What home video formats can you currently watch on your television(s)?

[Rhindle The Red]

And by "hooked up", I mean pretty much ready to go. If you've only got it unhooked because you lack enough inputs or cables (I have only one HDMI cable to share between my HD DVD and Blu-ray players, for instance) and it can be quickly plugged in, that counts. The old laserdisc machine that's in the attic and never gets pulled out doesn't. (Unless you want to go hook it up before answering, of course.)

 

And I'm limiting this to physical media that had commercial distibution of material intended for viewing on televisions because if we start getting into other media, we have to deal with VideoNow, UMD, etc. (Yes, I know you can watch UMDs on televisions now, but that's not for what it was originally *intended*.) And, though it is interesting, I'm not asking about having purely digital distibution available, either. (Because, technically, just about everyone has that available, whether they use it or not.)

 

Anyhoo, just trying to get some idea what people have "at the ready" for watching their stuff.

[segasaturn]

I watch DVD VCR and and some other formats too. (i can't remember them right now)

[bones]

VHS, Laserdisc, and DVD for me. Have the HD-DVD attachment for the 360, but no console, so not counting that

[Lucky Man]

VHS, Laserdisc and DVD. In fact, I just picked up a new laserdisc player. My old one finally died.

[+FujiSkunk]

VHS, Laserdisc, VCD, DVD and HD DVD. I also clicked "other" because my DVD/VCD player also has SVCD support.

 

I have a Blu-ray drive, but the computer it's in presently runs Window 2000, which currently has no Blu-ray support (official or otherwise). I haven't been in a hurry to upgrade.

Edited January 22, 2009 by skunkworx

[Lemmi]

DVD

VHS

VCD - in my DVD player-CD-i system-3DO system-Dreamcast

SVCD

CD-i

 

Divx/xVid in my DVD player

[Captain Beard]

I have the ability to watch VHS -- all hooked up and ready to go -- but I think I've done so maybe twice since moving to my house four years ago.

 

DVD and LD for me.

[Albert]

These days I mostly watch stuff via Apple TV, AT&T U-Verse, Blu-Ray and then DVD. I still have a VHS player in a box somewhere, probably sitting next to my dual cassette deck. Got rid of the Laserdisc player eons ago.

 

..Al

[+Charlie Cat]

Hi guys,

 

VHS.

 

Anthony....

[wccw mark]

vcr

dvd

hd-dvd(xbox 360 add on)

blu-ray(ps3)

[rpgfaker]

VHS

DVD

I'm such a big spender

Edited January 23, 2009 by rpgfaker

[Deteacher]

VHS

DVD

I'm such a big spender

 

I'm right there with you, rpg. VHS and DVD (although the only reason my VCR is hooked up is because that's how I have my Atari connected.) I don't really watch VHS tapes with it.

[geosteve]

DVD, Video CD, and VHS players are all hooked up to my TV. the VCR has the features to convert playing tapes to a MPG format on the PC

[+Darrin9999]

VHS

Laserdisc

CED

CDi-video

Video cd

Dvd

HD-Dvd

Blu-ray

[NE146]

Many dvd players can play video cd's as well so I'd think that'd get more hits.

[TheHoboInYourRoom]

DVD and VHS, though as NE146 said I could watch video CDs if I wanted to.

[Lord Helmet]

Well, technically I have a DVD player (Xbox 360) but we use our Apple TV and Media Center PC's running XBMC to watch video. I keep all of my movies on a media server and stream them all over the house. 500+ movies at your fingertips!

 

I'm not buying any more plastic disk media ever again.

Edited January 23, 2009 by Lord Helmet

[+Nathan Strum]

DVD (and it will play various video CD formats, but I've never used it for that), Laserdisc, VHS/S-VHS, and assuming they have President's Day sales... Blu-Ray next month.

 

At work, I can also play BetaMax and various other tape formats (3/4", BetaCam, DigiBeta, Mini-DV, DVCAM, etc).

[liveinabin]

Finally got rid of my VHS machine, so I just have a DVD player, the modded Xbox for various video codecs and Blu-ray from the almighty PS3.

[atarian63]

VCR

DVD

DVD with upconvert player

Blue ray ( new ps3) no games.

[Atari~e]

The formats that I watch on my HDTV are:

 

Upconvert 1080p DVD

VHS

DivX

Mpeg4

Video CD

Super Video CD

 

I really wish I kind of had a CED Video Disc Player from RCA like back in the day. I was going to get one off Ebay but I thought that the Video Discs would just be too heavy. Heavier than records. That's just too much with todays technology. You can also find most of the movies that were available on CED Video Disc back from 1981 to 1983 on DVD. I have my favorite old movies from then stored on my PC hooked up to my HDTV in HD 720p. That's cool with me. I still think of the RCA Video Disc Player from time to time though. I have no more room for more things in my entertainment center. It's filled to the max. This was a good post. I found it very interesting because I like older things from the past such as 45's, 33's, 78's, Classic Video Games & RCA Video Disc Players :0)...

[adam242]

Just DVD for me... I packed my VHS deck away to make room for my AT&T U-verse DVR and never looked back.

Edited January 25, 2009 by adam242

[Chris-in-NJ]

Have a JVC VCR/DVD burner, two Philips all-region DVD players that also play .xvid and various computer formats (plus another one that only works sporadically). Both my TVs have 1080 capability, but I don't have Blu-ray just yet -- that depends on how much my income tax refund is. (Plus, I don't watch many movies, mostly old TV.)

 

Oh, and a 1984-vintage Toshiba TV for my Atari playing.

[tisaperfectdayelise]

The formats that I watch on my HDTV are:

 

Upconvert 1080p DVD

VHS

DivX

Mpeg4

Video CD

Super Video CD

 

I really wish I kind of had a CED Video Disc Player from RCA like back in the day. I was going to get one off Ebay but I thought that the Video Discs would just be too heavy. Heavier than records. That's just too much with todays technology. You can also find most of the movies that were available on CED Video Disc back from 1981 to 1983 on DVD. I have my favorite old movies from then stored on my PC hooked up to my HDTV in HD 720p. That's cool with me. I still think of the RCA Video Disc Player from time to time though. I have no more room for more things in my entertainment center. It's filled to the max. This was a good post. I found it very interesting because I like older things from the past such as 45's, 33's, 78's, Classic Video Games & RCA Video Disc Players :0)...

Don't bother with used CEDs. I know that it seems SO cool and retro and all that jazz...but they really do suck.

We had one growing up, and it gave us nothing but problems. Nowadays, it's not a cheap or an easy endeavor to keep them running and in good condition (styli, belts, etc). More often than not, discs are damaged and/or worn. I'd steer clear of them....live through YouTube!!

 

On a side note, the guy that gave me the Mitsubishi TV also gave me two LD players and about 120 LD's for nothing. I had never adopted the format, because of cost, but I'm astounded as how good the quality is on some of these discs. So, I've got that, a VCR, and a DVD player....nothing too extraordinary....but I'm not a big movie guy....

[7800Lover]

I have a combination DVD recorder and player/VCR. And this is capable also of playing S-VHS which I've never actually watched before.