Right now, you can buy a lot of standard def' DVDs for at or near the price of rental. That's just not the case with the high def' formats, which run $25 - $35 per title. And like you, I'm not convenient to a Blockbuster (though I am closer than 160 miles )

That makes the mail-based services like Netflix very attractive. Frankly, I can't see doing it any other way until Blu Ray and HD DVD lower the prices substantially.