for better releases to come out.

[Darth Enalan]

WOW!! Thank you all very much for your insightful answers to my questions! While I just recently purchased an HD/DVD player from Sam's Club, I think I will wait on Blu Rays for awhile for several reasons: 1. Save money, 2. I am happy with DVDs because they resemble CDs, 3. Sadly I have trouble distinguishing 1000 pixels from 500 pixels and the "resolutions," appear similar to me. 4. My TV is new but only 24" from WalMart.

I wish to keep the discussion going however and am thinking of upgrading my TV. Should I get a Plasma TV, a flatscreen TV, a projection TV, A "Home theater," or what? I also know next to nothing about stereo systems. Turning up the volume usually is enough for me and I do not have to worry about placement and knocking over speakers. If I were to invest in a "surround sound," stereo system, what should I look (listen) for? By the way, did anyone see my "Defense of Masada," thread in the Verdict forum? Great TV miniseries!!

Cheers and Thanks again!

[mkiker2089]

If I were upgrading now I'd get a good big wide tv with the sound built in. It's not the best solution but I think most will be happy with it. Beyond that get a good big wide tv with no regards to sound and buy a stereo that does both DTS and Dolby, the more channels the better but I think 5.1 is the minimum to make it worth buying and really to me any more is marginal improvement. Let's just say that 5.1 is the standard and more needs to be at a good price.

The small "bose style" speaker and sub set ups are actually quite good. Amazingly good in fact. I still wish for a left and right subwoofer but that's not the way the world went (damn them) but a single sub and those pumping out everything else will fit the bill.

[Boba Fett]

If I were upgrading now I'd get a good big wide tv with the sound built in. It's not the best solution but I think most will be happy with it. Beyond that get a good big wide tv with no regards to sound and buy a stereo that does both DTS and Dolby, the more channels the better but I think 5.1 is the minimum to make it worth buying and really to me any more is marginal improvement. Let's just say that 5.1 is the standard and more needs to be at a good price.

The small "bose style" speaker and sub set ups are actually quite good. Amazingly good in fact. I still wish for a left and right subwoofer but that's not the way the world went (damn them) but a single sub and those pumping out everything else will fit the bill.

Please, please, please, don't spend money on Bose.

[hoytereden]

WOW!! Thank you all very much for your insightful answers to my questions! While I just recently purchased an HD/DVD player from Sam's Club, I think I will wait on Blu Rays for awhile for several reasons: 1. Save money, 2. I am happy with DVDs because they resemble CDs, 3. Sadly I have trouble distinguishing 1000 pixels from 500 pixels and the "resolutions," appear similar to me. 4. My TV is new but only 24" from WalMart.

I wish to keep the discussion going however and am thinking of upgrading my TV. Should I get a Plasma TV, a flatscreen TV, a projection TV, A "Home theater," or what? I also know next to nothing about stereo systems. Turning up the volume usually is enough for me and I do not have to worry about placement and knocking over speakers. If I were to invest in a "surround sound," stereo system, what should I look (listen) for? By the way, did anyone see my "Defense of Masada," thread in the Verdict forum? Great TV miniseries!!

Cheers and Thanks again!

The types of TV has dwindled down to 2-LCD and Plasma. Samsung and Mitsubishi still make rear projection but I'll bet they won't next year due to low demand for that type of set. Which of the two types you should buy depends on several factors-Is the set going to be less than 42"?-then it will have to be LCD since plasma sets under that size are rare. Do you care about how much electricity the set uses?-Again, LCD wins. Plasma sets use quite a bit more juice than the same size LCD. Colors and off-center viewing are better on plasmas but there's not as big a difference as there used to be. Plasma sets have a reflective screen and you'll see quite a a bit of things in the room you don't want to see if the room has a lot of light coming into it. Most LCDs use a matte screen and don't reflect room light nearly as much (some models of Samsungs do have the "shiny" screen and are the exception). I recommend getting a brand you're familiar with such as Sony, Samsung, Panasonic, etc. as opposed to brand x's that are all over the place nowadays. If you decide on a LCD, look for a set that gets the color black correct. Cheap LCDs often render black as a grey or smokey black. Go to a site such as CNET, or even Crutchfield and read the CUSTOMER reviews, rather than the guy who reviews the sets for a living. He can give you a good overview but the people who have the sets can give you a better idea of the reliability or the quirks that model might have. The pro reviewer has the set for a short period and then sends it off to the next guy to review. Finally, this holiday season should be a great time to buy since the economy stinks and there are lots of sets out there sitting in warehouses and stores want to move them. Whew!-I didn't even start on your home theater question. Hope this helps.

[mkiker2089]

If I were upgrading now I'd get a good big wide tv with the sound built in. It's not the best solution but I think most will be happy with it. Beyond that get a good big wide tv with no regards to sound and buy a stereo that does both DTS and Dolby, the more channels the better but I think 5.1 is the minimum to make it worth buying and really to me any more is marginal improvement. Let's just say that 5.1 is the standard and more needs to be at a good price.

The small "bose style" speaker and sub set ups are actually quite good. Amazingly good in fact. I still wish for a left and right subwoofer but that's not the way the world went (damn them) but a single sub and those pumping out everything else will fit the bill.

Please, please, please, don't spend money on Bose.

Oh trust me, I won't. bose has a great product but it's way too much money. I would say to get a Bose knock off if you find one cheap though. the product is good and Sony had a few knock off variants that went for a fair price.

[J.M. Vargas]

I wish to keep the discussion going however and am thinking of upgrading my TV. Should I get a Plasma TV, a flatscreen TV, a projection TV, A "Home theater," or what? I also know next to nothing about stereo systems. Turning up the volume usually is enough for me and I do not have to worry about placement and knocking over speakers. If I were to invest in a "surround sound," stereo system, what should I look (listen) for?

Basic question: what room is the TV going to be in and how bright (from lights or windows) does it get? The brighter it gets the better off you are going with LCD because most sets can handle bright lighting better than plasma (or LCD's with 'shiny' surfaces), which is ideal for a room that can be made completely dark. The darker a room the better plasma shines, but (a) it sucks energy like a bandit (the bigger the size the more it consumes) and (b) there are only three brands worth looking into: Pioneer (expensive but reliable), Panasonic and Samsung (affordable and reliable although Panny has a better reputation than Sammy). Vizio also makes some good plasma (upper-tier models with an HQV Realta chip onboard, check Costco) but the cheaper the model the more likely you are to get a lemon.

LCD is taking over the HDTV market because the technology is easier to mass-produce and big companies have each other as clients. Sony, for example, pays Samsung to use the latter's glass manufacturing facilities to make its own TV's; Sharp makes glass for it's own TV's but also sells them to other HDTV makers (Olevia, Mitusibishi, etc.). Lots of Chinese manufacturers have purchased abandoned American brands with name recognition (Westinghouse, Polaroid, Zenith, etc.) and are flooding the market with sub-par product that will last you a year or two but you're basically playing with fire. If you can live with slightly-less-than-perfect quality Vizio makes some pretty decent and affordable HDTV's. I bought my sister a 32" Vizio LCD for $569 two summers ago and it's still going strong (I was convinced it would croak within a year but couldn't afford similar Panasonic, Samsung or Sharp models that went for $700 and higher). I also bought an Olevia LCD for myself, the top-tier 47" 747i model, two years ago. Olevia recently went bankrupt but the set itself has turned out to be a solid piece of work with terrific built-in sound (a rarity since 95% of HDTV's on the markets have average-to-passable built-in speakers to promote in people the need to purchase separate surround systems). I only mention to you my sister's Vizio and my own Olevia TV to show you that not all lesser-brands are bad just because they lack name recognition. I bought Sony Trinitron/Wega tube TV's all my life and loved them to death. Was ready for an XBR Sony to be my first HDTV but from experience shopping around the Sony LCD's, while good, are overpriced for what they deliver. I never expected my own HDTV would end up being an Olevia or my sister's a Vizio, but for the price and our expectations (mine were 1080p high while hers were 720p minimal) both brands delivered the goods based on the specific models I researched. Not every Vizio model is as good as the other, the same way the cheaper Sony LCD models sold at Walmart aren't as quality-controlled as the Sony's sold at big retail chains.

That said you're safer buying an LCD from Sharp (some models are better than others), Sony (overpriced but solid), Samsung (OK), Mitsubishi (way overpriced but the sets are quality) or Panasonic (they're plasma guys but are reading the tea leaves and moving into LCD). Stay away from in-store brands like Insignia (Best Buy), Element (Circuit City... hello??!!) or no-name brands from Walmart or K-Mart unless you feel like gambling with their return policies and durability. I'm personally not sold on LG or Toshiba for my LCD needs but that's my personal bias talking. Plasmas/LCD's that are 720p resolution are usually more affordable than 1080p models (which are coming down in price dramatically) because they're older models being discontinued. Some pretty good bargains can be had at 720p. If you can live with 720p as your high-definition starting point go ahead. If the budget allows it though go with 1080p for the ultimate high-res experience assuming every other aspect of the set (contrast, design, color accuracy, etc.) also checks. 1080p is good but if it's attached to a set with 'gray' blacks or crappy signals then the high-res is wasted. If you shop around and can hustle a little there's some good 42" 1080p LCD's out there for under $1,000.

As far as sound is concerned most HDTV's built-in speakers are adequate but with Blu-ray the improved sound is half the reason you're paying big bucks for them shiny discs. Easiest way to get started is a 'Home Theater in a Box' (or HTIAB), a package that comes with the receiver (to process the Dolby/DTS audio signal) and the separate speakers plus a subwoofer to have minimum 5.1 surround. This is the cheap way in though (between $100-200) and the sound, though better than regular TV speakers, will only be a fraction as good as if you invest in a separate receiver and separate speakers. Than can easily run into $1,000-1,500 for a really good set, especially if the receiver accepts HDMI (the single cable best capable of carrying both high-def video and audio on the same line) and can process lossless sound. This way you get basically theater-worthy sound in the privacy of your own man cave. Me? I live in an apartment building with paper-thin walls. I hate it when neighbors blast their boom boxes or TV's too loud, so I don't do to them what they do on to me. My Olevia 747i is the only HDTV model I know that comes with 50W built-in speakers (most HDTV's have 10W speakers) so even though it isn't Dolby Surround the loudness and clarity more than make-up for the convenience. It's one of several reasons I went with Olevia instead of the Sony XBR2's I was looking at purchasing my first HDTV back in the dark ages of... gulp... 2006!

If you want to soak in what it's like to shop around and try to find out what the best HDTV is for your needs (projectors and rear-projection TV's are both too pricey/demanding and too outdated, IMHO) spend time here: http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/forumdisplay.php?f=9/

[the5thghostbuster]

As good a place as any to ask this question. When I bought my laptop back in the summer, I was given the option of buying it with a Blu-Ray drive, which I turned down. however, since then I have been thinking this over and trying to piece this together, and I am wondering if the visual improvement would have been noticable on my laptop screen anyway? Also, what about audio? I don't own a fancy sound system for this sucker (I bought it for teacher's ed purposes), so I would be using my laptops built in sound system.

[J.M. Vargas]

^^^ Laptop resolutions are higher than a TV's standard definition, which means the HD formats (Blu-ray and HD-DVD in optical form plus HD downloads, WMV files, etc.) look better on a laptop than a regular DVD (which has to be upscaled to the laptop screen's rez, which is often an ugly thing). Blu-ray disc resolution is 1920x1080 and most laptops don't reach a rez that high. The few that do are expensive, but realistically when sitting close to the screen the average laptop rez of 1280x800 (close-enough to pass as 720p) is good enough. Heck, a lot of people I trust swear they can't tell the difference between the HD-DVD and regular DVD versions of the same movie on my laptop. To me it's night and day but I guess it takes all kinds. Sound isn't as good on a laptop unless the hardware manufacturers went the extra mile to make the built-in speakers good (like the 'boom' one's on my HD-DVD ready Toshiba Qosmio) but again, as with the screen, for up-close viewing a pair of good headphones should do the trick. If your laptop has an HDMI output (most newer computers include it) the best part is you can connect the laptop to your HDTV's HDMI input and voala, the Blu-ray or HD-DVD will be in full 1080p (with 5.1 sound to boot) even if it can't display at that rez on the laptop's screen.

Also, since there are no portable Blu-ray players with built-in screens on the market (and when they do they're likely to cost a fortune), a laptop with Blu-ray drive is as close to a future-proof portable HD media player as we're going to get for a long time. That factored into my decision-making when my old DVD-only laptop died a few months ago. Decided to upgrade to a laptop that could play either Blu-ray or HD-DVD. It came down to a 15" Sony Vaio (BD) at Circuit City or a 15" Toshiba Qosmio (HD-DVD) from amazon.com for approx. $800 either way and I went with the Qosmio: http://shopper.cnet.com/notebooks/toshiba-qosmio-f45-av423/4014-3121_9-32641002.html#info-3. I don't regret it since I'm an HD-DVD fanboy but it took a leap of faith since the laptops I really wanted (with 1080p screen rez, 5.1 built-in speakers, etc.) cost nearly $2K for either HD-DVD or Blu-ray. Personally I think you should have gotten Blu-ray with your laptop but who knows, maybe getting a Blu-ray drive and installing it on your laptop is a cheaper alternative (if you know where to look) than buying one for an obscene price.

[the5thghostbuster]

^^^ Laptop resolutions are higher than a TV's standard definition, which means the HD formats (Blu-ray and HD-DVD in optical form plus HD downloads, WMV files, etc.) look better on a laptop than a regular DVD (which has to be upscaled to the laptop screen's rez, which is often an ugly thing). Blu-ray disc resolution is 1920x1080 and most laptops don't reach a rez that high. The few that do are expensive, but realistically when sitting close to the screen the average laptop rez of 1280x800 (close-enough to pass as 720p) is good enough. Heck, a lot of people I trust swear they can't tell the difference between the HD-DVD and regular DVD versions of the same movie on my laptop. To me it's night and day but I guess it takes all kinds. Sound isn't as good on a laptop unless the hardware manufacturers went the extra mile to make the built-in speakers good (like the 'boom' one's on my HD-DVD ready Toshiba Qosmio) but again, as with the screen, for up-close viewing a pair of good headphones should do the trick. If your laptop has an HDMI output (most newer computers include it) the best part is you can connect the laptop to your HDTV's HDMI input and voala, the Blu-ray or HD-DVD will be in full 1080p (with 5.1 sound to boot) even if it can't display at that rez on the laptop's screen.

Also, since there are no portable Blu-ray players with built-in screens on the market (and when they do they're likely to cost a fortune), a laptop with Blu-ray drive is as close to a future-proof portable HD media player as we're going to get for a long time. That factored into my decision-making when my old DVD-only laptop died a few months ago. Decided to upgrade to a laptop that could play either Blu-ray or HD-DVD. It came down to a 15" Sony Vaio (BD) at Circuit City or a 15" Toshiba Qosmio (HD-DVD) from amazon.com for approx. $800 either way and I went with the Qosmio: http://shopper.cnet.com/notebooks/toshiba-qosmio-f45-av423/4014-3121_9-32641002.html#info-3. I don't regret it since I'm an HD-DVD fanboy but it took a leap of faith since the laptops I really wanted (with 1080p screen rez, 5.1 built-in speakers, etc.) cost nearly $2K for either HD-DVD or Blu-ray. Personally I think you should have gotten Blu-ray with your laptop but who knows, maybe getting a Blu-ray drive and installing it on your laptop is a cheaper alternative (if you know where to look) than buying one for an obscene price.

Thanks. My laptop (HP Pavillion dv6000) is fairly basic, and doesn't have an HDMI output unfortunatly. Still, when I finally get full time work, I hope to be able to look reasonably into topic of going HD at some point.

[BrettCullum]

I smell absolute doom for DVD. You should foist off all of them that you can as quickly as possible and buy a new BluRay player fast! Start collecting today, because there will be no tomorrow for the inferior format.

Did I ever mention I work for Sony?

J/K!

[Dan Mancini]

I agree with Brett. If you're watching DVD, you might as well be watching VHS...through a glass (or scanner) darkly. Sell your DVDs immediately (better yet, donate them to a local landfill) and replace them with Blu-rays. Spend your entire savings if necessary. Borrow money if you have to.

[chris_mcclinch]

I agree with Brett. If you're watching DVD, you might as well be watching VHS...through a glass (or scanner) darkly. Sell your DVDs immediately (better yet, donate them to a local landfill) and replace them with Blu-rays. Spend your entire savings if necessary. Borrow money if you have to.

Daniel, Daniel, Daniel.

Everyone knows it's not safe to donate your DVEs to a local landfill. You need to send them to a qualified DVD disposal technician. Fortunately, I just so happen to be such a technician, and for a modest fee, I'll be happy to dispose of your DVDs safely.

[Tinderbox]

I agree with Brett. If you're watching DVD, you might as well be watching VHS...through a glass (or scanner) darkly. Sell your DVDs immediately (better yet, donate them to a local landfill) and replace them with Blu-rays. Spend your entire savings if necessary. Borrow money if you have to.

Daniel, Daniel, Daniel.

Everyone knows it's not safe to donate your DVEs to a local landfill. You need to send them to a qualified DVD disposal technician. Fortunately, I just so happen to be such a technician, and for a modest fee, I'll be happy to dispose of your DVDs safely.

Actually, they make great drink coasters. And it's about time that you replace your 500 AOL-disc coasters from the '90s anyway.

[reefa]

Speaking of those Bond Blu-ray's, Amazon's Deal for today, both 3 packs for under $70 TOTAL:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html/r ... HFQY09Z6JX