My Thoughts on Blu-Ray

 

 

With the holiday season approaching, one of the big electronic buys will probably be Blu-Ray players. Probably.

Maybe.

I’m not sure.

Problem is with the current state of the economy, Blu-Ray may not be the wisest of choices. For the sake of logic and pragmatics, let’s look at the pros and cons, shall we?

 

PRO: Blu-Ray delivers up to 7.1 Surround Sound.

CON: How much more sound is needed? I’ll grant you that 5.1 sound was a vast improvement over 4.1, 4.0, and 2.0, but really… How many more speakers do you need?

 

PRO: Blu-Ray delivers High-Def picture quality, and can even improve the picture quality on existing DVDs.

CON: That’s probably true, but first you need a TV set that is HD/Plasma/LCD. And that TV has to have more than a 40 inch screen in order for you to TELL the difference. And you’re looking at a TV that costs at least $1,000 (if not more).

 

PRO: Blu-Ray discs can be played on a Playstation PS3.

CON: I’m not sure if ALL Blu-Ray discs are compatible. Maybe they are. I remember not all DVDs being compatible with PS2s; just a word of caution. Out of curiosity, didn’t you buy the PS3 to play video games?

 

PRO: New titles are added every day.

CON: Yeah, but I have 170 DVDs in my apartment, and that’s 1/5 of my overall collection. How long will it be before “Star Wars,” “Back to the Future,” or “Once Upon a Time in the West,” is released on Blu-Ray? I have way too much money in my collection to switch over now. Will my DVDs then become like the 99-cent bin when VHS was getting kicked to the curb?

 

PRO: You’ll be able to purchase a DVD player for as little as $179.

CON: Yeah. And the TV for $1,000 and the Surround Sound for…

 

PRO: Blu-Rays are affordable.

CON: So is a 1974 Manta Mirage, if you’ve got the money. DVDs are cheaper and have a larger back catalog, somewhere to the tune of $3-$10.

 

PRO: Blu-Ray discs are more interactive, showing exclusive background information and content while the movie is playing.

CON: Whatever happened to watching the movie? Do we need more stuff for Generation ADD to not pay attention to? If I want to know more, I buy the Ultra Hermetically-Sealed- with-Special- Collectible- Inside Limited Collector’s 3-Disc Version at participating retail stores.

 

PRO: If one is inclined, for the money Blu-Ray delivers the best movie-watching experience that money can buy.

CON: I’m lazy, single, and have no money.