Movie dilemma: DVD, BluRay or iTunes?
Take a movie like Hunger Games or Avengers - both films I enjoyed very much and both I want to purchase after they come out. But what format do I really want to buy? Oh, the choices:
1) DVD: Still the most versatile format for my circumstances. Can play on my BluRay player. Can play on the still functioning DVD player on the old TV. Can be ripped to play on family's iPhones/iPads/iPod Touch. So, can be watched almost anywhere but anyone in the family. Least expensive option. But not HD picture quality.
2) BluRay: Fully HD picture. But least compatible with everything else. Won't play in the DVD player. We don't own a BluRay ripping drive or software, so can't be played on iPhones/iPads. Buying a movie on BluRay means it's a sit down in front of the HDTV experience only.
3) Apple iTunes: HD quality video. Can be watched on the iDevice on which it was purchased. Can be streamed to the HDTV with Apple's HDMI cord, but only from the iDevice on which it was purchased. Price is usually less than a BluRay but more than a DVD. Entirely digital movie means no storage of DVD/BluRay box on shelf. But can't be easily shared within the family - my wife can't watch on her iPad but could watch on my iPad unless we buy software to crack the DRM. (Which I have found is near impossible. Thanks, Apple.)
SEPTEMBER 1 EDIT: By the by, the answer to this one was the "Blu-Ray with digital download" package. Figured it was the best of all worlds - HD picture, and an iPad version which we can always hook up to our other TV if we need to and gives us a "watch the movie while travelling" option. Which is the route I'm going to go with for the Avengers, too.
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