Oh noes teh sky is falling! - Page 187 - Blu-ray Forum

Piollo · 09-29-2011, 04:17 PM

We all looking for the lowest price on BD, so the cheapest the better

mrr1 · 09-29-2011, 04:33 PM

Lower prices just mean that disc manufacturers can't gouge customers like they used to, due to the fact that there are more entartainment options than ever (direct pay-per-view, movie channels, streaming services, physical discs, etc.).

If Blu Ray was on the consumer market in the 90s, they'd probably be $50-$60 per disc (I'm guessing here - but the point being they'd be expensive) because back then we had much fewer alternatives.

ZoetMB · 09-29-2011, 07:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrr1

Lower prices just mean that disc manufacturers can't gouge customers like they used to, due to the fact that there are more entartainment options than ever (direct pay-per-view, movie channels, streaming services, physical discs, etc.).

If Blu Ray was on the consumer market in the 90s, they'd probably be $50-$60 per disc (I'm guessing here - but the point being they'd be expensive) because back then we had much fewer alternatives.

That's not the only reason. The technology to manufacture discs got cheaper and more efficient. I used to be in the CD-ROM business and when we started 25 years ago, it cost $8500 to premaster a disc and $8.50 a disc to manufacture (not including packaging). By 1993 or so, it had fallen to $1000 to premaster a disc and about a $1 a disc to manufacture. In the early days, the duplicating facilities had to be very capital intensive clean-room facilities and the equipment was very large. A large pressing facility could have been a $billion investment. Today, you can buy self-contained portable CD-ROM (and CD/DVD) pressing equipment for a tiny fraction of the cost. In addition, pressing facilities opened in low-wage countries, although CD pressing is not particularly labor intensive.

The fact is that you shouldn't want BD discs to fall to 50 cents a disc as others have suggested (or anything close). Because if it does, the content owners will lose interest in the medium and move on to an inferior alternative. You want the studios to be able to make money from BD. If they can't earn substantial profit, it will be the end of restoring classic films, quality remastering, substantial extras, deluxe packaging, etc. When a business can't make enough they stop investing and instead milk it instead. What that would mean is bad DVD masters copied to BD discs in plain packaging and few extras.

JuntMonkey · 09-30-2011, 01:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZoetMB

The fact is that you shouldn't want BD discs to fall to 50 cents a disc as others have suggested (or anything close). Because if it does, the content owners will lose interest in the medium and move on to an inferior alternative. You want the studios to be able to make money from BD. If they can't earn substantial profit, it will be the end of restoring classic films, quality remastering, substantial extras, deluxe packaging, etc. When a business can't make enough they stop investing and instead milk it instead. What that would mean is bad DVD masters copied to BD discs in plain packaging and few extras.

I've never heard logic like that. If the cost for content owners goes down, they can either charge the same price and make more profit, or they can lower the price for the consumer, sell more copies and make more profit.

ZoetMB · 09-30-2011, 02:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JuntMonkey

I've never heard logic like that. If the cost for content owners goes down, they can either charge the same price and make more profit, or they can lower the price for the consumer, sell more copies and make more profit.

But the overall cost isn't going down. Although I'm kind of contradicting my earlier post, the manufacturing cost is so small as to be almost irrelevant. It's the licensing, royalties, residuals, clearance, package design, marketing and distribution costs that drive the selling price and especially for newer films, royalty costs tend to increase all the time.

And even when a studio thinks they own an older film outright, there's always some guy who played saxophone on the soundtrack who sues because his contract (from the 1960s) didn't say anything about digital distribution or Blu-ray.

It wasn't until relatively recently that contracts started having phrases like, "...in all media, including media that exists today and media that will be invented in the future..." to cover their butts. But even then, if there are Guild participants, residuals still have to be paid in most cases.

pro-bassoonist · 10-02-2011, 10:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZoetMB

If they can't earn substantial profit, it will be the end of restoring classic films, quality remastering, substantial extras, deluxe packaging, etc. When a business can't make enough they stop investing and instead milk it instead. What that would mean is bad DVD masters copied to BD discs in plain packaging and few extras.

Nothing can be further from the truth. BD sales are not the determining factor as to whether a specific film is likely to get restored or not. In fact, some of the very best restorations during the last couple of years have been either partially or fully funded by external organizations/foundations. Even in high profile cases such as Citizen Kane, Blu-ray sales performance was not the determining factor.

GreatGreg · 10-09-2011, 02:27 PM

I just wanted to clarify my remarks in the FS/BB forum without muddying up that thread.

My remarks about the end of physical media is not based on my opinion, but on what I've seen in the industry and what makes (business) sense in today's market.

Don't get me wrong. I love physical media and would never want to see it go, but I am a dinosaur. No, I'm not really that old, but my preferences are. I like owning the CD/DVD/BD because (1) I want the highest possible fidelity possible, and (2) I don't like studios to charge me on a per view basis. I also don't like anyone to know personal information about when and where I watch what.

Irregardless of that, the move from physical media is on. Yes, bookstores are closing. Yes, CD stores are virtually gone thanks to Steve Jobs (RIP). Yes, internet and 3G/4G/WiMax are becoming pervasive everywhere in modern G8 nations, but this is about movies.

I asked myself this question: Why isn't INDIANA JONES out on Blu-ray?

Well, if I put myself in Paramount's shoes. If I had the power to release the IJ trilogy on BD, I would make the most kicking-ass version of that quadrilogy that I possibly could. I would include all the bonus features, archival footage, poster reprints that I could fit into a fedora and a whip and then market it as a super-duper-deluxe package.

I know I would have to do this because the majority of enthusiasts already have this trilogy on DVD/VHS and I would want to give them their money's worth.

Now to create all this material, I would have to employ a large team to
(1) restore the film
(2) create the new box
(3) gather the bonus materials
(4) print the mini-posters or lithographs
(5) make a fedora
(6) make a whip
(7) print the BDs themselves
(8) assemble the final package (BDs, print materials, box, goodies)
(9) ship the damn thing from China or India all over the world
(10) create print ads for the retail outlets like Best Buy and Future Shop

On top of that, I would have to price my costs reasonably so that the retailers will be able to carry it and sell them.

Bottom line is that all of my worries would be much easier if I were to release it online. I would only have to pay for (1). Furthermore, if I were to release a 3D version next year, I would could just talk to my web team and upload a new copy of the film.

Costs and sales are so much cheaper without the physical media.

Up until now they have been a necessary evil, but not anymore.

Now before you disagree with me, keep in mind that we are in a BD forum. Everyone here prefers physical media. That is pretty much a given. But look at the 'kids' today. How many of them own CDs? How many of them play games off discs? How many people are happy with iTunes, and Playstation Network? (Hint: don't try and impress a girl these days talking about your impressive "CD Collection".)

Like I said, we are dinosaurs.

(Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!)

Matt110189 · 10-09-2011, 02:43 PM

Couldn't really agree more. Physical media will still last for a long time as long as the demand remains, but long-term it's simply not sustainable or viable.

Banjo · 10-09-2011, 03:41 PM

The reason why Indiana Jones isn't on the Blu-ray format is because George Lucas is the one holding it back. He did the same thing with Star Wars. In fact, he did it with both Star Wars and Indiana Jones on the DVD format. He was going to release Star Wars on DVD in 2007 but decided to release it in 2004 due to piracy concerns.

The real reason behind holding out on the releases is because he want to maximize the profits by having as many Blu-ray adapters as possible. He's not going to release them if they are only going to sell a million copies.

Yes, it's true that streaming movies over the internet is getting more popular thanks to Netflix and iTunes. Video rental stores are closing all over. Blockbuster is gone. Jumbo Video and Rogers are hanging by a thread. However, we have to keep in mind that internet bandwidth is not that great in Canada, especially if you want to watch movies in HD. Cogeco just gained its bandwidth cap from 60GB to 80GB, but upped the price too as well. That's one thing that concerns me.

It seems like we are paying a fee for everything. I don't subscribe to cable nor satellite though, I watch TV in glorious HD using an OTA antenna. Just remember, it doesn't come with HBO or any sports channels, which I'm perfectly fine with. Hee.

The next few years ought to be interesting, market-wise.

Steel Panther · 10-09-2011, 04:00 PM

1) Irregardless isn't a word (Sorry - had to)

2) anyone who disputes that Physical media will eventually disappear, probably still has a 8 track player in their car. It's called advancing technology. After everything goes digital, the next one is implanting chips into our skulls to watch on demand wherever we are

kryptonite1970 · 10-09-2011, 04:47 PM

My only problem is why is this in the hot deals thread?

Steel Panther · 10-09-2011, 05:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kryptonite1970

My only problem is why is this in the hot deals thread?

the argument started in a deals thread and started polluting it. Here, it stops that, hopefully.

Anthony P · 10-09-2011, 05:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steel Panther

the argument started in a deals thread and started polluting it. Here, it stops that, hopefully.

so insanity should pollute the whole forum instead of a few posts in one thread? There are forums where such discussions belong.

rdodolak · 10-09-2011, 05:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GreatGreg

Bottom line is that all of my worries would be much easier if I were to release it online. I would only have to pay for (1). Furthermore, if I were to release a 3D version next year, I would could just talk to my web team and upload a new copy of the film.

Costs and sales are so much cheaper without the physical media.

Not true. You're forgetting lots of additional costs such as the infrastructure (e.g. servers) costs, energy usage, cost of bandwidth, cost of IT support personnel, etc. Those costs certainly aren't cheap. Also, you'll still have advertising costs because you need to inform consumers that these releases are available.

Look at the state of the current infrastructure for providing internet service. A lot of people don't even have fast download speeds, and some may not even have internet access, so it would take a long time to download a single movie equivalent to a 50GB BD. On top of that, internet service providers are capping bandwidth (250GB, 100GB, etc. per month). At those limitations you may be lucky to download several movies per month at most assuming you don't do anything else on the internet; forget about multi-disc box sets or TV series (6-10+ discs). Studios may actually lose sales compared to the current method.

Consumers must have the infrastructure/hardware in place to store and protect their library; this certainly isn't cheap either. A single 3TB hard drive only holds so many movies plus you'll need redundancy. Most individuals would not be willing to pay for those up front costs.

Just food for thought. Digitial downloading or streaming (equivalent to BD or better) may be the wave of the future but it's still 20-30 years away, at a minimum.

blurai · 10-09-2011, 05:43 PM

i think physical media is also on its way out...

the problem is i don't just buy movies because i love movies...

i also collect movies...thats why i prefer a physical version of a movie over one i can just download.

its going to take some time before i can switch from physical media....likely it would have to come down to the time that movies are not available via some sort of physical media....

Jimbo976 · 10-09-2011, 05:57 PM

I don't need physical media if they can offer something with the same full quality digitally.

Anthony P · 10-09-2011, 06:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GreatGreg

I just wanted to clarify my remarks in the FS/BB forum without muddying up that thread.

My remarks about the end of physical media is not based on my opinion, but on what I've seen in the industry and what makes (business) sense in today's market.

actually it is more based on ignorance than anything else

Quote:

I asked myself this question: Why isn't INDIANA JONES out on Blu-ray?

simple not all movies can come out at once so they are dispersed over the life of the movie. Like someone else pointed out in this thread (and so simple to use) SW came out on DVD in 2004 DVD came out in 97, the 7 years before it came out did it mean physical media or even DVD was doomed? and what happens when the rest do come out, will that automatically change your prognostication from "physical media is doomed" to "physical media is not doomed"

Quote:

Now to create all this material, I would have to employ a large team to
(1) restore the film

why is that physical media dependent? wouldn't them wanting us to buy the DL also require this in order to make my DVD version worth replacing?

Quote:

(2) create the new box

not sure what new box you mean, I don't think anyone cares if they use the same cover art as the DVD, and I don't know but every place where I can legally get a digital copy of a film there is cover art there as well. I can't see why releasing it on BD means new (and expensive) cover art but not the same for DL

Quote:

(3) gather the bonus materials

isn't it all there already? yes they could make more but does anyone care if there is more or not? I have bought tons of BDs that don't have more and enough that have less.

Quote:

(4) print the mini-posters or lithographs
(5) make a fedora
(6) make a whip

?

Quote:

(7) print the BDs themselves
(8) assemble the final package (BDs, print materials, box, goodies)

lol, you do know that it is only a few bucks at most per movie.

Quote:

(9) ship the damn thing from China or India all over the world

no, movies are mostly replicated on the continents they are distributed. The process is extremely mechanical, it is not like building electronics where you need a large workforce so there is no need for offshore where labour is cheaper. Cinram has many plants in Canada, Sony DADC does replication in Terre haute Indiana in the US. Also the replicator takes care of distribution (i.e. they send the disk to Best buy or Amazon...... ) and include it in the few dollars mentioned above (i.e. replication cost)

Quote:

(10) create print ads for the retail outlets like Best Buy and Future Shop
On top of that, I would have to price my costs reasonably so that the retailers will be able to carry it and sell them.

why is that a problem has any studio complained about what they make on each BD?

Quote:

Bottom line is that all of my worries would be much easier if I were to release it online. I would only have to pay for (1). Furthermore, if I were to release a 3D version next year, I would could just talk to my web team and upload a new copy of the film.

no, tell me where I can go on Paramount's website and buy a digital copy of Indiana Jones or even any other Paramount movie (same for any major studio). Like with disks you need to go through a third party and unlike disks it is much more problematic. I asked you to tell me where there was a big dispute on cost between studio and retailer, but look at what happened with Netflix and Starz, Starz had to pull their content because Netflix did not want to pay them a fair price for the content. People with Netflix boxes go to netflix and if it is there they watch it and, like most ignorant people, if it is not they don’t go elsewhere. On the otherhand, disk buyers will go to Walmart and FS and BB and HMV….. and if one place does not have it they will go to the next and so the store looses out so they can’t PO a studio. If anything the opposite happens, every so often studios will pay more for exclusive packaging hoping that people will go there instead and buy other stuff as well.

Quote:

Now before you disagree with me, keep in mind that we are in a BD forum. Everyone here prefers physical media. That is pretty much a given. But look at the 'kids' today. How many of them own CDs? How many of them play games off discs? How many people are happy with iTunes, and Playstation Network? (Hint: don't try and impress a girl these days talking about your impressive "CD Collection".)

I am guessing you need to stop looking at bimbos

People (older and younger, males and female) are impressed by my collections. Maybe the issue is that you don't have a collection that is impressive and it is not the media that is the issue.

Then again I don't buy music and movies to impress anyone, I buy them because I enjoy music and movies. So who cares if someone is not impressed.

-----------

you see your opinion is not based on facts but complete ignorance, you think movies are replicated in China or india cost a lot for replication because you have your eyes shut. You fail to realise that when you buy a BD on special for under 5$ it is because the physical media is much lower then that and they are not losing money, you fail to realize that you can buy a combo pack with 3D BD, 2D BD, DVD, DC, BD with extras it is because each disk is cheap, you fail to realize that the reason that the free DC that comes with your BD has a piece of paper with a code for itunes (or Windows or possibly other) but the movie is on a DVD because even though it is a digital copy and could be DL over the internet (from iTunes or MS or....) it is much better for the studio financially to use those few cents and replicated on a disk then have a true digital copy that is DL over the internet and only include the sheet of paper.

Exist2Inspire · 10-09-2011, 06:54 PM

Funny thing is that I just did a paper on this for one of my classes haha.

The thing is, and I'm sure we all know this, that physical media will be dead but not for a long, long time. And there are so many reasons why, which I will not bore you with all of them.

1) Take a look at, Avatar or Transformers: Dark of the Moon. They are full blown, 50GB discs with around 49GB used for the video and audio. This, gives us very high bitrate movies and high bit-rate audio. But lets say we want to stream this. Given currently technology, aka Netflix, we will see the bitrate go down significantly and drop the audio to a 5.1 track (of which will be less than DVD quality). See the problem here? I will GLADLY play the $24.99 for Transformers Blu-Ray so I get a much better presentation of the film, rather than $7.99 a month to watch it.

Sure, you could say that Netflix could put the entire 50GB movie online. But lets see.... my internet cap is at 150 GB / Month... so I could watch the movie and only have 100 GB left? Well what if I want to watch it again? Well that's another 50GB. And perhaps next month I invite people over to watch it? 50GB gone again. Perhaps I want to watch both Avatar AND Transformers... look I have 50GB left for the month.

But, If I go out and buy the disc for $24.99 I can watch it as much times as I want.

Oh, but you might be thinking you will have hydro-costs! Well, from doing my research, it costs hydro to stream a movie on a device, rather than just play the movie (granted they gains are minimal, which is why this is moot).

2) Collections. Look at me, I have nearly 2000 physical movies at my place. And I love it... sure, it's a ***** to find something to watch, but that's not the point. Owning this collections brings a sense of joy. Well, except when you think about how much you've spent...

Joking aside, I think we can all agree we have this sense of joy when we own something. Be it movies, Games, music, etc. But then there is the streaming world. You don't actually physically own any of those movies. Sure, the advantage is that you can save space, but what's stopping Netflix from removing your favorite show? Oh wait, didn't they just lose STARZ / ANCHOR BAY? And, especially for us Canadians, there isn't a lot on there. Look at that, I own all the Star Trek DVD's (I don't, but lets pretend), but they're not on Netflix. Or lets say they are on Netflix, but they remove DS9 because it's not being watched as often.

The biggest problem with streaming is the constant negotiations with companies and their contracts. The same COULD be said about physical Media, but at least you have an opportunity to own them, and if they go out of print, you will still have it. With streaming, once it is gone, it's up to Netflix to bring it back... if they want to.

3) In regards to streaming 50GB movies... lets say at this point in time, that the whole neighbor hood is streaming Avatar... Can you say goodbye speeds? The networks simply don't have the infrastructure to run this.

Will we see the end of the physical media era? Sure, but it won't be for a long, long time. I will adopt streaming 100% only when the difference between a film on a physical media source is 99.9%. But again, not for a long long time.

Johnny Vinyl · 10-09-2011, 07:30 PM

By the very nature of our being we are collectors and have been for all time. We need to have physical objects of interest around us. Things we can touch, feel, see, discuss, manipulate, organize, trade for, etc., and these very facts will secure physical media for a very long time to come. There is no doubt that its digital counterpart will take away more and more marketshare over time, but with all of the complications standing in the way (bandwidth to name but one) you won't see that happening in the near future, maybe not even your lifetime.

antoinedoinel · 10-09-2011, 07:53 PM

I imagine we'll see home video do the same thing as music. Digital takes over, yet physical formats still survive for those that want it. For a lot of people, quality was really never a big deal, and it peaked at dvd.

For me, I'd rather part with my movies than my records or books. With records, there's something beautiful about having to sit down and actually listen, change sides, etc. With books, there's the smell, the different types of paper, and the sheer joy actually turning the pages. There's the fact that you can buy and enjoy a book anywhere, without having to worry about bringing some extra gizmo along. The spines also look a hell of a lot better on shelves.

With movies, there's really not much to them. If anything, vhs and laserdisc were a far better user experience. I actually have the majority of mine in cd binders, as most of the spines were flat out fugly and a waste of space.

10-09-2011, 02:27 PM	#3727
GreatGreg Blu-ray Knight Top contributor Member since:Oct 2009 Location:Canada Blu-ray collection:- Trading Score:21	Discussion on the End of Physical Media? I just wanted to clarify my remarks in the FS/BB forum without muddying up that thread. My remarks about the end of physical media is not based on my opinion, but on what I've seen in the industry and what makes (business) sense in today's market. Don't get me wrong. I love physical media and would never want to see it go, but I am a dinosaur. No, I'm not really that old, but my preferences are. I like owning the CD/DVD/BD because (1) I want the highest possible fidelity possible, and (2) I don't like studios to charge me on a per view basis. I also don't like anyone to know personal information about when and where I watch what. Irregardless of that, the move from physical media is on. Yes, bookstores are closing. Yes, CD stores are virtually gone thanks to Steve Jobs (RIP). Yes, internet and 3G/4G/WiMax are becoming pervasive everywhere in modern G8 nations, but this is about movies. I asked myself this question: Why isn't INDIANA JONES out on Blu-ray? Well, if I put myself in Paramount's shoes. If I had the power to release the IJ trilogy on BD, I would make the most kicking-ass version of that quadrilogy that I possibly could. I would include all the bonus features, archival footage, poster reprints that I could fit into a fedora and a whip and then market it as a super-duper-deluxe package. I know I would have to do this because the majority of enthusiasts already have this trilogy on DVD/VHS and I would want to give them their money's worth. Now to create all this material, I would have to employ a large team to (1) restore the film (2) create the new box (3) gather the bonus materials (4) print the mini-posters or lithographs (5) make a fedora (6) make a whip (7) print the BDs themselves (8) assemble the final package (BDs, print materials, box, goodies) (9) ship the damn thing from China or India all over the world (10) create print ads for the retail outlets like Best Buy and Future Shop On top of that, I would have to price my costs reasonably so that the retailers will be able to carry it and sell them. Bottom line is that all of my worries would be much easier if I were to release it online. I would only have to pay for (1). Furthermore, if I were to release a 3D version next year, I would could just talk to my web team and upload a new copy of the film. Costs and sales are so much cheaper without the physical media. Up until now they have been a necessary evil, but not anymore. Now before you disagree with me, keep in mind that we are in a BD forum. Everyone here prefers physical media. That is pretty much a given. But look at the 'kids' today. How many of them own CDs? How many of them play games off discs? How many people are happy with iTunes, and Playstation Network? (Hint: don't try and impress a girl these days talking about your impressive "CD Collection".) Like I said, we are dinosaurs. (Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!)

09-29-2011, 04:17 PM	#3721
Piollo Blu-ray Guru Top contributor Member since:Apr 2010 Location:Bay Area, USA 4K collection:713 Blu-ray collection:4711 DVD collection:584 Trading Score:101	We all looking for the lowest price on BD, so the cheapest the better

09-29-2011, 04:33 PM	#3722
mrr1 Blu-ray Guru Member since:Jul 2011 Location:Canada #1! Blu-ray collection:148 Blu-ray reviews:1	Lower prices just mean that disc manufacturers can't gouge customers like they used to, due to the fact that there are more entartainment options than ever (direct pay-per-view, movie channels, streaming services, physical discs, etc.). If Blu Ray was on the consumer market in the 90s, they'd probably be $50-$60 per disc (I'm guessing here - but the point being they'd be expensive) because back then we had much fewer alternatives.

10-09-2011, 02:43 PM	#3728
Matt110189 Member Member since:Nov 2009 Location:On, Canada 4K collection:338 Blu-ray collection:949 DVD collection:78 Trading Score:21	Couldn't really agree more. Physical media will still last for a long time as long as the demand remains, but long-term it's simply not sustainable or viable.

10-09-2011, 03:41 PM	#3729
Banjo Blu-ray Guru Member since:Dec 2006 Location:Ontario, Canada Blu-ray collection:143	The reason why Indiana Jones isn't on the Blu-ray format is because George Lucas is the one holding it back. He did the same thing with Star Wars. In fact, he did it with both Star Wars and Indiana Jones on the DVD format. He was going to release Star Wars on DVD in 2007 but decided to release it in 2004 due to piracy concerns. The real reason behind holding out on the releases is because he want to maximize the profits by having as many Blu-ray adapters as possible. He's not going to release them if they are only going to sell a million copies. Yes, it's true that streaming movies over the internet is getting more popular thanks to Netflix and iTunes. Video rental stores are closing all over. Blockbuster is gone. Jumbo Video and Rogers are hanging by a thread. However, we have to keep in mind that internet bandwidth is not that great in Canada, especially if you want to watch movies in HD. Cogeco just gained its bandwidth cap from 60GB to 80GB, but upped the price too as well. That's one thing that concerns me. It seems like we are paying a fee for everything. I don't subscribe to cable nor satellite though, I watch TV in glorious HD using an OTA antenna. Just remember, it doesn't come with HBO or any sports channels, which I'm perfectly fine with. Hee. The next few years ought to be interesting, market-wise.

10-09-2011, 04:00 PM	#3730
Steel Panther Blu-ray Ninja Top contributor Member since:Jun 2010 Location:Ontario, Canada 4K collection:62 Blu-ray collection:943 DVD collection:20 iTunes collection:341 Trading Score:21	1) Irregardless isn't a word (Sorry - had to) 2) anyone who disputes that Physical media will eventually disappear, probably still has a 8 track player in their car. It's called advancing technology. After everything goes digital, the next one is implanting chips into our skulls to watch on demand wherever we are

10-09-2011, 04:47 PM	#3731
kryptonite1970 Blu-ray Baron Top contributor Member since:Oct 2009 Location:USA 4K collection:- Blu-ray collection:- DVD collection:- Blu-ray reviews: 4 Trading Score:336	My only problem is why is this in the hot deals thread?

10-09-2011, 05:43 PM	#3735
blurai Special Member Member since:Apr 2009	i think physical media is also on its way out... the problem is i don't just buy movies because i love movies... i also collect movies...thats why i prefer a physical version of a movie over one i can just download. its going to take some time before i can switch from physical media....likely it would have to come down to the time that movies are not available via some sort of physical media....

10-09-2011, 05:57 PM	#3736
Jimbo976 Blu-ray Samurai Member since:Aug 2007 Location:Canada Home Theater Gallery:3 Blu-ray collection:209 Blu-ray reviews: 1 Trading Score:1	I don't need physical media if they can offer something with the same full quality digitally.

10-09-2011, 06:54 PM	#3738
Exist2Inspire Special Member Top contributor Member since:Dec 2008 Home Theater Gallery:18 4K collection:259 Blu-ray collection:1520 DVD collection:446 Blu-ray reviews:2 Trading Score:6	Funny thing is that I just did a paper on this for one of my classes haha. The thing is, and I'm sure we all know this, that physical media will be dead but not for a long, long time. And there are so many reasons why, which I will not bore you with all of them. 1) Take a look at, Avatar or Transformers: Dark of the Moon. They are full blown, 50GB discs with around 49GB used for the video and audio. This, gives us very high bitrate movies and high bit-rate audio. But lets say we want to stream this. Given currently technology, aka Netflix, we will see the bitrate go down significantly and drop the audio to a 5.1 track (of which will be less than DVD quality). See the problem here? I will GLADLY play the $24.99 for Transformers Blu-Ray so I get a much better presentation of the film, rather than $7.99 a month to watch it. Sure, you could say that Netflix could put the entire 50GB movie online. But lets see.... my internet cap is at 150 GB / Month... so I could watch the movie and only have 100 GB left? Well what if I want to watch it again? Well that's another 50GB. And perhaps next month I invite people over to watch it? 50GB gone again. Perhaps I want to watch both Avatar AND Transformers... look I have 50GB left for the month. But, If I go out and buy the disc for $24.99 I can watch it as much times as I want. Oh, but you might be thinking you will have hydro-costs! Well, from doing my research, it costs hydro to stream a movie on a device, rather than just play the movie (granted they gains are minimal, which is why this is moot). 2) Collections. Look at me, I have nearly 2000 physical movies at my place. And I love it... sure, it's a ***** to find something to watch, but that's not the point. Owning this collections brings a sense of joy. Well, except when you think about how much you've spent... Joking aside, I think we can all agree we have this sense of joy when we own something. Be it movies, Games, music, etc. But then there is the streaming world. You don't actually physically own any of those movies. Sure, the advantage is that you can save space, but what's stopping Netflix from removing your favorite show? Oh wait, didn't they just lose STARZ / ANCHOR BAY? And, especially for us Canadians, there isn't a lot on there. Look at that, I own all the Star Trek DVD's (I don't, but lets pretend), but they're not on Netflix. Or lets say they are on Netflix, but they remove DS9 because it's not being watched as often. The biggest problem with streaming is the constant negotiations with companies and their contracts. The same COULD be said about physical Media, but at least you have an opportunity to own them, and if they go out of print, you will still have it. With streaming, once it is gone, it's up to Netflix to bring it back... if they want to. 3) In regards to streaming 50GB movies... lets say at this point in time, that the whole neighbor hood is streaming Avatar... Can you say goodbye speeds? The networks simply don't have the infrastructure to run this. Will we see the end of the physical media era? Sure, but it won't be for a long, long time. I will adopt streaming 100% only when the difference between a film on a physical media source is 99.9%. But again, not for a long long time.

10-09-2011, 07:30 PM	#3739
Johnny Vinyl Moderator Top ranked HT gallery Top contributor Member since:Jul 2007 Location:At the crossroad of Analogue Dr & 2CH Ave Home Theater Gallery:19 Blu-ray collection:205 DVD collection:7 Blu-ray reviews:3 Trading Score:8	By the very nature of our being we are collectors and have been for all time. We need to have physical objects of interest around us. Things we can touch, feel, see, discuss, manipulate, organize, trade for, etc., and these very facts will secure physical media for a very long time to come. There is no doubt that its digital counterpart will take away more and more marketshare over time, but with all of the complications standing in the way (bandwidth to name but one) you won't see that happening in the near future, maybe not even your lifetime.

10-09-2011, 07:53 PM	#3740
antoinedoinel Expert Member Member since:Aug 2010 Blu-ray collection:150 DVD collection:175	I imagine we'll see home video do the same thing as music. Digital takes over, yet physical formats still survive for those that want it. For a lot of people, quality was really never a big deal, and it peaked at dvd. For me, I'd rather part with my movies than my records or books. With records, there's something beautiful about having to sit down and actually listen, change sides, etc. With books, there's the smell, the different types of paper, and the sheer joy actually turning the pages. There's the fact that you can buy and enjoy a book anywhere, without having to worry about bringing some extra gizmo along. The spines also look a hell of a lot better on shelves. With movies, there's really not much to them. If anything, vhs and laserdisc were a far better user experience. I actually have the majority of mine in cd binders, as most of the spines were flat out fugly and a waste of space.

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