In the beginning, the only way to see a movie was in a movie theater. You went with friends, saw the picture and maybe discussed a little about what happened. Then, moviegoers were able to bring some of the magic home with VCRs and DVD players. If you didn’t own the movie, you could just head over to the video store and rent the selection you were looking for, returning it a few days later. Now a more convenient options has arrived.

Today computers and gaming systems can be found in just about every home. Using these resources, you can scroll through a collection of movies, choose something interesting, and watch it right away. There is no downloading, so you don’t have to wait a lot of time and it isn’t stored on the devices, so there isn’t a concern about taking up too much space. Because everyone has different computers or gaming devices, there are several different consoles and brands that will work.

And it isn’t just movies anymore. Now complete television series are some of the options. Frustrated that everyone at work seems to have their own language because they all watch the same television show? Watch entire seasons of hit shows on the comfort of your couch, without ever needing to leave home. Watch several episodes in a row and in no time, you too will be able to participate in the water cooler conversation.

The cost for these types of services are minimal considering the amount of viewing options that you have. Most new releases are not available in this format and will still need to rented on DVD or Blu-ray, however most of these services include some type of mailing option in the package. Make a list of movies you want to see and they will mail them out to you with no due date. Mail it back and the next on will be on its way to you.

It is possible that only a few years ago everyone was discussing the DVD player and whether or not it would take the place of the VCR. Much like the change from tapes to CDs, technology is continuing on and we find ourselves once again having a similar discussion. Is is time to convert to Blu-ray? There are people on both sides of the argument with valid points, however, it would seem that times, they are a changing.

Many retailers are looking to make the decision easier for consumers. Movies are coming out in combination packs. These packs include a DVD, a Blu-ray disc and sometimes even have a digital version that can easily be placed on the computer or iPod. If you have a Blu-ray player but aren’t ready to convert all of your movies, you can pick up the combination pack and have the best of both worlds. Take note, this combination pack is going to cost more than buying them alone. However, it is cheaper than buying each one separately.

In some ways, this choice is actually a score in the corner of the Blu-Ray. After watching a movie on DVD and then seeing the same thing through Blu-ray, there is a noticeable difference. More and more people are going to be handing over the DVDs to their parents and moving into the realm of new technology. Much like the DVD player when it first came out, the prices for Blu-ray players were a little steep, but now that is has become more common place, the prices are dropping and households are opting to switch over.

So if you haven’t already purchased one of the new players, it might be time to take the plunge. If you are still on the fence, head over to a friend’s house, but not before watching a movie on your DVD player. Then, ask them to open your eyes to the Blu-ray technology.