Is Disney Done with DVD? (The Never Ending Blu-Ray Debate)

[MrIncredible]

Just wondering, I've been seeing a few things about the upcoming releases of Pinocchio and High School Musical 3 and noticed that both of those titles Blu-ray releases include a bonus DVD version and I was just wondering: Is there going to be a point in the near future when this may be the only way Disney releases their titles, with one Blu-ray/ DVD combo set, instead of having people buy the DVD now then the Blu-ray whenever they feel like upgrading to a Blu-ray player. I've heard a whisper that Fox might try it out on Quantum of Solace in March. I think it would be a very good idea, for both the general public- who will be "upgrade proof" and will be more open to buying a Blu-ray player.

[Chernabog_Rocks]

I hope not. What's the point of buying the blu ray just to get the dvd that you? I don't want blu ray, I don't have the money for it, I barely have money for the dvds themselves. So why should I buy something I can't use just to get something that I need as a bonus when I could just get what I want on it's own and most likely for less money? I don't have the money for a blu-ray player nor do I intend to purchase one, it's expensive and I do not want to have to upgrade when I'm still in the process of upgrading from VHS.

All in all Disney had better not, it's fine just the way it is now offering the movies on both formats seperately imo.

I do think that slipcovers should get the axe though

[MrIncredible]

Well, if they do blu-ray/ DVD combos only, it would probably cost the same price as the standard DVD version, which would make me happy in that it'll bring the cost of Blu-ray's down. Plus, the players would go down cause it means that the sales of Blu-ray titles go up when they're the only version around.

[David S.]

I hope not. What's the point of buying the blu ray just to get the dvd that you? I don't want blu ray, I don't have the money for it, I barely have money for the dvds themselves. So why should I buy something I can't use just to get something that I need as a bonus when I could just get what I want on it's own and most likely for less money? I don't have the money for a blu-ray player nor do I intend to purchase one, it's expensive and I do not want to have to upgrade when I'm still in the process of upgrading from VHS.

All in all Disney had better not, it's fine just the way it is now offering the movies on both formats seperately imo.

I completely agree!

And one reason I would stay away from those "buy the blu-ray, get the standard dvd included with the package" deals is (at least in the ones that I am aware of, like Sleeping Beauty), those Blu-ray releases ONLY include Disc 1 on standard DVD. The bonus disc 2 is not included in standard DVD with the Blu-ray package, making the standard DVD 2 disc release the only way to get the Disc 2 bonus features on standard DVD.

I for one am not going to buy something that I can't watch all of the bonus features of, and I will only "upgrade" to blu-ray if and when standard DVD is completely extinct like VHS tapes now are, which may never happen... and if it does, it may be 10 years or more.

Frankly, the more anyone (in this case, the home media industry) tries to sell me on something I honestly don't want or need, the more determined I am to stay away from it!

[DarthPrime]

I don't think any studio is ready to dump DVD. The majority of sales are still DVD sales, and the way things are going it will be that way for awhile. Blu-ray will probably end up replacing DVD, but not anytime soon.

I think the big reason we have disc 1 in some of these Blu-rays is it gives people the option to watch the movie somewhere else. One example would be for people with kids so they can have the Blu-ray for their main TV/player, and the kids can take the DVD to their rooms and still watch the movies.

Including the extra DVD probably costs the studios hardly anything extra. Its a nice feature, but I could see studios charging more if all titles got released like this, because you are getting 2 copies of the movie.

[Goliath]

I think it would be a very good idea, for both the general public- who will be "upgrade proof" and will be more open to buying a Blu-ray player.

I think it would be horrible to force people into this so-called "upgrading". Only about 8% of the people now use BlueRay. The rest is sensible enough not to fall for this latest scam, as I like to call it. People should be able to have the choice if they want to be ripped-off or not. BlueRay, in my opinion, is a scam and I will not participate in it.

[reyquila]

Just wondering, I've been seeing a few things about the upcoming releases of Pinocchio and High School Musical 3 and noticed that both of those titles Blu-ray releases include a bonus DVD version and I was just wondering: Is there going to be a point in the near future when this may be the only way Disney releases their titles, with one Blu-ray/ DVD combo set, instead of having people buy the DVD now then the Blu-ray whenever they feel like upgrading to a Blu-ray player. I've heard a whisper that Fox might try it out on Quantum of Solace in March. I think it would be a very good idea, for both the general public- who will be "upgrade proof" and will be more open to buying a Blu-ray player.

Sleeping Beauty Blue Ray includes a DVD bonus. I think its great!!!

[Elladorine]

All I know is that I'd hate to pay more for a disc I couldn't play just to get my hands on the disc that I could.

[2099net]

Disney isn't done with DVD. Look at how long after DVD's introduction in 1999 Disney supported VHS. And VHS sales didn't ever have the quantity DVD sales have reached. There's just no compelling business reason to ignore 90%+ of the market.

As for only releases DVD and Blu-ray bundles, sorry, but these will never be priced at DVD prices, always Blu-ray prices. Again, Blu-ray has to be positioned at a premium price over DVD - its how the business retail model has to work. Otherwise the result would be an automatic downwards plunge on standard DVD prices. Which is not what any studio wants.

A better question would be is Disney done with decent DVD releases - because myself and lots of other people have noticed over the past three years that Disney just doesn't care about the overall package of their DVDs anymore as a rule.

Finally Goliath, Blu-ray is not a scam. Many people have Blu-ray and appreciate it. Picture quality is an improvement and on full 1080 displays it is a vast improvement. Sound too is a night and day difference between standard DVD 5.1 and lossless Blu-ray (up to 7.1).

As it stands, there is always a choice and I believe that there will always be a choice - I don't see Blu-ray ever destroying DVD's market like DVD destroyed VHS's. While its somewhat lame some supplements are being held of DVD to boost the Blu-ray, there's still plenty of Blu-rays out there with supplements only possible on Blu-ray.

[KubrickFan]

It's just a deal so you could already watch the movie now, and watch it in HD and with all the bonus features when you moved to Blu-Ray. It's not a scam or anything, merely a helpful tool for people who want to convert to Blu-Ray.

[MAH4546]

sorry, but these will never be priced at DVD prices, always Blu-ray prices. Again, Blu-ray has to be positioned at a premium price over DVD - its how the business retail model has to work. Otherwise the result would be an automatic downwards plunge on standard DVD prices. Which is not what any studio wants.

Blu-Ray doesn't "have" to be more expensive than DVD. Within 2-3 years, it probably won't be, IMO. Already on new-release day, a Blu-Ray is only a $2-$4 premium over the equivalent 2-disc version, and the price gap will only get narrower.

As for why Disney puts a DVD in the Blu-Ray discs, they do it for two reasons:

1) Marketing.
2) Mini-vans and SUVs have back-seat DVD players. A Blu-Ray for the house, a DVD for the car.

As Blu-Ray prices continue to go down, and Blu-Ray players - already under $200 - continue to get cheaper, it will slowly start replacing DVD as the de-facto format. That's still a good 3-5 years off, probably.

And Disney does an amazing job at Blu Ray. Cars is probably the best film I have yet to see in BD.

[2099net]

sorry, but these will never be priced at DVD prices, always Blu-ray prices. Again, Blu-ray has to be positioned at a premium price over DVD - its how the business retail model has to work. Otherwise the result would be an automatic downwards plunge on standard DVD prices. Which is not what any studio wants.

Blu-Ray doesn't "have" to be more expensive than DVD. Within 2-3 years, it probably won't be, IMO. Already on new-release day, a Blu-Ray is only a $2-$4 premium over the equivalent 2-disc version, and the price gap will only get narrower.

I agree, and if you shop around you can get some wonderful Blu-ray bargains, especially in Buy One/Get One or 3-for-2 offers even now.

However, Blu-ray is being sold as a premium product. It has to be priced as a premium in order to do so. I know it sounds silly, but if it was priced the same as DVD, people would become suspicious and not think it was any better than DVD. Pricing of products is a fine art, and it is possible to underprice products and as a result not have them sell - video games are a good example. Sell a cheap video game and people immediately assume its of lesser quality than the normal priced titles, and often shun it.

Secondly, Blu-ray is more expensive because it has fewer unit sales, more complex authoring and manufacturing meaning a higher fixed cost diluted over fewer units.

Thirdly, the studios haven't invested in Blu-ray just so we get better audio/video quality. They've invested - sometimes massive amounts - so that they can make money. And that means once again for the forseeable future Blu-ray will remain a premium product at a premium price.

But yes, prices will fall. But I predict DVD prices will fall more or less by similar amounts due to people moving to blu-ray and studios still wanting to retain a pricing gap between products.

For the record, I don't think Blu-rays are expensive now on the whole (for new releases). You just have to be a more informed shopper and really look for the bargains. Of course old DVDs are way cheaper than Blu-rays.

[Neal]

At my Wal-Mart, which tends to be the cheapest store in a 45 mile radius of my home, Blu is always $29.96 a Disc while DVD is $19.96 for the equivalent.

[Jack Skellington]

It'll get cheaper with time, technology is always like that.

I bet the VHS was cheaper than the DVD when they first started coming out in the late 90's.

[Jules]

I bet the VHS was cheaper than the DVD when they first started coming out in the late 90's.

Don't know, but I suspect it wasn't! A video cassette is much more expensive to produce than a flat transparent disc. There's the case, the reels, the tape itself, buttons, springs ... the lot.

[kbehm29]

I use the bonus dvd for use in other dvd players throughout my house. I only have one blu-ray player - the kids all have regular dvd players in their rooms. It comes in handy, and I suspect that is the only reason why it's included. It really is an incentive to buy, for me.

[Elladorine]

*tries hard to picture DVD's being sold with a bonus VHS for those who didn't have DVD players yet back in the day*

[Voiceroy]

It's just a deal so you could already watch the movie now, and watch it in HD and with all the bonus features when you moved to Blu-Ray. It's not a scam or anything, merely a helpful tool for people who want to convert to Blu-Ray.

I certainly don't mean to offend you, but your viewpoint is very naive.

While it may "technically" not be a scam, it is a very aggressive marketing tactic. Disney is attempting to push consumers to move to Blu-Ray. Walmart's doing the same thing in recent TV ads.

It is nothing like a "helpful tool" and I don't buy into any such aggressive marketing practices.

Disney's been gradually pulling away from the DVD market trying to push their loyal consumers to move to Blu-Ray. But I already don't like Disney's marketing tactics setting higher retail prices on their product -- like somehow just because it comes from Disney it makes it worth more. And I like it even less that they would even attempt to entice me to spend more on a product that I can't play at all until I get a BR player just to own a bonus disc that I'll probably only watch one time anyway.

I haven't paid retail price for Disney DVDs in years. I opt for pre-owned. I got Enchanted (WS) and Flight of the Navigator yesterday pre-owned in a BOGO sale for less than half of what Enchanted sold for at its original retail price.

I bet the VHS was cheaper than the DVD when they first started coming out in the late 90's.

Hardly. Even after 2000, when Disney was still releasing VHS along with DVD, their VHS titles were barely $5 less than their DVD price for the same title.

[271286]

I hope so!

The DVD format is dead! We now have a format that is much much better ready to take it's place... I say let's make Blu-Ray standard as fast as possible... There is so much more to see with Blu-Ray... Im really exited about the new format... I was blown away by how amazing a half a century (!!) old movie can look on BD... AMAZING!!!!

[Kyle]

I think it would be a very good idea, for both the general public- who will be "upgrade proof" and will be more open to buying a Blu-ray player.

I think it would be horrible to force people into this so-called "upgrading". Only about 8% of the people now use BlueRay. The rest is sensible enough not to fall for this latest scam, as I like to call it. People should be able to have the choice if they want to be ripped-off or not. BlueRay, in my opinion, is a scam and I will not participate in it.

lol, scam? your hilarious.

Blu-ray is better than dvd in virtually every aspect. If you dont yet have an HD tv then yeah, its not worth it, but anyone with an HD set would be foolish to not want to take advantage of it to get that added resolution.

If your just saying blu ray is a tad overpriced, then yeah, I agree. but to call it a scam? you get what you pay for, HD. which, until it becomes more mainstream is going to run you a bit more. but theres no lying involed with the format.


As for the topic, DVD wont be going away overnight. Im guessing it'll be around 10 more years at minimum till dvds start getting less common.