[Rob Babcock]

Well, now that HD-DVD is dead, BluRay will get it's chance to sink or swim. I believe that it will succeed, but even if it doesn't, some form of HD will. Be it downloads or discs, the days of NTSC are numbered. So I've been contemplating a drastic move lately...I'm considering selling my DVD collection off while it still has some value.

If I do so I'll keep my TV series and probably my 150 or so favorite discs. Then the rest, about 350 or so, will be sold.

Has anyone else done this? It's a drastic step, and one that's a bit scary. I've always been a collector and my collection is my baby!

No way I'll do that with my CD, DVD-A & SACD collection, though!

[mcgsxr]

I am not sure why I have not sold off my cd's while they still have marginal value.  ALL my listening is done via SB3 anyway, so they are literally decorative at this point.  The data is backed up 2x, including 1x offsite, so I feel confident that my FLAC is safe.

[fiveoclockfriday]

I am not sure why I have not sold off my cd's while they still have marginal value.  ALL my listening is done via SB3 anyway, so they are literally decorative at this point.  The data is backed up 2x, including 1x offsite, so I feel confident that my FLAC is safe.

This doesn't apply to the original poster, but the problem with this scenario is that it would be illegal. I'm no fan/supporter of the RIAA, but keeping ripped copies while selling off and profiting from your physical media is illegal, no two ways about it.

[jonwb]

Interesting thought Rob...  Sorry if this strays a bit off your intent for this topoic.

I'm about 4 weeks into my Blu-ray experience and have come to a couple realizations already. 

First, the picture looks great.  And while my PS3 does a very nice job of upconverting SD-DVD, its when the picture / screen is 50+ inches that you really can appreciate the extra pixels from your source.

Second, Blu-ray movies are fricken' expensive!  I knew this going in I guess, but when most new DVD's are $15-ish, its tough to start spending $30 a crack.  The only saving grace for me is that I can get Blu-rays through my Blockbuster Online account.

Which brings me to my final point about why the transition from SD-DVD to Blu-ray will take many, many years.  It sounds simplistic and dumb, but for "regular" users it can be a big deal.  Blu-ray discs will only play in Blu-ray decks.  This means that when someone shovels $30 bucks out of there wallet to buy a movie, it will work on what is likely their ONE Blu-ray deck.  Not in the basement, not in the bedroom, not in their SUV/minivan, not in their portable player...  I had this exact discussion w/ a (less techie) guy I work with.  He bought a Blu-ray deck and some movies only to realize later the Blu-ray movies wouldn't work in his other devices.  Sounds dumb to us, but I don't think that thinking is all that atypical.  Of course he then calls me and wants me to make the case for Blu-ray.  I told him basically, you gotta really like the look on that ONE set, 'cause that's all you're going to enjoy that movie on for a while.

Really it'd be nice if, when you drop your $30 on a Blu-ray movie, they'd include a SD-dvd version either as a separate disc, or on the flip side.  Do they really think people will buy both versions, or sacrifice the ability to watch new movies on all their other decks?  If, when upconverted, the SD disc will look 90% as good, be playable on all their existing decks, and be half the price; why would people switch?

An important factor in all this will be how quickly the cost of Blu-ray decks / devices drop.  It'll be interesting to see how all this shakes out...

Oh, my thoughts on your question Bob... Based on my comments above, I think you can guess that its my belief you'll have a market for your SD-DVD collection for quite some time...

[Scott F.]

Rob,

I'm not sure Blueray is going to take hold quite that quick. When you stand back and look at the overall sales of televisions that benefit from the 1080p format, I'd bet that the overall percentage is fairly small (assumption of course). In my case, I've got a Mits 62628 that is only 2 years old. It won't play native 1080p, it only upsamples to 1080. After spending that kind of money on a big screen, I don't have any appetite to upgrade, regardless of the performance, any time soon.

Then you have to consider a large segment of the population that has smaller screens that won't benefit from 1080p. For them, their (and your) eye can't differentiate the difference over the 720p native, especially at a distance. Then there all the folks with 720 PJs who don't want to layout a hefty sum to upgrade.

I think we will eventually get to downloads but right now speeds and overall pipe size are the limiting factor. The infrastructure (as I've heard) won't support the general surfing public all making massive movie downloads. I don't think the general public will support another format change either....... Videophiles, sure, they will adopt the format but the masses likely won't.

I think your DVD's are a safe format for [at least] as long as it takes all the new big screens to to wear out completely.....maybe 6-8 years. Thats when I think people will feel safe enough to invest in another 'new' technology or format.

....just my $0.02 

[Bob in St. Louis]

Then there all the folks with 720 PJs who don't want to layout a hefty sum to upgrade.

Count me in this group. My Sanyo PLV-Z2 (720p - 16:9 native) is doing just fine.
I pray to the video Gods daily that it lives a long and healthy life.

Bob

[BobM]

I agree with the expense issue, especially with the economy in a recession here in the USA. I picked up a 1080i plasma, just like many others, about a year or two ago. For $200 I got an upconverting Oppo that makes movies look damn good on my 50". I don't think replacing that TV with another, for $2000-4000+, then buying a Blue Ray player is really going to happen for the marginal improvement I might see.

I don't really buy too many DVD's. I rent from Blockbuster. So until they start carrying Blue Ray disks for everything that comes out I wouldn't feel the need at all. No doubt, 2-3 years down the road I will have to get a Blue Ray player, because Blockbuster will probably discontinue carrying regular DVD's for all the new movies in favor of the new format, if it catches on better than SACD or DVD-A did in the general marketplace (a big maybe with disposable income levels being low these days and inflatiion rising). But I doubt if I'm going to replace the TV - it will just be a player of convenience so I can rent and watch something.

Now if I had a home theater or projector with a big-assed screen I might feel otherwise. You may be jumping ahead of the curve, or you may be losing a collection that you will need to replace in the new format at a higher cost. Noone's got a crystal ball.

"You'se makes your choices and you'se takes your chances. Ag, ag, ag, ag." (Popeye)

Enjoy,
Bob

[mcgsxr]

This doesn't apply to the original poster, but the problem with this scenario is that it would be illegal. I'm no fan/supporter of the RIAA, but keeping ripped copies while selling off and profiting from your physical media is illegal, no two ways about it.

You're right, sorry for the completely irrelevant post, and for taking the thread off topic.  I won't even argue about the term "profit" as it applies to the loss I will take in selling off cd's, in comparison to what I paid for the original content, because you are right, it is offside, and I was not thinking.

As for movies, I have only collected a few (20 or so) and doubt I will try to keep them current in terms of HD format etc.

I have yet to invest in a display modern or large enough to warrant it.  It IS an interesting dilemma for those of you that have the collection, and/or the display that can leverage the higher quality formats.

[fiveoclockfriday]

Yeah I didn't mean to come off as snarky as it sounded with the cd comment. My apologies on that.

As far as DVD vs. Blu Ray, I'm holding out a little longer. HD (a good mastering that is) looks much better than upsampled DVD to me, even on a 42 inch screen, but I just can't shake the feeling that no physical format is really going to take hold and last a reasonably long time. It seems like downloads or some sort of data storage solution will be the future. Now, you could look at it that way, or you could just buy Blu Ray and enjoy it now, and certainly it won't go bad or anything in the future, even if it's not a  long term standard.

[Rob Babcock]

Thanks, guys.  I want to clarify one point:  I certainly don't expect BRD to explode to the point where every movie on DVD will be out in a couple years.  Far from it!  But my situation has changed significantly over the last year.  About 6 months ago I quit my job as Sous Chef with a company I've been with for about 10 years, and went back to school.  Now I work FT & go to school FT.  Where I used to watch a movie almost every day, I now watch one every 3 weeks.   Sure, when school is out for the summer I'll have more time again, but I don't expect to reach that level of HT madness again for awhile.

First off, my priorities has changed a bit.  Like most of us, I have serveral hobbies and all of them are expensive!   Don't get me wrong- I'm certainly not getting away from audio & video.  Matter of fact, I just bought the Margules Daleth preamp I've been looking for for a couple years.   But I've been really getting into Japanese knives and sharpening on waterstones lately.  And that's spendy!  I'm actually mulling over getting into the sharpening biz professionally, truth be told.  I'd start as a hobbyist sharpener, and if I can build some rep I think I can build some business.  And of course, the fact that I know nearly every Exec and Sous Chef in the city won't hurt.   There are very few sharpeners in Sioux Falls- the guy who did it for the company I used to work for does adequate work but it's all on a belt grinder, no polished edges or real refinement.

Secondly, I have to eat a small portion of crow.   In past exchanges I've always supported buying vs renting.  Well, I still feel this way to a degree:  my DVD collection is my baby.  It reflects who I am and what I love.  It's great having a huge assortment of films at my beck and call (about 600, give or take- and yes, I realize there are guys who have 20 times that...) so I always have something to match my mood.  But as I looked over my DVDs last nite I realized that probably 250-300 discs haven't been watched in at least 2 or 3 years.  Of course, that doesn't mean I won't watch them next week...but it points to them not really being that relevant.  I watched them, I enjoyed them, but I probably won't revisit them anytime soon.

Next, it comes down to quality.  Even with upsampling they pale in comparison to HD.  Especially at 100".  Sure, once I get into it I don't notice the flaws as much but it's occasionally distracting.  Damn you, HD!

Finally, I went from being a not-rich-but-comfortable chef to being a semi-broke student.  Where I used to have the ready cash to pretty much buy everything I wanted on DVD plus a new component every couple months, now I just don't have thousands of disposable income all the time.  The $10,000+ sitting unused on my DVD rack is starting to look like a liability.  I could sell a few hundred and still have a respectable collection, plus use that cash to buy a couple of gyutos and a some waterstones.  I've been jonesing for a new Naniwa 10K and a couple of Shapton GlassStones; I could get some goodies with that money.

At any rate I'd keep my TV series (God knows when Star Trek TNG or Farscape will ever be out on BluRay...), and my top 100 or so movies.

Just thinking aloud.  Thanks for the comments- keep 'em coming!

[Rob Babcock]

Rob, good idea.

Can you email a list of titles and prices???   

I'm on the fence right now, Rob, but if I decide to do it of course I'll give my fellow AC'ers first crack at 'em.  Although just typing 'em all in will be the work of an entire night!

[Bob in St. Louis]

Well Rob, it sound like you've got a plan for you life, and I respect you for taking a step back to advance yourself. Congratulations sir.
Regarding the value of used DVD's, check out eBay and use the search word "LOT" in the DVD section, then click "ending soonest". That'll give you an idea of the going rate. I'd recommend selling in large quantities as "onesies and twosies" are going to be a real PITA with the quantity you're talking about. But of course, you should give you AC buddies first crack at 'em. 
I would have never known what a Sous Chef was until recently I saw the animated movie with the rats.....I won't begin to try spelling the name, but I'm sure you know the one I'm talking about. Rob, My son is 9 years old and likes to help me in the kitchen cook things. I generally put him in charge of sauces and spices. Since we watched the rat movie, he refers to himself as "The Sous Chef".  I thought you might like that one.

Bob

[JRace]

There is actually nothing illegal about having a backup of your disc.
What is illegal is cracking the CSS protection scheme -which is a required step 99.95% of the time if you actually want to backup your discs

Sneaky how they got around fair use.

[Rob Babcock]

I would have never known what a Sous Chef was until recently I saw the animated movie with the rats.....I won't begin to try spelling the name, but I'm sure you know the one I'm talking about. Rob, My son is 9 years old and likes to help me in the kitchen cook things. I generally put him in charge of sauces and spices. Since we watched the rat movie, he refers to himself as "The Sous Chef".  I thought you might like that one.

Bob

I think you mean Ratatouille.  I haven't seen it yet but it's on my list.  Btw, ratatouille is a tomato based sauce made with chunks of eggplant, really very tasty.  I haven't made it in a few years but I used to serve it when I was running the kitchen at the Baxter Cafe.

[Bob in St. Louis]

Yup, That's the one. Highly recommended, even for adults. Be sure and have your sub turned on. 
The old lady with the shotgun is a wonderful low frequency effect.  aa

Bob