I *really* hate that they’re selling uncomplete TV seasons at the same/near same price as what they used to sell. That was a shock.

I really wasn’t sold on the entire HD-DVD/Bluray format until I bought a 56″ DLP + 1080p upscaling DVD player this Christmas. I can see graininess in my DVDs now (couldn’t before). Now I can see the benefit to the new format, but I still think I’d be more likely to go with a “movie on demand” download service before switching to HD-DVD/Bluray.

To answer your “what’s the point to keep going?” To keep growing the collection and sell before the peak value drops. You should be able to get at least 50 cents on the dollar for your collection now at eBay (and possibly a little more if sold as a total collection). You can then start over and only buy quality like you want in a different format.

Our favorite DVDs to buy are probably complete TV seasons, I think, which at the lower end ($20) are a great bargain. The lame ones are the partial or best of TV seasons that are somewhat deceptively packaged. You have to check to make sure the word “complete” is listed somewhere on the box. Bought a few TV seasons where they weren’t actually complete.

- i realized that i just wasn’t watching all of what i owned; and aside from a few really good movies i really want each year, i pretty much own every movie i love and would watch over and over in the future.

there are favorites and classics, and those guilty pleasures, sure. but all in all, it just doesn’t make sense collecting movies i might forget and/or never get around to again. it’s not to say they all are bad movies, but with on-demand, in-demand, cable- and everything else available, it doesn’t make sense to own so many. and on top of that, i don’t have enough time to watch 300+ movies repeatedly, especially when there’s many i will watch several times a year before touching one i haven’t watched in 2. there’s still about 25 VHS tapes i purchased years ago that i never replaced with DVD- and with no VCR in the house for at least 5 years now. Further still, there’s probably 30 or 40 DVD’s my wife purchased and never even watched. “Honey, why are you watching that on cable when we own it?” happens all the time.

well, i think i had myself convinced my impulse buys and collection of classics was necessary. i don’t regret what i have, or the thousands i’ve spent, but i know the buck has to stop somewhere. HD-DVD/Blu Ray is coming, and there’s probably a couple dozen movies i love that i would upgrade formats for (if and when a format and reasonable market is established) - but i agree the visual difference is negligible for the other 200+ in my collection.

so in the future: quality, not quantity. i don’t see DVD going away any time soon, especially with backwards compatibility in players. and even though the cheap DVD deals popping up each week are tempting, what’s the point to keep going? with digital cable going HD and monthly movie subscription services like Blockbuster and Netflix providing great deals, there’s a reality most common consumers will start to (hopefully) realize: the home movie experience really is quality and budget friendly choice, not personal quantity. the decline of the market for home media in 2006, i imagine, will continue in 2007. we all fell in love with the advent of true, quality home theater- but i really believe we’re starting see enough is enough.