# WTF is going on with these Blu-Ray + DVD bundles? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 18, 2009, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-is-going-on-with-these-blu-ray-dvd-bundles/510595 "2009-09-18T14:56:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Driver8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5a626/32.png) [@Driver8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Driver8)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2009, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-is-going-on-with-these-blu-ray-dvd-bundles/510595/21 "2009-09-20T16:50:35Z")
> [@BwanaBob](#): > > You’re damn right the bundles cost more. A typical new release on Blu-ray alone is 29.99 (of course you can find better if you look). My gripe is with these new releases where you can’t get the blu-ray alone. Bundles are typically 39.99 or more. Some as high as 49.99. I wouldn’t necessarily blame the act of placing a DVD copy with the Blu-ray copy for this. This probably costs them a few cents - nothing that would affect the price in any noticeable way. The real issue would be a marketing issue: some “genius” decided that they could sell the extra DVD as a great new feature, worth say $10, even if it costs them nothing. That is all very good and well, but if they don’t offer a cheaper Blu-ray only option then they are pricing themselves out of the market. Actually I feel that way about purchasing movies in general. I have a Blu-ray player and have not bought a single title. If it is available on Blu-ray, Netflix typically has it on Blu-ray, and there is just no cost comparison between purchasing and renting through Netflix, even for things that I want to watch over and over. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2009, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-is-going-on-with-these-blu-ray-dvd-bundles/510595/22 "2009-09-20T19:42:13Z")
I’ve been to the site linked to by the OP ([www.digitalbits.com](http://www.digitalbits.com)) - and I cannot for the life of me find a single instance of “The DVD bundled with the Blu-ray + digital copy”. It’s a really horrible website, so I may be missing something. Over on [amazon.com](http://amazon.com)’s bluray section, I’m looking at their top 10: 1. X-Men Origins: Wolverine (Two-Disc Edition + Digital Copy) - no DVD. 2. Star Trek (Three-Disc +Digital Copy) - no DVD. 3. Star Trek: The Next Generation Motion Picture Collection - no DVD. 4. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (Two-Disc Special Edition) - no DVD. 5. The Wizard of Oz (70th Anniversary Ultimate Collector’s Edition with Digital Copy) - no DVD. 6. The Dark Knight (+ Digital Copy and BD Live) - no DVD. 7. An American Werewolf in London (Full Moon Edition) - no DVD. 8. Star Trek The Original Series - no DVD. **9. Up (4 Disc Combo Pack with Digital Copy and DVD).** 9. Gladiator Bluray - no DVD. So the only one packaging it with the DVD is Up, which makes sense, because it gives your kids a copy to play in the play room, or in the minivan, etc. Other than that, I have ZERO idea what he’s talking about. A trip to Best Buy or Target will back that up. ---
**Author:** ![BwanaBob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bwanabob/32/2985_2.png) [@BwanaBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BwanaBob)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2009, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-is-going-on-with-these-blu-ray-dvd-bundles/510595/23 "2009-09-22T14:17:06Z")
I guess you didn’t see the Night at The Museum II Blu-ray+DVD+Digital copy. Also the Star Trek is being bundled with a digital copy making this a behemoth 3 disk set for what was barely a 2 hr movie. They made a simple DVD of this, why not a simple 1 disc blu-ray too? There’s also that Jim Carey Grinch movie which if you want on Blu-ray (not me personally) you also have to buy the DVD version - no solo blu-ray there either. Unless these items were being sold for the same price as a solo blu-ray (which they’re not) I see this as a forced upsell. And yeah, yeah, yeah I know no one is forced to buy anything. I was simply ranting at the concept. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2009, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-is-going-on-with-these-blu-ray-dvd-bundles/510595/24 "2009-09-22T14:57:24Z")
> [@BwanaBob](#): > > I guess you didn’t see the Night at The Museum II Blu-ray+DVD+Digital copy. Which is still [27 bucks](http://www.amazon.com/Night-Museum-Smithsonian-Three-Disc-Digital/dp/B001PR0Y4O/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1253631357&sr=8-3), less than you said a single disc Blu-Ray _should_ cost. I’m having a hard time feeling the outrage. I think you’re getting hung up on MSRPs that no pays except the terminally lazy. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_Call\_Me\_Shirley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Don\_t\_Call\_Me\_Shirley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_Call_Me_Shirley)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2009, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-is-going-on-with-these-blu-ray-dvd-bundles/510595/25 "2009-09-22T14:59:25Z")
If they sold a Blu-Ray with a digital copy, couldn’t people who need the DVD just burn one with the digital copy? ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2009, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-is-going-on-with-these-blu-ray-dvd-bundles/510595/26 "2009-09-22T15:16:41Z")
I imagine that not everyone has a DVD burner nor the aptitude to feel confident burning their own movies whereas the cost of including a DVD in nominal to the distributor. We’re talking less-than-tech-savvy people who just want to by a copy of that there Museum movie for the kids. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2009, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-is-going-on-with-these-blu-ray-dvd-bundles/510595/27 "2009-09-22T15:25:34Z")
> [@BwanaBob](#): > > I guess you didn’t see the Night at The Museum II Blu-ray+DVD+Digital copy. Which is a pre-order. They promote the big ticket items before they release a barebones version. Why don’t we wait until it’s actually released before bitching about it, hmm? > [@](#): > > Also the Star Trek is being bundled with a digital copy making this a behemoth 3 disk set for what was barely a 2 hr movie. They made a simple DVD of this, why not a simple 1 disc blu-ray too? Also a pre-order. Also less than $30. > [@](#): > > There’s also that Jim Carey Grinch movie which if you want on Blu-ray (not me personally) you also have to buy the DVD version - no solo blu-ray there either. 1. Pre-order. 2. $18.99 ---
**Author:** ![nivlac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/3bc359/32.png) [@nivlac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nivlac)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2009, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-is-going-on-with-these-blu-ray-dvd-bundles/510595/28 "2009-09-23T04:30:47Z")
> [@Don\_t\_Call\_Me\_Shirley](#): > > If they sold a Blu-Ray with a digital copy, couldn’t people who need the DVD just burn one with the digital copy? It’s not that easy to do. A DVD copy has certain folders that a DVD player can interpret and play. The digital copy is really meant for play on a PC and won’t necessarily play on a DVD player. For example, my \*Dark Knight \*digital copy was a WMV file that is foreign to most DVD players. With some effort it is possible to convert the digital copy into a bona fide DVD version, but even if you do that the quality won’t be the same if you watch it on a big TV. ---
**Author:** ![BwanaBob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bwanabob/32/2985_2.png) [@BwanaBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BwanaBob)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2009, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-is-going-on-with-these-blu-ray-dvd-bundles/510595/29 "2009-09-23T16:46:25Z")
You’re missing my point. Regardless of how low you can finally find a Blu-ray/DVD/digital copy, it would still be lower if it were only the blu-ray. No one gives anything away, you are paying for the other media. I feel a plain blu-ray version ought to be available along with all the other versions. Many times this is so, but many times not, and it just so happens that a bunch of movies I wanted have been bundled - hence my outrage. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-is-going-on-with-these-blu-ray-dvd-bundles/510595.md?page=1)