Video rental stores and Blu-ray

Hells Yeah!

It could depend on the individual store but most Blockbuster stores I've seen have a growing collection that isn't simply relegated to a single shelf anymore. Most new releases have a Blu-ray disc along with the DVD.

The Family Video near me has a few of the newer releases avail in Blu-ray. Approx 4 to 8 in the entire store. Normally titles that have 10 to 20 SD disks (half in Full Screen -- ugh) will have maybe one in BD format.

The Blockbuster near me has four shelves of Blu ray titles for rent. I haven't been to movie gallery in forever but they used to have HD DVDs for rent. Now that Blu ray has won, maybe they will have those availible too. Also you can rent Blu ray titles from Netflix.

Yup, Blockbuster has loads of BluRay DVDs for rent and buy (however I would not buy from them as they usually charge $3-5 more than places like Walmart) The Blockbuster by my place has 4 shelves as well and usually has at least 8 copies of the newest release.

Netflix has them, too, in case you were wondering. But it'll cost you an extra dollar a month. :doh:

I'm wondering, has anyone had a problem with their rentals? I've just got my first Blu Ray player and have read that the slightest smudge or scratch can render the disc useless. I've rented some pretty bad dvd copies and if this holds true then how do they do with the BD's?

brandonnash said:

I'm wondering, has anyone had a problem with their rentals? I've just got my first Blu Ray player and have read that the slightest smudge or scratch can render the disc useless. I've rented some pretty bad dvd copies and if this holds true then how do they do with the BD's?

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No real difference, Ive rented BluRay movies that were scratched up fairly bad and did not have issues.

Ok good. Don't feel so bad about going out and renting now. I only have 2 titles now since I just got my player last week, so renting will be my way to go for a while. I'm cheap, and new title's at $25 a pop are a little over the top in my opinion. Until the makers of dvd start slowing down production we'll keep seeing high prices for movies.

Netflix has tons of blu-rays as well and is much more convenient. Not sure if it's your cup of tea but definitely worth looking into. My fiancee and I love it.

mcallister said:

Netflix has tons of blu-rays as well and is much more convenient.

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How is the quality control? I've heard that the discs get really beat up before they replace them. Have you had playback issues with any because of this?

I had netflix for a while. I loved it, but my shift I was working switched to evenings giving me no time to watch movies for a while. Just haven't started it back up. It may be time. Is it true it's $1 more a month to have blu rays sent?

I’ve been with Netflix since the beginning. I get maybe one unplayable disk out of every 100. Their turn around is so fast that it really isn’t a problem. I would bet they don’t replace them until they get a complaint. I had one that as it got farther into the movie the more issues it had, when I took it out and turned it over to inspect the surface it fell in to two pieces held together by the label. I’m just glad it didn’t fly apart in my player.


Steve
http://www.kn7f.com/Theater/Finished/

tonyvdb said:

How is the quality control? I've heard that the discs get really beat up before they replace them. Have you had playback issues with any because of this?

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Like another poster mentioned I've only had maybe one or two discs have problems in the 3 or so years I've used netflix. And like said the turnaround time is awesome. I've sent movies out on a Wednesday and had new ones Friday and that happens more often than not.

steverc said:

I’ve been with Netflix since the beginning. I get maybe one unplayable disk out of every 100. Their turn around is so fast that it really isn’t a problem. I would bet they don’t replace them until they get a complaint. I had one that as it got farther into the movie the more issues it had, when I took it out and turned it over to inspect the surface it fell in to two pieces held together by the label. I’m just glad it didn’t fly apart in my player.


Steve
http://www.kn7f.com/Theater/Finished/

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Hey Steverc a bit off topic but bad theater you have there. Maggie 1.6? all around gotta love that. How's the maggie on it's side work for a center?

I think Blockbuster charges more for Blu-Ray rentals. I did one a few months ago and it was like $6 or $7. I started thinking that if it was a movie I wanted, I might as well spned the $25 and buy the thing. Then I started up with Netflix, primarily to stream on my XBOX 360, and decided to spend the $1/month. I've seen more movies on Blu-Ray in the last two months than I have seen at the theaters or on DVD the whole last year. I have yet to have a problem with Netflix Blu-Ray movies being scratched or otherwise not working.

my usage is similar to redduck....

I rent Blu-Ray DVD's from Netflix and I've never had one issue in a year that I've been a member.
any standard definition selection, if available, I stream through my Roku Netflix player.

The best part of Netflix is I watch movies that I would not normally watch and find that I like them a lot. If I get 3 movies a month, I am already ahead in the cost of Blockbuster. I probably would not have seen Spiderwick Chronicles if it were not for Netflix. Of course, I'm in the middle of Delta Farce right now and I was probably smarter before I started watching it. Blu-Ray doesn't do much for some movies, I have found out. Sci Fi and Action movies are awesome, I just wish more would come out quickly on Blu-Ray. Since I average 4 movies a week if I get them back in the mail quickly, or 16 a month, I am making out like crazy.