Oh noes teh sky is falling!

[Vashetti]

It's both terrifying and mesmerising to see the defectors on here and elsewhere, converting to digital and looking down on us for sticking by an "outdated" format.

[pentatonic]

Originally Posted by octagon

Sony puts tons of upfront money into R&D and physical plants and the like.

Instead of putting those costs on the books all at once they spread them out over X amount of years.

They expected those costs to be offset by Y amount of revenue each year.

That revenue is lower than they projected and thus their losses against those original costs are higher than they projected.

That's all this is really about. It doesn't have a whole lot to do with whether people are spending more on BD this year than they did last year. We're not spending as much as Sony expected when they started the whole thing.

Exactly

Originally Posted by 8traxrule

There's SO much Sony could be doing to promote the Blu-Ray format that they haven't been. The initial in-store video was OK (showing data capacity compared to standard and HD-DVD and the "Driving a sports car in first gear" analogy to watching DVDs on an HDTV) but they haven't done much of anything since that was out. If streaming is really a threat to its success, they should be pointing out the quality differences of that in addition to the whole security thing (I'd never buy a streaming movie, even if the quality was the same as a Blu-Ray, just because it could be taken off-line at any time for any reason.) Instead, Sony was one of the first companies to put their movies out a few weeks EARLY on 'digital' (I think "Bad Teacher" was the first)! Remember all the hatred for DIVX (the Circuit-City backed pay-per-use DVD format), especially around movies that were released on that before regular DVD? I consider early digital releases to be the new DIVX. Licensing titles out to Twilight Time in mail-order-only, limited editions is just plain stupid of them also- I was shocked when they did that with "Sleepless in Seattle" considering that was one of their prototype DVDs! (I MIGHT be able to understand them doing that with old, obscure movies that hardly anybody saw, starring nobody anyone remembers, but even THAT is debatable considering they OWN the damn Blu-Ray format and should be doing everything they can to push it!)

All I can say at this point is at least Blu-Ray is doing far better than Super Audio CD (SACD), which Sony also was the main company behind. That COULD HAVE done wonders for music sales, but lousy marketing and lack of any really compelling material put out on it have made it a more obscure format than laserdisc.

Posts like these tend to tickle me some. Sony may have invented BD (as most everything else out there it seems), they are one of the very few manufacturers that spend so much on R&D. They put millions of players out there (PS3). The BDA, though, is not only Sony and always pointing at Sony as the culprit gets tiresome, they did more than they had to compared to all others involved.

Blu-ray doesn't need better marketing, those who would be interested in such things know. But just like most here say they would never repurchase in UHD as for them the improvement is not worth it, others have said the same for BD, they just don't value the added quality, for reasons they need not explain, it's a free country.

Imposing that DVDs should just die is the same as saying UHD will be streaming only, you demand options, they do too and that includes buying DVDs. Would people rather see them have no DVDs and then only stream?

[mredman]

Originally Posted by Vashetti

It's both terrifying and mesmerising to see the defectors on here and elsewhere, converting to digital and looking down on us for sticking by an "outdated" format.

The funny thing it isn't even outdated. Its also the best way to watch movies by a long stretch.
It also says something that in a time with growing digital blu ray still managed to have a record breaking year world wide. and physical media stood for 73% percent of the sale while digital only had 27% and that when it even grew so much, it trails so much behind physical media and blu ray.

graph to proof it:

[slick1ru2]

Originally Posted by mredman

The funny thing it isn't even outdated. Its also the best way to watch movies by a long stretch.
It also says something that in a time with growing digital blu ray still managed to have a record breaking year world wide. and physical media stood for 73% percent of the sale while digital only had 27% and that when it even grew so much, it trails so much behind physical media and blu ray.

graph to proof it:

How many times are you going to post a graph that projects digital will overpass physical media in a couple years?

[slick1ru2]

Originally Posted by Vashetti

It's both terrifying and mesmerising to see the defectors on here and elsewhere, converting to digital and looking down on us for sticking by an "outdated" format.

You have it all wrong. People are movie lovers and aren't bound to one source. I have hundreds of Blu-rays and DVDs and also stream content. This is starting to sound like the labeling seen in politics, which has done nothing but helped ruin America. Stop labeling.

[mredman]

Originally Posted by slick1ru2

How many times are you going to post a graph that projects digital will overpass physical media in a couple years?

are you really that dumb. Do you really think it will grow just as much next year. Nothing new has happened in the digital front. Last year was a peak.

[mredman]

Originally Posted by slick1ru2

You have it all wrong. People are movie lovers and aren't bound to one source. I have hundreds of Blu-rays and DVDs and also stream content. This is starting to sound like the labeling seen in politics, which has done nothing but helped ruin America. Stop labeling.

why don't you stop TROLLING this site. You don't belong on a blu ray forum and you are a disgrace here.

[slick1ru2]

Originally Posted by mredman

are you really that dumb. Do you really think it will grow just as much next year. Nothing new has happened in the digital front. Last year was a peak.

What's with the insults? I'm actually formally trained in accounting. Are you? These are trends. You may not like them, but don't insult those with a handle on the situation, which you clearly don't.

[Agent Zero]

Some of the most interesting things I have read on this thread.

People saying if PM (physical media) is going away then "I will quit this hobby" meaning they are out of the movie hobby. Really? That is not only unrealistic but sad and child like. Hey I would love to hold and touch my stuff too, I won't even get a mattress delivered because I MUST take it home WITH ME.

But honestly, its all going digital. Get used to it, less packing is green and leaves less of a footprint.

Do you still buy CD's for your music?
Do you not embrace Bitcoin and other new technology?

The bandwidth will exist, it will all be 8K. And us "enthusiasts" will hold on to our old blu-rays for fun.

[mredman]

Originally Posted by slick1ru2

What's with the insults? I'm actually formally trained in accounting. Are you? These are trends. You may not like them, but don't insult those with a handle on the situation, which you clearly don't.

what happened to those that said Blu Ray would be dead in 2012. Yet Blu Ray had a record breaking year in 2013. Where those not accountants to. I guess they were wrong. and if you seriously think there will not be a bump in the road for digital along the way then you know nothing.

[slick1ru2]

Originally Posted by mredman

what happened to those that said Blu Ray would be dead in 2012. Yet Blu Ray had a record breaking year in 2013. Where those not accountants to. I guess they were wrong. and if you seriously think there will not be a bump in the road for digital along the way then you know nothing.

How old are you? Can you stop with the insults? Trust me, I know enough.

[Agent Zero]

Originally Posted by CHEЯNOБLY!

It seems really disturbing to me that people are so willing to embrace the death of physical media. Reading the comments of the Verge article reminded me of reading comments after Adobe decided to change their software to cloud only, and people lapped it up.

As one brilliant commenter pointed out, what happens when these companies are no longer the powerhouses they are today? In the early 90s Apple was nearly dead. Apple, Amazon, and Vudu are under no obligation to continue to support these digital movies indefinitely.

You never actually OWN any of this cloud/digital content, and it is a gamble as to what will happen to it years from now. Its like sheep being lead to the slaughter.

Actually....NO

You never really own any of it, but it is and will be easier to track and keep track of your library. For them it will cut down on piracy, but on the plus side, you will always have a digital receipt. I say you have a better chance of your residence getting robbed than WB up and leaving with your Cloud of Movies. Think about it. I used to not embrace the cloud stuff like you. But what are they gonna do? I say Universal/Comcast will be easier to get a hold of for a new copy than my local best Buy if something happens.

People are just uncomfortable in this transition to digital media storage. If a company can decrease labor by getting rid of manufacturing they will. It is simple business math.

Again I do not like it. I am uncomfortable also trusting Apple being in charge of my library. If I am allowed to store EVERY movie I want on my own hard rive or server then I will have ZERO problems with any of this.

Might as well embrace the inevitable....

[Agent Zero]

Originally Posted by mredman

what happened to those that said Blu Ray would be dead in 2012. Yet Blu Ray had a record breaking year in 2013. Where those not accountants to. I guess they were wrong. and if you seriously think there will not be a bump in the road for digital along the way then you know nothing.

Not true....2012 was the best year. http://www.deadline.com/2014/01/with...estly-in-2013/

[Blu Titan]

Digital streaming was greatly pushed by the studios and the fact is that the revenue crated by this decision will never be what they want. Streaming encourages rentals but not ownership. The death of physical media is not happening now nor probably ever. There will always be discs and disc releases.
Just a lot of bad information from sites/blogs that do not understand the situation.

The Sony reports deals with industrial orders and NOT Blu-ray. In fact, Blu-ray replication in Europe is up. Fact is that Sony is mismanaged and has been losing money in just about all areas of its operations. It needs to trim down and become more efficient.

[HeavyHitter]

Very well put, Blu Titan.

[Agent Zero]

Originally Posted by Blu Titan

Digital streaming was greatly pushed by the studios and the fact is that the revenue crated by this decision will never be what they want. Streaming encourages rentals but not ownership. The death of physical media is not happening now nor probably ever. There will always be discs and disc releases.
Just a lot of bad information from sites/blogs that do not understand the situation.

The Sony reports deals with industrial orders and NOT Blu-ray. In fact, Blu-ray replication in Europe is up. Fact is that Sony is mismanaged and has been losing money in just about all areas of its operations. It needs to trim down and become more efficient.

Though I have always respected your opinion more than most, I still think it will take time. I am not saying any time in the next 5 years maybe 10. The stymie to seems to be that the late comers who still recently bought DVD's are the ones skipping Blu and going straight to steaming. I will continue to collect as long as I can and new catalog releases are promising signs......but....as long as they keep giving people 3 choices DVD, Stream and Blu, this is going get dragged out.

[Blu Titan]

Originally Posted by Agent Zero

Actually....NO

You never really own any of it, but it is and will be easier to track and keep track of your library. For them it will cut down on piracy, but on the plus side, you will always have a digital receipt. I say you have a better chance of your residence getting robbed than WB up and leaving with your Cloud of Movies. Think about it. I used to not embrace the cloud stuff like you. But what are they gonna do? I say Universal/Comcast will be easier to get a hold of for a new copy than my local best Buy if something happens.

People are just uncomfortable in this transition to digital media storage. If a company can decrease labor by getting rid of manufacturing they will. It is simple business math.

Again I do not like it. I am uncomfortable also trusting Apple being in charge of my library. If I am allowed to store EVERY movie I want on my own hard rive or server then I will have ZERO problems with any of this.

Might as well embrace the inevitable....

It will be a lot easier to steal your hard drive and all of your collection that way. Most people do not back up their computer...what do you think will happen eventually to a large percentage of those collections? What if you want to sell part of that stuff stored in the cloud somewhere?

Originally Posted by Agent Zero

Though I have always respected your opinion more than most, I still think it will take time. I am not saying any time in the next 5 years maybe 10. The stymie to seems to be that the late comers who still recently bought DVD's are the ones skipping Blu and going straight to steaming. I will continue to collect as long as I can and new catalog releases are promising signs......but....as long as they keep giving people 3 choices DVD, Stream and Blu, this is going get dragged out.

It deals with consumer's tastes and preferences. Obviously, we all differ in what we want. They introduced a product but that does not mean that other products will be phased out. Not at all. With streaming there many issues that arise due to technological/compatibility variables. The studios have not figured all of the variables out and they never will...just too many "players" in this game. I'll bet that most rather than fewer will not find it appealing.

[Agent Zero]

Originally Posted by Blu Titan

It will be a lot easier to steal your hard drive and all of your collection that way. Most people do not back up their computer...what do you think will happen eventually to a large percentage of those collections? What if you want to sell part of that stuff stored in the cloud somewhere?

I see a digital world of encryption soon. This will eliminate piracy and reselling. Something should never be resold if you think about it philosophically. These studios will rent us the rights to the movie so we will never own it.

Nothing is really worth anything. I have a hard time selling my Blu rays. Movie collecting is a niche. The majority of people DO NOT collect movies. See what happened to music? Why won't this happen to movies?

Hey I am just as a prognosticator as you. Only time will tell. The track record is too small to get an accurate scientific read on what will happen with this disc industry. Except that nothing lasts forever.

[HeavyHitter]

Originally Posted by Agent Zero

I see a digital world of encryption soon. This will eliminate piracy and reselling. Something should never be resold if you think about it philosophically. These studios will rent us the rights to the movie so we will never own it.

Nothing is really worth anything. I have a hard time selling my Blu rays. Movie collecting is a niche. The majority of people DO NOT collect movies. See what happened to music? Why won't this happen to movies?

Hey I am just as a prognosticator as you. Only time will tell. The track record is too small to get an accurate scientific read on what will happen with this disc industry. Except that nothing lasts forever.

The reason you have a hard time selling used Blus (as I do too) is because the pricing has become so low especially with sales, etc. on brand new ones. Between sales, holidays, etc. so many titles reach 4.99 to 9.99 relatively fast. So there is an upside in a sense.

[Nick The Slick]

Originally Posted by Agent Zero

Actually....NO

You never really own any of it, but it is and will be easier to track and keep track of your library. For them it will cut down on piracy, but on the plus side, you will always have a digital receipt. I say you have a better chance of your residence getting robbed than WB up and leaving with your Cloud of Movies. Think about it. I used to not embrace the cloud stuff like you. But what are they gonna do? I say Universal/Comcast will be easier to get a hold of for a new copy than my local best Buy if something happens.

People are just uncomfortable in this transition to digital media storage. If a company can decrease labor by getting rid of manufacturing they will. It is simple business math.

Again I do not like it. I am uncomfortable also trusting Apple being in charge of my library. If I am allowed to store EVERY movie I want on my own hard rive or server then I will have ZERO problems with any of this.

Might as well embrace the inevitable....

Ownership is only part of the problem. I'm all for streaming - as a supplement, not a replacement. Streaming is great for the convenience, for tablets/phones etc. but it can never fully replace physical media (which I honestly don't think is going to happen, at least not any times soon, definitely not as soon as some things in this thread suggest.) When my Internet goes down guess what I want to do? Yep, watch a movie. If streaming completely replaces physical media then guess what? I'm SOL when my Internet goes down.

Then there's the quality issue. I don't care what anyone says, I have yet to see anything streamed that comes close to Blu-Ray quality. Let's say the network infrastructure does get upgraded to have enough bandwidth to support the entire nation and stream actual Blu-Ray (or better) quality, it's going to cost a fortune until the costs of the upgrade is recouped. You'll end up spending as much for 6 months of Internet, on top of costs for the streaming service, as you spent on Blu-Rays for 5 years (exaggeration but you get my point). To further this point to another extreme, what about people who don't have/want Internet at all? What are they supposed to do for home video entertainment? Are they supposed to start paying monthly for Internet as well as a streaming service for the sole purpose of watching movies at home when previously they just need a one time purchase of a player and one time purchase of the movies they want to watch?

Then let's say I decide there's a movie I've gotten bored of and don't want anymore so I decide to sell it/give it away - oops, can't do that anymore, I don't have anything in my hand to do that with.

So as I said, I'm all for streaming, it's a great option for certain situations and certain people, but that's all I see it as - an option. I refuse to accept it as a replacement. People need options. Which is why I don't complain about the DVD coming with my Blu-Ray or DVD's still being around, or streaming coming along. I hate when people get so one sided and try to a kill a format or whatever because they think it's stupid/inferior/whatever. Why can't things coexist and give people options to suit their wants/needs? That's my view on the subject. Let streaming happen as long as I'm not forced to use it.