Bluray sure is expensive!

[:]

In Canada, the bluray is $37 at wal-mart (Benders Game), without tax

Anyone found it cheaper anywhere here?

[#1 :]

Yeah, a regular DVD (Blurays evil!  )

[#2 :]

The DVD is also about 6 dollars more in Canada than the States. I refuse to pay that on principle. Stupid Canada..don't get me started on how shit amazon.ca is.
Or do.

[#3 :]

Is blueray even worth it, does it look that much better. I  really have never seen a movie in blue ray format yet. But if its like high def tv then who cares. And besides if you buy an upconvert dvd player youll be set and high def tv.

[#4 :]

I don't want a Bluray for anything.  I'm getting Bender's Game tommorow on DVD. 

[#5 :]

I have both DVD and Blu-ray (see my review in the Bender's Game review thread). My question to anyone with Blu-ray is are you missing the preview to Into The Wild Green Yonder as my Blu-ray version doesn't have it.

[#6 :]

I have been considering getting a blu-ray for some time now and BG sealed the deal. Not because the movie will look that much better but because there are more options and features with the new format.

[#7 :]

I kind of wish I had Bluray...they said in the commentary that you could see them in video. Bluray gets all the perks.

[#8 :]

I own a PS3, which comes with a blue-ray player, and it is incomparably better than an upconverted dvd player.  Which version you get really should depend on how long you plan on waiting before buying a player though, as they are still pretty expensive.

[#9 :]

Before anyone splashes out on a new player I would remind/inform all of something that most people on this forum probably wont remember:

Betamax was a better format than VHS, and noticeably so.

(Go ahead, call me a dinosaur, but my point is that what matters is how many people actually buy into it. And having spent the last few years buying DVD I couldn't care less how much "better" it is - how good does your telly have to look?)

And, please, no jokes about the resolution being better than the real world etc.

[#10 :]

I have both DVD and Blu-ray (see my review in the Bender's Game review thread). My question to anyone with Blu-ray is are you missing the preview to Into The Wild Green Yonder as my Blu-ray version doesn't have it.

My Blu-ray copy has it, look at the very last option in the special features.

[#11 :]

Before anyone splashes out on a new player I would remind/inform all of something that most people on this forum probably wont remember:

Betamax was a better format than VHS, and noticeably so.

(Go ahead, call me a dinosaur, but my point is that what matters is how many people actually buy into it. And having spent the last few years buying DVD I couldn't care less how much "better" it is - how good does your telly have to look?)

And, please, no jokes about the resolution being better than the real world etc.

I would say what happened to VHS when DVD became available? People will always go for the superior option given the chance; how many people still watch TV in black and white?

HDTV has already had it's format wars: HD-DVD v. Blu-Ray. And Blu-Ray won. Not because it was the better format, because it wasn't. Like Betamax HD-DVD  lost because the major players backed the rival format, for reasons of their own (and it wasn't because they were being altruistic.) Betamax wasn't that much better (and I remember Betamax, my parents first VCR was one.)

I agree hi-definition TV is still a minority interest mainly due to cost and to the fact that it's a still maturing format but once prices fall (and they will, I was one of the first to buy a DVD player and it cost me an arm and a leg, nowadays you can pick one up for next to nothing) I can see it taking over from DVD.

Besides Blu-Ray players will still play DVD's so even if it doesn't take off it's not like it's money totally wasted (and mine is a PS3 so I don't use it solely for playing blu-ray or DVD either.)

EDIT: reply to post below:

We'll see.

[#12 :]

That depends on whether enough people buy into it before the next innovation. It's all about time scales.

The reason why so many people switched to DVD so quickly were 4 fold:

1. Unprecedented improvement in quality.

2. No need to rewind, fast forward etc (a huge leap forward).

3. Bonus features (easily accessible on DVD, VHS did try it but who wants to wait to the end of the tape?)

4. (Probably most important) The space that DVDs take up on your shelf is about a quarter of what VHS tapes did (even less if you're talking box sets).

Bluray only has the quality improvement to sell it (except for the added features that are only there because companies are trying to sell it to us, they could easily be on a DVD). Even now people are already saying what's the point of HD-DVD because of Bluray, so a year or so from now I see no reason not to assume people wont be dismissing Bluray because of the next new thing that will be out.

I saw "300" not long ago in HD and I was amazed at the difference in quality to my regular copy, but did I actually enjoy the film any more than usual? No.

DVD will die, but it's going to be a very very slow death because it was a true technological revolution. Bluray? HD-DVD? Good as they are, I just don't think they are revolutionary enough to make sufficient people part with their cash.

Personally, I think they should invest the money into developing disc cases that don't fall apart or damage the middle of your discs. 

[#13 :]

I plan on getting a blu-ray player one day, but not until the prices fall a lot. Plus I also need a HD TV and again that costs a lot, so I'm waiting. But as long as the format keeps living and doing well I will eventually buy into it. Much rather that than downloading only. I was in HMV last weekend and I noticed they have a lot of blu-rays, they are definately growing in demand...

[#14 :]

With most new TVs, the resolution is 1080, but most cable providers only broadcast in 720 (I have comcast in MD).  So a Blu-Ray disc, in addition to looking better than a regular DVD, will also look better than HDTV. 

Also, the wave length of the laser (blue light ray) is smaller than a standard dvd laser.  This allows Blu-Ray discs to hold a lot more information.  As a point of refrence, all three extended Lord of the Rings movies, plus their special features could fit on one Blu-Ray disc. 

I don't work for the Blu-Ray company or anything but the technology is going to be here for a long time.  I game a lot, and was going to get a PS3 regardless of the Blu-Ray player.  But after having one for over a year I do think it is my favorite feature.  Again though, I wouldn't recomend anyone run out and get one until the price drops after the holiday season.

[#15 :]

I kind of wish I had Bluray...they said in the commentary that you could see them in video. Bluray gets all the perks.

Seriously?

I have been considering getting a blu-ray for some time now and BG sealed the deal. Not because the movie will look that much better but because there are more options and features with the new format.

Would you happen to know what those extra features are?

I have a PS3 with a Blu-Ray player, but I always watch DVD s on my PC, which doesn't have a BR player. If I get the BR version I won't be able to watch it on my PC, unlike all my other Futurama stuff.

So I'm wondering, is the BR version worth the (slight) inconvenience and extra cost (when looking at the features, not the picture quality)?

[#16 :]

Probably, but just live in denial its more fun.

[#17 :]

On Bender's game you can see the people on the commentary if you have BluRay. Not that I have BluRay, but they talk about it in the commentary.

[#18 :]

I kind of wish I had Bluray...they said in the commentary that you could see them in video. Bluray gets all the perks.

Seriously?

Yes, as Cinimod comfirmed, it says it online too. It says it is picture-in-picture.

[#19 :]

I don't see what's so great about Blue-ray anyways, just another way to get you to replace your DVD's so you'll have to spend more money, and a little while down the road there will be another system to choose from, what next? Green-ray?

[#20 :]

Violet, ultraviolet or gamma ray > Bluray > Green ray

Yes, DVD's are so much better than VHS for all those reasons stated... although there's this thing called Laserdisc that did it the same shit...

[#21 :]

Stingray > Steve Irwin

[#22 :]

Here is another issue about the dvd vs. blueray. They make upconvert dvd players which play reguler dvd in 1080 high def format, so blueray is stupid, screw them your wasting your money. High def tvs are awsome but blueray is unnecessary. Thats why I think dvds wont die and blue ray will just kind of drag along. Its just so people can say hey everyone i have a blueray disc player im awsome. If you want blueray player go with the ps3.

[#23 :]

Upscaling DVD's makes them look decent on an HDTV but they're still standard definition and not high definition, i.e. it doesn't increase the resolution. Thats the difference between blu-ray in HD and DVD in SD, so don't say something is stupid when you clearly know nothing about it.

[#24 :]

Yes, 'tis expensive. Nevertheless I predict I'll probably buy a blu-ray player sometime in the next 5 years... My HDTV would sure like one

[#25 :]

Upscaling DVD's makes them look decent on an HDTV but they're still standard definition and not high definition, i.e. it doesn't increase the resolution. Thats the difference between blu-ray in HD and DVD in SD, so don't say something is stupid when you clearly know nothing about it.

easy there kiddo, you know blueray isnt that much better than a upconvert dvd player you just dont want to admit it, cause im guessing you wasted your money. Wait for something that is outstanding not something just a little better. Blueray isnt outstanding long live dvds. Blueray wont die out but niether will dvds and its going to be a long time before it does.

[#26 :]

http://hometheater.about.com/od/blurayandhddvd/f/blurayhddvd2.htm

"The upscaling process does a good job of matching the upscaled pixel output of a DVD player to the native pixel display resolution of an HDTV capable television, resulting in better detail and color consistency.

However, upscaling, as it is currently implemented, cannot convert standard DVD images into true high-definition images. In fact, although upscaling works well with fixed pixel displays, such as Plasma and LCD televisions, results are not always consistent on CRT-based high definition televisions. "

Stop your bickering. In my opinion, a DVD upscaling device is still a good option because it's £40 or so, not a few hundred quid and then the cost of replacing my entire DVD library with new, more expensive, Blu-Rays.

EDIT: But I would still like the one extra commentary video on the Benders Game Blu-Ray... 

[#27 :]

Stingray > Steve Irwin

Awesome I can't stop laughing.

The quality of the Blu-Ray picture is much better than that of a DVD. Blu-Ray discs can also hold about 50gb vs. DVD's 5gb. The frame rate on Blu-Ray is also higher than on DVD. If you don't care that much about the higher quality picture and extra features don't waste your money.

[#28 :]

Stingray > Steve Irwin

Awesome I can't stop laughing.

The quality of the Blu-Ray picture is much better than that of a DVD. Blu-Ray discs can also hold about 50gb vs. DVD's 5gb. The frame rate on Blu-Ray is also higher than on DVD. If you don't care that much about the higher quality picture and extra features don't waste your money.

Actually thats only retail consumer burnable DVD's that are 4.7GB single layer or about 9.4GB dual layer, commercial pressed disks are generally dual layer with a capacity at or around 9.4GB

[#29 :]

Still much more storage. Much more data. Much better picture. Still a matter of choice and finances.

[#30 :]

Oh well, in a few years time, when there are no more dvds, blu-rays will be as cheap as what dvds are now.

[#31 :]

If you don't want to get a Blu ray, that's fine, it's not like it's the only format around and if you love DVDs so much, it's not like they're going to just disappear and all we'll be left with is Blu Ray, even if DVDs die out it's not gonna be for a long time... So just calm down...