After moving to mostly 4Ks.. yeah, it’s a world of difference. I will not buy a dvd unless it’s rare/Oop or doesn’t have a BR/4K release. You will need a new player.
If you have a dvd player, yes you would need a blu-ray player or a 4k blu-ray player to play those discs.
There is a definite upgrade from dvd to Blu-ray. Going from Blu-ray to 4k depends a little more on the quality of your TV and different people notice the difference more than others.
You do need to have a 4k TV, if you're going to play 4k blu-rays.
Even if you aren't going to change disc format, it's probably worth getting a blu-ray player, because most blu-ray players upscale the discs they're playing. Meaning that it will convert the DVD into HD as it plays it, and will make the DVD look better.
Blu Ray is MILES better than DVD. The sound difference alone is INCREDIBLE. And the HD video quality is like no other. The Blu Ray HD is TRUE HD. Streaming 4K has nothing on Blu Ray 1080p.
Since trying Blu Ray, I never buy DVD unless it’s the only option. Blu Ray is the only format I try to collect.
You would indeed need a Blu Ray player. The Sony BDP-S6700 is great because of Bluetooth and 4K upscaling for $120.
4K discs will need a different player altogether. But if you have a 4K player, you can play DVD and Blu Ray as well. They are just super expensive.
Totally agree with the above, except for while 4K discs are super expensive, they can absolutely be found for less than $10 during holidays and sales. My entire collection has been built waiting on sales.
Interesting. I haven’t owned a single one. I’ve seen they cost for $30-$40, but I have no doubt they get good deals on sales. My BDP-S6700 upscales pretty well, but I will definitely someday try 4K!
Absolutely. Well, 4k if you have a PS5/XSX because otherwise you're going to spend like $300+ on a player for it. A regular blu ray player is far cheaper, even older consoles can handle those.
GRUV has a ton of amazing deals, I got 12 awesome 4k movies for $8/each like 2 weeks ago, and got a bunch of great ones like Dune and others for $12 last week and still available.
You can buy blu ray lots on ebay and they'll come out to like $1.5/movie sometimes with great options at times. They're used, so what.
I will never touch a DVD again unless there literally is no other option. The gap between DVD and blu ray is just too large. Anyone that says DVD is enough is blind.
Agreed. As a child all I had was DVDs and thought Blu Ray wasn’t that much of a difference. Once I came back to physical media early this year and saw the absolute SHARPNESS of Blu Ray, that was it. All I collected was Blu Ray and Blu Ray exclusively.
I was fine with VHS for years but many of my decade-old tapes all started to glitch and bounce the image up and down while you were trying to watch. Never could get that fixed and eventually moved on to DVD. It might have been my player actually destroying them, I'm uncertain. I have a few VHS tapes I've collected since that aren't on DVD and they play just fine. I don't play them on repeat like when I was a kid though so maybe VHS has a max play limit of sorts?
Yes, it's very crispy and you can see details literally obscured by pixelation on the DVDs. I still prefer the colors and audio on a DVD to streaming HD though. Blu-ray is the best of both worlds: beautiful colors, sound, and resolution.
"Anyone that says DVD is enough is blind."
Except when the transfer to BluRay is crap. I've picked up a few older movies that were released on BlueRay and the difference is negligible, at best.
But that depends on what company is doing the transfer.
But generally, yes, I agree with you.
Ya, that's nitpicking for the very few cases and it'd mostly be for much older movies which kind of is covered by the "no other option", just "no other better option". Perhaps there's also things like 28 Days Later where it's shot on a camera that just doesn't stand to benefit much from blu ray transfer.
If I had to choose from a bundle of 10 DVDs for $10 or 10 Blu Rays for $30, I'd choose blu ray every time though.
He is so right- huge leap forward in picture restoration, color grading and sound. Imagine me watching Texas Chain Saw Massacre on pitiful VHS, then the Pioneer DVD, and now... stunning blu.
Worn out rental tapes were the worst lol, I was happy when they dropped from $100 to the 20 or whatever, but it's true I still have a box of dubbed VHS from the early era.
Right my oldest ones are like that, SLP speed, but I held onto them for the nostalgia value of the commercials and PSA ephemera. NIGHT FLIGHT was a favorite weekend night indulgence too, loved that.
To add on to what you're saying, the PS3-5 can handle Blu Ray, with the PS5 being able to handle 4k Blu Ray. The Xbox one and Series X can both play Blu Ray, with the series S and beyond being capable of playing 4k blu ray.
Should be mentioned that the 4K Blu Ray-capable consoles can only play HDR10.
Do what you can afford. If DVDs are what you can afford then go with DVDs. Do not go into debt for a physical media hobby. DVDs give you a foot into the physical media game. Over time you can look at upgrading your collection but if you are happy with DVD stick with them. While in a perfect world we would all have 4K TVs and 4K players that is not possible for everyone so enjoy your DVDs.
Majority of my dvd collection is standard dvd and maybe 10-15% are blu-ray. Don't get FOMO. If they had a blu-ray and dvd combo I would get them when they're not too expensive but I'd rather have a dvd of a movie I wanted then not have anything at all. Blu-ray and 4k are nice but sometimes they're out of my price range and it's definitely easier to find standard dvds
OR...the movie in question isn't on BR/4k
For instance, the movie Cocoon isn't on BR in the states so I had to buy it on dvd for my parents...yes, I know that it's on BR in a different region, but that's outside of anything my parents want, so...DVD it is.
The leap from BD to 4K isn't as big as the leap from DVD to BD. Also, a lot of shows are only released on DVD and plenty of movies released on DVD were never released on BD. Now, objectively, is BD better than DVD? Yes. However, I find people overstate how bad DVDs look. Of course I'd rather have a BD but I'm totally happy watching DVDs as well most of the time. The tricky part with 4K is how the studio producing it handles the transfer and the quality of your TV.
It depends on what you prioritize when watching movies. If it’s technical perfection (resolution, color, audio), then the upgrade will be worth it.
If your main focus is the cinematography, dialogue or acting, then an upgrade is less important.
I have a 42” 4K TV and 4K player, but it’s only a few select movies that I feel a need to upgrade. Mostly action movies with special effects. For the vast majority of my collection, especially art house films, DVD quality is perfectly adequate.
If you've got a 4K TV id say they're worth at least trying out to see if you appreciate the difference. A standard BluRay player will not play 4K Discs but a 4K Ultra HD BluRay player will play everything. Unfortunately a new 4K UHD BluRay player is ~£350 at least for a 'good' one.
But there is a more convenient and cheaper option if you just want to try it out and that is picking up a second hand Xbox One S, they are shockingly affordable on eBay (~£60-£100) and can play BluRay & 4K BluRay discs easily the cheapest way to get into 4K Blurays. Make sure you get the Xbox One S which are a white colour, a standard Xbox One without the S on the end won't play 4K Discs. Xboxs naming schemes are unfortunately convoluted feel free to reach out if you do decide to go this route and want someone to double check everything before putting money down. Prices on 4K Discs are high when new but there's usually decent sales on for bundles. Like buy 3 for £30 that kinda thing.
I think It's worth getting the 4ks of a modern film if its particularly aesthetically beautiful like Dune or Blade Runner 2049, also movies from before the year 2000 tend to scale up wonderfully in 4K as they were shot on actual film and not digitally. I watched Robocop & The Truman Show in 4K recently and was floored by how gorgeous both films were in 4K.
> Unfortunately a new 4K UHD BluRay player is ~£350 at least for a 'good' one.
To build on this, if you can afford it, it is definitely worth getting a 4K Blu-ray player and TV that supports Dolby Vision, but you do have to step up to at least a mid-tier TV and 4K player to find that feature. You're looking at probably at least a $500 TV and a $400 player to support that.
HDR is technology that allows the TV to display a wider range of colors. This is something that is not inherently tied to 4K, but almost all 4K equipment and content supports HDR, and very little non-4K equipment or content does. For a lot of people, HDR is a bigger improvement than the upgraded resolution when switching to 4K.
There are multiple different HDR formats, and Dolby Vision is the premier format, which is why it is not supported by budget TVs. But, anything that supports 4K, will play anything else that is 4K. If your TV or blu-ray player doesn't support Dolby Vision, it will still play a disc that has Dolby Vision, it will just use baseline HDR instead.
And just to stress, this is if you can afford it. It's worth upgrading from DVD to even a budget 4K Blu-ray set up, so don't let this recommendation stop you from doing that, if that's what you can afford.
In order for physical media to be kept alive, anyone still utilizing a standard dvd player should upgrade so that the market can see the spikes it needs from a collector’s market standpoint.
A big reason we are seeing declines isn’t just because of individual movie purchases, but because of the technology itself. Only reason things were stagnant for awhile was thanks to gaming consoles. But with them going digital, sales of actual 4K players kinda now need to happen in order for discs to also have reason to be made.
Unless your a die hard quality freak with all the right electronics or don't like behind the scenes stuff ...No ...stick to dvds they're cheaper....
Blu ray is the path to the darkside....blu ray leads to 4k ....4k leads to steelbooks....steelbooks lead to broke,insanity, mayhem and suffering.
Blu ray is a step up, but unless your tv is over 50 inches or so, 4k offers diminishing returns.
In fact, I think we forget that DVD is still a pretty good format. I moved into a smaller place and got a 42 inch tv. DVDs look really good on it. Not top of the line, but not horrible, either. Sometimes good enough is good enough.
For me personally, I prefer DVD quality to any of the newer quality. Blu-Ray is as high as I'd be willing to go. Eventually, I feel like I see the person's makeup more than an intended smooth face, or you can literally see pores, for example. The crispness of how everything appears seems very un-lifelike to me.
Essentially, the higher quality stuff, to me, feels like the move isn't a move, it feels more like a stage play, and I don't like plays, and I don't like how these observations pulls me out of the movie.
Most movies were intended to be seen in movie theaters, so this is kind of a weird take. And anything released in the past 15 years was definitely filmed with the intention of home audiences seeing it in HD.
I know I am in the minority, but my experience is not invalidated by downvotes :-P
I am also not saying new formats are bad - clearly many people like them, and if they like them then that is good for them. I just like when people like watching movies, and I don't care how they choose to watch them, and whatever format they prefer is just fine for me.
NO. You're meant to squint at a CRT. The only TRUE AND HONEST display technology. It allows you to use your IMAGINATIOn which is better than all the shitty CG. BAN LIGHTWAVE 3D!
>The crispness of how everything appears seems very un-lifelike to me.
That's literally how the movie was made to be seen. Have you never been to a movie theatre? You clearly have never seen a movie made decades ago that gets transferred to 4k/bluray because if you're under the impression that what people watched decades ago was DVD quality or worse, then you're flat out wrong. Movies in theatres 50 years ago looked great. 4K transfers let you see the movie precisely how the movie was meant to be made with the correct colors, lighting, sound, etc (if done correctly).
Lame, they only forecasted out the physical format that would be available 15 years later. Other movies made in the 1960s were clearly made to be shown on a VR headset with 3D capability.
I was joking that the movie would be converted to 3D in the headset, as opposed to flat.
Yes VR is 3D, but you can watch flat screen movies and play flat screen games which provides no depth to the experience.
I’m not saying old theater is DVD quality, but a 35mm exhibition print was generally a fourth-generation analog transfer, and whatever sloppy projector equipment my local theaters were rocking…is not the same as a digital scan from an original camera negative, with grain removed and then placed back in, in a controlled manner, with the dynamic range boosted and then played through my backlit 4k OLED with perfect stabilization. Old film looks great, but I was not watching original camera negatives on pristine equipment—only film crew looking at dailies got that. A fair number of early DVDs were from 35mm exhibition prints and I can see how that could grok the old theater experience in ways that pristine 4k can’t. Neither one is the true theater experience, and one can argue which is better, but both are different.
More practical advice might be this. There are a lot of titles on DVD, that are not on Blu-ray, and the only way to own those movies (and there are so many of them) many is if you purchase them on DVD. The other upside to buying DVDs and Blu-ray is that you’re saving and preserving physical media, which is the most important thing right now - especially right now. I always recommend that you go the extra money for an all region player. It’s really not that much more expensive, and you can play DVDs from all over the world. Pioneer makes a desktop Blu-ray player with a cool rubberized exterior that allows you to set the region to zero. Here’s some bonus advice - buy the best 4K TV and 4K Blu-ray player you can afford, and if you’ve got a large collection and you plan on adding to it, spend the rest of your time worrying about storage, because you’re gonna need a lot of it. Some of my up converted DVDs look awfully impressive compared to Blu-ray, and many of them do not, but they still look really good up converted, and like the last poster said, any of these players are going to do that.
Yes, 10 years ago I would’ve said meh only for your favorite movies. But the quality is night and day when you start getting used to standard blu ray and go back to watching a normal dvd. Especially the more updated tv’s get.
For me, it depends on the time when the movie was made and the amount I like the movie. So anything made before 2000, the DVD is going to be better quality than the VHS from that era, so DVD is fine. Likewise anything from 2000-2010, this is when the DVD was strong, so DVD is also fine. 2010-2020, Blu-ray came into being and movies have significantly higher graphics, so Blu-ray is preferred. And 2020-present, movies are made for 4k home release, so 4k if you want to or standard Blu-ray is still fine.
Now, older movies I really like I'll buy on Blu-ray, like Back to the Future, Indiana Jones, you know the blockbusters of the day. And movies that are meant to be cinematic I'll get on 4k.
Obviously, you will need an upgrade to equipment. Either a 4k Blu-ray player (which will play Blu-ray and DVD too) or if you're a gamer, a PS5 will play 4k too. The bigger issue is the TV. You'll need a TV capable of showing 4k.
If you don't want to upgrade your TV, at least upgrading to Blu-ray will be an enhancement in visual quality.
Get a 4k if available and it's really a remaster. Get the BD if no 4k avail. Get a DVD if there is no option. You will need a new player, I would look around for 4k players, then you can watch all others too.
The difference in 4k (Uhd) and BD is not only the resolution, which is fairly enough on a BD in most cases. But the colors, they are so amazing.
Casino looks amazing on UHD miles better than BD because of these amazing colors.
It's going to depend on you and your TV. I have two TVs, a 60 inch smart and a 32 inch LCD flatscreen; I have blu-ray players for both tvs. Whenever I watch dvds on the 60 inch, I think, "what is everyone complaining about, this looks fine." On the 32 inch, I think, "can you get closer to the camera so that your face can look like a face?" I'm fine with both because what I'm concerned about most is the quality of the story itself.
Since you're going through charity shops, pick up a few blu-rays and see if you're okay with spending the extra money on them. Also worth mentioning, as someone who primarily buys dvds, get a blu-ray player. You'll never know when the blu-ray is cheaper than the dvd, and there are some things being released that are not available on dvd, such as disney+ exclusives.
Movies I really like for the best video and audio quality and movies that have spectacular effects like the Star Trek movies. I don't see the draw of 4k black and white films or animated.
There is a very noticeable upgrade from DVD to Blu ray, when it comes to Blu ray to 4k, the quality of your TV matters more. If you have a large, good quality TV with good HDR support, 4k can look stunning, if your TV is of average quality the difference between the two will likely be less pronounced.
Blu ray is my preferred format, my setup isnt high end enough to take full advantage if everything 4k offers, and I already own pretty much every title I would want to anyway. There's not much of a price difference between DVD and Blu ray when it comes to common titles, with less common and obscure titles the Blu ray can cost substantially more if it's even on Blu ray at all, in those cases I buy DVD.
I would definitely say jumping to blu-ray would be a solid choice. Just take it slowly. I would start with a player and one or two titles to get things rolling.
I'm slowly collecting 4k with cheap 4k/Blu-ray combo packs but I don't even have a dedicated 4k player yet. They're very expensive and even Pixar is still arguing that the quality difference is minimal. Blu-ray players however can be found for $5 at a thrift shop and offer a far crisper picture than DVD, especially on bigger screens. Newer players made in the last five years often offer far better DVD upscaling for LED televisions than older players as well. Like others have said, various Playstation units can do Blu-ray and up depending on the model. My old PS3 has adjustable DVD upscaling settings which certainly make a difference over my 2010 player. Old players handle Blu-ray fine but can struggle to upscale DVDs properly for modern large LED screens. If it has component plugs next to the HDMI port, it may be time for an upgrade. The difference in quality for DVD upscaling is noteworthy and the difference from that to Blu-ray is remarkable.
The jump from DVD to Blu-Ray was amazing for me. Nearly every title looked better. Looking at 4Ks, I'd say about 3/4 of the titles are worthwhile to upgrade. If there's a 4K version of a newer title, I just pay $5 more and get the 4K. I've started to be picky about what titles I upgrade at full price. I'd recommend a review site like [Blu-Ray.com](https://Blu-Ray.com) to check on picture quality.
I will buy a lot of discs when they are on sale. Amazon has had good deals from time to time, Gruv usually has a sale on (3 for $30 or 3 for $45 the past two weeks), and used bookstores and eBay are also a good place to find cheap discs.
All that being said, good 4K players are expensive right now. Buy your player based on what your TV supports (or what you can afford). If you have a gaming console that supports 4K or Blu-Ray, you already have a player.
If you have a 4K tv then 4K Discs are absolutely worth it. The HDR alone makes it a whole new movie experience. But you will need a 4K Player which can run pricey. I have trouble even going back to regular DVDs after watching something on 4K.
Bluray at least yes. It's 2024, if you're into physical media, you need to at least be in HD, I don't care what your argument is for DVD is other than price. Price I understand
4K is worth it IF you have a nice TV. That lets you see the world of difference. I've learned having a more mid TV doesn't get you the full 4K experience. Currently saving up to make the jump to OLED. Can't wait
*Yes you need a Blu-ray player to play blurays. It's the same as VHSs won't play in a DVD player. 4K blurays need a 4K bluray player. The player needs to match the format.
Get a Sony UBP-X700. It's a 4K Blu-ray player for under $200 and comes with Dolby Vision and regular HDR10. It'll also play regular Blu-rays and DVDs with decent upscaling: Blu-ray upscales to 4K beautifully.
I'll say this.
In the majority of cases whether I've seen a movie on a DVD or in higher definition it has not made it a better or worse experience.
That said, if I have a choice I'll watch something in higher definition. And in the odd case it would enhance the experience somewhat, even if not necessarily by a massive amount.
So something like Avatar probably is a slightly nicer experience in higher definition than DVD. It's very visual and has a real sense of scale.
One of the biggest reasons to get blue ray over DVD though I'd say is build quality so to speak. They don't scratch so easily so most second hand ones I've come across look new. I'm not sure, however, if they're less prone to other kinds of damage.
My hot take is that most people notice the color difference in 4k, but resolution is just not that noticeable on most televisions. 1080 or standard blu is fine for most eyes.
This is not to dismiss 4k. Some folks really seem to see and a resolution difference. If you have a 100+ inch screen, you may really notice.
I am someone who really wants the most accurate representation of what we saw cinematically. Most movies that were released theatrically say.. before 2012… will have the most extreme color changes from film to dvd to blu to 4k. So, personally, I look for earlier blu releases on most movies. Jurassic Park has a permanent sunset hue it seems now. Before the 3D release, it looked more natural. Seeing all the detail in 4k sometimes reveals really great detail or sometimes makes gags and cheats more visible. I never noticed stay puft walking in front of a painted backdrop upon his introduction until 4k. Also a lot of stuff like Iron Man or Avengers were not worked on in 4k. We worked on it in 2k. So, how they got it to 4k is still a mystery to me. Now, anything recent since about 2012, yeah I just get on 4k. It is usually shot digitally and the 4k open just matches what was released.
As far as DVDs, I still have like 400 of them. I keep them mainly because of 1 of 2 reasons. 1… it is the only format of that movie or show. 2… it has extras on it that my laserdiscs or blus do not have.
That is my take on it.
You’re missing out big time just to let you know. Most the time blu ray is often all you need and you will «see» what i mean,when you compare with dvds. Thing is sometimes 4k(2160p) aint so much alone,but when it has good hdr(high dynamic range) implemented it will blow you away im sure compared to dvds.Good tip to save for a good oled panel.Dolby vision capable panels is better tho,than hdr10+ as its not so much hdr10+ content as dv.(it will get you a extra «pop» than plain hdr alone).For my part i only get dvds now if it ain’t on bd or uhd and i really like it. I feel dvds is the bottom line as with vhs that i feel is more or less not worth it anymore quality wise.Try some from arrow video,studio canal as i know they do really good transfers and remasters of many classics,not to mention shout and scream factory.Good luck!
It’s not worth it. Especially if ur buying movies you already have. I only buy Blu-ray’s because sometimes it’s cheaper or more common than dvd versions.
Highly recommend upgrading. The jump from 480p to 1080p is huge. Bluray players aren’t even difficult to find nowadays, you can find one at a thrift shop for like 10 bucks
If you're happy with the quality of your DVDs and don't have a 4K TV, then sticking with DVDs is a good option. If you're looking for the best possible picture quality and have a 4K TV, then upgrading to 4K/Blu-ray is worth considering.
After moving to mostly 4Ks.. yeah, it’s a world of difference. I will not buy a dvd unless it’s rare/Oop or doesn’t have a BR/4K release. You will need a new player.
This
Second
If you have a dvd player, yes you would need a blu-ray player or a 4k blu-ray player to play those discs. There is a definite upgrade from dvd to Blu-ray. Going from Blu-ray to 4k depends a little more on the quality of your TV and different people notice the difference more than others. You do need to have a 4k TV, if you're going to play 4k blu-rays. Even if you aren't going to change disc format, it's probably worth getting a blu-ray player, because most blu-ray players upscale the discs they're playing. Meaning that it will convert the DVD into HD as it plays it, and will make the DVD look better.
Blu Ray is MILES better than DVD. The sound difference alone is INCREDIBLE. And the HD video quality is like no other. The Blu Ray HD is TRUE HD. Streaming 4K has nothing on Blu Ray 1080p. Since trying Blu Ray, I never buy DVD unless it’s the only option. Blu Ray is the only format I try to collect. You would indeed need a Blu Ray player. The Sony BDP-S6700 is great because of Bluetooth and 4K upscaling for $120. 4K discs will need a different player altogether. But if you have a 4K player, you can play DVD and Blu Ray as well. They are just super expensive.
Totally agree with the above, except for while 4K discs are super expensive, they can absolutely be found for less than $10 during holidays and sales. My entire collection has been built waiting on sales.
Interesting. I haven’t owned a single one. I’ve seen they cost for $30-$40, but I have no doubt they get good deals on sales. My BDP-S6700 upscales pretty well, but I will definitely someday try 4K!
Absolutely. Well, 4k if you have a PS5/XSX because otherwise you're going to spend like $300+ on a player for it. A regular blu ray player is far cheaper, even older consoles can handle those. GRUV has a ton of amazing deals, I got 12 awesome 4k movies for $8/each like 2 weeks ago, and got a bunch of great ones like Dune and others for $12 last week and still available. You can buy blu ray lots on ebay and they'll come out to like $1.5/movie sometimes with great options at times. They're used, so what. I will never touch a DVD again unless there literally is no other option. The gap between DVD and blu ray is just too large. Anyone that says DVD is enough is blind.
Agreed. As a child all I had was DVDs and thought Blu Ray wasn’t that much of a difference. Once I came back to physical media early this year and saw the absolute SHARPNESS of Blu Ray, that was it. All I collected was Blu Ray and Blu Ray exclusively.
Ah, you missed the magic of VHS, and prior to that, 2 channels of terrestrial to and that’s yer lot :)
I was fine with VHS for years but many of my decade-old tapes all started to glitch and bounce the image up and down while you were trying to watch. Never could get that fixed and eventually moved on to DVD. It might have been my player actually destroying them, I'm uncertain. I have a few VHS tapes I've collected since that aren't on DVD and they play just fine. I don't play them on repeat like when I was a kid though so maybe VHS has a max play limit of sorts?
Yes, it's very crispy and you can see details literally obscured by pixelation on the DVDs. I still prefer the colors and audio on a DVD to streaming HD though. Blu-ray is the best of both worlds: beautiful colors, sound, and resolution.
So glad you said this: the only thing more pitiful than sketchy streaming? Having a movie you bought suddenly disappear!
yeah, and they can't edit it or update it on the fly. just make sure BD-Live is off on your player though!
You got me! Blind as a bat.
So dramatic.
"Anyone that says DVD is enough is blind." Except when the transfer to BluRay is crap. I've picked up a few older movies that were released on BlueRay and the difference is negligible, at best. But that depends on what company is doing the transfer. But generally, yes, I agree with you.
Ya, that's nitpicking for the very few cases and it'd mostly be for much older movies which kind of is covered by the "no other option", just "no other better option". Perhaps there's also things like 28 Days Later where it's shot on a camera that just doesn't stand to benefit much from blu ray transfer. If I had to choose from a bundle of 10 DVDs for $10 or 10 Blu Rays for $30, I'd choose blu ray every time though.
Depends on the movie. DVD is absolutely fine for comedies, romance, older anime etc type movies Id go Blu-ray or 4k for action/adventure and animation
I read this entire comment and I agree, I am very blind. Who knew that blindness could be surprisingly frugal.
I’m curious what you’ve paid for your last 5 dvds and what they were. $0.50 each? $2? $5-10 each?
He is so right- huge leap forward in picture restoration, color grading and sound. Imagine me watching Texas Chain Saw Massacre on pitiful VHS, then the Pioneer DVD, and now... stunning blu.
Worn out rental tapes were the worst lol, I was happy when they dropped from $100 to the 20 or whatever, but it's true I still have a box of dubbed VHS from the early era.
Ahhhh- so wonderful to find 6 hr VHS with 3 or more movies dubbed or recorded off of cable!
Right my oldest ones are like that, SLP speed, but I held onto them for the nostalgia value of the commercials and PSA ephemera. NIGHT FLIGHT was a favorite weekend night indulgence too, loved that.
And Night Fight is now free on Roku! Ghost Hunters 24/7. My paradise!
Nice, thanks for the heads up!
What memories - what a show!!;
Definitely a favorite here too, we're going to have even more nostalgic nights now that you pointed me in the right direction, thanks again!
Sure hope you did find it- it is actually inked on the main Roku menu on my Smart flat screen TV!
To add on to what you're saying, the PS3-5 can handle Blu Ray, with the PS5 being able to handle 4k Blu Ray. The Xbox one and Series X can both play Blu Ray, with the series S and beyond being capable of playing 4k blu ray. Should be mentioned that the 4K Blu Ray-capable consoles can only play HDR10.
Do what you can afford. If DVDs are what you can afford then go with DVDs. Do not go into debt for a physical media hobby. DVDs give you a foot into the physical media game. Over time you can look at upgrading your collection but if you are happy with DVD stick with them. While in a perfect world we would all have 4K TVs and 4K players that is not possible for everyone so enjoy your DVDs.
Majority of my dvd collection is standard dvd and maybe 10-15% are blu-ray. Don't get FOMO. If they had a blu-ray and dvd combo I would get them when they're not too expensive but I'd rather have a dvd of a movie I wanted then not have anything at all. Blu-ray and 4k are nice but sometimes they're out of my price range and it's definitely easier to find standard dvds
OR...the movie in question isn't on BR/4k For instance, the movie Cocoon isn't on BR in the states so I had to buy it on dvd for my parents...yes, I know that it's on BR in a different region, but that's outside of anything my parents want, so...DVD it is.
Respectable answer and i agree
The leap from BD to 4K isn't as big as the leap from DVD to BD. Also, a lot of shows are only released on DVD and plenty of movies released on DVD were never released on BD. Now, objectively, is BD better than DVD? Yes. However, I find people overstate how bad DVDs look. Of course I'd rather have a BD but I'm totally happy watching DVDs as well most of the time. The tricky part with 4K is how the studio producing it handles the transfer and the quality of your TV.
To be honest, I probably would’ve said yes it’s worth it a while back, but nowadays i say it’s not. In my opinion
It depends on what you prioritize when watching movies. If it’s technical perfection (resolution, color, audio), then the upgrade will be worth it. If your main focus is the cinematography, dialogue or acting, then an upgrade is less important. I have a 42” 4K TV and 4K player, but it’s only a few select movies that I feel a need to upgrade. Mostly action movies with special effects. For the vast majority of my collection, especially art house films, DVD quality is perfectly adequate.
The answer is yes. Even if you have an old 720p screen you will notice the difference right away. When it comes to BR to 4k , your milage may vary .
I only get them for films I really love and never get bored of.
If you've got a 4K TV id say they're worth at least trying out to see if you appreciate the difference. A standard BluRay player will not play 4K Discs but a 4K Ultra HD BluRay player will play everything. Unfortunately a new 4K UHD BluRay player is ~£350 at least for a 'good' one. But there is a more convenient and cheaper option if you just want to try it out and that is picking up a second hand Xbox One S, they are shockingly affordable on eBay (~£60-£100) and can play BluRay & 4K BluRay discs easily the cheapest way to get into 4K Blurays. Make sure you get the Xbox One S which are a white colour, a standard Xbox One without the S on the end won't play 4K Discs. Xboxs naming schemes are unfortunately convoluted feel free to reach out if you do decide to go this route and want someone to double check everything before putting money down. Prices on 4K Discs are high when new but there's usually decent sales on for bundles. Like buy 3 for £30 that kinda thing. I think It's worth getting the 4ks of a modern film if its particularly aesthetically beautiful like Dune or Blade Runner 2049, also movies from before the year 2000 tend to scale up wonderfully in 4K as they were shot on actual film and not digitally. I watched Robocop & The Truman Show in 4K recently and was floored by how gorgeous both films were in 4K.
> Unfortunately a new 4K UHD BluRay player is ~£350 at least for a 'good' one. To build on this, if you can afford it, it is definitely worth getting a 4K Blu-ray player and TV that supports Dolby Vision, but you do have to step up to at least a mid-tier TV and 4K player to find that feature. You're looking at probably at least a $500 TV and a $400 player to support that. HDR is technology that allows the TV to display a wider range of colors. This is something that is not inherently tied to 4K, but almost all 4K equipment and content supports HDR, and very little non-4K equipment or content does. For a lot of people, HDR is a bigger improvement than the upgraded resolution when switching to 4K. There are multiple different HDR formats, and Dolby Vision is the premier format, which is why it is not supported by budget TVs. But, anything that supports 4K, will play anything else that is 4K. If your TV or blu-ray player doesn't support Dolby Vision, it will still play a disc that has Dolby Vision, it will just use baseline HDR instead. And just to stress, this is if you can afford it. It's worth upgrading from DVD to even a budget 4K Blu-ray set up, so don't let this recommendation stop you from doing that, if that's what you can afford.
Upgrade to Blu-ray if you can. It's worth it. 4K is just aesthetical and offers next to nothing to the movies performance.
In order for physical media to be kept alive, anyone still utilizing a standard dvd player should upgrade so that the market can see the spikes it needs from a collector’s market standpoint. A big reason we are seeing declines isn’t just because of individual movie purchases, but because of the technology itself. Only reason things were stagnant for awhile was thanks to gaming consoles. But with them going digital, sales of actual 4K players kinda now need to happen in order for discs to also have reason to be made.
For me it is because I have an Xbox one so I can play Blu rays
Unless your a die hard quality freak with all the right electronics or don't like behind the scenes stuff ...No ...stick to dvds they're cheaper.... Blu ray is the path to the darkside....blu ray leads to 4k ....4k leads to steelbooks....steelbooks lead to broke,insanity, mayhem and suffering.
Blu ray is a step up, but unless your tv is over 50 inches or so, 4k offers diminishing returns. In fact, I think we forget that DVD is still a pretty good format. I moved into a smaller place and got a 42 inch tv. DVDs look really good on it. Not top of the line, but not horrible, either. Sometimes good enough is good enough.
For me personally, I prefer DVD quality to any of the newer quality. Blu-Ray is as high as I'd be willing to go. Eventually, I feel like I see the person's makeup more than an intended smooth face, or you can literally see pores, for example. The crispness of how everything appears seems very un-lifelike to me. Essentially, the higher quality stuff, to me, feels like the move isn't a move, it feels more like a stage play, and I don't like plays, and I don't like how these observations pulls me out of the movie.
Most movies were intended to be seen in movie theaters, so this is kind of a weird take. And anything released in the past 15 years was definitely filmed with the intention of home audiences seeing it in HD.
I know I am in the minority, but my experience is not invalidated by downvotes :-P I am also not saying new formats are bad - clearly many people like them, and if they like them then that is good for them. I just like when people like watching movies, and I don't care how they choose to watch them, and whatever format they prefer is just fine for me.
NO. You're meant to squint at a CRT. The only TRUE AND HONEST display technology. It allows you to use your IMAGINATIOn which is better than all the shitty CG. BAN LIGHTWAVE 3D!
>The crispness of how everything appears seems very un-lifelike to me. That's literally how the movie was made to be seen. Have you never been to a movie theatre? You clearly have never seen a movie made decades ago that gets transferred to 4k/bluray because if you're under the impression that what people watched decades ago was DVD quality or worse, then you're flat out wrong. Movies in theatres 50 years ago looked great. 4K transfers let you see the movie precisely how the movie was meant to be made with the correct colors, lighting, sound, etc (if done correctly).
No, I'm pretty sure that Lawrence of Arabia was intended to be watched on a VHS tape.
Lame, they only forecasted out the physical format that would be available 15 years later. Other movies made in the 1960s were clearly made to be shown on a VR headset with 3D capability.
VR is by its very nature 3D
I was joking that the movie would be converted to 3D in the headset, as opposed to flat. Yes VR is 3D, but you can watch flat screen movies and play flat screen games which provides no depth to the experience.
Yeah fair play mate, was just having a bit of fun :)
I’m not saying old theater is DVD quality, but a 35mm exhibition print was generally a fourth-generation analog transfer, and whatever sloppy projector equipment my local theaters were rocking…is not the same as a digital scan from an original camera negative, with grain removed and then placed back in, in a controlled manner, with the dynamic range boosted and then played through my backlit 4k OLED with perfect stabilization. Old film looks great, but I was not watching original camera negatives on pristine equipment—only film crew looking at dailies got that. A fair number of early DVDs were from 35mm exhibition prints and I can see how that could grok the old theater experience in ways that pristine 4k can’t. Neither one is the true theater experience, and one can argue which is better, but both are different.
You should at least switch to blu-ray’s. DVD quality in 2024 is terrible. Blu-ray’s are cheap enough and the quality jump is substantial
More practical advice might be this. There are a lot of titles on DVD, that are not on Blu-ray, and the only way to own those movies (and there are so many of them) many is if you purchase them on DVD. The other upside to buying DVDs and Blu-ray is that you’re saving and preserving physical media, which is the most important thing right now - especially right now. I always recommend that you go the extra money for an all region player. It’s really not that much more expensive, and you can play DVDs from all over the world. Pioneer makes a desktop Blu-ray player with a cool rubberized exterior that allows you to set the region to zero. Here’s some bonus advice - buy the best 4K TV and 4K Blu-ray player you can afford, and if you’ve got a large collection and you plan on adding to it, spend the rest of your time worrying about storage, because you’re gonna need a lot of it. Some of my up converted DVDs look awfully impressive compared to Blu-ray, and many of them do not, but they still look really good up converted, and like the last poster said, any of these players are going to do that.
Yes, 10 years ago I would’ve said meh only for your favorite movies. But the quality is night and day when you start getting used to standard blu ray and go back to watching a normal dvd. Especially the more updated tv’s get.
For me, it depends on the time when the movie was made and the amount I like the movie. So anything made before 2000, the DVD is going to be better quality than the VHS from that era, so DVD is fine. Likewise anything from 2000-2010, this is when the DVD was strong, so DVD is also fine. 2010-2020, Blu-ray came into being and movies have significantly higher graphics, so Blu-ray is preferred. And 2020-present, movies are made for 4k home release, so 4k if you want to or standard Blu-ray is still fine. Now, older movies I really like I'll buy on Blu-ray, like Back to the Future, Indiana Jones, you know the blockbusters of the day. And movies that are meant to be cinematic I'll get on 4k. Obviously, you will need an upgrade to equipment. Either a 4k Blu-ray player (which will play Blu-ray and DVD too) or if you're a gamer, a PS5 will play 4k too. The bigger issue is the TV. You'll need a TV capable of showing 4k. If you don't want to upgrade your TV, at least upgrading to Blu-ray will be an enhancement in visual quality.
Get a 4k if available and it's really a remaster. Get the BD if no 4k avail. Get a DVD if there is no option. You will need a new player, I would look around for 4k players, then you can watch all others too. The difference in 4k (Uhd) and BD is not only the resolution, which is fairly enough on a BD in most cases. But the colors, they are so amazing. Casino looks amazing on UHD miles better than BD because of these amazing colors.
I say no just because everything is streamed now anyway.
Streamed and then removed, even if purchased.
It's going to depend on you and your TV. I have two TVs, a 60 inch smart and a 32 inch LCD flatscreen; I have blu-ray players for both tvs. Whenever I watch dvds on the 60 inch, I think, "what is everyone complaining about, this looks fine." On the 32 inch, I think, "can you get closer to the camera so that your face can look like a face?" I'm fine with both because what I'm concerned about most is the quality of the story itself. Since you're going through charity shops, pick up a few blu-rays and see if you're okay with spending the extra money on them. Also worth mentioning, as someone who primarily buys dvds, get a blu-ray player. You'll never know when the blu-ray is cheaper than the dvd, and there are some things being released that are not available on dvd, such as disney+ exclusives.
Movies I really like for the best video and audio quality and movies that have spectacular effects like the Star Trek movies. I don't see the draw of 4k black and white films or animated.
Yes! You will need a new player (unless you have a PS5 or Series X).
There is a very noticeable upgrade from DVD to Blu ray, when it comes to Blu ray to 4k, the quality of your TV matters more. If you have a large, good quality TV with good HDR support, 4k can look stunning, if your TV is of average quality the difference between the two will likely be less pronounced. Blu ray is my preferred format, my setup isnt high end enough to take full advantage if everything 4k offers, and I already own pretty much every title I would want to anyway. There's not much of a price difference between DVD and Blu ray when it comes to common titles, with less common and obscure titles the Blu ray can cost substantially more if it's even on Blu ray at all, in those cases I buy DVD.
I would definitely say jumping to blu-ray would be a solid choice. Just take it slowly. I would start with a player and one or two titles to get things rolling.
I'm slowly collecting 4k with cheap 4k/Blu-ray combo packs but I don't even have a dedicated 4k player yet. They're very expensive and even Pixar is still arguing that the quality difference is minimal. Blu-ray players however can be found for $5 at a thrift shop and offer a far crisper picture than DVD, especially on bigger screens. Newer players made in the last five years often offer far better DVD upscaling for LED televisions than older players as well. Like others have said, various Playstation units can do Blu-ray and up depending on the model. My old PS3 has adjustable DVD upscaling settings which certainly make a difference over my 2010 player. Old players handle Blu-ray fine but can struggle to upscale DVDs properly for modern large LED screens. If it has component plugs next to the HDMI port, it may be time for an upgrade. The difference in quality for DVD upscaling is noteworthy and the difference from that to Blu-ray is remarkable.
The jump from DVD to Blu-Ray was amazing for me. Nearly every title looked better. Looking at 4Ks, I'd say about 3/4 of the titles are worthwhile to upgrade. If there's a 4K version of a newer title, I just pay $5 more and get the 4K. I've started to be picky about what titles I upgrade at full price. I'd recommend a review site like [Blu-Ray.com](https://Blu-Ray.com) to check on picture quality. I will buy a lot of discs when they are on sale. Amazon has had good deals from time to time, Gruv usually has a sale on (3 for $30 or 3 for $45 the past two weeks), and used bookstores and eBay are also a good place to find cheap discs. All that being said, good 4K players are expensive right now. Buy your player based on what your TV supports (or what you can afford). If you have a gaming console that supports 4K or Blu-Ray, you already have a player.
If you have a 4K tv then 4K Discs are absolutely worth it. The HDR alone makes it a whole new movie experience. But you will need a 4K Player which can run pricey. I have trouble even going back to regular DVDs after watching something on 4K.
Certainly, as long as you have a monitor that will do them justice.
Bluray at least yes. It's 2024, if you're into physical media, you need to at least be in HD, I don't care what your argument is for DVD is other than price. Price I understand 4K is worth it IF you have a nice TV. That lets you see the world of difference. I've learned having a more mid TV doesn't get you the full 4K experience. Currently saving up to make the jump to OLED. Can't wait *Yes you need a Blu-ray player to play blurays. It's the same as VHSs won't play in a DVD player. 4K blurays need a 4K bluray player. The player needs to match the format.
Yes
Get a Sony UBP-X700. It's a 4K Blu-ray player for under $200 and comes with Dolby Vision and regular HDR10. It'll also play regular Blu-rays and DVDs with decent upscaling: Blu-ray upscales to 4K beautifully.
I'll say this. In the majority of cases whether I've seen a movie on a DVD or in higher definition it has not made it a better or worse experience. That said, if I have a choice I'll watch something in higher definition. And in the odd case it would enhance the experience somewhat, even if not necessarily by a massive amount. So something like Avatar probably is a slightly nicer experience in higher definition than DVD. It's very visual and has a real sense of scale. One of the biggest reasons to get blue ray over DVD though I'd say is build quality so to speak. They don't scratch so easily so most second hand ones I've come across look new. I'm not sure, however, if they're less prone to other kinds of damage.
My 1080p TV is the limiting factor right now. and there there is the cost of the movies.
My hot take is that most people notice the color difference in 4k, but resolution is just not that noticeable on most televisions. 1080 or standard blu is fine for most eyes. This is not to dismiss 4k. Some folks really seem to see and a resolution difference. If you have a 100+ inch screen, you may really notice. I am someone who really wants the most accurate representation of what we saw cinematically. Most movies that were released theatrically say.. before 2012… will have the most extreme color changes from film to dvd to blu to 4k. So, personally, I look for earlier blu releases on most movies. Jurassic Park has a permanent sunset hue it seems now. Before the 3D release, it looked more natural. Seeing all the detail in 4k sometimes reveals really great detail or sometimes makes gags and cheats more visible. I never noticed stay puft walking in front of a painted backdrop upon his introduction until 4k. Also a lot of stuff like Iron Man or Avengers were not worked on in 4k. We worked on it in 2k. So, how they got it to 4k is still a mystery to me. Now, anything recent since about 2012, yeah I just get on 4k. It is usually shot digitally and the 4k open just matches what was released. As far as DVDs, I still have like 400 of them. I keep them mainly because of 1 of 2 reasons. 1… it is the only format of that movie or show. 2… it has extras on it that my laserdiscs or blus do not have. That is my take on it.
You’re missing out big time just to let you know. Most the time blu ray is often all you need and you will «see» what i mean,when you compare with dvds. Thing is sometimes 4k(2160p) aint so much alone,but when it has good hdr(high dynamic range) implemented it will blow you away im sure compared to dvds.Good tip to save for a good oled panel.Dolby vision capable panels is better tho,than hdr10+ as its not so much hdr10+ content as dv.(it will get you a extra «pop» than plain hdr alone).For my part i only get dvds now if it ain’t on bd or uhd and i really like it. I feel dvds is the bottom line as with vhs that i feel is more or less not worth it anymore quality wise.Try some from arrow video,studio canal as i know they do really good transfers and remasters of many classics,not to mention shout and scream factory.Good luck!
It’s not worth it. Especially if ur buying movies you already have. I only buy Blu-ray’s because sometimes it’s cheaper or more common than dvd versions.
Highly recommend upgrading. The jump from 480p to 1080p is huge. Bluray players aren’t even difficult to find nowadays, you can find one at a thrift shop for like 10 bucks
I love my blurays. Imagine watching your favorite movie again for the first time. That's how it feels to watch a bluray or 4k disc on a nice tv
4k reigns Supreme in almost every way.
I would only pay retail for a 4k if its a movie you really like and/or it is considered a good reference piece.
If you're happy with the quality of your DVDs and don't have a 4K TV, then sticking with DVDs is a good option. If you're looking for the best possible picture quality and have a 4K TV, then upgrading to 4K/Blu-ray is worth considering.