Topic: Oops I did it again

[Kathy]

Damn blu ray prices were so low this weekend I picked up a couple more. I finally got Kick Ass in the combo pack. The others are just blu ray but the prices were much cheaper than the plain DVDs.

So, I guess my next DVD player will need to play plain DVDs as well as blu ray...if they make them that way. Does anyone know if any player can play both formats?

If not, then my mom will be getting some really good new DVDs!

[Critter]

All blu-ray players play normal DVD's as well as blu-rays. Most good blu-ray players will also enhance the quality of a normal DVD when played in the blu player.

[Jimmy]

Does anyone know if any player can play both formats?

They do, but don't forget that your region 2 dvds will not play anymore in it, unless you get a region free BR player...

Kathy now that you want to make the jump you make me feel like a guy who is affraid of new technologies

[addicted2dvd]

I won't be making the jump any time soon.

That is mainly because I am stuck with a standard 24in TV... and don't see a HDTV in my future any time soon. And I don't know if...

1. A BR player can be hooked to a standard TV
2. Would it even be worth it at all for a Standard TV... would I get anything at all better then standard DVD quality out of it.

[Kathy]

Does anyone know if any player can play both formats?

They do, but don't forget that your region 2 dvds will not play anymore in it, unless you get a region free BR player...

Kathy now that you want to make the jump you make me feel like a guy who is affraid of new technologies

I forgot about my region 2 DVDs - thanks Jimmy.

I haven't made the move yet. The DVDs I picked up that only have the blu ray were so cheap I couldn't pass them up. Here's what I picked up:

Angels & Demons $5
Batman Begins    $4.99
The Dark Knight     $4.99
The Hurt Locker    $9.99 * This one is a present for my mom
Kick-Ass (Three-Disc Blu-ray/DVD/Digital Copy)    $9.99          
Mad Men Season 1    $9.99
Mad Men Season 2    $9.99
Mad Men Season 3    $9.99
Predators (I think this one was a Blu ray/DVD/Digital Copy too)   $9.99
The Princess Bride (20th Anniversary Edition)    $3.99
My Sister's Keeper    $3.99
Saving Private Ryan (Sapphire Edition)    $9.99 * Another gift for my mom
Slumdog Millionaire    $3.99    
The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3    $4.99
The Wrestler    $3.99  
 
They can join my huge unwatched pile until I upgrade both my TV and DVD player. And, who knows when that will be!

I didn't own any of these and I did want them. So, even if the improvement over the regular DVD isn't much I figured I'd buy the blu ray version since they were so reasonably priced.

Has seen these on blu ray? Is there a difference?

Edit: I need to stay away from Amazon's cyber Monday (yeah right!). I just picked up another blu ray:
Dollhouse: Season One:    $9.99

Edit 2: I hope Karsten enjoys his few cents from all my shopping!

[Najemikon]

In the UK at least, I find that Blu-Ray players tend to be multi-region DVD pretty much as standard.

It's very confusing actually because I would love a multi-region Blu-Ray player so I could get some of the Criterion Blus, but if you Google "multi region blu-ray player", you get thousands of results and all of them are "Plays any DVD and Region B Blu-Ray!" 

Ripping off manufacturers to find secret tricks and cracks was easy peasy with standard DVD! 

So, just to be clear, my player will play any DVD I throw at it, but only Region B Blu...

[Dr. Hasslein]

I got a free Sony Blu-ray player with my new TV. When I discovered that it played my region 1 DVDs I assumed that it was Blu-ray region free so I went and purchased the Planet of the Apes Collection on Blu-ray from Amazon. Only to find out that it wouldn't play. 

[Blair]

*dances to the Britney Spears music*

. . . oh, that's not what you meant?

I won't be making the jump any time soon.

That is mainly because I am stuck with a standard 24in TV... and don't see a HDTV in my future any time soon.

[Achim]

1. A BR player can be hooked to a standard TV
2. Would it even be worth it at all for a Standard TV... would I get anything at all better then standard DVD quality out of it.

No. An upgrade to Blu-ray for media also requires an upgrade to a HD TV.

[MEJHarrison]

1. A BR player can be hooked to a standard TV
2. Would it even be worth it at all for a Standard TV... would I get anything at all better then standard DVD quality out of it.

No. An upgrade to Blu-ray for media also requires an upgrade to a HD TV.

While I've not tried it myself, I don't believe that's true.  You can play Blu-rays on a regular TV as far as I know.  Why would you?

1) Better colors.  Would you notice?  Maybe, maybe not.
2) Better sound if you have the equipment to handle it.  Though I suspect those with the good audio systems will likely already have an HDTV.
3) If you're a fan of bonus material, some movies on Blu-ray really shine here.
4) You can start building your Blu-ray library now and enjoy it all over again if you eventually get an HD set.

[Jimmy]

Mark do you mean that we can always use the red-white-yellow extension (I don't know the english word for it) as it's the case for the dvd reader?

[Tom]

While I've not tried it myself, I don't believe that's true.  You can play Blu-rays on a regular TV as far as I know.  Why would you?

I don't know if it is the case with all player, but mine only has an HDMI video output. As far as I know, only HDTVs have HDMI video input.

[hal9g]

While I've not tried it myself, I don't believe that's true.  You can play Blu-rays on a regular TV as far as I know.  Why would you?

I don't know if it is the case with all player, but mine only has an HDMI video output. As far as I know, only HDTVs have HDMI video input.

That's my understanding as well.

[Achim]

1. A BR player can be hooked to a standard TV
2. Would it even be worth it at all for a Standard TV... would I get anything at all better then standard DVD quality out of it.

No. An upgrade to Blu-ray for media also requires an upgrade to a HD TV.

While I've not tried it myself, I don't believe that's true.  You can play Blu-rays on a regular TV as far as I know.  Why would you?

1) Better colors.  Would you notice?  Maybe, maybe not.
2) Better sound if you have the equipment to handle it.  Though I suspect those with the good audio systems will likely already have an HDTV.
3) If you're a fan of bonus material, some movies on Blu-ray really shine here.
4) You can start building your Blu-ray library now and enjoy it all over again if you eventually get an HD set.

But that was my point. He asked if he would see the upgrade on his standard TV and I said No. If you upgrade to Blu-ray, you really "need" to upgrade the TV as well or it's a waste. At least that is what I wanted to say, maybe I worded it wrong,

[addicted2dvd]

While at Walmart yesterday... I looked at 2 different Blu Ray players (1 was $98 and the other $128)... and when I looked at the back of them I see they will indeed hook up to a standard TV. Now whether it is worth it... where you see any noticeable difference or not... that is a whole different story.