Is the 4K Blu-ray format being set up for failure?

[MrHT]

I regret to admit that at this point, streaming is winning over physical media. But the thing that annoys me the most is that it seems like they are setting up the 4K Blu-ray format for failure.

First, getting a decent UHD player costs $200 while a Roku stick costs like $30.

Second, on release date, a new UHD disc costs $30+ while the 4K digital format costs $20 and drops down as low as ~$10 real quick.

Third, the UHD disc sometimes lags behind in release. For example, the new "Mean Girls" movie. You can stream that now in 4K digitally. But will not be released on 4K Blu-ray until April 30th.

Fourth, quality control on UHD discs is just awful. I've received a good number of scratched discs that I've had to waste time exchanging.

Fifth, not many B&M stores carry physical media anymore.

With all that, it's no wonder the average consumer is saying "screw it" to the 4K Blu-ray format. If maybe they tried making the price a little more competitive and release them in conjunction to the digital release, the 4K Blu-ray format may have a chance of succeeding. But it's like they are setting this format up for failure. Why are they doing this??

[PenguinInfinity]

Studios have full control over streaming releases. They can modify or take them away at any time and there is no used market. They want people to buy streaming instead of physical media so they release titles on streaming sooner and cheaper than on disc.

[wattsndrive90]

Originally Posted by MrHT

I regret to admit that at this point, streaming is winning over physical media. But the thing that annoys me the most is that it seems like they are setting up the 4K Blu-ray format for failure.

First, getting a decent UHD player costs $200 while a Roku stick costs like $30.

Second, on release date, a new UHD disc costs $30+ while the 4K digital format costs $20 and drops down as low as ~$10 real quick.

Third, the UHD disc sometimes lags behind in release. For example, the new "Mean Girls" movie. You can stream that now in 4K digitally. But will not be released on 4K Blu-ray until April 30th.

Fourth, quality control on UHD discs is just awful. I've received a good number of scratched discs that I've had to waste time exchanging.

Fifth, not many B&M stores carry physical media anymore.

With all that, it's no wonder the average consumer is saying "screw it" to the 4K Blu-ray format. If maybe they tried making the price a little more competitive and release them in conjunction to the digital release, the 4K Blu-ray format may have a chance of succeeding. But it's like they are setting this format up for failure. Why are they doing this??

I'm a physical media collector but 4th reason is the reason why I am basically done with 4k, at least except for a few releases. 4k Discs are easily damaged - or more so harder to get working when damaged than standard Blu Ray. That said, Blu Ray is still a good format - if not great. A lot of titles are killing it like its 2009 on quality of the regular Blu ray discs despite usually having special features on the same disc as the movie. Just think if the split that.

[s2mikey]

Originally Posted by PenguinInfinity

Studios have full control over streaming releases. They can modify or take them away at any time and there is no used market. The want people to buy to buy streaming instead of physical media so they release titles on streaming sooner and cheaper than on disc.

The "control" factor is the biggest issue I have with streaming-only as my viewing options. They can and will remove content, edit content, start charging more for premium content, and on and on.

Despite some of the legit complaints about 4K, discs are better than streaming for so many reasons. The main reason though is that if I hold it, I own it. If its stored on some vapor-ware server somewhere, I can only rent a handle to the faucet via streaming.

4K has had some problems. Bad transfers, some quality control, etc. Honestly, blu-ray is still a terrific format and if thats the only physical format that stays alive Id be OK with it. But we MUST have an option to truly own content we love & wish to rewatch.

[bhampton]

Is the 4K Blu-ray format being set up for failure?


Not at the rate I am buying them. I bet I can collect a thousand or likely even more. I do wonder when and if I will have more UHD BD than HD BD.

For now I can watch different title every night for over 2 years.

Love live Blu Ray.

[cgpublic]

Originally Posted by MrHT

I regret to admit that at this point, streaming is winning over physical media.

Don't sweat it. You must have missed the memo. It was around six or seven years ago, maybe even earlier. Lots of guys missed it, some still haven't read it.

I'll check and perhaps I can find you a copy, but don't wait on me.

Until then, keep buying discs, as I do.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by MrHT

I regret to admit that at this point, streaming is winning over physical media. But the thing that annoys me the most is that it seems like they are setting up the 4K Blu-ray format for failure.

First, getting a decent UHD player costs $200 while a Roku stick costs like $30.

Second, on release date, a new UHD disc costs $30+ while the 4K digital format costs $20 and drops down as low as ~$10 real quick.

Third, the UHD disc sometimes lags behind in release. For example, the new "Mean Girls" movie. You can stream that now in 4K digitally. But will not be released on 4K Blu-ray until April 30th.

Fourth, quality control on UHD discs is just awful. I've received a good number of scratched discs that I've had to waste time exchanging.

Fifth, not many B&M stores carry physical media anymore.

With all that, it's no wonder the average consumer is saying "screw it" to the 4K Blu-ray format. If maybe they tried making the price a little more competitive and release them in conjunction to the digital release, the 4K Blu-ray format may have a chance of succeeding. But it's like they are setting this format up for failure. Why are they doing this??

Define winning? The streaming services are mostly making huge losses, and digital copy sales are a fart in an astronaut suit.

If this is winning, I don’t want to see what losing is.

[bhampton]

Losing is leasing a license to watch someone else's movies.

[bhampton]

Originally Posted by s2mikey

The "control" factor is the biggest issue I have with streaming-only as my viewing options.

The control thing is huge.

The quality though... Physical Media is higher quality and UHD BD is the highest quality home media outside of Kaleidoscope which I have no interest in.

Just knowing there's a higher quality version available is what makes streaming a drag for me. Knowing I own the highest quality version of content readily available makes me happy and it's fun to host movies for others on occasion.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by bhampton

Losing is leasing a license to watch someone else's movies.

Precisely, then being forced to pay more if you don’t want ads. Talk about playing people.

[MrHT]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

Precisely, then being forced to pay more if you don’t want ads. Talk about playing people.

The thing I hate about subscription services is that prices keep going up and up, especially Netflix which is becoming insane. Prices are never going to go down; they just keep ever increasing.

At least when buying discs, if you're patient, prices drop and sales come along. So if you find a good deal on a movie, you can snag it and keep it forever. With Netflix, you're paying an ever increasing monthly rate and you lose your ability to stream their library as soon as you stop paying.

Buying gives you control on how much you want to pay. Subscriptions don't.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by MrHT

The thing I hate about subscription services is that prices keep going up and up, especially Netflix which is becoming insane. Prices are never going to go down; they just keep ever increasing.

At least when buying discs, if you're patient, prices drop and sales come along. So if you find a good deal on a movie, you can snag it and keep it forever. With Netflix, you're paying an ever increasing monthly rate and you lose your ability to stream their library as soon as you stop paying.

Buying gives you control on how much you want to pay. Subscriptions don't.

Plus, streaming services have realised the model they were trying to replace, is the one they need to pursue. Namely, cable. It’s easy to see Netflix going that way, with live sport and trashy social media celebs boxing ex champions.

Netflix are so far removed from their original sell, it’s not even funny.

[alchav21]

Originally Posted by MrHT

The thing I hate about subscription services is that prices keep going up and up, especially Netflix which is becoming insane. Prices are never going to go down; they just keep ever increasing.

At least when buying discs, if you're patient, prices drop and sales come along. So if you find a good deal on a movie, you can snag it and keep it forever. With Netflix, you're paying an ever increasing monthly rate and you lose your ability to stream their library as soon as you stop paying.

Buying gives you control on how much you want to pay. Subscriptions don't.

Prices are going up for everything, so you have to pick your priorities. Disc prices come down when the Break Even Point is met with some kind of a Profit Margin. Discs will not be made if that Profit Margin is not consistent. Digital is direct to consumer with Subscription and EST, which can be controlled much easier.

If you notice your Best Blu-ray Movie Deals keep going up, it's almost at $30 average. So anything less IMO the Profit Margins will not be worth making Discs!

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by alchav21

Prices are going up for everything, so you have to pick your priorities. Disc prices come down when the Break Even Point is met with some kind of a Profit Margin. Discs will not be made if that Profit Margin is not consistent. Digital is direct to consumer with Subscription and EST, which can be controlled much easier.

If you notice your Best Blu-ray Movie Deals keep going up, it's almost at $30 average. So anything less IMO the Profit Margins will not be worth making Discs!

[stonesfan129]

I went to watch a movie from Vudu the other day in my bedroom where I don't have a Blu-ray player. I was sick the whole day and back and forth to my bathroom. I've just got a Firestick plugged into the TV up there. I tried to watch through Vudu, but all I got was a black screen (though audio seemed to work). Turns out Vudu had some big storage issue so I tried to watch through Apple but low and behold the movie I wanted to watch isn't DMA-eligible so I couldn't watch it. Went and got my old LG BP350 out and plugged it in up there, played my Blu-ray. Didn't have to worry about someone else's storage having issues. I do think I am going to start a Plex server and just put a bunch of stuff on there for local watching in my house.

Anyway, I'll keep buying Blu-ray until they either stop making it or the prices prevent me from doing so. If I only buy things I think I'll watch more than a handful of times and I am a bit strategic with my purchases, I can avoid hoarding and the cost isn't that bad in the long run. I've got 1200 discs currently (cut down from 1800 by selling some stuff I never watched again).

The thing I am worried about is these companies selling off to others and all my stuff gets wiped out and I am just told "buy it again" while they play a sad song on the world's smallest violin. I already lost one movie when Vudu was sold because they didn't want to support Instawatch.

I have had a couple of scratched discs, but Amazon is fairly easy to work this out with. I think mine was on "Mission Impossible: Fallout" and I can't remember the other. They sent me a new disc immediately, and I was able to return the damaged one within like a month I think for credit.

As for streaming, it's not really my thing. Every once in a great while I will get a month of Disney+ to watch the Star Wars shows. That's about it. The prices keep on going up, and it seems like there's just less and less content I am interested in watching. The Netflix model where you had a whole bunch of popular TV shows and movies, no ads, and it was $10/mo was worthwhile. But content is so fragmented, now there's ads, and stuff keeps moving around all the time; that it's just not worth it.

[Anthony P]

Originally Posted by MrHT

I regret to admit that at this point, streaming is winning over physical media. But the thing that annoys me the most is that it seems like they are setting up the 4K Blu-ray format for failure.

First, getting a decent UHD player costs $200 while a Roku stick costs like $30.

Second, on release date, a new UHD disc costs $30+ while the 4K digital format costs $20 and drops down as low as ~$10 real quick.

Third, the UHD disc sometimes lags behind in release. For example, the new "Mean Girls" movie. You can stream that now in 4K digitally. But will not be released on 4K Blu-ray until April 30th.

Fourth, quality control on UHD discs is just awful. I've received a good number of scratched discs that I've had to waste time exchanging.

Fifth, not many B&M stores carry physical media anymore.

With all that, it's no wonder the average consumer is saying "screw it" to the 4K Blu-ray format. If maybe they tried making the price a little more competitive and release them in conjunction to the digital release, the 4K Blu-ray format may have a chance of succeeding. But it's like they are setting this format up for failure. Why are they doing this??

If "they" wanted it to fail they would not make films available on physical media. Don't get me wrong I am sure "They" laughed when someone that had bought a copy on target ticket decided to buy on CinemaNow when TT shut down and then again on something else when CN shut down, because you not having access to the content anymore is a great reason to re-buy and some people can't learn from errors of the past because this time th service provider won't dissapear or the content won't dissapear.


As for stores closing or just that department. It is kind of sad but it is a sign of te times. many people have stropped buying and buying on-line is just too easy and easy to compare. There are a few stuff that I won't buy on-line , fresh food, clothes.... but the UHD BD will be exactly the same if I buy it in store or on-line if I buy it from X or from Y.
.

[AKORIS]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

Define winning? The streaming services are mostly making huge losses, and digital copy sales are a fart in an astronaut suit.

If this is winning, I don’t want to see what losing is.

[Anthony P]

Originally Posted by MrHT

The thing I hate about subscription services is that prices keep going up and up

what do you expect. It has to try and get to the point where it is decently profitable for everyone involved.

[bhampton]

Originally Posted by Anthony P

what do you expect. It has to try and get to the point where it is decently profitable for everyone involved.

Or profitable at all for anyone involved.

[MrHT]

Originally Posted by Anthony P

As for stores closing or just that department. It is kind of sad but it is a sign of te times. many people have stropped buying and buying on-line is just too easy and easy to compare. There are a few stuff that I won't buy on-line , fresh food, clothes.... but the UHD BD will be exactly the same if I buy it in store or on-line if I buy it from X or from Y.
.

You must treat the delivery guy well because when I get UHD BDs in the mail, it’s a crapshoot and can sometimes arrive in beat up shape. At least in the store, I can inspect the condition before I buy. And also, I can buy one movie at the store and not have to pay shipping. With Amazon, I have to spend $35 to get free shipping. So it’s not exactly the same to me.