Warners to go BluRay exclusively

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382 posts

Ultimate Geek

#103767 9-Jan-2008 11:16

After erroneously ordering a couple of region locked BD movies from Amazon I found this site which tells you if they are region free or not (I think there are other databases out there too). I also found that Amazon's assessment of region encoding was not always correct.

BTW, I found Amazon's returns system amazingly efficient and they even refunded the shipping costs.

Good luck: http://www.blu-raystats.com/index.php

old3eyes

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#103782 9-Jan-2008 11:49

tstone: After erroneously ordering a couple of region locked BD movies from Amazon I found this site which tells you if they are region free or not (I think there are other databases out there too). I also found that Amazon's assessment of region encoding was not always correct.

BTW, I found Amazon's returns system amazingly efficient and they even refunded the shipping costs.

Good luck: http://www.blu-raystats.com/index.php

Also this massive thread from Ozz.. http://www.dtvforum.info/index.php?showtopic=50447&hl=

WB will no doubt lock their new releases as well..

Regards,

Old3eyes

lchiu7

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#103794 9-Jan-2008 12:43

old3eyes:

The only bug bear is the local selection of BD titles is minimal but thankfully for Amazon, their Buy One Get One Free deals and the strong NZD, I can keep updating my catalogue.

You must have a region free PS3 then or one from the US as the new Amazon BD titles are region A..

I have a US 60Gb PS3 - correct. Since it cost me US$499 at the time when the NZD was 0.78 I thought that was a great bargain. And nicely even though the label at the back says 110V it actually is multi-voltage (I was all prepared to plumb in a transformer and was happy to find I didn't have to). It plays local games and of course all the titles I buy from Amazon. It also came with 5 free BD titles.

Staying in Wellington. Check out my AirBnB in the Wellington CBD. https://www.airbnb.co.nz/h/wellycbd PM me and mention GZ to get a 15% discount and no AirBnB charges.

Wills1

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Ultimate Geek

#104422 12-Jan-2008 20:11

Cool, Looks like another reason to buy a ps3!!

old3eyes

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#104679 14-Jan-2008 09:13

Wills1: Cool, Looks like another reason to buy a ps3!!

Here's another good reason.
http://www.betanews.com/article/Bluray_Early_adopters_knew_what_they_were_getting_into/1199841379

If you bought a profile 1.0 BD player you may not be able to play profile 2.0 movies.. Though unless you buy a US and NZ PS3 your still not going to be able movies from both regions..

Regards,

Old3eyes

lchiu7

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#104685 14-Jan-2008 09:21

old3eyes:
Wills1: Cool, Looks like another reason to buy a ps3!!

Here's another good reason.
http://www.betanews.com/article/Bluray_Early_adopters_knew_what_they_were_getting_into/1199841379

If you bought a profile 1.0 BD player you may not be able to play profile 2.0 movies.. Though unless you buy a US and NZ PS3 your still not going to be able movies from both regions..

I think the whole profile thing is overrated. All BR players will play all titles. The lack of certain profiles means certain additional features like interactive content, persistent storage might not work. Speaking for myself I hardly ever use those features so that doesn't bother me at all.

As as example I have a HD-DVD player and the movie 300. It has lots of interactivity via the Internet but I haven't bothered even to plug in the player to the Internet since it's not worth the hassle. For the touted superiority of HD-DVD interactivity is not relevant.

As for BD regions, that is a pain. I made the choice to get a US player and source most of my content from the US (cheaper than locally especially with the strong NZD). And there is a better choice.

But one last aside which is a tad annoying. Both my US PS3 and US HD-DVD player will not play PAL format DVD's (region free or not)

Larry

Staying in Wellington. Check out my AirBnB in the Wellington CBD. https://www.airbnb.co.nz/h/wellycbd PM me and mention GZ to get a 15% discount and no AirBnB charges.

Spong

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#104762 14-Jan-2008 15:08

I bought a bargain Toshiba HD-A2 HD-DVD Player from the US and have been extremely pleased with it and have no plans of selling it. I'm busy buying up many of the bargain discs out there while the nervous jump ship. I think it's really sad that Warners did this. If anyone's interested in signing the "Sace HD-DVD petition, go to: http://www.petitiononline.com/SAVEHDD/petition.html
It may not make any difference, but it sure can't hurt.

Tivo upgrades to operate with the new OzTivo EPG, support and service. Over 400 performed here so far. See: www.hillcrest.net.nz

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lchiu7

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#104805 14-Jan-2008 18:33

I see there's a firesale on now for the Toshiba players with the A3 down to $129 with 7 discs from Amazon. Pity they don't ship internationally - that would be a great deal and as noted, there seems to be sale on titles also.

Staying in Wellington. Check out my AirBnB in the Wellington CBD. https://www.airbnb.co.nz/h/wellycbd PM me and mention GZ to get a 15% discount and no AirBnB charges.

old3eyes

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#104892 15-Jan-2008 08:35

lchiu7: I see there's a firesale on now for the Toshiba players with the A3 down to $129 with 7 discs from Amazon. Pity they don't ship internationally - that would be a great deal and as noted, there seems to be sale on titles also.

Someone has one on trademe for about $200 last time I looked.. An HD A2

Regards,

Old3eyes

AmooMan

307 posts

Ultimate Geek

#104908 15-Jan-2008 10:02

Well got myself a PS3 late last year..
so got the missis Harry Potter 1 on Blu-Ray for xmas

Very very nice ... wouldnt buy a DVD again...

Then 2 days after watching that Blu-Ray movie.. .. i walk into our room and she is watching the 2nd Harry Potter on Blu-Ray.

I was like WTF... and then i seen Harry Potter 3,4,5...

She got a talking to because thats alot of $$ !!

then next day.. she comes home with Hair Spray Dlux on Blu-Ray!!

Credit Card has now been taken off her !

But i woudl say.. Blu-Ray should WIN now.. because of thos sales.. :)

lchiu7

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#104932 15-Jan-2008 11:35

old3eyes:
lchiu7: I see there's a firesale on now for the Toshiba players with the A3 down to $129 with 7 discs from Amazon. Pity they don't ship internationally - that would be a great deal and as noted, there seems to be sale on titles also.

Someone has one on trademe for about $200 last time I looked.. An HD A2

Maybe he's seen the writing on the wall :-) I will keep my A3 and just received a few more titles in the mail and still have my 5 free from the rebate offer. But I think from now on, unless there is something I just have to have in HD format and it's only on HD-DVD, won't be getting many more HD-DVD's for now.

Staying in Wellington. Check out my AirBnB in the Wellington CBD. https://www.airbnb.co.nz/h/wellycbd PM me and mention GZ to get a 15% discount and no AirBnB charges.

lchiu7

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#104933 15-Jan-2008 11:38

AmooMan: Well got myself a PS3 late last year..
so got the missis Harry Potter 1 on Blu-Ray for xmas

Very very nice ... wouldnt buy a DVD again...

Then 2 days after watching that Blu-Ray movie.. .. i walk into our room and she is watching the 2nd Harry Potter on Blu-Ray.

I was like WTF... and then i seen Harry Potter 3,4,5...

She got a talking to because thats alot of $$ !!

then next day.. she comes home with Hair Spray Dlux on Blu-Ray!!

Credit Card has now been taken off her !

But i woudl say.. Blu-Ray should WIN now.. because of thos sales.. :)

I almost pulled the trigger on 4 HP movies when Amazon had buy one get one free. Even with international shipping the cost of each disc was about NZ$20. But not being a HP fan I asked my daughter and she said it wasn't worth getting them so I didn't. She is holding out for the LOTR trilogy I think.

I won't be buying DVD anymore.

Staying in Wellington. Check out my AirBnB in the Wellington CBD. https://www.airbnb.co.nz/h/wellycbd PM me and mention GZ to get a 15% discount and no AirBnB charges.

Wills1

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Ultimate Geek

#105744 20-Jan-2008 01:08

Bought a PS3 today,

I am very impressed!

Where are some good retail outlets in Auckland to pickup Blu-ray movies from?

lchiu7

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#105749 20-Jan-2008 08:06

You won't find much choice in the stores. I did see a stand in The CD/DVD Store that had BR on one side and HD-DVD on the other - about 25 titles. And Whitcoulls buries their titles amongst regular ones. You are probably better off buying from Amazon (do it fast while the NZD is still holding up against the USD). More choice and cheaper, even with shipping. Just make sure the tiles you get are playable on the region B PS3.

This is usually a reliable list

http://bluray.liesinc.net/

Staying in Wellington. Check out my AirBnB in the Wellington CBD. https://www.airbnb.co.nz/h/wellycbd PM me and mention GZ to get a 15% discount and no AirBnB charges.

munchkin

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#105795 20-Jan-2008 14:35

From that list, it looks as if I would actually be better off buying a PS3 in North America (especially as they pay less than we do for the console ad movies) - luckily I'm going over there soon. I'm going to have to definitely think this one through.

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