Back when DVD first came out I spent a ton of money replacing many of my favourite VHS tapes with DVD’s, thinking that since they last forever it was a good investment. Now I own a Blu-ray player, one, in my HT room. I have a DVD player in my Van, my notebook computer, two other rooms in my house and 2 portable DVD players one each for my kids.

Now when I go to the store to buy a new movie, I am stuck with what format to purchase, and I am too cheap to buy both, suspect I am the only one. So do I get the DVD so my kids can watch it everywhere, or do I get the Blu-ray, so they can only watch in one room, but with better quality?

I have a great idea that will solve this problem. Since most people won’t buy both formats, and the cost of mass producing these disks (Blu-ray or DVD) is tiny (must be less than a dollar each), why not put both disks in one box and charge a few bucks more. Now I don’t have a decision to make. This would surly drive not only Blu-ray disks sales but blu-ray players also. The adoption of the new format by the masses would be that much faster. And since you are charging more for both, but not as much as if you bought them independently the value to the customer goes way up. It becomes a win win scenario. The companies would actually sell the same number of disks, but at a higher profit margin and the consumer doesn’t feel like they are getting ripped off, this equals real value to the customer. This seem like a no-brainier to me. Why hasn’t anyone put this into practice yet?

I even suspect that there would be a large part of the population that doesn’t have a Blu-ray player would buy the “combo” set because they know that Blu-ray is eventually going to be the dominant format.

This morning I bought the new Star Trek blu-ray (the one at Best Buy with the model Enterprise the stores the disks in the saucer sect – VERY COOL). I would have gladly paid a couple bucks more to get the DVD also.

You thoughts???

paul

My Up!, and Monsters, Inc. Blu-rays both included a DVD. I believe all Disney titles are that way now. Actually for the Snow White release you picked if you wanted the DVD box which came with a bonus Blu-ray, or the Blu-ray box which came with a bonus DVD.

Up included a DVD recently, and I'm sure there are others.

Chris is faster on the draw.

Disney does that since parents need to play the disks everywhere for the kids. That was the great advantage of HDDVDs as they able to print on the same disks.

I wouldn't pay more for a DVD included in a blu Ray, they already charge extra for the Blu Ray compared to the DVD alone. I do like the idea of simply including a DVD with the Blu-Ray as you said, it most likely costs a dollar more on their end to produce both and in the end BR would displace the DVD as the norm as people would buy a BR player since they now have a BR disc. I may buy UP! and Snow White just so I can justify buying an Oppo to my wife

And riddled will nearly 50 words to before you could barely get 10 off.

It's cool that Disney does this, I didn't know that. Now it's time for the other movie copanies to do it.

paul

I blame my italics.

Wow, that was a serious misfire on my second volley. I wanted to say, "And riddled you with nearly 50..." I have nothing to blame but my brain/finger interconnect.