CHUD.com - Done With Discs

[Banjo]

By Devin Faraci

Last week the big news, or so it seemed, was that Warner Bros announced they would go all Blu-Ray. The format war is over, was the consensus, and Blu-Ray has Betamaxed HD-DVD. But to me this was a minor skirmish in a bigger conflict, one whose eventual victor has barely begun to enter the fight. While everybody was paying lots of attention to already-archaic disc based physical storage media, the future winner - digital downloads - gained some ground as Netflix announced a new set-top box that would allow subscribers to download movies from the internet and watch them on their TVs.

Digital download is where this is all going. HD-DVD and Blu-Ray are distractions along the way; the truth is that anyone who replaces their entire DVD catalog with hi-def discs is going to feel like a major schmuck in about a decade or less. There are a few hurdles standing in the way of a world where all of our entertainment is streamed to us on demand, but they're all relatively minor, and they're all obstacles that are going to be surmounted by the inexorable forward march of technology anyway.

http://www.chud.com/index.php?type=news&id=13101

People still just don't get it. It's not happening in the near future, not if the internet providers are unable to keep up with the demands if it goes mainstream within a few years.

[JadedRaverLA]

Originally Posted by Banjo

http://www.chud.com/index.php?type=news&id=13101

If Blu-ray lasts a decade as the premier A/V format, then why in the world would anyone feel like a "schmuck" for buying in now? That's the stupidist argument I've ever heard. DVD was out less than 10 years before being one-upped by Blu-ray. Is everyone on earth who bought into DVD a "major schmuck?"

[Rob Zuber]

These people are so ********* stupid. Do they really expect Mom, Dad and Grandma to manage networked server computers and hard drives to keep their purchased collection available and safe?

For the mass audience, downloads are for rentals, not collecting.

[rigpig]

.....'in about a decade', what an ass-hat. The pipelines might all be big enough by then to d/l a 50gig Blu.iso in a couple three hours.....but the next generation of 'super-hd' will be
pending & you guessed it disc delivered. These knuckleheads who keep blubbering about downloads just don't get *it*......

[STI Jaguar]

the truth is that anyone who replaces their entire DVD catalog with hi-def discs is going to feel like a major schmuck in about a decade or less.

In about a decade? BRWAHAHAHAHAAAA...I would not have given a SHIT by then. It would have been all worth it!!! Did I really expect BD to Last forever and ever?? LMAO, lame ass article.

And in 10 years 4K will be next while downloads will only reach 1080p. LMAO

[seto]

These people are just way too far ahead of their time right now. If home servers catch on, maybe in 20 years, this MAY be a possibility and that is supposing that there are major changes in the local network infrastructure on global levels.

That or they are delusional if they think people will settle for 200 MB compressed audio and video for a full length feature to watch on 17" monitors.

[Blu-Generation]

People need to understand the next 10 to 14 years will be Blu year. Nuff said.

[quetzalcoatl]

Since this is the latest source I know of that lists what the average DL speed is in the US. It will not happen for a long time.

http://technologyexpert.blogspot.com...al-19mbps.html

And then go here to see how long it would take to DL a movie.

http://www.martindalecenter.com/AATimeCalc.html

Like anyone will deal with this.

[Superking]

CHUD.com should just call themselves FUD.com

[photorebel]

Never happen...not in the near to intermediate future.
Two words- Digital storage.

Besides bandwith issues/costs...when I buy something, I'd like a hard copy, not just digital storage. Believe me, I understand something about this issue, because I'm a photographer. Digital storage, does become a problem, because no matter how many Gigabytes or Terabytes you have, you're going to run out of room at one point.
Then there are disk crashes, corruption...and let's not forget the software designed to decode and play movies, could change over time. Meaning...the movie you download today..might not be playable next year.

I do think there is a future for digital download and video on demand, it's called "rental".
I think Rental and Blu-Ray will work nicely hand in hand. Rent a movie, like it..then buy it on Blu Ray.
Just my 02 cents worth.

[quetzalcoatl]

Originally Posted by photorebel

Never happen...not in the near to intermediate future.
Two words- Digital storage.

Besides bandwith issues/costs...when I buy something, I'd like a hard copy, not just digital storage. Believe me, I understand something about this issue, because I'm a photographer. Digital storage, does become a problem, because no matter how many Gigabytes or Terabytes you have, you're going to run out of room at one point.
Then there are disk crashes, corruption...and let's not forget the software designed to decode and play movies, could change over time. Meaning...the movie you download today..might not be playable next year.

I do think there is a future for digital download and video on demand, it's called "rental".
I think Rental and Blu-Ray will work nicely hand in hand. Rent a movie, like it..then buy it on Blu Ray.
Just my 02 cents worth.

You got it.

[eat_me_cool]

The only way that downloads would work is if download speeds increase 100 fold. This is impossible unless DSL is replace with either Optical Fibre or cable. This hasn't happened (even though it was possible twenty years ago) because yesterday, today and any day into the future it will be not be economically viable to dig the street to lay new cables in the US and around the world.

Time and new technological advance will make no difference, downloads will only have a small part to play in the future.

[TheTenth]

I think it's our duty to inform people it can't be happening soon, or Micrcrap will seel it to them as the "perfect new thing", and forget to tell them it will take 5+ hours to download a movie, if it doesn't fail halfway, and the HDD will die within five years ...

[Rob71]

There are a few hurdles standing in the way of a world where all of our entertainment is streamed to us on demand, but they're all relatively minor

Nothing much, just a couple hundred thousand miles of cable. Unless of course 6 hour downloads are your thing.

[dialog_gvf]

Sounds like another cry baby to me.

"Whah, my choice didn't win, so now I'm pushing something else to beat you, whah"

Two words: Managed Copy

[venusiansky]

I am so tired of these "download" articles. Where were they last year and why are they showing up now that HD-DVD is done? Major software companies can't even migrate computer software over to download only which I believe will happen before the demise of movies/music on optical media.

[Snider]

Originally Posted by JadedRaverLA

If Blu-ray lasts a decade as the premier A/V format, then why in the world would anyone feel like a "schmuck" for buying in now? That's the stupidist argument I've ever heard. DVD was out less than 10 years before being one-upped by Blu-ray. Is everyone on earth who bought into DVD a "major schmuck?"

Great point I agree fully.