Will Standard Blu-ray (1080p) be the last mainstream physical video media format?

[Jar Jar Stinks]

With Blu-ray adoption lagging behind DVD, is Ultra HD Blu-ray (and its successors) destined to be a niche product with a small library of titles?

4K HDTVs are starting to become quite affordable. I'm wondering if people will crave a new physical format or if they will be satisfied with 4k streaming.

[Partyslammer]

Studios will give 4K Discs and players a shot in the next 2 years. It's anyone's guess how slow titles roll out and to what degree this format will succeed. Or fail.

[substance]

I hope so!!! Finally my ocd will end

[HD Goofnut]

I am betting that UHD will be limited to titles the studios know will sell like Star Wars, Lawrence of Arabia, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Jaws, Jurassic Park, etc. With that being said I think BD will be last mainstream physical format because there are so many titles that will never see a master greater than 2K.

[Bates_Motel]

Yes. Everything is moving toward 4k streaming and digital downloads. That's inevitable.

[iank]

I doubt it. Streaming will never replace physical media in its entirety, I don't care what anybody says.

[GenPion]

Originally Posted by HD Goofnut

I am betting that UHD will be limited to titles the studios know will sell like Star Wars, Lawrence of Arabia, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Jaws, Jurassic Park, etc. With that being said I think BD will be last mainstream physical format because there are so many titles that will never see a master greater than 2K.

Agreed. 4K UHD Blu-ray will co-exist with Blu-ray and in part because many films at a native resolution of 2K will not be upgraded as much, even though other aspects - bit-rate, color ratio, etc. will be better on UHD. So I think that studios will focus more on certain "big" titles and especially ones that would be most prone to showcasing the benefits of 4K.

I do think that 4K UHD Blu-ray will be more niche than Blu-ray... think laserdisc level of sales (perhaps a bit higher than that), so I don't see it being as big as Blu-ray itself but it will probably appeal to big film fans and will certainly stick around.

[mzupeman]

I'm it will be. 4K will be somewhat niche. People love their digital streaming services.

[iank]

Not everybody is made of money, mate. I only started with Blu-ray last year and have no intention of upgrading yet again, nor can I afford to do so.
Physical media is going nowhere. eBooks have not replaced real books, and never will. Downloads have not erased CDs or even vinyl records from existence, and never will. The idea that streaming will erase movies on physical media is comical and the stuff of pure fantasy.

[The Great Owl]

My predication is that 4K Ultra HD discs will be to Blu-rays what SACDs are to standard CDs. There will be a viable niche market for 4K discs, just as there is a viable niche market for SACDs, but they probably won't replace Blu-rays as the predominant format.

[sukraj]

I think 4k Blurays will happen in the next year or so.

[StingingVelvet]

Originally Posted by iank

I doubt it. Streaming will never replace physical media in its entirety, I don't care what anybody says.

Not entirely, no, but discs will be a niche market eventually. Hell, for catalog titles they already are today. I don't think this is really a bad thing, as a niche market will likely cater more to the enthusiasts. It will just cost more.

Anyway, yes, I think BD is the last mainstream disc format. If UBD survives its trial period it will be a niche product. If it doesn't then normal BD will get more and more niche as times goes on and fill that role itself. Either way a niche disc format will be around a long time.

[HD Goofnut]

Originally Posted by sukraj

I think 4k Blurays will happen in the next year or so.

The BDA has already announced that it will happen in Q4 of this year.

[AgentOrange]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

My predication is that 4K Ultra HD discs will be to Blu-rays what SACDs are to standard CDs. There will be a viable niche market for 4K discs, just as there is a viable niche market for SACDs, but they probably won't replace Blu-rays as the predominant format.

Music labels never really got behind SACD, I don't think there was ever a period where they were releasing new releases consistently. There was spotty catalog support for certain bands (Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, etc). But it seemed like it quickly became niche format for Jazz and Classical music - and was entirely ignored by "mainstream" releases both new and old.

I think the film studios will at least push their new release films to UHD on a consistent basis, at least I hope so.

[MifuneFan]

Every new format will get more and more niche. Streaming will dominate the future, whether we want it too it not. So I do believe BD is the last format to reach mass consumption

[Dean learner]

If 4K or UHD streaming wasn't already here I think there might be more of a case for 4K blu-rays. But with internet speeds increasing and the popularity of streaming services, it will be a very, very niche product. I'm gay for blu-ray but don't really like th idea or rebuying the big titles given that current blus might look great being upscaled through a 4K TV or projector.

[tallrichard]

Originally Posted by HD Goofnut

I am betting that UHD will be limited to titles the studios know will sell like Star Wars, Lawrence of Arabia, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Jaws, Jurassic Park, etc. With that being said I think BD will be last mainstream physical format because there are so many titles that will never see a master greater than 2K.

I'm not sure that is correct even today. Take a look at what Columbia/Sony is releasing and re-releasing on Blu. Everything seems to be 4K....

Even Mr Smith Goes to Washington was released in a 4K digibook last December....

[MifuneFan]

Originally Posted by tallrichard

I'm not sure that is correct even today. Take a look at what Columbia/Sony is releasing and re-releasing on Blu. Everything seems to be 4K....

Even Mr Smith Goes to Washington was released in a 4K digibook last December....

Those are in the minority.

[HD Goofnut]

Originally Posted by tallrichard

I'm not sure that is correct even today. Take a look at what Columbia/Sony is releasing and re-releasing on Blu. Everything seems to be 4K....

Even Mr Smith Goes to Washington was released in a 4K digibook last December....

I understand that, but those are not large sellers. Yes, they sell enough to make a decent profit, but these are not bread & butter titles.

[Dylan34]

Originally Posted by HD Goofnut

I understand that, but those are not large sellers. Yes, they sell enough to make a decent profit, but these are not bread & butter titles.

Yeah, you can throw a few more titles on there that already have 4K scans and will be money makers. ALIEN and Aliens, The Exorcist, The Terminator, Wizard of Oz, Casablanca, etc. Studios have the content to release a decent amount of titles at launch. It's just a matter of studios getting behind UHD Blu-ray, supporting it and promoting it. something they should have done more of before Blu-ray launched.