Oh noes teh sky is falling!

[Clark Kent]

There will likely be one more physical format before the entire system is digital distribution.

[Mr. Al]

DVD and Blu-ray are it for me. I leave the digital format for the next generation.

[joenostalgia23]

I'm thinking that BD will last for a very long time(DVD too). Probably 10-20 years. The day BD dies, the world will be completely digital download.

Blu-ray can deliver 1080p(which is extremely close to a 2K theatrical presentation), lossless audio, online connectivity and even 3D cinema. There isn't really much else to ask for.

[koontz1973]

Until the whole world gets fast reliable internet, physical media will be here. Even then, most people will want to have a physical copy to display. Digital downloads have not stopped DVD's or CD's. Digital downloads have not even stopped records getting and increase in share over the last ten years. No matter how much companies may want downloads, it will stay a minority in sales for at least another 20+ years, unless they discount them heavily over discs.

Blu ray has the space to showcase movies at there best. What is better than the best.

[ScarredLungs]

Originally Posted by Blu-Benny

the world will end.

Enough said.

[Chindogu]

Blu-ray will probably be around for quite sometime, as others have stated. If there is another physical format, which is most likely unless Internet bandwidth radically increases soon (and that's another debate), I think it will be a Solid State Drive tech.

Disc based formats just seem like they've run their course. Too many moving parts and limitations. Once space size and speed increases, as price lowers of course, Solid State just seem like the logical choice, IMO.

[markbr]

Originally Posted by cvm

Enough said.

Well said LOL ! The world would end !

[serpheus]

HD-DVD will make one hell of a comeback

[NYorker]

How about blu-er ray?

[steve1971]

I dont think we have anything to fear. Blu ray will be around for a long while but I am sure that something better will come down the pike. It always does! But Blu ray will be around for a long time.

[oppopioneer]

When you guys say: "Bluray will be around for a long time." do you mean the physical dimensions of the CD/DVD/BD disc or bluray in it's current 1080p/24 PQ?

The next advancement will most likely be disc's in the same size and dimensions but that can hold more space like the links I posted above about Pioneer's 500gb disc and GE's holographic disc that can load 50+ movies on one disc.

MPEG-4 AVC will advance to MPEG-6 AVC.

And a higher bit rate of 192khz/32 bit will be the next step for audio recording.

There won't be an original out of left field revolutionary concept, but a evolutionary incremental advancement in technology and design. That's how it's always been, little improvements at a time, that seems how the electronics industry and auto industry prefers it, each year or every few years they release a new model that is a little better or offers more options than the previous one.

[Anthony P]

who knows and who cares. Don't get me wrong, I am the first to tech watch, but there is nothing on the horizon right now so why speculate. Some idiot will say HVD, some other one will say solid state memory, some other one will say DL, maybe someone that watch superman recently might say crystal. In the end such threads just end up being posts by ignorant people giving an opinion on something they know nothing about

[Zero_Cool]

They will start selling movies on super flash drives.

[Spurrier Sucks]

Originally Posted by Blu-Benny

the world will end.

Well said. 2012 and we're toast. Eat, drink and be happy until then, or everything will be fully digital.

[Saturnas]

Originally Posted by Taat

It will just go to downloadable content in about ten years

I don't think so, because if everything would be in downloadable content, there would be no reason to buy it, because you can just download it for free from torrents.

[Grand Bob]

Originally Posted by serpheus

HD-DVD will make one hell of a comeback

... and this time he's pissed!

[kdo]

Originally Posted by Mr. Al

DVD and Blu-ray are it for me. I leave the digital format for the next generation.

+1...Blu is the end of the line for me too...I won't be adopting another format after this one, regardless of whether or not it's superior. The big breakthrough for me was DVD, which allowed us the ability to see almost all films in their original aspect ratios, along with never-before-seen bonus features. I had several hundred DVD's, all films I really enjoyed, but 75% of which I never viewed more than once. I've since sold off most of my DVD's, not in anticipation of them being released on Blu, but because I knew I'd probably never get around to watching them again anyway. Now, I'm only buying my absolute favorites on Blu, and when all is said and done, I will have a maximum of maybe 60-70 titles (but I'm only counting on half that, considering many films I love are obscure, low-budget 'cheese-fests,' that'll most likely never get a Blu release). I love movies, and they are one of my favorite hobbies, but I do have other passions in life, and only so much free-time... To upgrade to the next format, whatever it ends up being 10 years from now, to replace 30-60 titles of which I'll already have seen dozens of times by that point, wouldn't make either financial, or 'time-management' sense to me...

[partridge]

Bear in mind that the industry people who continually tell us that physical media is on the way out tend to be MS, Apple and other firms who have a business interest in digital downloads; convenient eh?

Music moved to downloads easily because they are small files that you listen to. What all these firms seem to miss is that movie and tv media are entirely different and at HD quality they are huge by comparison.

Currently the percentage of consumers that has super fast broadband is tiny and until we can all download a full size HD movie in minutes there is no danger of blu-ray being replaced, no matter how much MS and Apple keep scare mongering consumers into thinking they are buying dead tech.

Aside from all that, people, generally, like to own a physical thing. Something to put on a shelf, etc. It gives them immediate, hassle free, access to their favourite films and tv progs.

Personally I hate the idea of buying a digital format that will more than likely have a far shorter shelf life than a disc. There are so many incompatable digital formats out there and while that fact remains (and MS and Apple won't agree a standard) blu-ray will continue to increase in sales as it and the players get cheaper and cheaper.

Rumours of blu-ray's demise are hugely exagerrated; almost always by companies with an interest in the format failing. It makes sense for media companies to make their content available in various formats, but if you want the best for your HD tv, it has to be blu-ray; there is no comparable alternative.

[Musashi]

Originally Posted by partridge

MS and Apple won't agree a standard

It's funny how some self-proclaimed experts thought warring between hi-def disc formats would put downloads at an advantage, citing DVDA and SACD as a basis; the real reality is quite opposite it seems.

Discs including blu-ray will be around a very long time. I could see another physical format being used for data and games, but considering how large a screen it takes to see a difference between 1080p and 2160p/4320p, I think it unlikely another major movie format will be needed.

As far as phasing out discs: I'll consider the possibility only when: inland areas have hi-speed internet readily available, studios produce downloadable movies with BD level PQ/AQ/Extras, and downloads outsell physical media on a movie title.

[Rob71]

Originally Posted by Musashi

It's funny how some self-proclaimed experts thought warring between hi-def disc formats would put downloads at an advantage, citing DVDA and SACD as a basis; the real reality is quite opposite it seems.

Discs including blu-ray will be around a very long time. I could see another physical format being used for data and games, but considering how large a screen it takes to see a difference between 1080p and 2160p/4320p, I think it unlikely another major movie format will be needed.

As far as phasing out discs: I'll consider the possibility only when: inland areas have hi-speed internet readily available, studios produce downloadable movies with BD level PQ/AQ/Extras, and downloads outsell physical media on a movie title.

And allow me multiple free downloads in case of HDD failure. Oh and speaking of HDD failure, imagine re-downloading all 300 of your HD movie files... Got any free time?