Do you buy DVDs anymore?

v638sg7k1a92bx

Any danger of DVD or Blue going the same way as VHS?

There are a couple of box sets I'd like to buy but not sure if it makes sense to buy DVD's anymore but at the same time I can't get access to some of the tv shows I like on Netflix or iTunes.

AMKC

I don,t buy DVDs anymore but will buy Blu-Rays if they are on deal and has plenty of extra,s on it. I love all the extra,s on them thats why I buy them. DVD,s used to have loads but have very little extra,s on them now so unless its like 1 euro I would not buy them.

Dirty Dingus McGee

I buy them all the time.It's the most hassle free way of watching films for me as I don't have proper broadband so anything involving netflix or downloading tends to be either extremely expensive (netflix) or too slow.

I look at my massive DVD collection and feel like I've accomplished something in life.Hopefully the can last me a lifetime an I can always go back to them whenever I want to watch a film.

branie2

Mostly Blu-rays these days

ScrubsfanChris

When it comes to films I like or have heard are good, its blu-ray only. Got Casablanca recently and image quality and sound is superb. Also in the last few months I've seen of copy of Alien on dvd at a friends house, the quality was muck compared to my blu-ray copy.

The only dvds I buy are tv shows (90% of my dvd collection) where they are only available on that format or an HD transfer wouldn't do any help. Got Fawlty Towers a few months ago for instance.

Noveight

I'll buy a DVD if it's a film I think I'll get good use out of, mainly the classics.

freshpopcorn

Yes I'd buy DVD's the odd time and I might rent them. Haven't a blue ray player and don't plan on buying one.

readyletsgo

Kodi.

I'll pay to see a film, a lot, all year. Love the cinemas, the talkies .

lazybones32

Yeah, I've a nice collection but it's getting harder to buy them now. The local Xtra-vision closed over a year ago and Tesco sell dvd's but they're the popular stuff and have just the film, no extras, commentaries, deleted scenes, etc. The guys at X were great for ordering things for me and a few of the lads were big into film, so could make recommendations and put aside stuff they thought I'd like. I don't watch tv, so to me, a book and dvd library is a must.

Gonzo

I haven't bought a DVD in about 10 years. Couldn't go back to the low quality either. i started buying Blu-rays when they were easy to buy like when we had the Original HMV. Once it closed down and eventually reopened under the newer HMV/Xtravision the prices went up and the selection went down so I didn't buy them as often. Now that even that's gone there is very few places where you can find a good selection of blu-rays so I haven't bought a blu-ray in about 6 months.

jh79

I buy blurays still for the better picture quality and lossless audio but i have netflix too. Don't bother with torrents , what's the point in buying a hd tv and amp and speakers and then watching poor quality downloads.

theteal

I bought the Harry Potter box set a few years ago for mrsTeal. That's all I can remember buying in the last decade. I've never watched a bluray - plenty of .mkv files etc. A couple of HDDs connected to the xbox is a lot neater and convenient than a stack of DVDs.

johnny_ultimate

Assuming we're encompassing Blu-Ray here, absolutely still buy them - very regularly in fact. Companies like Arrow ensure it remains essential: truth is that streaming and download services just haven't responded to the variety of classic and foreign cinema out there (Mubi excepted to a degree, but obviously that has very clear limits too). Blu-Ray means I've gotten to see the likes of Out 1 and The Human Condition in fantastic quality with some excellent supporting and contextualising material. The sheer variety available on physical discs remains important too - and occasionally having to track down an old DVD release is the only way to watch something easily in just about acceptable quality (although sadly the quality standards in DVD were often a bit all over the place even with major distributors like Artificial Eye - with only a few companies like Masters of Cinema reliably offering respectful, quality transfers).

megaten

I only really buy blu-ray films of anime really since there rarely seem to be on digital services.

McLoughlin

Do the people who have mention they haven't bought anything since Xtra-vision closed realize you can buy them online and have them delivered to your house.

Better selection and better pricing online that one of the reasons Xtra-vision/HMV ended up closing.

Tom Mann Centuria

I still buy dvds and Blu Ray regularly, as others have said as well, my broadband isn't good enough to rely on, plus I still like to have the physical copy of something.

jh79

Tom Mann Centuria wrote: »

I still buy dvds and Blu Ray regularly, as others have said as well, my broadband isn't good enough to rely on, plus I still like to have the physical copy of something.

Even with good broadband 4k netflix is not a s good as a bluray and the sound is only dolby digital 5.1 not lossless.

http://hometheaterreview.com/my-search-for-higher-quality-soundtracks-in-streaming-movies/

Lorelli!

No I haven't bought a DVD for a long time.

Awh remember video! My dad recorded the movie Ladyhawke with Michelle Pfeiffer and Rutger Hauer for me when i was a kid but he only realised it was on at the last minute. He grabbed any video and started recording but missed the start and the video he used was not rewound and only had about 40 minutes left. After the 40 minutes was up, he grabbed another video which was also not rewound and recorded the rest of the movie on that!

I did love that movie but it was a pain to watch it on the two videos :pac:

Frank O. Pinion

I have multiple 5TB HDs with thousands of films and TV series, with copies on backup HDs. Having all that on actual discs is not for me.

jh79 wrote: »

Don't bother with torrents , what's the point in buying a hd tv and amp and speakers and then watching poor quality downloads.

This is such an ignorant viewpoint. The torrents I download are of fantastic quality. 20+GB for a single fim, or 5GB per episode of an hour long show.

GhostyMcGhost

McLoughlin wrote: »

Do the people who have mention they haven't bought anything since Xtra-vision closed realize you can buy them online and have them delivered to your house.

Better selection and better pricing online that one of the reasons Xtra-vision/HMV ended up closing.

In fact xtravision and HMV still trade online.

A lot of people think they're completely gone bust.... they've just moved into the online space (badly)

Sleeper12

I buy Blue Ray discs when on offer. They are so bloody expensive. I believe that they would make money money in the long run if they reduced the cost

jh79

Frank O. Pinion wrote: »

I have multiple 5TB HDs with thousands of films and TV series, with copies on backup HDs. Having all that on actual discs is not for me.

This is such an ignorant viewpoint. The torrents I download are of fantastic quality. 20+GB for a single fim, or 5GB per episode of an hour long show.

My experience of torrents differs, most seem to be around the 2gb mark and always seem to be not supported by my tv r bluray player. I'd rather spend a tenner on guarenteed quality. I rarely watch main stream movies so that could be why my experience of torrents is different to yours.

johnny_ultimate

Mod note: Folks please note the charter rules re: illegal download discussions. Thanks!

AMKC

Sleeper12 wrote: »

I buy Blue Ray discs when on offer. They are so bloody expensive. I believe that they would make money money in the long run if they reduced the cost

They are not expensive for what you are getting and the prices of them have come down. You just need to shop around and shop online. At certain times in the year some shops get in blu-rays at really good prices you just need to keep on eye out for them. I got some great bargains at Xmas just wished the choice they had was a bit bigger. Hopefully they will sell more again before next Xmas maybe at Easter or a summer sale. Its bargain shops I am on about they get a load of them in at certain times of the year and sell them of really cheap.

Jan_de_Bakker

I used to buy a lot of DVDs - now very rarely , if I really really like a film I'll get the BluRay ... but its comparatively rare to this time 10 years ago when I would buy a couple of DVDs a week..

Lorelli!

Jan_de_Bakker wrote: »

I used to buy a lot of DVDs - now very rarely , if I really really like a film I'll get the BluRay ... but its comparatively rare to this time 10 years ago when I would buy a couple of DVDs a week..

My oh and I would spend hours in cd/DVD shops picking out stuff. I miss that tbh.

Agent Coulson

I used to love browsing in the old Virgin Megastore for videos back then I could spend hours in there.


I still buy blu ray from time to time.

beauf

Blu ray for films I really like or missed in the cinema.

DVDs rarely if its a rare film or extended edition. Usually they are only about a €1

beauf

Sleeper12 wrote: »

I buy Blue Ray discs when on offer. They are so bloody expensive. I believe that they would make money money in the long run if they reduced the cost

Dealz sometimes have blurays for €2 or so.

NomadicGray

I went from having a large collection to hating physical media, I also feel dvd quality isnt good enough. I have large numbers of the things i need to get rid of

beauf

DVD can be surprisingly decent on an upscaling Bluray player

Jan_de_Bakker

Lorelli! wrote: »

My oh and I would spend hours in cd/DVD shops picking out stuff. I miss that tbh.

It was good allright, I remember a great place called LASER - think it was on Wicklow street or close enough to it, anyway used to love going in there to pick up a few films.

aaronjumper

Rarer and rarer as time goes on.
That is not in favour of buying Blu Ray or digital copies just that while I still enjoy a lot of modern films or television it's not to the extent that I would buy them.

The last DVDs I bought were The Dark Knight, Captain America Winter Soldier, Smoking Aces and Snatch.
Picked them all up on the cheap a few months ago.

Don't have any intention to buy more bar maybe getting the Westworld box set.

AMKC

beauf wrote: »

Dealz sometimes have blurays for €2 or so.

I have got blurays in there for 1.50.

oneilla

Jan_de_Bakker wrote: »

It was good allright, I remember a great place called LASER - think it was on Wicklow street or close enough to it, anyway used to love going in there to pick up a few films.

George's Street and there was one in Ranelagh too

murpho999

Don't buy DVDs at all just no need for physical media in this digital age.

There seems to be a myth going around that Blu ray is some magical disc that is better quality than any online solution which totally untrue.

Blu Ray (which is really just 1080p) can be downloaded or streamed, legaly or illegally very easily.

jh79

murpho999 wrote: »

Don't buy DVDs at all just no need for physical media in this digital age.

There seems to be a myth going around that Blu ray is some magical disc that is better quality than any online solution which totally untrue.

Blu Ray (which is really just 1080p) can be downloaded or streamed, legaly or illegally very easily.

Lossless audio is a different story. Netflix is poor for audio. The link i posted earlier claims 4k netflix is not up to bluray standard.

mdwexford

murpho999 wrote: »

Don't buy DVDs at all just no need for physical media in this digital age.

There seems to be a myth going around that Blu ray is some magical disc that is better quality than any online solution which totally untrue.

Blu Ray (which is really just 1080p) can be downloaded or streamed, legaly or illegally very easily.

Blu-Ray will be better quality than almost any online copy unless you are downloading massive files sizes.

If you plan to build a collection of that quality you will need tons of massive hard drives.

murpho999

mdwexford wrote: »

Blu-Ray will be better quality than almost any online copy unless you are downloading massive files sizes.

If you plan to build a collection of that quality you will need tons of massive hard drives.

What size files do you think they are?

Not too worried about keeping a collection. Watch a film and delete it.

Decuc500

I'll always keep buying blu rays and the odd, mainly foreign language, dvd of a film I can't get on blu ray. The specialist blu ray labels are doing wonderful jobs of presenting classic and cult films in brand new transfers with a host of extras including booklets and artwork.

I much prefer this to invisible data files. Big deal you can have your whole film collection on your key ring. I don't care if you can illegally stream the latest blockbuster onto your phone. I work on a computer all day, the last thing I want to do when I get home from work is fiddle around on a laptop so I can watch the latest Oscar sensation for free.

mdwexford

murpho999 wrote: »

What size files do you think they are?

Not too worried about keeping a collection. Watch a film and delete it.

I know they are between 10-20 gb generally and the picture still might not be as sharp as a blu-ray.

Some people like having a collection though.

Arghus

I haven't bought a DVD in about six years.

Sometimes I look at the enourmous pile of them I was cultivating back at home and marvel how much money I used to spend on discs that oftentimes I would watch only once.

oneilla

Buying DVDs etc. is a bad idea if you're renting and moving around -lots of stuff to lug around.

darkdubh

I buy a lot of DVDs in charity shops as they're dirt cheap. If I spot an obscure/cult movie always grab it along with cult TV boxsets. Last week I fond a box of the Japanese Baby Cart & Lone Wolf series, not something you come across everyday.

Jan_de_Bakker

murpho999 wrote: »

What size files do you think they are?

Not too worried about keeping a collection. Watch a film and delete it.

A really good quality 1080p 2hr film is gonna be at least 10GB.

Planet Earth II - really good 1080p downloads for that was about 5 GB (50min)... then I bought the BluRay ... cos I really like it

But I have seen 20GB 1080p files for films around the 2hr30 min mark...

v638sg7k1a92bx

Dirty Dingus McGee wrote: »

I buy them all the time.It's the most hassle free way of watching films for me as I don't have proper broadband so anything involving netflix or downloading tends to be either extremely expensive (netflix) or too slow.

I look at my massive DVD collection and feel like I've accomplished something in life.Hopefully the can last me a lifetime an I can always go back to them whenever I want to watch a film.

Therein is my concern. I don't want to end up with a stack of Blu Ray alongside a stack of VHS which will be obsolete in a few years.

For example, I want to buy The Night Of but it is only available on Itunes US store. IDeally, I'd like to be able to buy TV series for download that come with all the extras.

Does anyone know if this is available?

TerrorFirmer

sugarman wrote: »

A 1080p Bluray disc can be ripped to around 20GB without any loses in quality. With compression software they can easily be brought down to half that with very little loss of quality. It basically gets rid of all the crap on a bluray and leaves a good compression of just the movie itself.

4K Bluray discs can be around 50GB, but again they can be compressed to nearly half that and still remain very high quality.

For the majority of people a compressed 1080p file at 2-6GB can be enough. You certainly couldn't tell the difference on anything less than a 1080p 42" TV anyway.

With X265 now as well, you can have a fairly close to lossless Blu-Ray for around 5GB. On a screen around 40", even a 2GB hevc file is very, very good.

I used to have a very big DVD collection but I never took up Blu-Ray at all.

starlit

The odd time. Try not too has it takes up space. Find downloading off itunes handier just pay for what you like to see, either rent or buy and watch it. Netflix is probably a good way to watch movies or something similar or having a special box. It can still be a novelty to have dvd's.

jh79

sugarman wrote: »

A 1080p Bluray disc can be ripped to around 20GB without any loses in quality. With compression software they can easily be brought down to half that with very little loss of quality. It basically gets rid of all the crap on a bluray and leaves a good compression of just the movie itself.

4K Bluray discs can be around 50GB, but again they can be compressed to nearly half that and still remain very high quality.

For the majority of people a compressed 1080p file at 2-6GB can be enough. You certainly couldn't tell the difference on anything less than a 1080p 42" TV anyway.

42" tv is small enough and most going the 4k route should be buying at least a 55" tv.

pajo1981

€3 and I can rent whatever I want on itunes, etc...

Yes, I'd say the plastic disc thing is on borrowed time.

murpho999

sugarman wrote: »

A 1080p Bluray disc can be ripped to around 20GB without any loses in quality. With compression software they can easily be brought down to half that with very little loss of quality. It basically gets rid of all the crap on a bluray and leaves a good compression of just the movie itself.

4K Bluray discs can be around 50GB, but again they can be compressed to nearly half that and still remain very high quality.

For the majority of people a compressed 1080p file at 2-6GB can be enough. You certainly couldn't tell the difference on anything less than a 1080p 42" TV anyway.

mdwexford wrote: »

I know they are between 10-20 gb generally and the picture still might not be as sharp as a blu-ray.

Some people like having a collection though.

So with those file sizes, which are not that big in modern terms, 40 x 4k films or 333 x 1080p films could easily fit on a 2Tb drive or an online storage facility.

Would be much closer to my preference rather than having loads of discs that can damaged lying around.

Either way, I don't keep films myself as I don't repeat watch that often.