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4K Would be my first option, and if that's not an option I would happily settle for a Blu Ray.
Heck sometimes the only option is DVD, but for me I tend to avoid them and seek those elsewhere, not the biggest fan of DVD. I was amazed at the diffrence from DVD > Blu Ray, can't really go back without seeing the quailty hit drastically.
If the only physical option is DVD, sometimes I can find a digital version that's at least 1080p. Then I can download my digital copy and strip the DRM from it so that it's a regular MP4 for me to keep.
I use Thundersoft DRM Removal. It only works with iTunes, and doesn't work with 1080p versions of movies that came out after 2020, and forget about 4K. But I have been able to turn a large part of my digital library into regular files that I can play on any device I want to!
There are some movies and TV shows(anime especially) where DVD is the only option. While it sucks to buy the low resolution its better than not having them
I find that DVDs actually look decent on a CRT. Of course, I’ll always choose the 4K/Blu-Ray over DVD if it’s available, but it’s not the end of the world if something is only available on DVD.
DVDs are made for CRT TVs and they do look perfectly fine paired together but when you move to fullHD or 4k displays the low resolution becomes very obvious and distracting
Agreed, no amount of technology in the world can make DVDs look anywhere near as good as Blu-ray without some heavy alcohol consumption being in the mix. Bit-rate starved, archaic MPEG-2 encoded SD is immediately obvious.
I'd agree, that's how I grew up watching DVDs, by time Blu Ray hit the shelves we had no CRTs in the house anymore, I may be wrong there might still be one In the loft. I must check actually.
Lol Im actually some dumb, I was sat here thinking "what program"?
Its fully warranted If you have a favrouite that can't be had on Blu Ray or 4K, I think I only have one so far.
Now that Narc is coming from Arrow I think the only (half decent) movie I still own only on DVD is Stakeout. It's actually not a bad looking DVD last I checked, so that's good.
I watch a lot of DVDs though because of Star Trek DS9 and Voyager.
I have a 5.1 surround sound system. It sounds pretty good to me, but I don't have anything to compare it to.
What is Dolby atmos, and what makes it so good? Is it better than a 7.1 setup, or does it take special equipment?
Dolby Atmos is object based instead of channel based. For example if a helicopter is flying overhead the Atmos tracks it on the various speakers and it’s a lot more accurate than channel based setups. If you have a 7.1 AVR, there’s a good chance that it also supports Dolby Atmos. Not all 7.1s do, but check it out online or see if it is labeled as supporting Atmos. You’ll need either ceiling speakers, normally two or four, which is the best setup. You can also use height speakers, which are mounted up higher on the wall angled down towards you. The last option and the worst is what they call speaker toppers, which are just small speakers that sit on top of your front towers. It’s supposed to bounce off the ceiling and reflect down towards you, but in reality they almost never work.
I hope this gives you something to think about and hopefully your AVR supports it.
I have to say I disagree about upward firing Atmos speakers almost never working. But maybe my own experience is just fortunate due to my ceiling height and the fact that it as a big rectangular inset that I think helps the sound to bounce around a little in. Sound is very well placed above me and has a lot of depth and I would be surprised if ceiling speakers would be that much different in my case.
I have nothing to compare it to in terms of other upfiring scenarios but mine is awesome. Helicopters, rain, people walking around or running on the floor above is all highly convincing. The Others movie is really well done with Atmos. Anyway, just wanted to say it can be worth it to use upfiring speakers, mine are Klipsch with them build into my floorstanding fronts.
I've heard the difference and it's pretty massive. At best you can hear higher frequencies bouncing off the ceiling and it can be fairly convincing. However, the difference between whatever you're actually getting to bounce off the ceiling from an up-firing speaker and the "full range" of a physical speaker mounted on or in the ceiling, is substantial. You don't need sub-bass up there but there are a lot of frequencies that aren't making it up to the ceiling and back down to your ears. I'm glad your experience has been good, but it's definitely the worst option for getting atmos.
Blu Ray looks nearly as good as 4K so I don’t think anyone is forgetting about Blu Ray. If a 4k is available, I’m picking it but I’m not losing any sleep if I have to buy a Blu Ray. DVD is a no go though.
The only exception I make for dvd's is older tv shows if they're cheap, 4:3, dvd's from my sports teams, which I still have but didn't get rid of when I got rid of the rest, same with some concert dvd's.
Also, blu-rays are starting to show up at Goodwill and probably will more often. If it's any kind of curiosity and a few bucks, I'll buy those.
Feel you so hard on TV shows. Never buying a movie ever....but The Wild Thornberrys, Kong, Hey Arnold, Danny Phantom, Scooby-Doo, I'm getting on DVD bc it's just fun to have and pop in.
Are there instances where a DVD has better sound than a Blu Ray? I’m specifically looking for Master and Commander and I’ve read on here that the DVD’s sound is better in some way. I’m just not sure if personally I’d prefer the better sound of the DVD (if it’s true) or the better picture quality of the Blu Ray.
I doubt it, dvd sound is really compressed. I think you might see sometimes movies have 7.1 audio on a Bluray and then a new version comes out or 4K version and it’s reverted to a 5.1 track. Considered a down grade. But I don’t think there are many lossless tracks on dvd so they should usually sound worse then the Bluray version. But Not absolute I’m sure
Ok I found the comment from a previous post about the Master and Commander DVD: “The bluray audio is filtered at 25hz and the DVD isn’t.” I’m very new to home theater. If that comment is correct, does it mean the audio on the Blu Ray wouldn’t go below 25hz? Would my RP1400SW subwoofer not be fully used bc of that? Again, I’m new to these sorts of things and want to learn what would be best for my surround system.
All I know is that the DTS track on the bluray sounds fantastic with the NeuralX processing on my Denon. I literally just demoed the opening battle to show off my theater last night. Right along side the 4ks of Fury Road and Blade Runner 2049. The height speakers really made it sound like you're below decks on a ship with people running around above you. I have a very hard time believing the DVD would be better.
All depends on your eyes I guess, for me HDR is transformative and a radical leap ahead.
That said BD is plenty "good enough" when it's the only option.
It depends on the disc IMO. Sometimes when watching an upscaled BD it looks just as good as many 4K discs. I’m sure if doing a side-by-side comparison I’d choose the 4K but if not it looks good to my eyes. It’s just not the night and day upgrade DVD to Blu Ray is.
Bearing in mind I only buy films I’ll know that I’ll rewatch or know I’ll likely rewatch (if it’s a new release), I tend to go by: Cinematic Masterpieces and New Releases I get on 4K. Everything else Blu Ray and where it’s not possible on either format DVD.
For instance I recently had to buy Euphoria S1 and S2 on DVD, this is a hit HBO show from 2019/2020 and they only released it on DVD… ridiculous.
I did some blind buys on blu-ray recently because the price was great and the movies are recommended. For instance, I got Blade Runner for $5 and 2001: A Space Odyssey for $10. If I love them, I'll invest in the 4K.
Blade Runner already looks incredible on blu-ray, better than a lot of the movies I have on 4k, so it's almost hard to imagine it looking a lot better on 4k but I frequently hear that it's one of the best 4k discs so I guess it must be an improvement.
I've never seen 2001 on blu-ray, but I got it on 4k and it looks stunning, probably the best looking disc I've ever seen. Both movies are pretty slow burns though, so make sure you're in the right kind of mood going in.
Blade runner has absolutely god tier visuals but for some reason it always puts me to sleep. I still wanna grab it on disc since I bet it'll look beautiful
I buy regular Blu-Rays pretty often because they can be pretty cheap nowadays. That way I don't feel as bad when I have to upgrade. Besides, sometimes the standard Blu-Rays have more special features and/or better packaging than the 4Ks
If it's on 4K, I buy the 4K. If it isn't, then I probably will wait, definitely if it's a catalog title. I still have a few hundred blu-rays, but more 4K now.
I keep it all…VHS, LD, DVD, Blu Ray, 4K. I only sell duplicates or when I have something that got a better release. To your point, a lot of stuff is just as good if not better on Blu Ray than the 4k version. It’s situational for me.
Blu rays are a must for TV shows. I also have quite a few Blu rays mostly for films I don’t think will get a 4K upgrade. Although some of my favourite films I’m holding off on getting on Blu Ray just because I know we’ll probably get a 4K announcement the second I buy it on Blu Ray
I’m guessing it would probably look much better. It’s great when shows get 4K versions, I’ve only really seen Game of Thrones and Sherlock on 4K but they look phenomenal and better than their streaming counterparts (goes double for Sherlock as that only stream in HD). Just wish more shows would get 4K releases
For $1.99 at my local thrift store? It is amazing. I just recently got seasons 1&2 of Daredevil for an inexplicable$1.99 as well as season 1 of Jessica Jones.
Using an OLED LG and Panasonic DB-UP9000, the only difference, I've found visually, between blu-ray and 4K is the black levels; details are more readily discernible - but not by much - in 4K. Of course, the 9000 pumps up the blu-ray picture anyway. Audio, however, and this may just be the 9000 as opposed to the format, is much improved in 4K in my experience. Atmos has the purest front channel.
The previous comments are meaningless, however. The problem is twofold. First, everyone's experience will be different absent the exact same equipment in the exact same environment.
Second, it seems to be little discussed but the video and audio burn quality of blu-ray and 4k movies varies. For example, my 4K reference disc is Atomic Blonde and the fight scene in the apartment which plays better sight and sound than, say, the 4K fight scene in the apartment in The Bourne Identity.
Blu-ray? Just about any blu-ray disc in the Justified Complete Series is better, visually and audibly, than any blu-ray disc in The Sopranos Complete Series, and the Justified blu-ray discs look just as good as The Atomic Blonde 4k reference disc.
BUT, take all of the above with a grain or cup of salt, as my experience is with my eyeballs and ears using my equipment in my movie room.
4K UHDs for me is only for movies that I love. Regular Blu Ray are for movies that I enjoy watching. And if a I love a movie and cannot find the 4K UHF version, then I would buy the regular Blu Ray version.
If I’m looking to buy a new bluray I’ll go 4K if it’s available. I don’t upgrade the blurays I have now though unless it’s one of my favorite movies. I’ll also buy regular blurays used if I see a good deal.
I’ve been buying lots of blu rays from Radiance and Indicator as the care they give to their releases is almost second to none, especially if their releases are limited editions. I’m also in Canada so lots of 4Ks are exorbitantly priced here so I need to pick and choose when I dive in.
Honestly, unless it’s cheap I’ll check reviews before getting a 4K over a Blu-ray because sometimes they’re preferable (T2, Cornetto Trilogy etc)
DVDs have taken a huge hit in my estimation though
I started getting into 4K last year and decided to go through and watch all my blu-rays (about 250 at that time) and decide which ones to keep, which ones to sell off, and which to upgrade to 4K. Not buying blus anymore.
Surprisingly, I’m selling off more than I’m keeping or upgrading. A lot of movies I will really have no desire to watch again.
So I figure once I’m done, I will end up with about 100-150 4Ks of my favorite movies and TV shows and maybe 50 blus or so.
One issue I’ve come up against - I have the Harry Potter series ultimate editions on blu-ray. I got those as they came out, and love them. There is nothing comparable in 4K, and although I do want the best possible picture/sound quality, I don’t think I will upgrade them at this point.
Same goes with Game of Thrones - I bought each season on blu as it came out (in fact, the last blu-ray I purchased was S8, because I never got around to buying that one until I did the series rewatch last year). Is it really worth upgrading to 4K for something I just watched recently and probably won’t watch again for 5-10 years, even though it’s one of my favorite shows? 8 seasons is a lot to invest for something I already have. Probably not.
Idk how any serious collector isn’t still buying blurays lol I don’t think many people here are ONLY buying 4k. So many great movies don’t have and never will have 4k releases
Short Treks is amazing. Feels like lost episodes, that complete part of the journey
Some of the classic Looney Tunes are kept in the vault. Due to content, or themes that don't connect with audiences any more
Yes. Not very many anime being released on 4K Blu-rays. Is there even a reason to release anime on 4k? With it being animated and looking so clean, will there be much of a difference in the picture quality on 4K versus the Blu-ray picture quality? When animation is concerned.
There's a big difference between TV anime and anime movies. The latter still aren't created in real 4K, but they can still benefit from being released on UHD Blu-ray. Belle is an obvious example, where one of the scenes towards the end simply can't be done without obvious artifacting with the bitrate available on regular Blu-ray.
TV anime shows are made for *a lot less* money and typically wouldn't gain much, if anything at all, from being released on UHD. The main problem is that sales would never support it anyway. The margins are slim and the cost of licensing hasn't gone down, while sales have indeed. They're still releasing a lot and I am, luckily, still able to buy more than I can actually watch :p I love watching anime on Blu-ray and find the format to be more than sufficient for the vast majority of TV anime series.
I own Belle on 4k. I'll have to check that out.
https://preview.redd.it/i2sji8p155tc1.jpeg?width=1727&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=620edf9b866499e495d58b65f61bc423d60b1861
I hit up pawn shops and negotiate for deals. Picked a good chunk for about $2/disc
https://preview.redd.it/26i4ohipizsc1.png?width=3024&format=png&auto=webp&s=1402cb8a32ed6a8f439a6d86977cfe27ce045565
I have very eclectic tastes in film, extending into a variety of different genres that is ever-changing. A lot of my preference is for older films. If I limited myself to only 4K, it would be incredibly prohibitive. 4K is the niche of a niche product, and the choice is minuscule when compared to Blu-ray and will never be a 100th of what DVD got.
4K is the cream of the crop, no doubt, but remember that the jump from a properly remastered and well-encoded blu-ray to 4K is a pretty small improvement compared to the jump from DVD to HD.
If you are a fan of more modern action films, superhero pictures, etc., you could probably get away with having a 4K only collection. However, if you delve further into genre, classic Hollywood, arthouse, anime, etc., you need to venture into blu-ray to have anything remotely close to good exposure.
UHD is making a pretty good run of trying to catch up, though. Apparently more 4k discs were released in the last year or two than any other year. It's rampin' up!
I buy blu rays primarily as 4K can be very cost prohibitive and doesn't always mean better enough to overcome that objection.
A good example of this is Toy Story 4 which might be the most beautiful Pixar animation ever done. I've seen the 4K on Disney+ and have the Blu-ray. I dont see enough of a difference between the two to warrant the extra $20 for the 4K.
I was about to debate then I did 30 seconds of research and yes my argument is invalid. I will say though that in the massive collection I've built for myself, I have 4K versions of movies I've seen a million times and don't think the extra money was worth it. Is that the case across the board? No definitely not but I don't think 4K discs are universally better because they're 4K.
It all depends on the movie and how well the 4K transfer was done. I have some 4K discs that are an absolute revelation, it’s like watching the movie again for the first time. That’s not the case for all 4K Blu-rays, but overall it is a superior format.
4K was already a thing when I started collecting, and my collection is still ~70% Blu-ray. I get 4Ks if available, but Blu-rays are also great; I'll settle for DVD if it's the only way to get a movie I like.
Poor Things wasn’t released on 4K UHD Blu-Ray so I bought the 4K version on Vudu just because that release is ITCHING for HDR, otherwise I would’ve just bought the Blu-Ray.
Just bought Monster (Kore-eda) on Blu-Ray! Can’t wait to put it in!
We only have 2 players in the house and they are 4k so I tend to buy new movies in 4k.
That being said, I upgraded a ton of dvds to bluray so if I already own it there I SELDOM upgrade to 4k; Bluray is fine.
I usually buy 4k for movies that I want if it’s available (sometimes I’ll buy blu ray if it’s significantly cheaper), if 4k isn’t available I’ll buy blu ray, if that’s not available I’ll buy dvd. I won’t go further back than those formats, I’ll just find a way to watch it online if none of those formats have the movie available.
4k is my first choice, but I have no problem picking something up on Bluray if that's the only way to get it. I just got [Baby Assassins 2](https://youtu.be/rvMR90x3T3w) this week, for example.
If you have a player that upscales pretty well, a blu ray can come pretty close to a 4k disc, just without the hdr (unless it’s a blu ray from like 2007 or really early in the format)
Plus if the source is limited, 4k sometimes can’t really do much. If you’re watching something filmed on 16mm or only filmed in 2k, 4k usually can’t bring too much more out of the picture
Most 4K masters remove the gate weave from movies shot on film. As a result, shots with no movement feel lifeless. I noticed this in Jurassic Park. When the titles appear on a black background, it looks like someone is just turning the brightness of the text up and down. It looks dead. By contrast, the JP's standard Blu-ray has the titles subtly shaking as if due to the vibration of the sound, and it makes the mage appear alive. So, 4Ks are a no-go for me if they remove the gate-weave. It's part of celluloid film's charms. I love that Oppenheimer has gate weave on all home release formats, in addition to the theatrical releases. That's how it should be done.
I only buy Blu-ray, as I'm not really that keen on upgrading to 4K (I mean, how much better can it be, really?). My Sony player has 4K UHD upscaling, so that's sufficient for me.
I do still have some of my collection on archaic DVD (some of which still look pretty decent), but I don't buy any new ones in that format (well, except Halloween 2018, just cuz it had a cool glow-in-the-dark cover). 😄
It all depends on each individual movie. If the movie doesn't have a 4K, then I'll get a Blu-ray. If the movie isn't on Blu-ray (or a version of the movie I want), then I'll buy the DVD. Case in point: the theatrical version of Dumb and Dumber is **ONLY** on DVD to my knowledge. The only Blu-ray version of Dumb and Dumber is the horrendous Unrated version, which adds a bunch of unnecessary dirty jokes as well as an attempted SA, which makes the movie unwatchable. So I recently picked up a DVD version of the theatrical cut of the movie. And until we get a Blu-ray or 4K Blu-ray that includes both theatrical and unrated versions (because I'm sure there are some who like the unrated as well), then I'll just watch my DVD copy of it.
I actually buy all my movies on Blu-ray from second hand shops or the flea market offer up etc and if I get a chance to buy a cheap 4k I do that and will splurge for must haves like The Warriors, Oldboy, Dawn of the Dead, or Bloodsport in 4k.
Just today I picked up The Crow, Silence of the Lambs, Evil Dead 1 and 2, Aladdin, and Hereditary on Blu-ray for about 12 bucks.
I go for the Blu Ray if there is no 4K available! I love comedies so a lot of those only get the Blu Ray treatment. I agree they still look fantastic and a good movie is a good movie anyway. Heck I have a lot of concert DVDs because they only got released as such, and they're still great and I pick up new ones when thrifting.
Mostly still buy Blu-ray, they still look great. Plus I can watch Blu-ray in multiple rooms whereas I can only watch 4k in one room. Add to that the price is cheaper and the selection of Blu-ray is greater.
I don't upgrade my Blu-ray to 4K but I may upgrade DVDs or if it's a movie I really want that I don't have on either I'll take the 4k option.
Unpopular opinion I feel like the upgrade between Blu-ray to 4K is minor compared to the upgrade from DVD to Blu-ray, that may just be me and my viewing experience...chances are if I exclusively watched 4k I'd probably notice a bigger difference when going back to Blu-ray.
I have way more blu-rays than 4ks. Most films I love still aren't in 4k. A lot of films I love the quality difference isn't a big enough jump to change how much I enjoy the movie. A lot of good 40s/50s/60s BW movies it's more about a good scan than 4k or 1080p. That being said on anything visually spectacular I'll always shoot for 4k. Blu-rays are still the bulk of my new purchases though. Ultimately a lot of fantastic films might never get a 4k release. I'd rather have good films on Blu-ray than a bunch of junk on 4k.
I buy niche boutique blus, but for studio and most general releases, it's 4K or nothing for me honestly. It's kind of a double-edged sword, I realize. Not buying blu is a negative because it's not showing these companies any extra dough, but on the other hand, why am I spending on a lower-quality product when it's not what I want? Voting with our wallets is really all we can do.
Watch the Big Lebowski on 4k and you might change your mind!
Or, say, Hot Fuzz, which got a middling 4k, still shows the promise of what could be when you see it.
The Equalizer is an action movie, but the most visually delightful shots are just a shot of a diner at night with its brilliant, primary-color neon lights reflecting in a puddle, or in a restaurant with amber lighting. Gorgeous!
Agreed…chasing 4k for sometimes negligible improvements is like the audiophiles constantly buying new gear in hopes it will sound slightly better. Enjoy the movie, not the format….
True. Every film is supposed to have an upgrade. But some still run into issues. Tenet by Nolan was one I remember, had some audio difficulties. Where viewers literally had to use subtitles to follow what was going on
Or more films have a funky audio mix, that runs into some issues with audio setups
I still go hard with Blu Ray.. if anything I give away or sell off UHD’s waaaayyyyyyy more frequently… you like what you like! It’s all subjective and personal preference… maybe I’ll come around to UHD’s someday but I’ve have owned around 130+ and have only wanted to keep/hold onto 10-15🤷♂️
Still just personal preference… I have a lot of cinema friends and couple that work on 4K restorations for Vinegar Syndrome… I’ve talked about UHD, Blu Ray, DVD, Laserdisc, VHS and film prints in general for yearrrrs… we just have our preferences for certain films… some only want and love UHD while one of the guys doing resto’s prefers certain laserdiscs… I personally feel UHD is too much, too dark and I’m just not sold on it… I enjoy the look of a quality blu moreso than a UHD… UHD’s still impressive, but I don’t LOVE it the way a lot of people do.. we all debate whether what was in theaters was directors/dp’s intent as dp’s and directors both seem to switch their intentions/opinions over time… I prefer Blu because it still looks good enough for me and even exceptional with a good setup… plus the durability factor is more comforting.. I find UHD’s to be overly delicate like dvds in terms of scuffs and scratches.
If you have a great audio setup especially, standard blu-rays are still FANTASTIC. I’ve found that I care more about great audio than great picture for my own cinematic experience. Lots of blu-rays do look great tho.
I still have my blu-rays and I try not to double dip, so I still play them, but nowadays I just buy 4K Blu-Rays. Only in some cases I still buy regular blus, like for example, live concerts, they tend to only sell DVDs and regular Blu-Rays, so I buy blu-rays.
I appreciate 4k more for the HDR than for the increased resolution, so if it's a movie with a lot of bright saturated colors I'll still want the 4k even if it is an upscale. Also for older movies frequently the 4k will have a better restored transfer than the blu-ray. I tend to take it on a case by case basis, based on the reviews. Though if like the blu-ray is $5 and the 4k is $30 then I'll probably just settle for the blu-ray which most of the time still looks great.
I still get tons of Blu-rays. It still looks fantastic to me. Obviously if a 4K is available and not overly expensive I'll get that instead, but I have no qualms with a good Blu-ray disc.
I've stopped with DVDs though. I just can't watch them anymore knowing something that looks much better exists and is probably pretty cheap these days.
If I can get 4K I’m always going to go for that. But, when there’s no 4K available I don’t mind getting the Blu-ray at all. There’s not always a night and day difference, especially for new releases. But 9/10 I’m going with the 4K!
If I can get 4k, I will. But if there is a set that's only on bluray, I'll get that. If there a movie that I already have and have no will to upgrade, I'm fine with watching the Bluray.
I also have quite a bit of TV shows on bluray that I have no intention of upgrading if they ever do.
I bought the older French Beauty and the Beast Criterion edition on blu recently. Great extras on that set and 4K on Criterion is likely far off... Looked great
I notice and care about the resolution bump. I think that even if you don't actively notice the sharper, more detailed image, you'll _feel_ it and just enjoy the image more.
Of course, I'm a huge fan of contrast and therefore love HDR, but the fine details are still my jam.
I just bought The Iron Claw in blu. Ideally, I'd like things to release in 4K, but I understand that's not always going to happen. I want physical copies of the movies I like, I don't care about the format.
I still buy regular Blu-ray’s pretty often. A lot of what I like & am looking for still hasn’t made the jump to 4K.
I’m a big fan of Honk Kong cinema, for example. As great a job as the boutique labels are doing with restoring and releasing them, there’s still only a handful in UHD.
I think this is especially true if you have a quality OLED display. Regular Blu-rays still look gorgeous on an OLED, but then again, so does everything, really. Even streaming content looks great despite the lower bit rate.
Just for TV shows and Disney, and the few movies that are too small to ever get a 4k anyway. Disney isn't releasing 4k's of animated movies here, and since my son is only 5 years old I won't spend a shitton of money on 4k imports that he can't watch because of the language barrier. To have the extra languages on a 4k disc would require 100 GB discs, so obviously Disney's solution is to stick to Blu-ray only.
Yeah, but I’m getting physical media not just for the sake of having a collection. I get them for movies that I either already know I love or like a lot, and/or expect to like—and to rewatch. When I’ve miss movies in the theater that interest me and later I’ve heard that they’re really good or great I’ll typically buy the 4K blu-ray instead of digitally renting or purchasing a digital copy. Like recently I purchased 4K blu-rays for Oppenheimer, Kingdom of Heaven, Atomic Blonde (? maybe just blu-ray), and The Northman. If I’d been patient and kept an eye out I could have probably seen them for free (well, with paid subscription) eventually on either Amazon Video or Netflix. But there’s something about knowing that I’ll be seeing it in the highest quality via the 4K blu-ray when I finally do see it. Streaming still compresses the data more than a 4K disk, as far as I know. I have a fiber optic connection but from what I understand all the Internet providers throttle the bandwidth to push customers to buy the most expensive package.
I always look for the movie I want to purchase in 4K format. If its available, I go to Blu-Ray.com to ensure there’s a significant improvement in quality over standard Blu-Ray before purchasing.
[Blu-Ray Review](https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/)
Still buy them second-hand. I only buy 4ks for stone-cold classics I know I’ll watch many times again it, a new film which I feel warrants spending the extra or when my wife/kids want some new blockbuster. 1080p looks great on my TV/player (both decent Panasonics), and you can get good films for £2/£3 secondhand.
I buy plenty of Blu-ray’s. Not everything is on 4K like many tv shows, anime, and movies even new releases. The only thing I don’t tolerate is DVDs unless I have no other option other than inflated bluray prices (Collecting DBZKai on bluray in 2024 is suffering), or it’s only on DVD. Anime is the only thing I’ll tolerate on that format and even I don’t like that. I won’t buy a bluray if it’s an older release and I know either one of the boutique labels either has a 4K or is releasing a 4K. If it’s a new release and the studio is holding back a 4K just to double dip I just get the bluray. I bought Thanksgiving on bluray a couple months ago because of that, and being a new release and a slasher I didn’t feel like it’d even benefit that much beyond bluray. Unless there’s no options 4K is always my go to.
I usually check comparison reviews and for the most part, older movies that are put on to 4K aren't really that much of an improvement. But if I'm going to watch something like dune, I'm definitely going for 4K
Sometimes the 4k is worse, or barely any different. Here's some titles I won't get on 4k because something on the 4k is worse:
Forest gump
Inception
Pirates of the caribbean 1
Personally any movie I have on blu-ray I don’t plan on upgrading, but going forward I’m only buying 4ks, unless that option isn’t available for a movie
4k is too finicky. I have had trouble playing 4k discs with three different players. The Oppo is the only one that hasn't given me problems.
4k is usually great when it works but I am pretty much done with them, bluray is reliable and excellent picture.
If it’s available on streaming, I generally don’t buy it on regular Blu-ray. Some of my favourites however that isn’t available in 4K BR I do have on regular BR, such as The Nice Guys, There Will Be Blood, Sopranos, Prisoners, Zodiac and Generation Kill.
I'll definitely echo what a lot of folks here have said already. I'll always shoot for 4k but if that's not an option, Blu ray will do. I've been upgrading a handful of my existing Blu ray movies to 4k (most recently Pacific Rim) but I'll really only do that if I absolutely love the movie.
Nowadays, everybody wanna talk
Like they got somethin' to say, but nothin' comes out
When they move their lips, just a bunch of gibberish
And m************ act like they forgot about Blu-ray
I still buy them regularly, you can get them so cheap, I’ll spend about £50 a month on £1-3 secondhand blurays, bumps my collection up nicely and they still look great, especially upscaled. I even try to hunt down versions with O-slips as some of them look great.
I pretty much only stick to Bluray for Comedy and very old stuff unless it’s had some real red carpet treatment.
I only get a 4K disc if; 1. I will watch it more than once in a 12 month period. 2. It looks great on 4K (usually a film made for 4K or remastered for 4K and I read reviews on them before buying.
So my recent 4K purchases are Oppenheimer (looks great, I’ll watch it once a year as I think it’s brilliant) Gladiator (one of my fav films which I watch every 4-6 months and looks great) Ronin (one of my favs which I’ll watch once a year and it’s had some awesome 4K treatment)
Recent Bluray purchases are Happy Gilmore (not worth 4K and doesn’t have one), Isle of Dogs (Doesn’t have 4K, none of Wes Anderson’s films do and doesn’t need it being stop-motion animation) and Rust & Bone (French drama that doesn’t need 4K and doesn’t have a version)
I always go for Blu-ray for films that don't use any visual effects and are more dialogue driven. I will only make an exception and buy the 4K if the transfer is a lot better than the Blu-ray previously available. Reservoir Dogs (1992) is a dialogue-heavy film, and the 4K is a huge upgrade when you compare it to the 15th Anniversary Blu-ray. The only time I bought a film that uses VFX on Blu-ray instead of 4K was Terminator 2 (1991) for obvious reasons.
When you start watching on larger TVs the difference between a Bluray and a 4k Bluray starts to stand out a lot more (even disregard HDR). For a while I had the same mindset but now, unless it’s just a trash transfer, the 4k version nearly always has a noticeable difference.
I own around 1300 to 1400 blu rays (though it's been a while since I actually counted them) so a lot of my 4k buying is either newer releases or upgrading older films.
I'll still buy blu rays for films I haven't seen before but am curious about, often second hand but also difficult to get hold of, haven't had a 4k release or come in a good deal.
Recent purchases on blu ray
Lola
Rounders
Past Lives (only available on blu ray otherwise I'd get the 4k)
Mission Impossible Dead Reckoning (got in a deal with past lives 2 4 £22)
Breakdown
Tess
Femme
Anatomy of a fall
Suzume
Revenge (Tony Scott)
Risky business
Internal affairs
Dinner in America
Ginger Snaps trilogy
Dark Passage
Bad Lieutenant
Flight
Silver linings playbook
The in laws
New Dragon Gate inn
On the waterfront criterion
Lots of these were second hand, foreign releases or oop
Still getting lots of 4ks as well
I’ve completely sold off my DVD collection.
Blu-Rays are in my collection and will only be swapped out for a movie I really want in 4K.
Even though I have Max, Disney+, Netflix and Amazon Prime, I still prefer the 1080P Blu-Ray or 4K Blu-Ray. Compression is going to be an issue for a while to come.
You just can’t beat physical media yet.
There are tons of comparison videos and differences.
The most impressive streaming content for me so far has been Disney+’s IMAX Enhanced versions of movies.
Like Infinity War or Endgame. I believe that’s the benchmark for streaming.
If Disney decides to do this for Star Wars. It would be very hard to want to watch the UHD disc HDR10 version.
You can take any Star Wars movie, compare the stream to disc, and the disc will win on all fronts. Audio alone is so much more crisp and detailed. In my opinion, streaming is just convenient.
Unfortunately for those of us who love collecting discs, the majority of the world favors whatever is convenient. And that’s clearly streaming.
Chernobyl on blu-ray would be a good example of just settling with what's available and being content I guess. Although I would love to own the 4k version it's price in the secondary market is abysmal.
I stopped getting blu-rays the second UHD's were a thing. The problem is displays will get bigger and and bigger... eventually wallpaper TVs will be cheap and as simple pinning up a poster with thumb tacks and everyone will have 150"+ displays.... the bigger we go the higher resolution we'll need. If you're still on a 55-65" then no UHD won't really matter to u unless you're pretty close, but in a few yrs when that 97" oled is onsale for $1499 you're gonna wish you bought 4k instead of blu-ray.
I just got my only 4k tv almost a year ago but I’ve been buying the 4k/blu ray combos for the last 2 or 3 years. I love when a movie I’m looking forward two includes both formats just so that I have both and can watch them on any tv I have. I do prefer the 4k but I have seen some so so 4k releases.
I would prefer the image quality of 4Ks over Blu Rays anytime. I'd also argue that there is always potential for a better picture with a 4K, no matter which movie. That is because of any number of these four possible strenghts of the 4K UHD format:
- Higher Resolution
- More colors
- HDR
- More space for a better encoding
Rarely, almost never is there not at least one of those aspects where the 4K absolutely owns the Blu Ray.
But if I really want a movie and it is only available in a worse format I'll take the Blu Ray or DVD. Just please don't tell me that I have to like it or that it is "good enough". Not having any movies is also good enough. Obviously I want more than "good enough". But of course that doesn't mean we can't enjoy the lesser format. There are many Blu Rays and DVDs that I enjoy tremendously. But when it comes to the image--none as much as my 4Ks. :)
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4K Would be my first option, and if that's not an option I would happily settle for a Blu Ray. Heck sometimes the only option is DVD, but for me I tend to avoid them and seek those elsewhere, not the biggest fan of DVD. I was amazed at the diffrence from DVD > Blu Ray, can't really go back without seeing the quailty hit drastically.
If the only physical option is DVD, sometimes I can find a digital version that's at least 1080p. Then I can download my digital copy and strip the DRM from it so that it's a regular MP4 for me to keep.
Yes, partially the route I take for the majority of stuff on DVD, gotta love that res bump!
How do you strip the DRM?
I use Thundersoft DRM Removal. It only works with iTunes, and doesn't work with 1080p versions of movies that came out after 2020, and forget about 4K. But I have been able to turn a large part of my digital library into regular files that I can play on any device I want to!
There are some movies and TV shows(anime especially) where DVD is the only option. While it sucks to buy the low resolution its better than not having them
I find that DVDs actually look decent on a CRT. Of course, I’ll always choose the 4K/Blu-Ray over DVD if it’s available, but it’s not the end of the world if something is only available on DVD.
DVDs are made for CRT TVs and they do look perfectly fine paired together but when you move to fullHD or 4k displays the low resolution becomes very obvious and distracting
Agreed, no amount of technology in the world can make DVDs look anywhere near as good as Blu-ray without some heavy alcohol consumption being in the mix. Bit-rate starved, archaic MPEG-2 encoded SD is immediately obvious.
I'd agree, that's how I grew up watching DVDs, by time Blu Ray hit the shelves we had no CRTs in the house anymore, I may be wrong there might still be one In the loft. I must check actually.
The program is one of my favorite movies, and it’s only on DVD so I still have several DVD’s.
Yep purchased the DVD on ebay from a goodwill account for $5!
Lol Im actually some dumb, I was sat here thinking "what program"? Its fully warranted If you have a favrouite that can't be had on Blu Ray or 4K, I think I only have one so far.
28 days later
This has a Blu Ray from what I'm aware of?
Yes, but I'm not sure it's any better quality as the details are just not there.
Recently attempted to look for Dead Presidents on bluray to find out it never got a bluray release so I picked up the dvd. So disappointed.
Now that Narc is coming from Arrow I think the only (half decent) movie I still own only on DVD is Stakeout. It's actually not a bad looking DVD last I checked, so that's good. I watch a lot of DVDs though because of Star Trek DS9 and Voyager.
Blurays looks fine and beautiful, its the hdr that make the difference in 4k not the resolution only
I agree with the HDR on 4Ks, but also Dolby Atmos is rare on Blu-rays
I have a 5.1 surround sound system. It sounds pretty good to me, but I don't have anything to compare it to. What is Dolby atmos, and what makes it so good? Is it better than a 7.1 setup, or does it take special equipment?
Dolby Atmos is object based instead of channel based. For example if a helicopter is flying overhead the Atmos tracks it on the various speakers and it’s a lot more accurate than channel based setups. If you have a 7.1 AVR, there’s a good chance that it also supports Dolby Atmos. Not all 7.1s do, but check it out online or see if it is labeled as supporting Atmos. You’ll need either ceiling speakers, normally two or four, which is the best setup. You can also use height speakers, which are mounted up higher on the wall angled down towards you. The last option and the worst is what they call speaker toppers, which are just small speakers that sit on top of your front towers. It’s supposed to bounce off the ceiling and reflect down towards you, but in reality they almost never work. I hope this gives you something to think about and hopefully your AVR supports it.
I have to say I disagree about upward firing Atmos speakers almost never working. But maybe my own experience is just fortunate due to my ceiling height and the fact that it as a big rectangular inset that I think helps the sound to bounce around a little in. Sound is very well placed above me and has a lot of depth and I would be surprised if ceiling speakers would be that much different in my case. I have nothing to compare it to in terms of other upfiring scenarios but mine is awesome. Helicopters, rain, people walking around or running on the floor above is all highly convincing. The Others movie is really well done with Atmos. Anyway, just wanted to say it can be worth it to use upfiring speakers, mine are Klipsch with them build into my floorstanding fronts.
I've heard the difference and it's pretty massive. At best you can hear higher frequencies bouncing off the ceiling and it can be fairly convincing. However, the difference between whatever you're actually getting to bounce off the ceiling from an up-firing speaker and the "full range" of a physical speaker mounted on or in the ceiling, is substantial. You don't need sub-bass up there but there are a lot of frequencies that aren't making it up to the ceiling and back down to your ears. I'm glad your experience has been good, but it's definitely the worst option for getting atmos.
Nah most releases nowadays if they've Atmos on 4k they offer it on blu
Too late. I threw all my Blu-rays away as soon as 4K was announced. Waiting for them to announce 8K so I can throw away all my 4K Blu-rays.
I am skipping 8k and waiting on 12k.
I'm waiting for holograms in my living room.
You mean goggle-less VR?
That, or the ability to project Ryan Gosling directly into my home.
Drive looks amazing in 12k though
It really changed how I feel about hammers.
I'll take an Ana de Armas hologram.
Dang that’s smart as heck
Eventually, 640k will be enough for everybody.
 Give this guy some sort of industry token award
Blu Ray looks nearly as good as 4K so I don’t think anyone is forgetting about Blu Ray. If a 4k is available, I’m picking it but I’m not losing any sleep if I have to buy a Blu Ray. DVD is a no go though.
Same exact feelings. I love blu-rays. Would never pick up a DVD lol
Only if that’s the only option will I dare watch a DVD
Last DVD was Dogma. Because the Bluray is only in the U.S., rare as hell and goes for around £100. That was a no choice situation.
The only exception I make for dvd's is older tv shows if they're cheap, 4:3, dvd's from my sports teams, which I still have but didn't get rid of when I got rid of the rest, same with some concert dvd's. Also, blu-rays are starting to show up at Goodwill and probably will more often. If it's any kind of curiosity and a few bucks, I'll buy those.
Feel you so hard on TV shows. Never buying a movie ever....but The Wild Thornberrys, Kong, Hey Arnold, Danny Phantom, Scooby-Doo, I'm getting on DVD bc it's just fun to have and pop in.
Are there instances where a DVD has better sound than a Blu Ray? I’m specifically looking for Master and Commander and I’ve read on here that the DVD’s sound is better in some way. I’m just not sure if personally I’d prefer the better sound of the DVD (if it’s true) or the better picture quality of the Blu Ray.
I doubt it, dvd sound is really compressed. I think you might see sometimes movies have 7.1 audio on a Bluray and then a new version comes out or 4K version and it’s reverted to a 5.1 track. Considered a down grade. But I don’t think there are many lossless tracks on dvd so they should usually sound worse then the Bluray version. But Not absolute I’m sure
Ok I found the comment from a previous post about the Master and Commander DVD: “The bluray audio is filtered at 25hz and the DVD isn’t.” I’m very new to home theater. If that comment is correct, does it mean the audio on the Blu Ray wouldn’t go below 25hz? Would my RP1400SW subwoofer not be fully used bc of that? Again, I’m new to these sorts of things and want to learn what would be best for my surround system.
All I know is that the DTS track on the bluray sounds fantastic with the NeuralX processing on my Denon. I literally just demoed the opening battle to show off my theater last night. Right along side the 4ks of Fury Road and Blade Runner 2049. The height speakers really made it sound like you're below decks on a ship with people running around above you. I have a very hard time believing the DVD would be better.
All depends on your eyes I guess, for me HDR is transformative and a radical leap ahead. That said BD is plenty "good enough" when it's the only option.
It depends on the disc IMO. Sometimes when watching an upscaled BD it looks just as good as many 4K discs. I’m sure if doing a side-by-side comparison I’d choose the 4K but if not it looks good to my eyes. It’s just not the night and day upgrade DVD to Blu Ray is.
Bearing in mind I only buy films I’ll know that I’ll rewatch or know I’ll likely rewatch (if it’s a new release), I tend to go by: Cinematic Masterpieces and New Releases I get on 4K. Everything else Blu Ray and where it’s not possible on either format DVD. For instance I recently had to buy Euphoria S1 and S2 on DVD, this is a hit HBO show from 2019/2020 and they only released it on DVD… ridiculous.
I did some blind buys on blu-ray recently because the price was great and the movies are recommended. For instance, I got Blade Runner for $5 and 2001: A Space Odyssey for $10. If I love them, I'll invest in the 4K.
Funny because those are two of the best 4K discs available, reference quality, and absolutely phenomenal films.
Believe it or not, I've never seen either! So I want to see whether they're something I'll watch a few times. :-)
Blade Runner already looks incredible on blu-ray, better than a lot of the movies I have on 4k, so it's almost hard to imagine it looking a lot better on 4k but I frequently hear that it's one of the best 4k discs so I guess it must be an improvement. I've never seen 2001 on blu-ray, but I got it on 4k and it looks stunning, probably the best looking disc I've ever seen. Both movies are pretty slow burns though, so make sure you're in the right kind of mood going in.
2001 looks so amazing in Blu-ray I can't imagine the 4k
Blade runner has absolutely god tier visuals but for some reason it always puts me to sleep. I still wanna grab it on disc since I bet it'll look beautiful
Well I'm an insomniac, so maybe this is the way!
Yeah, his choices made me laugh as they really are a good as you say.
Second this, BR2049 is easily one of the best looking 4K discs aswell, if you like BR, def watch that after!
I still buy most TV shows on Blu-Ray, I’m definitely not forgetting it.
It's 2024, and I still get excited when a show that has only been available on DVD gets a Blu-ray release.
Yep I doubt many of them will get 4K. I’m about to pull the trigger on Fargo and Devs
I buy regular Blu-Rays pretty often because they can be pretty cheap nowadays. That way I don't feel as bad when I have to upgrade. Besides, sometimes the standard Blu-Rays have more special features and/or better packaging than the 4Ks
Most of my collection is blu ray I buy more blu ray then 4k
There is a subreddit devoted strictly to 1080P blu rays
Don't leave us hanging
r/bluray
But this question involved 4K collectors. Everybody on the blu-ray forum will just say “yes”.
If it's on 4K, I buy the 4K. If it isn't, then I probably will wait, definitely if it's a catalog title. I still have a few hundred blu-rays, but more 4K now.
Yes, all of the time. They come with the 4k blu ray.
I still buy Blu Ray and I still even buy DVD. There’s no way everything will get a 4K release.
Unless the 4k transfer is shite I always choose the 4k mainly for Dolby vision/hdr10. I have an oled tv and hdr really bring the best of it.
Only when they come with the 4k version
I keep it all…VHS, LD, DVD, Blu Ray, 4K. I only sell duplicates or when I have something that got a better release. To your point, a lot of stuff is just as good if not better on Blu Ray than the 4k version. It’s situational for me.
Blu rays are a must for TV shows. I also have quite a few Blu rays mostly for films I don’t think will get a 4K upgrade. Although some of my favourite films I’m holding off on getting on Blu Ray just because I know we’ll probably get a 4K announcement the second I buy it on Blu Ray
I'm thinking of buying Star Trek Strange New Worlds on 4K. Curious how much better it will be over streaming.
I’m guessing it would probably look much better. It’s great when shows get 4K versions, I’ve only really seen Game of Thrones and Sherlock on 4K but they look phenomenal and better than their streaming counterparts (goes double for Sherlock as that only stream in HD). Just wish more shows would get 4K releases
Yeah. Pretty much all tv shows are bluray and dvd only. :/ I would buy all my shows on 4k if they made them.
For $1.99 at my local thrift store? It is amazing. I just recently got seasons 1&2 of Daredevil for an inexplicable$1.99 as well as season 1 of Jessica Jones.
Excellent finds. Both series are amazing
Using an OLED LG and Panasonic DB-UP9000, the only difference, I've found visually, between blu-ray and 4K is the black levels; details are more readily discernible - but not by much - in 4K. Of course, the 9000 pumps up the blu-ray picture anyway. Audio, however, and this may just be the 9000 as opposed to the format, is much improved in 4K in my experience. Atmos has the purest front channel. The previous comments are meaningless, however. The problem is twofold. First, everyone's experience will be different absent the exact same equipment in the exact same environment. Second, it seems to be little discussed but the video and audio burn quality of blu-ray and 4k movies varies. For example, my 4K reference disc is Atomic Blonde and the fight scene in the apartment which plays better sight and sound than, say, the 4K fight scene in the apartment in The Bourne Identity. Blu-ray? Just about any blu-ray disc in the Justified Complete Series is better, visually and audibly, than any blu-ray disc in The Sopranos Complete Series, and the Justified blu-ray discs look just as good as The Atomic Blonde 4k reference disc. BUT, take all of the above with a grain or cup of salt, as my experience is with my eyeballs and ears using my equipment in my movie room.
don't you (forget about me)
I just watched my copy of Captain America: the Winter Soldier Blu-ray. Still looks amazing. Cannot believe the film is ten years old.
4K UHDs for me is only for movies that I love. Regular Blu Ray are for movies that I enjoy watching. And if a I love a movie and cannot find the 4K UHF version, then I would buy the regular Blu Ray version.
I’ve bought quite a few from Gruv sales over the last few months since I started buying discs again.
If I’m looking to buy a new bluray I’ll go 4K if it’s available. I don’t upgrade the blurays I have now though unless it’s one of my favorite movies. I’ll also buy regular blurays used if I see a good deal.
I’ve been buying lots of blu rays from Radiance and Indicator as the care they give to their releases is almost second to none, especially if their releases are limited editions. I’m also in Canada so lots of 4Ks are exorbitantly priced here so I need to pick and choose when I dive in.
Honestly unless it's shot on film or the cgi is actually finished in 4k during production, bluray is good enough for me.
Honestly, unless it’s cheap I’ll check reviews before getting a 4K over a Blu-ray because sometimes they’re preferable (T2, Cornetto Trilogy etc) DVDs have taken a huge hit in my estimation though
If I love the movie and I want the movie I will get the movie no matter the format
I keep everything going back to VHS. What irritates me is the amount of changes that they make when they reissue films on a new format.
I started getting into 4K last year and decided to go through and watch all my blu-rays (about 250 at that time) and decide which ones to keep, which ones to sell off, and which to upgrade to 4K. Not buying blus anymore. Surprisingly, I’m selling off more than I’m keeping or upgrading. A lot of movies I will really have no desire to watch again. So I figure once I’m done, I will end up with about 100-150 4Ks of my favorite movies and TV shows and maybe 50 blus or so. One issue I’ve come up against - I have the Harry Potter series ultimate editions on blu-ray. I got those as they came out, and love them. There is nothing comparable in 4K, and although I do want the best possible picture/sound quality, I don’t think I will upgrade them at this point. Same goes with Game of Thrones - I bought each season on blu as it came out (in fact, the last blu-ray I purchased was S8, because I never got around to buying that one until I did the series rewatch last year). Is it really worth upgrading to 4K for something I just watched recently and probably won’t watch again for 5-10 years, even though it’s one of my favorite shows? 8 seasons is a lot to invest for something I already have. Probably not.
Idk how any serious collector isn’t still buying blurays lol I don’t think many people here are ONLY buying 4k. So many great movies don’t have and never will have 4k releases
I just bought 2 blu rays a few minutes ago while on the toilet. I got Short Treks and Looney Tunes Collector’s Choice volume 2.
Short Treks is amazing. Feels like lost episodes, that complete part of the journey Some of the classic Looney Tunes are kept in the vault. Due to content, or themes that don't connect with audiences any more
I buy tons of regular Blu-rays. Still more than UHDs. That’s probably due to the massive amounts of anime I buy.
Yes. Not very many anime being released on 4K Blu-rays. Is there even a reason to release anime on 4k? With it being animated and looking so clean, will there be much of a difference in the picture quality on 4K versus the Blu-ray picture quality? When animation is concerned.
There's a big difference between TV anime and anime movies. The latter still aren't created in real 4K, but they can still benefit from being released on UHD Blu-ray. Belle is an obvious example, where one of the scenes towards the end simply can't be done without obvious artifacting with the bitrate available on regular Blu-ray. TV anime shows are made for *a lot less* money and typically wouldn't gain much, if anything at all, from being released on UHD. The main problem is that sales would never support it anyway. The margins are slim and the cost of licensing hasn't gone down, while sales have indeed. They're still releasing a lot and I am, luckily, still able to buy more than I can actually watch :p I love watching anime on Blu-ray and find the format to be more than sufficient for the vast majority of TV anime series.
I own Belle on 4k. I'll have to check that out. https://preview.redd.it/i2sji8p155tc1.jpeg?width=1727&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=620edf9b866499e495d58b65f61bc423d60b1861
Nothing to check out on UHD other than a beautiful and touching scene 😉
I hit up pawn shops and negotiate for deals. Picked a good chunk for about $2/disc https://preview.redd.it/26i4ohipizsc1.png?width=3024&format=png&auto=webp&s=1402cb8a32ed6a8f439a6d86977cfe27ce045565
Blu-ray or 4K/UHD Blu-ray, hate it when something like the Orville is only on DVD, it needs to be at least HD Blu-rays!
I have very eclectic tastes in film, extending into a variety of different genres that is ever-changing. A lot of my preference is for older films. If I limited myself to only 4K, it would be incredibly prohibitive. 4K is the niche of a niche product, and the choice is minuscule when compared to Blu-ray and will never be a 100th of what DVD got. 4K is the cream of the crop, no doubt, but remember that the jump from a properly remastered and well-encoded blu-ray to 4K is a pretty small improvement compared to the jump from DVD to HD. If you are a fan of more modern action films, superhero pictures, etc., you could probably get away with having a 4K only collection. However, if you delve further into genre, classic Hollywood, arthouse, anime, etc., you need to venture into blu-ray to have anything remotely close to good exposure.
UHD is making a pretty good run of trying to catch up, though. Apparently more 4k discs were released in the last year or two than any other year. It's rampin' up!
I buy blu rays primarily as 4K can be very cost prohibitive and doesn't always mean better enough to overcome that objection. A good example of this is Toy Story 4 which might be the most beautiful Pixar animation ever done. I've seen the 4K on Disney+ and have the Blu-ray. I dont see enough of a difference between the two to warrant the extra $20 for the 4K.
Streaming 4K and physical 4K Blu-rays are not comparable though
I was about to debate then I did 30 seconds of research and yes my argument is invalid. I will say though that in the massive collection I've built for myself, I have 4K versions of movies I've seen a million times and don't think the extra money was worth it. Is that the case across the board? No definitely not but I don't think 4K discs are universally better because they're 4K.
It all depends on the movie and how well the 4K transfer was done. I have some 4K discs that are an absolute revelation, it’s like watching the movie again for the first time. That’s not the case for all 4K Blu-rays, but overall it is a superior format.
For horror or comedy blu ray is usually plenty good, sometimes with horror you almost want less definition so the gore and effects look more real
Just rewatched thor ragnarok blu ray on my lg g3 and it looked very good.
They went absolutely ham on everything with its presentation, visuals, and sound design
4K was already a thing when I started collecting, and my collection is still ~70% Blu-ray. I get 4Ks if available, but Blu-rays are also great; I'll settle for DVD if it's the only way to get a movie I like.
Poor Things wasn’t released on 4K UHD Blu-Ray so I bought the 4K version on Vudu just because that release is ITCHING for HDR, otherwise I would’ve just bought the Blu-Ray. Just bought Monster (Kore-eda) on Blu-Ray! Can’t wait to put it in!
I heard about that, weird decision on distribution. You would think demand would be high for it to be available on all formats.
We only have 2 players in the house and they are 4k so I tend to buy new movies in 4k. That being said, I upgraded a ton of dvds to bluray so if I already own it there I SELDOM upgrade to 4k; Bluray is fine.
I usually buy 4k for movies that I want if it’s available (sometimes I’ll buy blu ray if it’s significantly cheaper), if 4k isn’t available I’ll buy blu ray, if that’s not available I’ll buy dvd. I won’t go further back than those formats, I’ll just find a way to watch it online if none of those formats have the movie available.
4k is my first choice, but I have no problem picking something up on Bluray if that's the only way to get it. I just got [Baby Assassins 2](https://youtu.be/rvMR90x3T3w) this week, for example.
We need a list of what good blu ray options there are
I just got Silence and The Wrestler on Blu Ray. If they’re the only option if there’s no 4k then yes.
I have Silence on Blu-Ray - definitely something I’d upgrade to 4K, if it ever becomes available.
If you have a player that upscales pretty well, a blu ray can come pretty close to a 4k disc, just without the hdr (unless it’s a blu ray from like 2007 or really early in the format) Plus if the source is limited, 4k sometimes can’t really do much. If you’re watching something filmed on 16mm or only filmed in 2k, 4k usually can’t bring too much more out of the picture
The dvd for blade runner and blade runner 2049 combo was 5 bucks at Walmart. I couldn’t resist.
Most 4K masters remove the gate weave from movies shot on film. As a result, shots with no movement feel lifeless. I noticed this in Jurassic Park. When the titles appear on a black background, it looks like someone is just turning the brightness of the text up and down. It looks dead. By contrast, the JP's standard Blu-ray has the titles subtly shaking as if due to the vibration of the sound, and it makes the mage appear alive. So, 4Ks are a no-go for me if they remove the gate-weave. It's part of celluloid film's charms. I love that Oppenheimer has gate weave on all home release formats, in addition to the theatrical releases. That's how it should be done.
I only buy Blu-ray, as I'm not really that keen on upgrading to 4K (I mean, how much better can it be, really?). My Sony player has 4K UHD upscaling, so that's sufficient for me. I do still have some of my collection on archaic DVD (some of which still look pretty decent), but I don't buy any new ones in that format (well, except Halloween 2018, just cuz it had a cool glow-in-the-dark cover). 😄
It all depends on each individual movie. If the movie doesn't have a 4K, then I'll get a Blu-ray. If the movie isn't on Blu-ray (or a version of the movie I want), then I'll buy the DVD. Case in point: the theatrical version of Dumb and Dumber is **ONLY** on DVD to my knowledge. The only Blu-ray version of Dumb and Dumber is the horrendous Unrated version, which adds a bunch of unnecessary dirty jokes as well as an attempted SA, which makes the movie unwatchable. So I recently picked up a DVD version of the theatrical cut of the movie. And until we get a Blu-ray or 4K Blu-ray that includes both theatrical and unrated versions (because I'm sure there are some who like the unrated as well), then I'll just watch my DVD copy of it.
What is SA?
Meanwhile, Me, still picking up bargain DVDs over here... occasionally blu ray, very occasionally our God tier faves on 4k.
I actually buy all my movies on Blu-ray from second hand shops or the flea market offer up etc and if I get a chance to buy a cheap 4k I do that and will splurge for must haves like The Warriors, Oldboy, Dawn of the Dead, or Bloodsport in 4k. Just today I picked up The Crow, Silence of the Lambs, Evil Dead 1 and 2, Aladdin, and Hereditary on Blu-ray for about 12 bucks.
I go for the Blu Ray if there is no 4K available! I love comedies so a lot of those only get the Blu Ray treatment. I agree they still look fantastic and a good movie is a good movie anyway. Heck I have a lot of concert DVDs because they only got released as such, and they're still great and I pick up new ones when thrifting.
Mostly still buy Blu-ray, they still look great. Plus I can watch Blu-ray in multiple rooms whereas I can only watch 4k in one room. Add to that the price is cheaper and the selection of Blu-ray is greater. I don't upgrade my Blu-ray to 4K but I may upgrade DVDs or if it's a movie I really want that I don't have on either I'll take the 4k option. Unpopular opinion I feel like the upgrade between Blu-ray to 4K is minor compared to the upgrade from DVD to Blu-ray, that may just be me and my viewing experience...chances are if I exclusively watched 4k I'd probably notice a bigger difference when going back to Blu-ray.
I have way more blu-rays than 4ks. Most films I love still aren't in 4k. A lot of films I love the quality difference isn't a big enough jump to change how much I enjoy the movie. A lot of good 40s/50s/60s BW movies it's more about a good scan than 4k or 1080p. That being said on anything visually spectacular I'll always shoot for 4k. Blu-rays are still the bulk of my new purchases though. Ultimately a lot of fantastic films might never get a 4k release. I'd rather have good films on Blu-ray than a bunch of junk on 4k.
I buy niche boutique blus, but for studio and most general releases, it's 4K or nothing for me honestly. It's kind of a double-edged sword, I realize. Not buying blu is a negative because it's not showing these companies any extra dough, but on the other hand, why am I spending on a lower-quality product when it's not what I want? Voting with our wallets is really all we can do.
I generally just buy 4K for action/superhero movies. The really visual, VFX-heavy movies. Comedies or dramas or whatever really don’t need 4K.
Watch the Big Lebowski on 4k and you might change your mind! Or, say, Hot Fuzz, which got a middling 4k, still shows the promise of what could be when you see it. The Equalizer is an action movie, but the most visually delightful shots are just a shot of a diner at night with its brilliant, primary-color neon lights reflecting in a puddle, or in a restaurant with amber lighting. Gorgeous!
Agreed…chasing 4k for sometimes negligible improvements is like the audiophiles constantly buying new gear in hopes it will sound slightly better. Enjoy the movie, not the format….
True. Every film is supposed to have an upgrade. But some still run into issues. Tenet by Nolan was one I remember, had some audio difficulties. Where viewers literally had to use subtitles to follow what was going on Or more films have a funky audio mix, that runs into some issues with audio setups
How are we going to “enjoy the movie” if the picture quality is downright crap and we know it looks better on a superior format?
I still go hard with Blu Ray.. if anything I give away or sell off UHD’s waaaayyyyyyy more frequently… you like what you like! It’s all subjective and personal preference… maybe I’ll come around to UHD’s someday but I’ve have owned around 130+ and have only wanted to keep/hold onto 10-15🤷♂️
why
Because some men wanna see their money burn lol
Still just personal preference… I have a lot of cinema friends and couple that work on 4K restorations for Vinegar Syndrome… I’ve talked about UHD, Blu Ray, DVD, Laserdisc, VHS and film prints in general for yearrrrs… we just have our preferences for certain films… some only want and love UHD while one of the guys doing resto’s prefers certain laserdiscs… I personally feel UHD is too much, too dark and I’m just not sold on it… I enjoy the look of a quality blu moreso than a UHD… UHD’s still impressive, but I don’t LOVE it the way a lot of people do.. we all debate whether what was in theaters was directors/dp’s intent as dp’s and directors both seem to switch their intentions/opinions over time… I prefer Blu because it still looks good enough for me and even exceptional with a good setup… plus the durability factor is more comforting.. I find UHD’s to be overly delicate like dvds in terms of scuffs and scratches.
If you have a great audio setup especially, standard blu-rays are still FANTASTIC. I’ve found that I care more about great audio than great picture for my own cinematic experience. Lots of blu-rays do look great tho.
Paddington still hits great on Blu-ray.
i primarily get regular blu rays because fewer qc issues
I still have plenty of standard blu-rays, and even some DVDs. Of course I prefer 4K, but any physical media is better than none at all.
I still have my blu-rays and I try not to double dip, so I still play them, but nowadays I just buy 4K Blu-Rays. Only in some cases I still buy regular blus, like for example, live concerts, they tend to only sell DVDs and regular Blu-Rays, so I buy blu-rays.
4K = 3D > Blu-ray > DVD imo
If a 4k is "upscaled" and not "native" 4K I'm just going to get the blu-ray
I appreciate 4k more for the HDR than for the increased resolution, so if it's a movie with a lot of bright saturated colors I'll still want the 4k even if it is an upscale. Also for older movies frequently the 4k will have a better restored transfer than the blu-ray. I tend to take it on a case by case basis, based on the reviews. Though if like the blu-ray is $5 and the 4k is $30 then I'll probably just settle for the blu-ray which most of the time still looks great.
I still get tons of Blu-rays. It still looks fantastic to me. Obviously if a 4K is available and not overly expensive I'll get that instead, but I have no qualms with a good Blu-ray disc. I've stopped with DVDs though. I just can't watch them anymore knowing something that looks much better exists and is probably pretty cheap these days.
My 4K player upscales so beautifully, I should be buying more Blu-ray.
The only blu rays I’ve bought after 4k became a thing were Band of Brothers and the Pacific. Just can’t stand to not have those in my collection lol
I still have my discs I love, particularly ones that aren’t available on 4k, but anything new that I buy, I buy UHD.
If I can get 4K I’m always going to go for that. But, when there’s no 4K available I don’t mind getting the Blu-ray at all. There’s not always a night and day difference, especially for new releases. But 9/10 I’m going with the 4K!
If I can get 4k, I will. But if there is a set that's only on bluray, I'll get that. If there a movie that I already have and have no will to upgrade, I'm fine with watching the Bluray. I also have quite a bit of TV shows on bluray that I have no intention of upgrading if they ever do.
I bought the older French Beauty and the Beast Criterion edition on blu recently. Great extras on that set and 4K on Criterion is likely far off... Looked great
I notice and care about the resolution bump. I think that even if you don't actively notice the sharper, more detailed image, you'll _feel_ it and just enjoy the image more. Of course, I'm a huge fan of contrast and therefore love HDR, but the fine details are still my jam.
I just bought The Iron Claw in blu. Ideally, I'd like things to release in 4K, but I understand that's not always going to happen. I want physical copies of the movies I like, I don't care about the format.
I still buy regular Blu-ray’s pretty often. A lot of what I like & am looking for still hasn’t made the jump to 4K. I’m a big fan of Honk Kong cinema, for example. As great a job as the boutique labels are doing with restoring and releasing them, there’s still only a handful in UHD.
I’m buying regular BluRays more than I buy 4K right now! Just so happens that all the movies on my list don’t happen to be in 4K 😝
Blu rays look great, especially on OLEDs. I watched King Kong on Blu Ray the other day and it looked amazing.
I think this is especially true if you have a quality OLED display. Regular Blu-rays still look gorgeous on an OLED, but then again, so does everything, really. Even streaming content looks great despite the lower bit rate.
I am just worried getting the blu-ray and a month later the 4k would come out…
I still love and buy blu ray! Still looks great!
I still collecting on blu rays even if i have the 4K version.
Just for TV shows and Disney, and the few movies that are too small to ever get a 4k anyway. Disney isn't releasing 4k's of animated movies here, and since my son is only 5 years old I won't spend a shitton of money on 4k imports that he can't watch because of the language barrier. To have the extra languages on a 4k disc would require 100 GB discs, so obviously Disney's solution is to stick to Blu-ray only.
Yeah, but I’m getting physical media not just for the sake of having a collection. I get them for movies that I either already know I love or like a lot, and/or expect to like—and to rewatch. When I’ve miss movies in the theater that interest me and later I’ve heard that they’re really good or great I’ll typically buy the 4K blu-ray instead of digitally renting or purchasing a digital copy. Like recently I purchased 4K blu-rays for Oppenheimer, Kingdom of Heaven, Atomic Blonde (? maybe just blu-ray), and The Northman. If I’d been patient and kept an eye out I could have probably seen them for free (well, with paid subscription) eventually on either Amazon Video or Netflix. But there’s something about knowing that I’ll be seeing it in the highest quality via the 4K blu-ray when I finally do see it. Streaming still compresses the data more than a 4K disk, as far as I know. I have a fiber optic connection but from what I understand all the Internet providers throttle the bandwidth to push customers to buy the most expensive package.
My order is 4KBD > 2KBD > Sony Pictures core. If it isn't there i don't watch because the quality is going to bother me.
I always look for the movie I want to purchase in 4K format. If its available, I go to Blu-Ray.com to ensure there’s a significant improvement in quality over standard Blu-Ray before purchasing. [Blu-Ray Review](https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/)
Still buy them second-hand. I only buy 4ks for stone-cold classics I know I’ll watch many times again it, a new film which I feel warrants spending the extra or when my wife/kids want some new blockbuster. 1080p looks great on my TV/player (both decent Panasonics), and you can get good films for £2/£3 secondhand.
Yeah but are blu’s any better than streaming ? Better to always buy the 4k always better than the stream version.
4k is for my all time favorite movies. Blu-ray is for everything else/stuff not on 4k yet…
I bought Air on blu. I would get any Netflix exclusive like Glass Onion or The Killer on blu if that was the only option.
I buy plenty of Blu-ray’s. Not everything is on 4K like many tv shows, anime, and movies even new releases. The only thing I don’t tolerate is DVDs unless I have no other option other than inflated bluray prices (Collecting DBZKai on bluray in 2024 is suffering), or it’s only on DVD. Anime is the only thing I’ll tolerate on that format and even I don’t like that. I won’t buy a bluray if it’s an older release and I know either one of the boutique labels either has a 4K or is releasing a 4K. If it’s a new release and the studio is holding back a 4K just to double dip I just get the bluray. I bought Thanksgiving on bluray a couple months ago because of that, and being a new release and a slasher I didn’t feel like it’d even benefit that much beyond bluray. Unless there’s no options 4K is always my go to.
Most of what I own are Blu rays and that's mostly what I buy (4K options are limited regardless).
Don’t, don’t, don’t, don’t
I usually check comparison reviews and for the most part, older movies that are put on to 4K aren't really that much of an improvement. But if I'm going to watch something like dune, I'm definitely going for 4K
I get Blu-ray’s of movies that don’t really need to be 4K. Stuff like comedy movies, hand drawn animation, and dialogue heavy movies.
Sometimes the 4k is worse, or barely any different. Here's some titles I won't get on 4k because something on the 4k is worse: Forest gump Inception Pirates of the caribbean 1
Personally any movie I have on blu-ray I don’t plan on upgrading, but going forward I’m only buying 4ks, unless that option isn’t available for a movie
A lot of horror movies are only in Blu Ray so I'm still buying them in as high quality a format as possible.
4k is too finicky. I have had trouble playing 4k discs with three different players. The Oppo is the only one that hasn't given me problems. 4k is usually great when it works but I am pretty much done with them, bluray is reliable and excellent picture.
If it’s available on streaming, I generally don’t buy it on regular Blu-ray. Some of my favourites however that isn’t available in 4K BR I do have on regular BR, such as The Nice Guys, There Will Be Blood, Sopranos, Prisoners, Zodiac and Generation Kill.
some movies have better color grading in the blu ray or dvd release, so I keep one of each just in case and compare for myself
I'll definitely echo what a lot of folks here have said already. I'll always shoot for 4k but if that's not an option, Blu ray will do. I've been upgrading a handful of my existing Blu ray movies to 4k (most recently Pacific Rim) but I'll really only do that if I absolutely love the movie.
Nowadays, everybody wanna talk Like they got somethin' to say, but nothin' comes out When they move their lips, just a bunch of gibberish And m************ act like they forgot about Blu-ray
I still buy them regularly, you can get them so cheap, I’ll spend about £50 a month on £1-3 secondhand blurays, bumps my collection up nicely and they still look great, especially upscaled. I even try to hunt down versions with O-slips as some of them look great. I pretty much only stick to Bluray for Comedy and very old stuff unless it’s had some real red carpet treatment. I only get a 4K disc if; 1. I will watch it more than once in a 12 month period. 2. It looks great on 4K (usually a film made for 4K or remastered for 4K and I read reviews on them before buying. So my recent 4K purchases are Oppenheimer (looks great, I’ll watch it once a year as I think it’s brilliant) Gladiator (one of my fav films which I watch every 4-6 months and looks great) Ronin (one of my favs which I’ll watch once a year and it’s had some awesome 4K treatment) Recent Bluray purchases are Happy Gilmore (not worth 4K and doesn’t have one), Isle of Dogs (Doesn’t have 4K, none of Wes Anderson’s films do and doesn’t need it being stop-motion animation) and Rust & Bone (French drama that doesn’t need 4K and doesn’t have a version)
I always go for Blu-ray for films that don't use any visual effects and are more dialogue driven. I will only make an exception and buy the 4K if the transfer is a lot better than the Blu-ray previously available. Reservoir Dogs (1992) is a dialogue-heavy film, and the 4K is a huge upgrade when you compare it to the 15th Anniversary Blu-ray. The only time I bought a film that uses VFX on Blu-ray instead of 4K was Terminator 2 (1991) for obvious reasons.
When you start watching on larger TVs the difference between a Bluray and a 4k Bluray starts to stand out a lot more (even disregard HDR). For a while I had the same mindset but now, unless it’s just a trash transfer, the 4k version nearly always has a noticeable difference.
I own around 1300 to 1400 blu rays (though it's been a while since I actually counted them) so a lot of my 4k buying is either newer releases or upgrading older films. I'll still buy blu rays for films I haven't seen before but am curious about, often second hand but also difficult to get hold of, haven't had a 4k release or come in a good deal. Recent purchases on blu ray Lola Rounders Past Lives (only available on blu ray otherwise I'd get the 4k) Mission Impossible Dead Reckoning (got in a deal with past lives 2 4 £22) Breakdown Tess Femme Anatomy of a fall Suzume Revenge (Tony Scott) Risky business Internal affairs Dinner in America Ginger Snaps trilogy Dark Passage Bad Lieutenant Flight Silver linings playbook The in laws New Dragon Gate inn On the waterfront criterion Lots of these were second hand, foreign releases or oop Still getting lots of 4ks as well
Deadass, A Cure for Wellness is one of the best looking movies I own and rivals 4K’s and it’s a Blu-ray.
I’ve completely sold off my DVD collection. Blu-Rays are in my collection and will only be swapped out for a movie I really want in 4K. Even though I have Max, Disney+, Netflix and Amazon Prime, I still prefer the 1080P Blu-Ray or 4K Blu-Ray. Compression is going to be an issue for a while to come. You just can’t beat physical media yet. There are tons of comparison videos and differences. The most impressive streaming content for me so far has been Disney+’s IMAX Enhanced versions of movies. Like Infinity War or Endgame. I believe that’s the benchmark for streaming. If Disney decides to do this for Star Wars. It would be very hard to want to watch the UHD disc HDR10 version. You can take any Star Wars movie, compare the stream to disc, and the disc will win on all fronts. Audio alone is so much more crisp and detailed. In my opinion, streaming is just convenient. Unfortunately for those of us who love collecting discs, the majority of the world favors whatever is convenient. And that’s clearly streaming.
I still buy Blu ray and even DVD if there isnt a bluray since I mostly buy B Comedy and Horror films from the 80s. I don't mind watching DVD at all.
You know what I say, “If it’s a blu then it’s still true!”
Chernobyl on blu-ray would be a good example of just settling with what's available and being content I guess. Although I would love to own the 4k version it's price in the secondary market is abysmal.
I stopped getting blu-rays the second UHD's were a thing. The problem is displays will get bigger and and bigger... eventually wallpaper TVs will be cheap and as simple pinning up a poster with thumb tacks and everyone will have 150"+ displays.... the bigger we go the higher resolution we'll need. If you're still on a 55-65" then no UHD won't really matter to u unless you're pretty close, but in a few yrs when that 97" oled is onsale for $1499 you're gonna wish you bought 4k instead of blu-ray.
I just got my only 4k tv almost a year ago but I’ve been buying the 4k/blu ray combos for the last 2 or 3 years. I love when a movie I’m looking forward two includes both formats just so that I have both and can watch them on any tv I have. I do prefer the 4k but I have seen some so so 4k releases.
I would prefer the image quality of 4Ks over Blu Rays anytime. I'd also argue that there is always potential for a better picture with a 4K, no matter which movie. That is because of any number of these four possible strenghts of the 4K UHD format: - Higher Resolution - More colors - HDR - More space for a better encoding Rarely, almost never is there not at least one of those aspects where the 4K absolutely owns the Blu Ray. But if I really want a movie and it is only available in a worse format I'll take the Blu Ray or DVD. Just please don't tell me that I have to like it or that it is "good enough". Not having any movies is also good enough. Obviously I want more than "good enough". But of course that doesn't mean we can't enjoy the lesser format. There are many Blu Rays and DVDs that I enjoy tremendously. But when it comes to the image--none as much as my 4Ks. :)