I've Started It & Can't Stop!

[Prancer]

Before the DVD format, I didn't have a collection of films. I only had a few favorites on VHS. Becasue of the great video and audio quality of DVD, I started to collect more films on DVD. Its been about 2 years now and I have 70+ in my collections and can't wait to get more!

How did you get started?

[werther]

I started with Laserdisc, wich was here, in good old Germany, quite exotic. My LD collection grew very quick (at the last count i had over 700). And than Boooooooooom DVD came out in 1997 and i started collecting them ever since. A few weeks ago I sold my complete LD collection, because I never watched any of them (just kept a few wich probably will never see the light of DVD)

[Flash Ahhh]

I started after one of my favorite "B' movies "Flash Gordon" came to DVD in 1998. I had been a person that liked LD, but seen the cost was too high, so I was carefullly monitoring the LD market for a bargain on a LD player. I even picked up a few LD's before I started shopping for a LD player.

While I was doing all this, "BOOM" all of a sudden DVD snuck up on me and won me over. The smaller disks, the 5.1, the movie not requiring the disk to be flipped (most DVD's) all were pluses over LD.

I also replaced all my VHS movies with DVD, except a few select titles that are not on DVD yet, plus expanded my movie library to include other movies because of DVD's excellent format.

We call it a hobby, therapists call it an addiction.

-Flash

[pdjennings]

Hmmm..... well, pre-dvd, all I had was a small handful of VHS .... but never went into the LaserDisc, because there was always the talk of "don't do it... they're going to be regular CD sized soon".... so I waited. (Plus... back then... it was hard to find anything on VHS, let alone LD!)

When DVD finally started getting talked about..... I was in a frenzy!!! The players made it to the market .....and I got my first one (an xmas present to myself) in Dec 97.

When I started buying them.... I was blown away. I would play a movie I had on VHS and swap my input to the DVD (just flopping back & forth with the button as they played from the identical place, ya know?).... & WOWOWOWOW

With the glory of the movie itself, the added fun of special features, and the "perfection" of a DVD in a nice case,.... I knew that this was a hobby that was finally worth my time & money.

And so it began

I remember the days of only being able to find "a shelf or two" of DVD's in a store..... (now I just love it when I see just a shelf or two of VHS!!)... but that just made the 'collecting' more of a fun challenge. Now... they're soooo many coming out... it's hard to keep up Luckily, it's a relatively inexpensive vice.

There's just something about DVD "ownership" that makes it thrilling for me. It's hard to explain. Just knowing that "I now own a pristine, digital copy of such-n-such a movie that I love" is wonderful. Or... even if I don't "love it".... I still OWN it... & will forever *(unless some sort of natural disaster eats them up! Luckily, I've insured my collection!). It doesn't matter if you only feel like watching it once in a blue moon..... what matters is that YOU CAN watch it at a moments notice. Simply.... being able to walk by your collection & lay your finger on it!

It's hard to explain,... I'm a freak.

That's why I just can't fathom renting a DVD. I've never really understood Libraries either.... (unless it's for the 'research/reference' aspect, I guess)..... if you wanna read a book... buy it & read it! That way.... *ding, ding!*... you guessed it.... you get to OWN IT forever. (can you gather that I collect books too?)

I am a collector. In the purest sense of the word. I collect. DVDs, CDs, Books. But I don't collector for 'sake of collecting'. I don't buy something that I have absolutely no interest in,.... but I will buy something sight-unseen if it appeals to me in any way. And like it or hate it.... I now own it. And I'm very proud to do so.

I was very please with myself when I surpassed the "1000-DVDs" mark a couple months ago.... and I can't wait to see how high I can take it. You just can't own enough of something you love. I have a fair number of DVDs right now .... but there are a hell of a lot out there that I don't have yet (& sadly, never will).

wow... I was rambling like a crazy person. I guess I'll get back to work now. umm... so... ok Bye

[Marty McFly]

After I found out a WS version of Ghostbusters with a load of features was coming out, I decided right then and there I was buying a player. I've been hooked since.

[BWilliams]

I couldn't agree with you more! For a single-disc collector's edition package, "Ghostbusters" is really fully loaded to the brim with extras.

[Prancer]

pdjennings,

Now I don't feel so alone or as crazy

I also flip back and forth between the VHS and DVD to compare how KICK ASS the quality is. I find it fun.

I try to be careful about the films I buy on DVDs. I've bought quite a few titles just reading reviews, recommendations by friends or by what's on the package. Usually I am pretty familiar with the film before I plunge in and buy it.

Most classic films are a sure bet for me becaue I love old classics. Like the classics on Criterion are pretty much a sure thing. I have yet to rent a Criterion title which didn't have something good about it. Of course, this is not considering the quality of video or audio becaue some of the Criterion Collection have bad transfer, which I've stayed away from buying, but I will rent.

I suppose it isn't such a horrible addiction. I love my collections and I do watch it over and over. It is fun to browse through what I have. Unfortunately, after browsing through the collection, I go through my list of to buy and am going crazy waiting for the next pay period when I can order more and look forward to it in the mail. But that's part of the fun.

I, too am curious about how many titles I will be able to collect. Its kind of like having your own personal cable channel which you can play anything you like. Its GREAT!!!

[Rogue]

I got hooked on DVD when I went to a friend's house so he could show off his machine.
He put in Lethal Weapon 4. Not a great movie by any means.
However, the sound and picture quality blew me away. And then after showing me a few scenes he took me through the menu's and extra features.
A few months later I picked up a Sony player and receiver and haven't looked back.

[Phreak]

I can't go more than about 2 weeks without buying a DVD fix. I am a junky.

[Batnight]

Hey pdjennings, that's quite an impressive list of DVD's you have. But I was surprised The Frighteners wasn't in there! You MUST get that one someday. I just bought it and let me tell you the sound is more than awesome. The very opening Universal logo rocks. You actually hear the words hovering around the world. It's kind of hard to explain. Just get it.

[Batnight]

Let me tell you how I got started.

Welp, I had a HUGE collection of movies on the VHS format back in 99. I was sick and tired of crappy VHS. My most treasured tapes were getting eaten up by ravenous VHS machines, messing up the already nasty picture quality.

I found out about DVD through BestBuy. I witnessed some scenes from movies like 'The Frighteners' and was just in awe by the amazing sound and picture. It was unbelievable. I was in BestBuy and saw the scene of the Reaper coming in the building and the cowboy ghost trying to ward off the spirit. The the reaper pulled out his scyth with a "SHIIIING" and boy was I impressed.

In the fall of 99 I got my first DVD player and with it I bought The Burbs and Ghostbusters. Two of my fave movies.

I was so impressed with the quality of the films. I had never scene such a clear picture in all my life. And I was spoiled from the beginning with the cool menus and extras of the Ghostbusters DVD and I then knew what a DVD could deliver.

I now have about 200 DVDs. I collect many things including soundtracks and movie related toys, but I think I'm slowing down on toys so I can get more DVD's and movie scores. And pretty soon I plan on getting a widescreen tv and a home theater surround sound system.

[Prancer]

Hi Batnight,

The DVD quality is amazing. Some of my friends, who do not have a DVD player are amazed by the quality. I was converted when my friend bought his player and we went all around town trying to find places that would rent DVDs. It was a lot of fun. Since he moved away about three years ago, I got my own player.

I am also planning on upgrading to a widescreen and a better receiver. That is like the next exciting thing about the DVDs I've collected. Right now I have a standard 32" TV and I can't wait to watch those films again in WIDESCREEEEEEN! COOL!

[The Riddler]

My uncle owned a laserdisc player & when he showed me the Aliens director's cut SE i wanted a LD player right then & there!

Luckily, I never pursued an LD since DVD came out in 1997 & I bought one almost right away! I now have 380 titles!

I haven't been able to stop either!!!!!!!!!

[Sid]

I got into DVD because of the widescreen and the features.
I had always wanted a laserdisc player but they were too pricey. but I really wanted some things that werent on tape like Alien and Aliens SE. So I got into widescreen VHS, but the selection was very limited.

So I took a gamble and sold almost all 100+ of my vhs tapes, and used the money to buy a DVD player (which was rash, but I was only 15 years old). Magnavox 400AT, a floor model for $240 (I just got a panasonic 5 disc changer with mp3 playback, for cheaper than I bought my first used player) which lasted pretty long, it still works, but its messed up at times. Gave it to my sister.

Surprisingly, I had never the picture quality from DVD until I plug in my first player. And from then on, it was a dirty affair with DVDs. I just cant stop.

[Avid]

I decided years ago not to buy VHS tapes because I didn't want to spend money on stuff that would wear out.

I had a few friends that owned massive laserdisks collections and I thought about getting into it, but the price was steep. And the fact you had to flip over a disk was a real turnoff.

Back in 1998 one of my friends started buying DVDs like crazy. I had decided to investigate the format (I was hearing something about make sure you buy the ones that will play unlimited times) to see if I thought if it was any good and would stick around when life threw a couple hard curve balls at me.

Jump to earlier this year and I was doing an internet search on Soderbergh and I pulled up a Digital Bits review about Out of Sight. They just raved over that DVD and I thought "oh yeah, I totally forgot about DVD, I wonder what is going on with it now." I started clicking on reviews of my favorite films and it was like finding a treasure chest. After reading about Ghostbusters, Matrix, Chasing Amy, T2, Sleepy Hollow and others I was drooling.

I did a bit more research on the staying power of DVD, if this was the right time to jump into the format, and whatnot. Within weeks I bought a DVD player and placed my first online order.

I love my DVD!

Can't... stop...

I have just over 400... it's all I spend my money on.

[SeanL]

It's dang addictive.

I'm gonna slow down on my purchases.....of course, that'll be after:
Fast & the Furious.....
Tombstone SE.....
Tron CE....
Mad Max SE.....
Beverly Hills Cop 1 & 2....
Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai....
and MASH Season 1.....

Ahhh, who the hell am I kiddin'?!?

[Prancer]

Does this happen to you:

I decided to not buy any DVDs for a month and I get on this forum and see other people's listing like, SeanL's, which I wanted to comment: will definitely be getting everything you've listed except for Fast and Furious(haven't seen yet), Tombstone(haven't seen yet) and Mash(never got into it). After seeing others listings BAM, I order three for the following week.

I AM SO WEEEEEEAK. Its a good thing I still have a job to support my habits.

[SeanL]

I've done it too...more times than I'd like to admit.

BTW, I want to add Final Countdown to my list (if it does indeed get released when it's supposed to )

[Josh]

How did I start. Well, I bought a player, thats about it. Before that I had about 300 VHS titles. Soon I had most of them on DVD. I know what you mean about the addiction, it truly is an addiction. Ive had my player for 2 years and Ive got over 400 discs! Its insane.

[orko007]

The DVD addiction starts a long way back.

My then g.f (now wife) moved in together in '98.. We had a shitty 10" TV.. It was red and sucked.. In Feb '99 we bought the 68cm TV, 6 head vcr, prologic av receiver, speakers... and 27 VHS tapes to go with my previous 4 tapes. Star Wars Trilogy & Pulp Fiction.. Over the next 15 months we purchase roughly 200 VHS...

Then I finally got into DVD's.. Ahh bliss.. Now I have around 230 titles. I was hoping for 300 by end of 2002, but should be a peace of cake since I have added 20 titles this month.. XMas is great... PLus buying for your wife who loves movies is a bonus..

MY VHS colelctoin is now appearing on EBay in stints, and the only titles not being sold are the SW trilogy, INdy & Beverlu Hills Cop Trilogy (where are these DVDS).

With the addition of a dolby digital receiver, surround speakers and a multizone player last sept, now i can get those great titles not available domestically.. Ahh directors cut ROBOCOP.. does it get any more lush