Oh noes teh sky is falling!

[Tok]

Originally Posted by THXGuru

For every blu ray that gets sold with a digital copy....is that a digital sale as well?

I am sure its counted but I would sure like to know what percentage of users have used the digital/streaming version as the primary way to view the title after buying a combo pack.

Out of my 500+ BD collection, I have redeemed probably about 100 iTunes/UV codes. Out of those 100 titles, none of the iTunes/UV copies have been used as the primary source for viewing. I usually check that the copy works by viewing the first few seconds, but I have probably only viewed less than 5% from beginning to end.

The reality is if you have a nice home theater system why in the h-e-'double hockey sticks' would you want to view an over compressed digital/streaming version when you have a high quality version sitting within in reach on your shelf?

[THXGuru]

Originally Posted by Tok

The reality is if you have a nice home theater system why in the h-e-'double hockey sticks' would you want to view an over compressed digital/streaming version when you have a high quality version sitting within in reach on your shelf?

Totally agree. However, the average folk who does not care about home theaters and sound systems.

To me, the best value for purchasing is the combo pack of dvd/br/digital copy. But that is only if I really want the movie on street date which I never want.

Red Box works for renting when I just want to see it, iTunes for when it is not on Reb box (older titles) and Netflix works when over Red Box/iTunes if the movie is available.

I am price driven

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by THXGuru

Totally agree. However, the average folk who does not care about home theaters and sound systems.

To me, the best value for purchasing is the combo pack of dvd/br/digital copy. But that is only if I really want the movie on street date which I never want.

Red Box works for renting when I just want to see it, iTunes for when it is not on Reb box (older titles) and Netflix works when over Red Box/iTunes if the movie is available.

I am price driven

The average person doesn't frequent a bluray forum.

[KRW1]

Is there sort of an annual tradition now of people coming here and going on about streaming and repeating the same old arguments? With the same odd grammar and missing words in the posts? Half finished sentences and so on and so forth? It's really quite odd; is it a thing that happens if you post from a 'phablet' or whatever the kids use?

I don't feel the need to go onto a streaming forum, if such things exist, and start banging on about how much better discs are; I'm quite content with the situation, far more so than I ever thought I would be when Bluray launched. I also love streaming tech - the two compliment each other nicely. Why some people feel the need to declare themselves 'gurus' is quite beyond me but then, I am quite secure in myself.

[Insomniac01]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

2022-2023 bluray will be near obsolete. Enough time for me to buy extra shelves, enjoy 600 or more purchases and re watch my faves many, many times. Now, all we need is TV sets and projectors to hang on that long.

I'm still enjoy vhs. Sure the quality is terrible, but there are some films not available any other way. When I say replaced I by no means gone. People are only just starting to make a transition to blu-ray and the internet for the wide population is not good enough for film downloads in blu-ray quality yet. 4k is already available for one film and I believe Sony are releasing some later this year as well. Expect that to be an area that slowly grows and in around 5 years is where blu-ray was in 2007ish.

This to me is a good thing, I am not a fan of blu-ray so to speak. I am a fan of films and the quality blu-ray brings is the best I available for home viewing at the moment therefore it is my format of choice.

Originally Posted by quickdraw

They've also predicted the death of vinyl records 20 years ago and yet you can still purchase new LPs for many artists. Many audio purists prefer the sound over digital product. Just because the majority of the consumers are too ignorant to see or hear any differences or have no inclination to physically own entertainment, doesn't mean that the market for physical media will be swept away. If there's money to be made, even if it isn't at the same scale as before, products will survive. I've seen predictions as well that the TV market will collapse as the younger generation adapts their viewing habits to pads and phones. Yeah right. Just wait until they get old and they can't see the screen on their phones or pads!

This is more of a vhs type situation though, digital is far more capable with the right equipment then vinyl. Of course songs on itunes etc that are horribly compressed are not what I am referring to.

[Wendell R. Breland]

There is no mystery to all of this, if there is enough demand for a quality product (camera, car, plane, boat, optical disc, etc., etc.) and there is a profit to be made from said product then most likely someone will supply that product.

I am a retired professional audio/video tech person and have had the pleasure of owning LaserDisc, βeta Hi-Fi, DVD, D-VHS D-Theater and now Blu-ray. Been using a front projectors since 1984, started with a Kloss Novabeam Model 1A. I do not know what percentage of the market front projectors command but I would wager that it is quite small. In spite of that there are many models and types of projectors available.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by KRW1

Is there sort of an annual tradition now of people coming here and going on about streaming and repeating the same old arguments? With the same odd grammar and missing words in the posts? Half finished sentences and so on and so forth? It's really quite odd; is it a thing that happens if you post from a 'phablet' or whatever the kids use?

I don't feel the need to go onto a streaming forum, if such things exist, and start banging on about how much better discs are; I'm quite content with the situation, far more so than I ever thought I would be when Bluray launched. I also love streaming tech - the two compliment each other nicely. Why some people feel the need to declare themselves 'gurus' is quite beyond me but then, I am quite secure in myself.

Agreed. Maybe it is overspill from other forums? Just my opinion.

[KRW1]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

Agreed. Maybe it is overspill from other forums? Just my opinion.

It could be. It could just be every six months or so, someone discovers streaming and decides they need to let the world know what they've discovered? I did bang on about Mubi to everyone I met when I first discovered it, but that was pre-2010. It never occurred to me someone would mistake what is, essentially, another TV channel, as a substitute for your own film library. More, I saw it as a way to stop blind buying discs as there was a way to watch some films before I bought - you might think it would lead me to buy less but I found I bought more.

Everyone uses media in different ways at the moment. That's not going to change and that's the future. I'm pretty sure Criterion sells more discs since now since they started streaming on Hulu than they did two years ago. Progress.

They say so themselves -

"The real Criterion experience has always been a carefully designed and packaged edition of a film looking its best. That's what we've been known for more than 25 years. Today, the state of the art is our Blu-ray line, and if you want the full Criterion experience, that's what you should be watching. We think Hulu just adds to that. It gives viewers a chance to explore our library, sample films they might want to buy, discover films they never knew they would want, and see films so rare that they would never see the light of day in disc editions.



In today's world, it's not just a matter of either/or, it's both/and. Some people prefer physical books, some are e-reader converts. Others like to have the hardback book on the bedside table and the Kindle edition in our backpacks. We want to serve anyone who is interested in seeing these films, wherever they are, and however they prefer to watch."

That just about sums it up for me. Choice is never going to go off the market. Not anymore.

[THXGuru]

Originally Posted by Wendell R. Breland

There is no mystery to all of this, if there is enough demand for a quality product (camera, car, plane, boat, optical disc, etc., etc.) and there is a profit to be made from said product then most likely someone will supply that product.
.

I agree and I don't think anyone is arguing that. Blu-ray is overkill for the average person, for those who own a projector at home, it pretty much is essential and required. Blu-ray is not going be completely gone, but it won't beat streaming use when all is said and done.

[Wendell R. Breland]

Originally Posted by THXGuru

Blu-ray is not going be completely gone, but it won't beat streaming use when all is said and done.

You really need to get past that streaming vs Blu-ray BS. That is the same as saying Blu-ray won't beat MCVP.

[Tok]

Let's be realistic. The largest streaming service by far is Netflix. What does $7.99/month get you? Not really much in the way of A-list titles. Sure they struck a big deal with Disney, but the reality is if Netflix is going to pay for those type of contracts with other studios either Netflix's subscription base is going to have to exponentially increase or the days of the $7.99/month all you can stream is going to end.

Netflix started with tiered pricing in the DVD business. The average consumers are living with their heads in the sand if they think that Netflix won't bring back tiered pricing with their streaming model.

This is what I envision:
Basic limited, gets you all the Bollywood and old TV you want with a set number of streaming hours
Basic unlimited, same but no time limit
Core limited/unlimited, access to older A-list studio catalog
Ultimate, access to the newest A-list content

Again tiered pricing is coming back if you expect Netflix to survive. The studios are starting to play hardball with the company. If the consumer wants streaming and access to the content they most desire expect pricing to be $30+/month.

Netflix has got themselves in a pickle. They got consumers used to streaming, but at an extremely low price. Much like when they saw blowback when they tried to raise rates and spin off the DVD service, they are going to see their customers cry bloody murder when they introduce these new inevitable pricing plans.

Remember how the banking industry got people hooked on ATM cards... do it for free to get it to be part of their consumers daily routines... now it's part of their routine and a convenience.... BANKS: now charge them for the convenience.

[Tok]

Originally Posted by Wendell R. Breland

You really need to get past that streaming vs Blu-ray BS. That is the same as saying Blu-ray won't beat MCVP.

+1

What the streaming proponents totally discount is the size of the collector market. Now I agree there are fewer people buying discs than as in DVDs glory days, but a sizeable group of consumers are still buying and many that were buying DVDs have moved to BD as evidence of continuing growth in the most recent BD sales data.

I don't see a lot of collector's bragging about their UV and iTunes collections. I don't see collectors posting iTunes code redemption videos on YouTube for their most coveted titles.

As I pointed out earlier, the studios may want to think twice about eliminating the disc markets. The most I would ever spend on a HD digital copy/stream for unlimited use is $10 and even that is pushing it.

4K streaming they say... the reality is just like 1080p streaming. Just because you call it 1080p doesn't fix the fact that it's an over compressed bit starved mess compared to a high quality physical copy.

[wormraper]

Originally Posted by KRW1

Is there sort of an annual tradition now of people coming here and going on about streaming and repeating the same old arguments? With the same odd grammar and missing words in the posts? Half finished sentences and so on and so forth? It's really quite odd; is it a thing that happens if you post from a 'phablet' or whatever the kids use?

I don't feel the need to go onto a streaming forum, if such things exist, and start banging on about how much better discs are; I'm quite content with the situation, far more so than I ever thought I would be when Bluray launched. I also love streaming tech - the two compliment each other nicely. Why some people feel the need to declare themselves 'gurus' is quite beyond me but then, I am quite secure in myself.

yeah, I was wondering when this would get revisited again. been a while since Pagemaster left us, needed another one to take his place

[Wendell R. Breland]

Originally Posted by Tok

Ultimate, access to the newest A-list content

Agree with most of your post except the above. IMO, the rental market (physical and digital (I dislike that reference) is too big to let that happen.

[Tok]

Originally Posted by Wendell R. Breland

Agree with most of your post except the above. IMO, the rental market (physical and digital (I dislike that reference) is too big to let that happen.

True. That may be too much. I was posting a hypothetical possibility.

But the harsh truth for Netflix streaming fans is that prices will have to go up if they want better content.

[THXGuru]

Originally Posted by Tok

Not really much in the way of A-list titles..

The best titles are never cheap. There is window for releasing on redbox for really popular movies. Same goes for HBO or movie networks, the biggest of the biggest are rarely there.

Netflix is perfect for it is.

I was a little shocked to see Star Trek Into Darkness at Red box, but then again, it didn't do all that well.

[KRW1]

Chap from Netfilx was on C4 news earlier. Said that 10 years ago, he predicted DVD would be dead by now, but he realises that was wrong and these things are 'behavioural' ie people like buying stuff they can hold. The interviewer said he'd bought the box set of House of Cards.

Streaming and physical media compliment each other, they don't compete with each other.

[Insomniac01]

Originally Posted by KRW1

Chap from Netfilx was on C4 news earlier. Said that 10 years ago, he predicted DVD would be dead by now, but he realises that was wrong and these things are 'behavioural' ie people like buying stuff they can hold. The interviewer said he'd bought the box set of House of Cards.

Streaming and physical media compliment each other, they don't compete with each other.

For know, I think trying to predict the future at least near future is to dpendent on unknowns. I would say it is safe to say if we keep on progressing like we are at that physical media will be dead in another few decades.

[THXGuru]

Originally Posted by KRW1

Streaming and physical media compliment each othe

streaming and heavily discounted physical media compliment each other...at least that is what I see every Tuesday with the heavy discounts of the new release combo pack.

[KRW1]

Originally Posted by Insomniac01

For know, I think trying to predict the future at least near future is to dpendent on unknowns. I would say it is safe to say if we keep on progressing like we are at that physical media will be dead in another few decades.

I've no idea what you're trying to say there. Short term predictions are too difficult but you don't mind making a long term one because we won't be around to see the results, I think.

I suspect there'll still be threads like this one.

"24k streaming is just around te corner. The simple, general, everyday folk won't mind watching to compressed 8k stuff on they're 12 foot wall screens you kno. STREAMING IS THE FUURE"