The Switch to BluRay - How Many Are Actually Doing It?

Its been quite a while since BluRay officially won the high definition format war, but how many people are actually converting their DVD library to BluRay or, at least, buying BluRay from here on out? Of course, I have no solid numbers, the question is just rhetorical for the purposes of this discussion.

Although, there are some figures I can throw out. The Dark Knight's BluRay sales have been outstanding, making headlines at the end of last year. Also, stand-alone BluRay players have become more mainstream and more affordable. Many models have finally dropped under the price of the PlayStation 3, in fact. This is good news for consumers.

What about me? I would like to start buying movies on BluRay exclusively, however I only have two movies in that format and one of those came with my PS3. The things that are stopping me from taking the full plunge are 1) I still feel the price of the BluRay movies are too high and 2) I don't have a television that can take full advantage of the high-def technology.

First off, for me to start buying BluRay movies religiously, the typical price would have to be closer to $20 per movie instead of $30 or more. Yes, sometimes you can find movies you want at a more reasonable price - I know Amazon has BluRay sales fairly frequently, and there's always at least a few on sale at Best Buy. In these cases, I may actually pick a movie or two up. More times than not, however, none of the titles are ones that I want.

Secondly, as mentioned above, I don't have an HDMI-compatible HDTV. I bought mine just before HDMI became standard, so I use analog HD cables instead of digital. The picture for TV programs and gaming, for the most part, is still very good for an HD experience. Still, I can't get the full benefit from BluRay movies until I upgrade my TV at some point in the future.

Although, I will tell you, there are a few movies I'd likely spend the $30 for. I'll be jumping all over the Star Trek when it comes out on BluRay and I'd die for the Battlestar Galactica complete series on BluRay when it comes out later this summer (although I could probably buy a new TV for close to the price that they want for that box set!).

So, all this is kind of making me wonder - am I just behind the adaptation curve or are there more people out there who aren't making the switch to BluRay very quickly? I have nothing against the technology, for sure. It just isn't cost-effective for me yet. And, don't even get me started on converting all the DVDs I already own to BluRay. That would cost a fortune.

And, yes, I would like to add myself to the millions of people who purchased The Dark Knight on Bluray...but I'll wait a little while longer. ;)