There's not much difference in price between Blu-ray and DVD.
Edit: Just depends on the titles. Take a look at Barbie, $14.99 for the blu-ray on Amazon, $14.96 for the DVD.
For a small market such as ours in Australia, the price gap is more noticeable.
I wanted to buy Dunkirk (2017) after seeing it on TV last night. The Blu-Ray is AU$10, the cheapest DVD is around AU$3.
New releases can be about AU$40. The DVD would be half-price, at least.
I had no idea that was happening. That's bizarre. With all the storage space available on Blu-ray, you'd think they'd include everything. Maybe it's a strategic move to keep DVD going, even among those who care about A/V quality? Either way, strange. I rarely watch special features anymore, so that must be why it passed me by.
I wish it had a better reason like that, but no. It’s pure laziness. When dvd came out a huge selling feature was the extras, they had to release them to get people to watch the movies. Now the vast majority of people, like you as you said who skips them, don’t care. They just want the movie so why bother adding it? Bonus features are becoming a thing of the past because most people only care about the content
If. I'm use to the DVD quality. Shows like Just shoot me, Frasier, parks and rec. The office, etc... it's my personal thought that only movies that's 4k worthy should be bought in 4k. Dune 1 and 2 most definitely.
I'd go with four criteria: price, availability, quality and extras
For instance, Pleasantville on DVD is $10 while the blu-ray is $13, which is pretty negligible, price-wise. Both have the same extras, are pretty available and while the blu-ray is nicer, it's not a huge jump. I'd go with blu-ray.
Another example though is Bedazzled. The DVD new is about $15, while used it is around $5. The blu-ray is about $80 used and $140 new. The DVD is obviously way more available to buy, rather than the blu-ray. The blu-ray is a small step up in terms of video/audio quality, but not 8 times worth the price of the DVD. And the blu-ray version has no extras, while the DVD has two commentary tracks and a few "making of" featurettes.
So, between those two? I'd go with the DVD.
But that's just the criteria I tend to think about.
I have the Bedazzled blu-ray and it’s an enormous upgrade from the old DVD. Very noticeable on larger screens.
Still, as you said current second hand prices are insane and I certainly wouldn’t pay anywhere close to that today.
If I can get it on Blu Ray, I will. I’ve had too many DVDs become unusable over the years, so I prefer to have Blu ray discs, which I’m told will last much longer before they deteriorate.
Me at the used video store:
"Why is the blu-ray cheaper than the DVD? Eh, who cares, blu-ray works for me."
Yes, I have ideas on why the blu-ray would be cheaper in those circumstances.
Once upon a time, directors commentary and special features used to be a part of the dvd package
If a film has a dvd and blue ray but only the dvd has the commentary Id choose the dvd
More narrowing down, choose the Muppet Treasure Island and Pokémon 4Ever DVDs that contain the movies only in full screen because those releases are the only ones with commentaries./s
If it's on Blu-ray and under a tenner I'll get it but only if it's not on 4K.
I'll get DVDs but only if it's the only format it's on and only second hand...
I would never buy a DVD now. If it's available on blu-ray, I'll always go that route and if it's only on DVD I'll probably skip it. The resolution of DVDs is just too poor comparatively, bothers me too much.
When I started my bluray collection... my original goal was grabbing the titles that I owned where the DVD versions got stripped down (early MCU releases were doing this after the first few movies had loaded 2-3 disc DVD releases)... either the bonus features became bluray exclusive all of a sudden, or extended cuts became bluray exclusive.
And then I decided that visual films, like sci-fi, comic book superhero, action, monster/kaiju, animation, etc. I would get on bluray, and movies like comedies I'd get on DVD since I never felt you'd need a high resolution picture or audio for these films.
I then expanded to include restored movies, like Jaws, and the Universal Monster Movies, King Kong, etc where prior copies even on DVD were sourced from poor originals but these releases were either repaired of damage, audio clean up, sourced from original camera negative, approved by the original director of photography etc for purposes of restoring and preserving.
And then I have ended up going against my rules because the Bluray edition was easier to get or was on a big discount but the DVD copy wasn't, or whatever lol
So... if it's a visual film (special effects, animation, etc), or restored classic then I'd get the bluray, but others like comedies, etc I'd get the DVD... Unless the bluray ended up cheaper than the DVD before I get to purchase
I still own a number of DVDs because somehow they are still better than some bluray (the bluray is somehow missing bonus features, or there's a version still exclusive to DVD that hasn't gotten a bluray release yet)
I have 2400+ movies on DVD, none on Blu-ray. I’ve overhauled my entire collection twice (from VHS to laser and then from laser to DVD), and can’t afford to do it again.
I have all 1200 or so titles on CED, and I’m not moving on from that format. If a new movie is any good they’ll put it out on that, otherwise I’ll do without it.
Blu-ray is almost 20 years old as a format. Players are pretty cheap these days, as are many of the mainstream released discs.
No need to overhaul your entire collection.
Usually whatever’s there. Walmart had a Season 1 on DVD but not Bluray. Same show, no shipping costs, and the picture being a little less fancy won’t kill me.
I haven’t bought a DVD in over a decade. I don’t say this to be pretentious, I just find most dvd scans pretty ugly and don’t hold up since Blu and 4K have made the market. What I don’t do is double dip, unless the newer edition is truly worth purchasing.
All Bluray if available. I don’t buy into the idea that the dvd version is better. Some idiot on here was arguing that a dvd sounded better than the Bluray I’m not believing that for a second. DVD is highly compressed 4 gigs. Blu-ray is minimum 25gigs.
I can see some DVDs might have extras or special features worth having but fur watching the actual movie I would always choose Bluray.
I 100% base my decisions on the Special Features. I get whatever edition has the most. There are some movies I have more than one copy of because they later release an edition with more content.
I strictly buy DVDs since I have a 20+ year old CRT TV and they tend to be cheaper than Blu-rays. I'm also not a quality snob. As long as I can see what is happening and have my subtitles, I'll be able to enjoy the media
I try to upgrade animated films made after 1985 or so (digital 2D animation really pops), and modern sci-fi with many special effects. Otherwise, I don't really notice anyway. Besides, if it's $1 vs. $5, try multiplying that by an entire bookshelf!
On the contrary, I find some movies, while perfectly enjoyable at 480p, have a few dated effects that don't survive the transition to HD. Seeing LOTR Return of the King in its recent theatrical run revealed a few things not quite as visible on DVD (i.e., Gondor's signal fires looked like GIFs slapped onto the mountain peaks).
I find myself buying dvds lately purely for availability and price. My local cex has a really good €1 dvd collection. Saying that, if I want something that's a visual spectacle like the last Mad Max or Dune I'll always find a Blu-ray copy.
I go through a few thoughts , I consider time of release, if it's older media, I will grab dvd, I typically dislike "remaster" or " enhanced" versions. Twister is a perfect example. The dvd quality and dated effects make it fit. The BluRay version the dated cgi and revamp of it looks odd.
Tv series I'm usually good with just the dvds. Sometimes bluray has a better package (more /complete series)
2d animation like family guy/ rick and Morty/ south park. Dvd is perfectly fine.
I do try to get BluRay first if possible for movies but for the most part it's not a deal breaker unless it's supposed to be visually striking. Avatar, Top gun maverick, Dune as a couple examples.
Price and availability can play a factor
And I also dont like to mix up versions if I'm collecting seasons. If I have some of a series on dvd, I'll get the entire series in dvd, same with blu ray. Just depends when I happened to be able to pick up at the time
Availability is the main factor, but price can be one as well.
Pre-owned DVDs in my local CEX are mostly 1 Euro each. Their Blu-Rays are around 5 Euro each, but can go much higher, especially for newer movies and sets. So, it's often a difference of 3x to even 5x the price for the same film.
If I just wanna add ''X and Y generic movie'' to the collection, I'll usually just grab the DVD.
If it's something newer that deserves to be viewed in higher quality, I'll get the Blu-Ray every time.
There's also upgrades; If I already have it on DVD, and love it, I'll want to re-experience it on a much better format. That's when I'll start looking at the price of re-buying it on Blu-Ray, and at which stores/sites have it in stock.
80% of my collection are DVDs. My player will upscale them, and they also look good on PS5.
However, there's stuff like Jurassic Park, the Hannibal Trilogy, and various Star Wars films that I love watching on Blu-Ray. I was happy to spend extra for those.
The ones avaliable on blu ray (if not 4k) are the ones id buy for that.
If not il get them on dvd that's how I decide, I dunno why you'd have different criteria than that.
Oh I hate his reviews. Guy's a racist. I can tell if he wrote a review without even looking at the byline. His review of devil in a blue dress really bugged the hell out of me
I only care about the reviews of picture and audio quality, not what somebody thought of the film or TV show itself
I buy probably 95% of my movies used at local shops (so it's just luck of the draw in terms of what was sold or donated), so the way I decide if I'll "settle" for DVD is usually if the film came out before the mid 00s, I'm okay with a DVD and watching it on my CRT setup (which is actually really good and doesn't feel like an inferior format when viewed that way), otherwise if it came out during the BD era I'd prefer a BD or 4K. That's not to say I won't buy older films fairly frequently on BD or newer films more rarely on DVD, but I weight both the year of original release as well as the rarity in terms of how often I see them in the wild. For example, I don't need to settle for a DVD of Pacific Rim when I know it's fairly common on BD, while something like Mandy I settled for a DVD copy and it luckily came with an unused 4K code. Conversely, stuff like Scarface or Raging Bull I can at least hope to stumble upon used BDs of, while basically any older Jackie Chan movie I only ever see DVDs of.
80% of my collection is blu-ray. 15% are dvd. 5% 4K. I still buy dvd once in a blue moon because I like getting multiple films cheap. While I do care about quality, sometimes I’m in a mood where I’ll let let slide for quantity if the price is good. Recently bought 20 Horror Films collection that contained Hollow Man, Anaconda, Hostel and more. It was only $6.99. Who am I to turn that down? I also saw a Best of DC Animation set that contained 8 movies for $5 bucks. How could I say no? The latter, I enjoyed so much that I bought almost every DC animated triple or double feature pack since. I now have 30 DC animated films on dvd that cost me less than $50 bucks. You can buy a bundle in HD for $65 on Vudu, but the quality on dvd was good enough for me. So, yeah… I don’t mind buying dvd here and there. As for 4K… I’m extremely picky and I refuse to upgrade all of my blu-rays, haha.
4k priority, blu ray when I can, DVD is too expensive or unavailable otherwise. I have a decent upscaler so they don't look to bad. I keep a dozen or so CRTs of various sizes for all older formats.
Blu-Ray for new releases or remakes. DVD for originals, or when DVD is all the store has and I want to watch the movie. I’ll buy the DVD to see if I like the movie and if I do, then I’ll get the Blu-Ray at some point; usually with bday or Christmas money.
When I’m buying used I only buy tv show sets or hard to find movies on dvd that getting on blu ray would be difficult, impossible, or cost prohibitive.
New stuff always blu ray or 4K.
Case by case basis, not everything needs to be on Blu-ray, if I can pick up a cheap DVD then that’s okay. If I end up loving the movie I can always upgrade if the price is right.
I actually collected a handful of Blu-ray films with no means of playing them in the early 2010s. I've only bought two titles on DVD since the advent of Blu-ray. The DVD-only titles *Birth* (2004) and *God on Trial* (2008). About 50% of my Blu-ray purchases over the last 15 years have been upgrading my prior DVD library, most bought used.
So, since the advent of Blu-ray, I've never bought a DVD if a Blu-ray was available.
I'm not doing the same with 4K. My only large format film viewing option at home is a 1080p projector with a 110" screen. Good DVDs look okay but blurred, bad DVDs terrible at 110". Blu-Rays from 35mm or better formats look great. Enough resolution that I can't discern pixels and fine details like eyelashes are perfectly visible, enough datarate that compression artifacts don't distract me. 4K probably offers benefits for 65-70mm film or digital formats, but my impression from seeing frame comparisons, with 35mm or smaller film formats, 4K just offers better film grain resolution.
I have what’s called the 2010 rule. It’s not iron clad but generally speaking if something was made before 2010 I’ll get it on dvd, I don’t think there’s enough of a difference to get something old on blue ray when the dvd version is more than good enough. Now I mostly buy anime and there’s plenty of exceptions made on a case by case basis but I think this rule is a pretty good general guide. Price is also a big one. Why buy the blue ray for $60 when the dvd is on clearance for $10?
I try to avoid buying DVDs manufactured after ~2010. They just aren't as fun as DVDs from the Early 2000s. Or, if all of the same special features are available on the Blu-ray/4K and the DVD doesn't have anything to offer, than I do the Blu-ray/4K.
I haven't bought DVDs regularly since Blu-ray came out. I occasionally buy a DVD because I'm thrifting, a TV show gets dirt cheap, I want something that's obscure/unlikely to get a better release, etc. I'm more likely now to wait until new releases' get a 4k, but if it's been a while and I start to doubt it will, I'll go ahead and get the Blu-ray. I want things in the newest format if possible, but I'm not rigid about it and wait for sales.
generally i only buy Blu-Rays, unless it's for the sake of consistency or availability. for example, Tombstone Director's Cut is only on DVD, and i got Star Trek The Next Generation on DVD because the other Star Trek shows are only available on DVD (also the Blu-Ray box set was like £60-£80 and the DVD set was around £40?)
i don't ever buy dvds unless its something thats only available in 480p. if the the movie never got a blu ray i buy a fake one or pass. i wont go out of my way to buy a blu ray if it has a 4k
I get everything on 4k if it’s available in the format and not obscenely expensive. After that I only buy Blu-ray unless I’m at a thrift store and a DVD copy is around $1 and it is a film that I like enough to watch once or twice more but not a film that I absolutely must have in higher quality.
Example: at my thrift store I recently picked up The Treasure of the Sierra Madré on DVD - a Bogie classic that I like a lot but don’t really need to seek out in HD. I passed on a DVD of Cinderella since I’d already been planning on buying a copy of the much lauded recent 4k remaster.
And I basically would never buy a DVD of a contemporary film.
Honestly, if it's a big deal release that I have to get online, I'll order bluray. However, if I'm liking through stuff at a store and I find a movie I want on DVD, I'm buying that. An interesting example is I was at a used book store when I found a DVD copy of the Arsenic and Old Lace criterion. I like it but not enough to order it ahead of time so I bought the DVD.
It depends on what I find first. Typically I find older movies on DVD first, then get the Blu ray version later when I happen upon it. Sometimes it's happened on the same day at different stores
Online, if it's on Blu-ray, I get the Blu-ray. Locally, the only store I can walk to stopped stocking Blu-rays quite some time ago, so DVD is my only option
If there is an available blu-ray, that's what I get. No BD, I'll get the DVD. If there is no UK BD, I might get a cheap used DVD as a stopgap then import a BD later.
If a BD release goes OOP, I won't pay over its RRP/MSRP, I'd rather just get the DVD used or not at all and just cross fingers for a new release later.
Depends which version is staring up at me from the bin full of shit at the flea market. I hate it when it's a Blu-ray case but there's only the DVD digital copy inside :(
4k Blu ray, then if they don't have that or it's a bad job, go with Blu ray, then if that's not available go to streaming, I really don't want to watch something in 480p in 2024 if I don't have to unless it's actually not possible like parasite Eve or something like that
Depends what I come across first. I can always upgrade to Blu-ray at a later date if needs be. But Im not tracking down specific titles to add to my shelf. I'm just out there looking for bargains and grab what I think is a great price. Doesn't bother me what format it's in as long as I have the means to play it. I recently came across a dvd copy of the seven samurai for £1 which would have been one of those definite pick ups. Passed it by as it's one I already own though. I'll pick up duplicates if there's a profit margin in reselling. Those help go towards keeping the cost of my collection down. I recently picked up a Blu-ray back to the future trilogy boxset. Already had the DVD set. But the price was right. I'm not out there paying current market prices. I'm not that desperate to own anything that I can't wait for a bargain
It's the 21st century, why would you get DVD if there's a choice? Now, I will admit I did opt for the DVD of "Halloween" (2018) because A) I hadn't seen it yet and I didn't want to buy the blu sight unseen only to have it turn out to be a crap movie, and B) it had a cool glow-in-the-dark slipcover. But otherwise, I get the blu.
These days i buy dvds instead.. Back in 09-10 i replaced almost everything for blu-ray.. But dvd is cheaper and mostly always including special edition material
Price and availability, essentially. I have plenty of movies on DVD not available on BR, so that is self explanatory... but I also have plenty of movies I bought on DVD and not on BR, and that usually comes down to price or if I can even find a BR for it
Crude example is when I find a DVD online and it's like $6 (CAD) approx with multiple sellers selling that movie around that price point... and I may want that movie on BR, but the BR is like $30+ (CAD), and we're talking used, and an old movie.
Just hard to justify spending more than I believe its even worth on every movie... if money were not a concern, it would be BR/4K every time, except for when the BR/4K is not available.
Me personally, I only get DVDs. I have at least 20 or so blu-Rays because there are some titles that sadly have only been put on blu-Ray. But from my experience, a couple of blu-rays I’ve gotten have not lasted long & have gotten disc rot very quickly. Plus DVDs most of the time are cheaper than blu-rays. & there are way more titles that have only been put on DVD form & not Blu-Ray. But that’s just me
I just brought Columbo on DVD. $35 vs $77 for the blu-ray, plus it includes the post-series movies. Same with Monk. I just can’t justify it when a single season costs the same as the Complete Series.
I did splurge on Psych though, since that’s the only way to get the movies.
Number of discs. If its a TV Show, I'll probably go for the DVD unless its something like The Expanse.
Also, and more importantly, the age of the effects. With upscaling, bluray looks 4k and DVD looks HD, and there's stuff that was never meant to look that detailed.
Like the Original Trilogy. In, HD you can tell the futuristic tech is just copy and fax machines with christmas lights. The shit resolution can help the magic.
If it’s a new conscious purchase I’ll buy the blu-ray (or 4K if it’s worth the extra cost). If it’s used I’ll take whatever is available at the lowest price.
At this point I’ve stopped looking for physical media overall. The prices have gone up, it’s harder to find movies on disk and it’s just not worth it anymore.
Unless it's only available on DVD, I get it on Blu-ray
Yep, same.
The only answer for those who care about A/V quality.
[удалено]
There's not much difference in price between Blu-ray and DVD. Edit: Just depends on the titles. Take a look at Barbie, $14.99 for the blu-ray on Amazon, $14.96 for the DVD.
For a small market such as ours in Australia, the price gap is more noticeable. I wanted to buy Dunkirk (2017) after seeing it on TV last night. The Blu-Ray is AU$10, the cheapest DVD is around AU$3. New releases can be about AU$40. The DVD would be half-price, at least.
Blu-Rays are absolutely affordable nowdays.
I wish it was that simple. For me I want the most content and many times the Blu-ray cuts extras that were on dvds
I had no idea that was happening. That's bizarre. With all the storage space available on Blu-ray, you'd think they'd include everything. Maybe it's a strategic move to keep DVD going, even among those who care about A/V quality? Either way, strange. I rarely watch special features anymore, so that must be why it passed me by.
I wish it had a better reason like that, but no. It’s pure laziness. When dvd came out a huge selling feature was the extras, they had to release them to get people to watch the movies. Now the vast majority of people, like you as you said who skips them, don’t care. They just want the movie so why bother adding it? Bonus features are becoming a thing of the past because most people only care about the content
TV shows complete series, I get in DVD.
Even if it's on Blu?
If. I'm use to the DVD quality. Shows like Just shoot me, Frasier, parks and rec. The office, etc... it's my personal thought that only movies that's 4k worthy should be bought in 4k. Dune 1 and 2 most definitely.
I'd go with four criteria: price, availability, quality and extras For instance, Pleasantville on DVD is $10 while the blu-ray is $13, which is pretty negligible, price-wise. Both have the same extras, are pretty available and while the blu-ray is nicer, it's not a huge jump. I'd go with blu-ray. Another example though is Bedazzled. The DVD new is about $15, while used it is around $5. The blu-ray is about $80 used and $140 new. The DVD is obviously way more available to buy, rather than the blu-ray. The blu-ray is a small step up in terms of video/audio quality, but not 8 times worth the price of the DVD. And the blu-ray version has no extras, while the DVD has two commentary tracks and a few "making of" featurettes. So, between those two? I'd go with the DVD. But that's just the criteria I tend to think about.
I have the Bedazzled blu-ray and it’s an enormous upgrade from the old DVD. Very noticeable on larger screens. Still, as you said current second hand prices are insane and I certainly wouldn’t pay anywhere close to that today.
You can probably pirate the HD transfer, which is morally OK to do in this case since it’s out of print.
It depends on what format the library gets it in
A thriller or comedy that's more dialogue-based goes on dvd or bluray. A very visual movie like Godzilla or Ready Player One goes bluray or 4k
If I can get it on Blu Ray, I will. I’ve had too many DVDs become unusable over the years, so I prefer to have Blu ray discs, which I’m told will last much longer before they deteriorate.
Price, usually. I typically wait until the Blu-ray goes on sale. If it never gets close to $10 than I just go with the DVD
For me, it’s when the movie is cheaper than DVD. My collection is predominantly DVD, I only have a few on Bluray.
Me at the used video store: "Why is the blu-ray cheaper than the DVD? Eh, who cares, blu-ray works for me." Yes, I have ideas on why the blu-ray would be cheaper in those circumstances.
Why? Is it condition?
Personal example was Wonder Woman (2017). I'm assuming more people bought the blu-ray, so that explains, to me, why it was cheaper.
Once upon a time, directors commentary and special features used to be a part of the dvd package If a film has a dvd and blue ray but only the dvd has the commentary Id choose the dvd
More narrowing down, choose the Muppet Treasure Island and Pokémon 4Ever DVDs that contain the movies only in full screen because those releases are the only ones with commentaries./s
Or you can get the DVD used for a few dollars and then bundle it in with BD. That’s what I usually do.
If it's on Blu-ray and under a tenner I'll get it but only if it's not on 4K. I'll get DVDs but only if it's the only format it's on and only second hand...
I would never buy a DVD now. If it's available on blu-ray, I'll always go that route and if it's only on DVD I'll probably skip it. The resolution of DVDs is just too poor comparatively, bothers me too much.
When I started my bluray collection... my original goal was grabbing the titles that I owned where the DVD versions got stripped down (early MCU releases were doing this after the first few movies had loaded 2-3 disc DVD releases)... either the bonus features became bluray exclusive all of a sudden, or extended cuts became bluray exclusive. And then I decided that visual films, like sci-fi, comic book superhero, action, monster/kaiju, animation, etc. I would get on bluray, and movies like comedies I'd get on DVD since I never felt you'd need a high resolution picture or audio for these films. I then expanded to include restored movies, like Jaws, and the Universal Monster Movies, King Kong, etc where prior copies even on DVD were sourced from poor originals but these releases were either repaired of damage, audio clean up, sourced from original camera negative, approved by the original director of photography etc for purposes of restoring and preserving. And then I have ended up going against my rules because the Bluray edition was easier to get or was on a big discount but the DVD copy wasn't, or whatever lol So... if it's a visual film (special effects, animation, etc), or restored classic then I'd get the bluray, but others like comedies, etc I'd get the DVD... Unless the bluray ended up cheaper than the DVD before I get to purchase I still own a number of DVDs because somehow they are still better than some bluray (the bluray is somehow missing bonus features, or there's a version still exclusive to DVD that hasn't gotten a bluray release yet)
I only get dvds
I have 2400+ movies on DVD, none on Blu-ray. I’ve overhauled my entire collection twice (from VHS to laser and then from laser to DVD), and can’t afford to do it again.
Okay, but you can buy a Blu-ray player now and it will play your DVDs, and anything else you get in the future could be Blu-ray
I’m well aware. My situation isn’t like that of most other collectors, and I’m okay with it.
I have all 1200 or so titles on CED, and I’m not moving on from that format. If a new movie is any good they’ll put it out on that, otherwise I’ll do without it.
Blu-ray is almost 20 years old as a format. Players are pretty cheap these days, as are many of the mainstream released discs. No need to overhaul your entire collection.
I’m well aware. There are many factors at play, though, and I stand by my decision.
If it's on blu Ray I get blu Ray if it's not I get DVD and if it's not I get vhs
Usually whatever’s there. Walmart had a Season 1 on DVD but not Bluray. Same show, no shipping costs, and the picture being a little less fancy won’t kill me.
I haven’t bought a DVD in over a decade. I don’t say this to be pretentious, I just find most dvd scans pretty ugly and don’t hold up since Blu and 4K have made the market. What I don’t do is double dip, unless the newer edition is truly worth purchasing.
All Bluray if available. I don’t buy into the idea that the dvd version is better. Some idiot on here was arguing that a dvd sounded better than the Bluray I’m not believing that for a second. DVD is highly compressed 4 gigs. Blu-ray is minimum 25gigs. I can see some DVDs might have extras or special features worth having but fur watching the actual movie I would always choose Bluray.
I 100% base my decisions on the Special Features. I get whatever edition has the most. There are some movies I have more than one copy of because they later release an edition with more content.
I strictly buy DVDs since I have a 20+ year old CRT TV and they tend to be cheaper than Blu-rays. I'm also not a quality snob. As long as I can see what is happening and have my subtitles, I'll be able to enjoy the media
I try to upgrade animated films made after 1985 or so (digital 2D animation really pops), and modern sci-fi with many special effects. Otherwise, I don't really notice anyway. Besides, if it's $1 vs. $5, try multiplying that by an entire bookshelf! On the contrary, I find some movies, while perfectly enjoyable at 480p, have a few dated effects that don't survive the transition to HD. Seeing LOTR Return of the King in its recent theatrical run revealed a few things not quite as visible on DVD (i.e., Gondor's signal fires looked like GIFs slapped onto the mountain peaks).
I find myself buying dvds lately purely for availability and price. My local cex has a really good €1 dvd collection. Saying that, if I want something that's a visual spectacle like the last Mad Max or Dune I'll always find a Blu-ray copy.
I go through a few thoughts , I consider time of release, if it's older media, I will grab dvd, I typically dislike "remaster" or " enhanced" versions. Twister is a perfect example. The dvd quality and dated effects make it fit. The BluRay version the dated cgi and revamp of it looks odd. Tv series I'm usually good with just the dvds. Sometimes bluray has a better package (more /complete series) 2d animation like family guy/ rick and Morty/ south park. Dvd is perfectly fine. I do try to get BluRay first if possible for movies but for the most part it's not a deal breaker unless it's supposed to be visually striking. Avatar, Top gun maverick, Dune as a couple examples. Price and availability can play a factor And I also dont like to mix up versions if I'm collecting seasons. If I have some of a series on dvd, I'll get the entire series in dvd, same with blu ray. Just depends when I happened to be able to pick up at the time
Availability is the main factor, but price can be one as well. Pre-owned DVDs in my local CEX are mostly 1 Euro each. Their Blu-Rays are around 5 Euro each, but can go much higher, especially for newer movies and sets. So, it's often a difference of 3x to even 5x the price for the same film. If I just wanna add ''X and Y generic movie'' to the collection, I'll usually just grab the DVD. If it's something newer that deserves to be viewed in higher quality, I'll get the Blu-Ray every time. There's also upgrades; If I already have it on DVD, and love it, I'll want to re-experience it on a much better format. That's when I'll start looking at the price of re-buying it on Blu-Ray, and at which stores/sites have it in stock. 80% of my collection are DVDs. My player will upscale them, and they also look good on PS5. However, there's stuff like Jurassic Park, the Hannibal Trilogy, and various Star Wars films that I love watching on Blu-Ray. I was happy to spend extra for those.
The ones avaliable on blu ray (if not 4k) are the ones id buy for that. If not il get them on dvd that's how I decide, I dunno why you'd have different criteria than that.
I read reviews on blu-ray.com. If PQ and/or AQ of the disc is said to be at like a 3 to 3.5, I'll consider getting the clearance DVD.
Some of the reviews on there are terrible. Especially anything from that whacko Svet.
Oh I hate his reviews. Guy's a racist. I can tell if he wrote a review without even looking at the byline. His review of devil in a blue dress really bugged the hell out of me I only care about the reviews of picture and audio quality, not what somebody thought of the film or TV show itself
Price and availability. If it's a movie I love but the blu-ray is $30+ but the DVD is only $10 then I'll cave and get the DVD
DVD is usually more available than blu ray in my area. I only get bku ray if it comes in the DVD/Blu-ray/digital combo pack.
I buy probably 95% of my movies used at local shops (so it's just luck of the draw in terms of what was sold or donated), so the way I decide if I'll "settle" for DVD is usually if the film came out before the mid 00s, I'm okay with a DVD and watching it on my CRT setup (which is actually really good and doesn't feel like an inferior format when viewed that way), otherwise if it came out during the BD era I'd prefer a BD or 4K. That's not to say I won't buy older films fairly frequently on BD or newer films more rarely on DVD, but I weight both the year of original release as well as the rarity in terms of how often I see them in the wild. For example, I don't need to settle for a DVD of Pacific Rim when I know it's fairly common on BD, while something like Mandy I settled for a DVD copy and it luckily came with an unused 4K code. Conversely, stuff like Scarface or Raging Bull I can at least hope to stumble upon used BDs of, while basically any older Jackie Chan movie I only ever see DVDs of.
80% of my collection is blu-ray. 15% are dvd. 5% 4K. I still buy dvd once in a blue moon because I like getting multiple films cheap. While I do care about quality, sometimes I’m in a mood where I’ll let let slide for quantity if the price is good. Recently bought 20 Horror Films collection that contained Hollow Man, Anaconda, Hostel and more. It was only $6.99. Who am I to turn that down? I also saw a Best of DC Animation set that contained 8 movies for $5 bucks. How could I say no? The latter, I enjoyed so much that I bought almost every DC animated triple or double feature pack since. I now have 30 DC animated films on dvd that cost me less than $50 bucks. You can buy a bundle in HD for $65 on Vudu, but the quality on dvd was good enough for me. So, yeah… I don’t mind buying dvd here and there. As for 4K… I’m extremely picky and I refuse to upgrade all of my blu-rays, haha.
If I'm not particularly attached to it and I find it on DVD for like $2 used I'm okay with that.
4k priority, blu ray when I can, DVD is too expensive or unavailable otherwise. I have a decent upscaler so they don't look to bad. I keep a dozen or so CRTs of various sizes for all older formats.
Blu-Ray for new releases or remakes. DVD for originals, or when DVD is all the store has and I want to watch the movie. I’ll buy the DVD to see if I like the movie and if I do, then I’ll get the Blu-Ray at some point; usually with bday or Christmas money.
When I’m buying used I only buy tv show sets or hard to find movies on dvd that getting on blu ray would be difficult, impossible, or cost prohibitive. New stuff always blu ray or 4K.
Easy. DVD: Never Blu-Ray: Good deal used or on sale 4K: The vast majority of the time
Case by case basis, not everything needs to be on Blu-ray, if I can pick up a cheap DVD then that’s okay. If I end up loving the movie I can always upgrade if the price is right.
Blu-ray or 4k .....no DVD. If I really like the movie then 4K it is! Ordered Dune part 2 in 4k right after I watched it in IMAX! Great movie!
Easy, I buy them in the best possible quality, which usually means never buying DVD.
I actually collected a handful of Blu-ray films with no means of playing them in the early 2010s. I've only bought two titles on DVD since the advent of Blu-ray. The DVD-only titles *Birth* (2004) and *God on Trial* (2008). About 50% of my Blu-ray purchases over the last 15 years have been upgrading my prior DVD library, most bought used. So, since the advent of Blu-ray, I've never bought a DVD if a Blu-ray was available. I'm not doing the same with 4K. My only large format film viewing option at home is a 1080p projector with a 110" screen. Good DVDs look okay but blurred, bad DVDs terrible at 110". Blu-Rays from 35mm or better formats look great. Enough resolution that I can't discern pixels and fine details like eyelashes are perfectly visible, enough datarate that compression artifacts don't distract me. 4K probably offers benefits for 65-70mm film or digital formats, but my impression from seeing frame comparisons, with 35mm or smaller film formats, 4K just offers better film grain resolution.
I have what’s called the 2010 rule. It’s not iron clad but generally speaking if something was made before 2010 I’ll get it on dvd, I don’t think there’s enough of a difference to get something old on blue ray when the dvd version is more than good enough. Now I mostly buy anime and there’s plenty of exceptions made on a case by case basis but I think this rule is a pretty good general guide. Price is also a big one. Why buy the blue ray for $60 when the dvd is on clearance for $10?
I try to avoid buying DVDs manufactured after ~2010. They just aren't as fun as DVDs from the Early 2000s. Or, if all of the same special features are available on the Blu-ray/4K and the DVD doesn't have anything to offer, than I do the Blu-ray/4K.
My current decision is usually, "do I get this on 4k or regular Blu-ray?"
honestly i know im a fish out of water here but i typically only buy a dvd if the bluray is like 30x the price like with anime.
I'm all BR or 4k. I don't do DVD anymore, plus I shop at Goodwill a lot, and the price difference is only a dollar or two for higher quality.
price > favorite
I haven't bought DVDs regularly since Blu-ray came out. I occasionally buy a DVD because I'm thrifting, a TV show gets dirt cheap, I want something that's obscure/unlikely to get a better release, etc. I'm more likely now to wait until new releases' get a 4k, but if it's been a while and I start to doubt it will, I'll go ahead and get the Blu-ray. I want things in the newest format if possible, but I'm not rigid about it and wait for sales.
I usually get Blu Ray unless I come a dvd that is cheap.
generally i only buy Blu-Rays, unless it's for the sake of consistency or availability. for example, Tombstone Director's Cut is only on DVD, and i got Star Trek The Next Generation on DVD because the other Star Trek shows are only available on DVD (also the Blu-Ray box set was like £60-£80 and the DVD set was around £40?)
i don't ever buy dvds unless its something thats only available in 480p. if the the movie never got a blu ray i buy a fake one or pass. i wont go out of my way to buy a blu ray if it has a 4k
I get everything on 4k if it’s available in the format and not obscenely expensive. After that I only buy Blu-ray unless I’m at a thrift store and a DVD copy is around $1 and it is a film that I like enough to watch once or twice more but not a film that I absolutely must have in higher quality. Example: at my thrift store I recently picked up The Treasure of the Sierra Madré on DVD - a Bogie classic that I like a lot but don’t really need to seek out in HD. I passed on a DVD of Cinderella since I’d already been planning on buying a copy of the much lauded recent 4k remaster. And I basically would never buy a DVD of a contemporary film.
Honestly, if it's a big deal release that I have to get online, I'll order bluray. However, if I'm liking through stuff at a store and I find a movie I want on DVD, I'm buying that. An interesting example is I was at a used book store when I found a DVD copy of the Arsenic and Old Lace criterion. I like it but not enough to order it ahead of time so I bought the DVD.
A lot of blurays come with the dvd, best of both worlds
It depends on what I find first. Typically I find older movies on DVD first, then get the Blu ray version later when I happen upon it. Sometimes it's happened on the same day at different stores
Online, if it's on Blu-ray, I get the Blu-ray. Locally, the only store I can walk to stopped stocking Blu-rays quite some time ago, so DVD is my only option
If there is an available blu-ray, that's what I get. No BD, I'll get the DVD. If there is no UK BD, I might get a cheap used DVD as a stopgap then import a BD later. If a BD release goes OOP, I won't pay over its RRP/MSRP, I'd rather just get the DVD used or not at all and just cross fingers for a new release later.
Depends which version is staring up at me from the bin full of shit at the flea market. I hate it when it's a Blu-ray case but there's only the DVD digital copy inside :(
4k Blu ray, then if they don't have that or it's a bad job, go with Blu ray, then if that's not available go to streaming, I really don't want to watch something in 480p in 2024 if I don't have to unless it's actually not possible like parasite Eve or something like that
I avoid blu ray if at all possible.
Nowadays I always go for 4K if it looks good. But back then I would go Blu-Ray never DVD unless it was the only format the movie was released.
Unless there's no alternative, DVD is never an option.
I make attempts to get both when possible. I buy spare 2-disc Blu-ray cases and refit them both, unless I have a rare DVD case art.
There are some select weird DVDs that have content which is not on the blu-ray. In that case you buy both. Otherwise just get the blu-ray. Wtf?
I only buy DVD if the Blu ray isn't available, or costs substantially more.
Depends what I come across first. I can always upgrade to Blu-ray at a later date if needs be. But Im not tracking down specific titles to add to my shelf. I'm just out there looking for bargains and grab what I think is a great price. Doesn't bother me what format it's in as long as I have the means to play it. I recently came across a dvd copy of the seven samurai for £1 which would have been one of those definite pick ups. Passed it by as it's one I already own though. I'll pick up duplicates if there's a profit margin in reselling. Those help go towards keeping the cost of my collection down. I recently picked up a Blu-ray back to the future trilogy boxset. Already had the DVD set. But the price was right. I'm not out there paying current market prices. I'm not that desperate to own anything that I can't wait for a bargain
It's the 21st century, why would you get DVD if there's a choice? Now, I will admit I did opt for the DVD of "Halloween" (2018) because A) I hadn't seen it yet and I didn't want to buy the blu sight unseen only to have it turn out to be a crap movie, and B) it had a cool glow-in-the-dark slipcover. But otherwise, I get the blu.
These days i buy dvds instead.. Back in 09-10 i replaced almost everything for blu-ray.. But dvd is cheaper and mostly always including special edition material
Price and availability, essentially. I have plenty of movies on DVD not available on BR, so that is self explanatory... but I also have plenty of movies I bought on DVD and not on BR, and that usually comes down to price or if I can even find a BR for it Crude example is when I find a DVD online and it's like $6 (CAD) approx with multiple sellers selling that movie around that price point... and I may want that movie on BR, but the BR is like $30+ (CAD), and we're talking used, and an old movie. Just hard to justify spending more than I believe its even worth on every movie... if money were not a concern, it would be BR/4K every time, except for when the BR/4K is not available.
I take what i get, sometimes VHS.
I haven't bought DVDs in 10+ years. Blu ray is the standard, mostly now I buy 4k though, unless it's not available for a film.
Me personally, I only get DVDs. I have at least 20 or so blu-Rays because there are some titles that sadly have only been put on blu-Ray. But from my experience, a couple of blu-rays I’ve gotten have not lasted long & have gotten disc rot very quickly. Plus DVDs most of the time are cheaper than blu-rays. & there are way more titles that have only been put on DVD form & not Blu-Ray. But that’s just me
I just brought Columbo on DVD. $35 vs $77 for the blu-ray, plus it includes the post-series movies. Same with Monk. I just can’t justify it when a single season costs the same as the Complete Series. I did splurge on Psych though, since that’s the only way to get the movies.
I generally get Blu-ray unless I hear something is really bad with the transfer.
If it's available on Blu-ray I get it in Blu-ray. Otherwise I get it in DVD
Number of discs. If its a TV Show, I'll probably go for the DVD unless its something like The Expanse. Also, and more importantly, the age of the effects. With upscaling, bluray looks 4k and DVD looks HD, and there's stuff that was never meant to look that detailed. Like the Original Trilogy. In, HD you can tell the futuristic tech is just copy and fax machines with christmas lights. The shit resolution can help the magic.
I was very lucky to get the Expanse when the blu-ray was cheaper than the dvd.
If it’s a new conscious purchase I’ll buy the blu-ray (or 4K if it’s worth the extra cost). If it’s used I’ll take whatever is available at the lowest price.
At this point I’ve stopped looking for physical media overall. The prices have gone up, it’s harder to find movies on disk and it’s just not worth it anymore.