Because Blu-Ray will "obviously" be replaced rapidly by streaming only...

[ack_bak]

Originally Posted by pagemaster

It is not exactly Apple and Oranges, the market is about to shift drastically. Right now, physical media is about 60% (both purchase and rentals), the rest is made up of digital services.

I myself have already made the first steps in the switch from purchasing content in the classic physical form to that of renting from a digital service, I just have to decide if I want to go with Apple Tv or continue linking my computer up to my receiver via HDMI.

The Hollywood studios will see the shift coming, and the final nail in the coffin for poor old physical media will be when the studios revert to a digital rental first model before the physical media is released.



http://www.homemediamagazine.com/ind...ugh-2013-29641

That is fine, but you still seem to be glossing over the challenges that EST will have. If you say there will be no ownership model and only a rental model then it will be a sad day for consumers and for studios as nobody wins.

The studios can shrink the release windows all they want but price will be the ultimate driver IMHO as long as Redbox and Netflix/Amazon cheap streaming are around. The studios have tried this already with digital it is not a new concept. And look what the 28+ day delays did to Redbox. Pretty much no impact and lots of growth since they tried it.

The biggest problem I see for rentals is price erosion. Unless you kill off Redox, Netflix, and Amazon Prime, it will be hard for the studios to make up for lost sellthrough revenue as the market declines.

[pagemaster]

Originally Posted by ack_bak

That is fine, but you still seem to be glossing over the challenges that EST will have. If you say there will be no ownership model and only a rental model then it will be a sad day for consumers and for studios as nobody wins.

The studios can shrink the release windows all they want but price will be the ultimate driver IMHO as long as Redbox and Netflix/Amazon cheap streaming are around. The studios have tried this already with digital it is not a new concept. And look what the 28+ day delays did to Redbox. Pretty much no impact and lots of growth since they tried it.

The biggest problem I see for rentals is price erosion. Unless you kill off Redox, Netflix, and Amazon Prime, it will be hard for the studios to make up for lost sellthrough revenue as the market declines.

There will always be a ownership model, especially for blu rays and then 4K, however this ownership model will continue to shrink. Eventually, it will come to a point where the rental revenue exceeds the physical revenue and thus the studios will push the digital rental as well as well as the digital ownership before the release of the blu ray. This is already kinda of happened with the early digital releases of movies such as Argo and Anna Karenina on iTunes etc ahead of the blu ray release.

The shift has nothing to do with people not watching movies, the shift will be of how people watch via rental instead of physical ownership.

[Tok]

How many people have a fast internet connection in their car? What those that have secluded vacation homes in rural areas? The point is that fast internet isn't everywhere.

[pagemaster]

Originally Posted by CraigW

How many people have a fast internet connection in their car? What those that have secluded vacation homes in rural areas? The point is that fast internet isn't everywhere.

Assuming, one needs to bring the purchased physical media to the secluded vacation home...what is the difference if I bring my lap top with my iTunes library and plug it in via HDMI to my HDTV. Even better, the new 128 gb iPad stores how many movies?

You don't need wifi to watch an iTunes movie. You just need it to download it.

[ack_bak]

Originally Posted by pagemaster

Assuming, one needs to bring the purchased physical media to the secluded vacation home...what is the difference if I bring my lap top with my iTunes library and plug it in via HDMI to my HDTV. Even better, the new 128 gb iPad stores how many movies?

You don't need wifi to watch an iTunes movie. You just need it to download it.

As long as all your devices you want to watch the content on support iTunes your golden. The minute you buy a Google phone or tablet for your kid and they want to watch your iTunes movie you bought your pretty much screwed (been there, done that).

If iTunes supported UV, some of these issues would go away but I don't see them doing that anytime soon.

If you live in an Apple centric house with all things iTunes, it works pretty well unless you have a large screen and a good sound system. Then the Blu-Ray version is much preferred.

I have converted a ton of the digital copies to iTunes late last year while we traveled and it worked great with our iPhones and iPads.

[ack_bak]

Originally Posted by pagemaster

There will always be a ownership model, especially for blu rays and then 4K, however this ownership model will continue to shrink. Eventually, it will come to a point where the rental revenue exceeds the physical revenue and thus the studios will push the digital rental as well as well as the digital ownership before the release of the blu ray. This is already kinda of happened with the early digital releases of movies such as Argo and Anna Karenina on iTunes etc ahead of the blu ray release.

The shift has nothing to do with people not watching movies, the shift will be of how people watch via rental instead of physical ownership.

I am still not sold that releasing movies on a shorter window to own (digitally) will have any dramatic impact on sales. Same for digital rentals for the reason I gave earlier (price erosion). The majority of Americans are trained to either pay $1-2 at a kiosk for a newer release or wait to stream it for as much as they want for $8 a month.

Yes, the studios can try all they want, but I think the damage has already been done.

[KRW1]

Originally Posted by ack_bak

I am still not sold that releasing movies on a shorter window to own (digitally) will have any dramatic impact on sales. Same for digital rentals for the reason I gave earlier (price erosion). The majority of Americans are trained to either pay $1-2 at a kiosk for a newer release or wait to stream it for as much as they want for $8 a month.

Yes, the studios can try all they want, but I think the damage has already been done.

It doesn't. It's been happening for at least a year but hardly anyone has noticed and sales are tiny. People just don't seem to be interested in digitally purchasing things no matter how hard people wish.

Like the earlier poster, I've been burnt by Sony in the past purchasing things digitally only to find a year or two later they're not compatible with current stuff. Now I'm supposed to want to have a digital only movie collections. Yeah, right.

[Tok]

Originally Posted by KRW1

It doesn't. It's been happening for at least a year but hardly anyone has noticed and sales are tiny. People just don't seem to be interested in digitally purchasing things no matter how hard people wish.

Like the earlier poster, I've been burnt by Sony in the past purchasing things digitally only to find a year or two later they're not compatible with current stuff. Now I'm supposed to want to have a digital only movie collections. Yeah, right.

A $5 discount for a lower quality version that ties you into a certain providers eco system. No thanks.

[KRW1]

Originally Posted by CraigW

A $5 discount for a lower quality version that ties you into a certain providers eco system. No thanks.

My PS3 has given up nagging me to buy HD versions of films for more than the blurays cost, which it did for a little while way back on 2011. It's dead in the water.

[pagemaster]

Originally Posted by ack_bak

As long as all your devices you want to watch the content on support iTunes your golden. The minute you buy a Google phone or tablet for your kid and they want to watch your iTunes movie you bought your pretty much screwed (been there, done that).
.

Not that big a deal, I actually don't need an Apple device to watch iTunes on my HDTV...I simply input my HDMI to my laptop (Toshiba) and I am good to go. I am debating a purchase of Apple TV but I have not decided yet. I don't have a tablet, mac or any other Apple device expect for my iPod Touch which I use mainly for podcasting.

[Steedeel]

I have always considered connecting laptops etc.. To my HDTV as a bit.....well, naff. Very personal thing I know.

[ack_bak]

Originally Posted by pagemaster

Not that big a deal, I actually don't need an Apple device to watch iTunes on my HDTV...I simply input my HDMI to my laptop (Toshiba) and I am good to go. I am debating a purchase of Apple TV but I have not decided yet. I don't have a tablet, mac or any other Apple device expect for my iPod Touch which I use mainly for podcasting.

Right but if you decide to make iTunes your goto provider for content and buy content from them and then Google comes out with a new OS that revolutionizes devices, you are outta luck.

This is the problem I have with the fragmented digital ecosystem. I refuse to buy any movies or TV shows digitally right now because none of us know when of even if, there will be a digital standard. It could just remain fragmented.

For me, I have found iTunes to be the most seamless, but Vudu HDX is far superior, I just cannot justify $5.99 for a one time rental for HDX when Redbox is $1.50 per night for better quality.

[pagemaster]

Originally Posted by ack_bak

Right but if you decide to make iTunes your goto provider for content and buy content from them and then Google comes out with a new OS that revolutionizes devices, you are outta luck.

This is the problem I have with the fragmented digital ecosystem. I refuse to buy any movies or TV shows digitally right now because none of us know when of even if, there will be a digital standard. It could just remain fragmented.

For me, I have found iTunes to be the most seamless, but Vudu HDX is far superior, I just cannot justify $5.99 for a one time rental for HDX when Redbox is $1.50 per night for better quality.

Well, I have been using iTunes since around 2007 or so. I have never considered or even given the idea an ounce of thought as to what I would like to use, it is iTunes and only iTunes. Those who would like to use other system, good for them.

It really is not that big of an issue at all, especially for those who are just interested in renting the movie only.

Now, iTunes serves my rental purposes exactly as intended. No fuss, no muss. I would like to give RedBox some business but not having some of the movies I would like to see like Running Scared or No Holds Barred pretty much eliminates the idea of Redbox. And driving 8 miles to my closest RedBox....now why would I want to do that?

[Marklar84]

No thanks. I like having the physical copies. They're nice to look at you can lend them out, trade, etc. Plus who wants to be at their ISPs mercy for entertainment?

[crazyBLUE]

Originally Posted by Marklar84

No thanks. I like having the physical copies. They're nice to look at you can lend them out, trade, etc. Plus who wants to be at their ISPs mercy for entertainment?

And who wants to listen to TV speakers as well ~ Not me

[pagemaster]

Originally Posted by crazyBLUE

And who wants to listen to TV speakers as well ~ Not me

I am sure many people watch their blu ray movies with out a sound receiver and there are a good number who probably watch iTunes content with a sound system.

Either way, you would need an external receiver to get good sound from both formats.

[IronWaffle]

Originally Posted by pagemaster

I am sure many people watch their blu ray movies with out a sound receiver and there are a good number who probably watch iTunes content with a sound system.

Either way, you would need an external receiver to get good sound from both formats.

My use case: I prefer discs but also stream Netflix. An ancient episode of Columbo is fine through TV speakers (or crappy iPad speaker) but movies or recent TV goes through my Apple TV and receiver. Sure, it's simulated surround can't compete with lossless discs in my Oppo, but there are things I want to see but not own.

[atomik kinder]

So, what happens when Netflix, Amazon, etc lose their license to a movie? Movies come and go, it isn't like a permanent collection. I have Netflix streaming and Amazon Prime. It always seems like most of the movies are rated one to two stars. There are A LOT of REALLY BAD movies to stream.

[pagemaster]

Originally Posted by IronWaffle

but there are things I want to see but not own.

That is exactly the way I look at, there are great number of movies that I was really want to see bu I have no interest in owning. Just watched a iTunes download of Hulk Hogan in No Holds Barred, the movie is not available on blu-ray and dvd is about $15. The quality of it was very good for a downloaded movie. I saw No Holds Barred in theatres in 1989, 24 years later I saw it again, will I likely watch it again in the next 24 years, not likely.

There are a bunch of other movies I want to watch but not own, Perks of a Wallflower and the The Last Stand will likely be next.

Originally Posted by Marklar84

. Plus who wants to be at their ISPs mercy for entertainment?

Most of the internet companies can see the downloading shift coming, my plan gets me about 25HD movies a month for downloading, I doubt I am going to download and watch 25 movies per month....I can't see an average family watching that many movies either.

[KRW1]

That bloke from Sony quoted earlier who said customers are beginning to lose the connection with owning a physical produce will probably be sacked on Monday if he can't come up with a convincing explanation as to how, if it is true, it is that Twilight Time managed to shift 3000 copies of Christine at $30 a pop in less than seven hours from a Sony licence.