Blu-Ray, or Not Blu-Ray part 1

That is the question, isn't it? Disney has put all their resources behind Blu-Ray, either assuming that consumers wanted a new format or, as it seems, attempting to make them think they do.

So, why have I resisted all sales tactics? Let's look at the benefits of Blu-Ray, as listed in Disney's own brochure.

Unsurpassed Capacity

Each disc holds five times more information than a standard DVD. This sounds wonderful at first glance. As someone who actually watches and enjoys bonus features, I ought to call this a plus. But consider the facts. What DVD has ever been sold filled to capacity? I've got discs in my library, Disney-made, of course, with nothing on them but the movie. No, not even a menu screen. Zip.

Increased capacity is a bogus perk; factual, but misleading. Yes, the discs have more space. No, we will not guarantee that we will fill that space, any more than we filled it on our DVDs.

But, you say, Disney is loading Blu-Rays with bonus features. And all their recent DVD releases are as bare of extras as a naked mole rat. This is an artificial improvement. When early Blu-Ray sales tanked, the bonus features began to mysteriously drop off newly-released DVDs. If we can't make Blu-Ray desirable enough, let's make the alternative worse, and Blu-Ray can't help but shine by comparison.

Read the entire rant