Real deal or knockoff?

So, I recently started a thread about how big someone's home media collection actually is, and it spiraled into this massive debate over what even counts as a "real" collection. You had a few snobs chiming in too—people who won't acknowledge anything unless it’s an original release or has specific localized subtitles and all that nonsense (???). Since we're here, let's just hash this out. Look, my stance is pretty straightforward because this is how I actually handle things. I basically never buy originals—it just doesn't make sense for me. As a student, dropping 50-$$83 on a single movie is way too much when I can grab a DVD for a couple of bucks and get the exact same quality—or at least a difference so small it's barely noticeable. I'm not a huge fan of the old DivX format, but obviously, there are tons of older movies out there that only exist in that format. So, I just rip them to DVD and slap on some English and American subtitles. I even make custom covers for everything so they look just like the official releases—you know, specifically to mess with those snobs who insist on nothing but the "originals." Honestly, props to the collectors with the legit stuff, but having a nice collection doesn't give you the right to be a jerk about how others do things...

I’m right there with you on this... the way digital movies are priced here makes things feel totally backwards. In the States and other major markets, you can grab a movie for under $10, but over here, they’re ridiculously overpriced—we're talking nearly $45 for a single title. Honestly, it just doesn't feel worth the hit to my wallet (not that I have money to throw around anyway). I’d much rather head down to the local video rental shop or just stick to my Xfinity subscription and grab about 15 downloads a month via their flat rate. Until those prices actually make sense, I’m staying away from buying movies, no matter how much I love them.

T-Mobile is absolutely killing it!!!!!!! I just clocked 236 GB of data usage this month hahahahahaha

Yeah... but you’re still shelling out for that 236 GB $93...which works out to $0.33 per GB...that's pretty steep...plus the speed isn't anything special either

One buck per gig, one movie $1.50...

Honestly, I don't see much difference between an original disc and a burned DVD... at least not to my eyes. People can talk all they want, but if the picture and sound look good to me, I'm happy. I'm not interested in all that snobbish gatekeeping. I just enjoy the movie. Sometimes even a DivX file hits the spot, though there are definitely times when the quality drops. At the end of the day, I just care about having the movie at home so I can watch it whenever I feel like it. My only real gripe is when the quality or audio is actually noticeably bad.

Sarah Nelson67 said:Look, I don't see a massive difference between an original disc and some burned DVD... at least not to my ears. People can talk all the trash they want—as long as the picture and audio work for me, I'm happy. I don't care about those snobby elitists. I enjoy my movies. Honestly, sometimes a DivX rip looks and sounds great, though other times it's pretty rough. For me, it’s just about having a movie at home that I can watch whenever I feel like it. My only gripe is when the quality or sound is actually noticeably bad.

🙏

At its core, this is just a question of class and the ongoing feud between the middle class and the snobs.🙂 🤣..at least in an American context...
Sure, you might own some original DVDs, but let's be real: most of your collection is probably going to be DivX files, burned discs, or some old VHS tapes...etc...
The whole topic is pointless.😛

Look, you don't think so, and honestly, neither do I—but there are definitely people out there who see things differently...

Regarding the quality factor... is there anyone else here who grew up back in the 80s and 90s? I mean, do you remember those bootleg VHS tapes? All that color bleeding, the tracking issues, those weird ghost images left over after the movie ended... does that ring a bell? Because if so, I don't get how people can talk down on DivX. To me, this stuff is a total eye candy. Even the absolute worst DivX file I ever found was way more watchable than that VHS garbage... okay, maybe I'm exaggerating a bit, but you know what I mean.

As for counting DivX files as part of my actual collection, I'm afraid I don't really count them. They just don't have much staying power, I guess. Once I download a DivX, burn it, and watch it, about 80% of the time I'll just toss the disc or forget about it entirely—I probably haven't even marked it with a Sharpie. I’ve got hundreds of those little orphans just lying around, or they just vanish, but honestly, it doesn't really bother me because having high-speed internet feels like having a sort of... I don't know, a backup system. But when it comes to actual original DVDs, man, when I drop like $50 on an Indiana Jones trilogy, I’m definitely dusting the box every single week to keep it pristine. So, yeah, I guess the price tag is what forces me to give official "citizen" status to my original DVDs. Everything else is basically an illegal immigrant and isn't on my official census.