Sunday, August 14, 2011

Out With the Old, In With The New

Blu-ray DVD players have been around for ten years, but have become more reasonably priced in the past couple of years. I've been tempted to make the big jump to blu-ray, except I like to record stuff on my DVD recorder. That's why I usually buy plain DVDs rather than the fancier blu-rays.

Anyway, since blu-ray seems to be the way to go, I decided to finally join the 21st century and get a player. Thanks to a 50 dollar Target gift card, I got on for 40 bucks net, but also had to get Paul and Super, too (the regular version). Now, the next problem: what blu-rays do I get? Sci-fi? Animation? Should I get gently used blu-rays? Seems to be the way to go, aside from the going out of business sales happening at Borders stores. I might get a blu-ray or two come Labor Day. I certainly won't try to replace the DVDs I have now with a blu-ray version. I'm hoping they'll still play great.

Now, with the addition of new technology, and yet another reason why I should get a flat-screen once my current TV finally fizzles, that means I will have to make the final break with my VHS recorder. Remember those, in the days before TiVo? It also means converting some of my old VHS tapes to DVD. This isn't much of a problem, except I have two really good ABC Sports VHS tapes I can't convert to DVD because they have macrovision on them. It's a pity because of one them has a really good history of ice skating from the 1950's to the late '80s, while the other one looks back at Wide World of Sports in the 1960s. As long as there's a chance I can convert them, I am not letting them go. The VHS recorder, however, is another story.

So, this week, I'm getting rid of the last of the tapes I can convert. They have old Japanese TV shows, subbed of course. Basically Kikaider and Kikaider 01. After that, it's off to Goodwill, and the new blu-ray player will take its place. The only ting left is teaching myself to switch to blu-ray, but not necessarily get rid of the plain DVDs I already have. Some are homemade, and thy also include the Whedon library. I should have it done by the end of the month.

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