Blu-rays are 8 years old and DVDs still cling to them like a cancerous tumor. Why?

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by octagon

Not on their wrists.

Maybe two watches are the answer?

[dvdmike]

Originally Posted by octagon

Not on their wrists.

[slick1ru2]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

But the tv has been a mainstay up until now. All those other devices are at the mercy of trends and in the case of the tablet and phone possibly merging. If the trend switches permanently to tablets, we then have to rely on tablets sticking around and not going away like netbooks. In other words if trends get smaller so does our viewing options. What if tablets go away? What if Apple is the springboard for smartwatches and over time and they become more popular than smartphones? All of a sudden, my scenario of movies on a smartphone makes sense. Who agrees?

People watch on tablets and phones while traveling and commuting. This is a way to watch TV content in different places. That isn't a replacement for the home TV.

Net books are still around, you may have noticed all the Surface ads if you watch American football in the U.S.. http://www.ign.com/articles/2014/08/...anging-the-nfl

Will people watch movies on a phone while commuting, eating out, on a trip, etc? Probably some will but I bet it will be niche vs phone and tablet users due to screen size. That's why the first iPod with the small screen was replaced by the iPod touch with a full screen and why the iPhone now comes in two sizes, the new size being larger, not smaller.

[eiknarf]

OK, here's what'll happen. Haaaa haaa.
Tablets will take over the wall mounted TV... Then, tablets will get bigger; 13" tablet, 20" iPad, 32" tablet, 45" iPad. They'll get so big we'll need a stand or wall mount to hold them. Now we're back to the home, wall mounted TV

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by slick1ru2

People watch on tablets and phones while traveling and commuting. This is a way to watch TV content in different places. That isn't a replacement for the home TV.

Net books are still around, you may have noticed all the Surface ads if you watch American football in the U.S.. http://www.ign.com/articles/2014/08/...anging-the-nfl

Will people watch movies on a phone while commuting, eating out, on a trip, etc? Probably some will but I bet it will be niche vs phone and tablet users due to screen size. That's why the first iPod with the small screen was replaced by the iPod touch with a full screen and why the iPhone now comes in two sizes, the new size being larger, not smaller.

So, again I ask why are people other than bloggers and click batters stating this will happen?

[octagon]

Originally Posted by slick1ru2

Will people watch movies on a phone while commuting, eating out, on a trip, etc? Probably some will but I bet it will be niche vs phone and tablet users due to screen size. That's why the first iPod with the small screen was replaced by the iPod touch with a full screen and why the iPhone now comes in two sizes, the new size being larger, not smaller.

I always kind of chuckle when I think of David Lynch's rant about watching movies on phones. Is there some huge subculture somewhere who refuses to watch Mulholland Drive on anything but a phone?

Lynch doesn't come off as a visionary or a purist. He just comes off as a cranky old man.

[eiknarf]

Yeah, truth be told, people that aren't diehard movie buffs might occasionally watch a movie on their laptop, iPad or smart watch. But then there's people like us, who love and appreciate the experience of either sitting in a theater or watching a movie at home on a nice set up

[rdodolak]

Originally Posted by bruceames.

Blu-ray was down around 8-9 percent last year while DVD was down 11-12 percent. That's according to a 52 week summation of the HMM figures for 2014.

According to the DEG report discs were down as a whole 10.7 percent.

But that's not what slick1ru2 stated. He stated Blu-ray sales are down 7% and DVD was down half that (meaning 3.5%). According to the HMM numbers, Blu-ray sales were down 4.17% compared to 2013 but DVD sales were down 9.19%. Blu-ray revenue was down 7.68% and DVD revenue was down 10.5% compared to the previous year. I'm curious what his source was for those figures.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by octagon

I always kind of chuckle when I think of David Lynch's rant about watching movies on phones. Is there some huge subculture somewhere who refuses to watch Mulholland Drive on anything but a phone?

Lynch doesn't come off as a visionary or a purist. He just comes off as a cranky old man.

A cranky old man who gave us Twin Peaks. He has more vision in his finger than 90 percent of the industry.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by eiknarf

Yeah, truth be told, people that aren't diehard movie buffs might occasionally watch a movie on their laptop, iPad or smart watch. But then there's people like us, who love and appreciate the experience of either sitting in a theater or watching a movie at home on a nice set up

But we are only a very small part of the pie. Hence my original concern.

[rdodolak]

Apparently the third largest home video market still prefers physical media too.

Discs Still Dominate U.K. Home Entertainment Consumer Spending

With the U.K. the third-largest home video market in the world, total retail sales topped £1.43 billion ($2.1 billion) in 2014 with DVDs and Blu-ray accounting for 89% of spending — the remaining on Digital HD.

[KRW1]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

But we are only a very small part of the pie. Hence my original concern.

You've been worrying about this for some time, so perhaps try another take at it. Suppose in ten years time they cease production of all TVs 32" and above because everyone now wants to watch films on their watches.

What real difference would it make to you? You'd still have ten years worth of TV production to keep you going, even if you were the only person still bothering to watch on a TV set. You'd have 30-40 years worth of physical media production to collect. It might even be a good thing as you could pick up that 90" set that sold well in 2022 for a song.

It's similar to buying vinyl in the 90s; people used to ask me what I'd do with all my records when they no longer made record players and stylus' and so on, and my answer was the same - I had 50 years or so of production to pick and choose from so it wouldn't really bother me. As is I'm using a player now from 1978. It was a real possibility, back in the late 90s, that by now, vinyl and record players would be totally obsolete.

I don't think you have a lot to worry about.

[eiknarf]

Originally Posted by octagon

I always kind of chuckle when I think of David Lynch's rant about watching movies on phones. Is there some huge subculture somewhere who refuses to watch Mulholland Drive on anything but a phone?

Lynch doesn't come off as a visionary or a purist. He just comes off as a cranky old man.

But Lynch does have a point.
Movies are not meant to be watched on a phone. That's not how the medium of film gets to utilize its full potential. One can't become immersed in a two hour story properly on a phone.

Watching a seven minute YouTube clip, video game walkthrough, SNL skit, or Funny or Die clip is completely different than watching a movie.

[Optimus]

Originally Posted by octagon

The porn complications alone will keep that from happening.

I don't know if you were joking or not but that's a very good point.

[octagon]

Originally Posted by eiknarf

But Lynch does have a point.
Movies are not meant to be watched on a phone. That's not how the medium of film gets to utilize its full potential.

Watching a seven minute YouTube clip, video game walkthrough, SNL skit, or Funny or Die clip is completely different than watching a movie.

Are movies meant to be watched on airline headrests? Are movies meant to be watched on 19" televisions? 50" televisions? Getting worked because this person compromises 'too much' is kind of silly.

And how many people are watching Mulholland Drive on their phones anyway? Is there some epidemic of people watching movies on their phones and their phones alone?

Or is that all just much ado about nothing?

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by KRW1

You've been worrying about this for some time, so perhaps try another take at it. Suppose in ten years time they cease production of all TVs 32" and above because everyone now wants to watch films on their watches.

What real difference would it make to you? You'd still have ten years worth of TV production to keep you going, even if you were the only person still bothering to watch on a TV set. You'd have 30-40 years worth of physical media production to collect. It might even be a good thing as you could pick up that 90" set that sold well in 2022 for a song.

It's similar to buying vinyl in the 90s; people used to ask me what I'd do with all my records when they no longer made record players and stylus' and so on, and my answer was the same - I had 50 years or so of production to pick and choose from so it wouldn't really bother me. As is I'm using a player now from 1978. It was a real possibility, back in the late 90s, that by now, vinyl and record players would be totally obsolete.

I don't think you have a lot to worry about.

As long as I can still watch movies on a big screen tv for the remainder of my life (I'm 39) that's all I care about. If they still produce sets 20-25 years from now that would be great.

I know I might come across as obsessional just can't shake this doubt.

[jono3000]

Originally Posted by rdodolak

Apparently the third largest home video market still prefers physical media too.

Discs Still Dominate U.K. Home Entertainment Consumer Spending

The UK Internet infrastructure is severely lacking in places which means streaming at anything above SD is not even an option for some.

[bruceames]

Originally Posted by rdodolak

But that's not what slick1ru2 stated. He stated Blu-ray sales are down 7% and DVD was down half that (meaning 3.5%). According to the HMM numbers, Blu-ray sales were down 4.17% compared to 2013 but DVD sales were down 9.19%. Blu-ray revenue was down 7.68% and DVD revenue was down 10.5% compared to the previous year. I'm curious what his source was for those figures.

Yeah Slick was just wrong.

Yes per HMM Blu-ray and DVD were down pretty much like you stated. However according to the DEG overall disc sales were down 10.7 percent, so I added a percent or so (in the minus direction) to Blu-ray and DVD to reflect the DEG figure (since they don't break down Blu vs. DVD sales).

[gregmasciola]

Originally Posted by eiknarf

I think everything will coexist; DVD, blu-ray, 4k blu-ray, streaming, Amazon Instant Video, Netflix, On Demand, YouTube.. watching on 75" LED screens, 40" screens, 13" laptops, tablets, smartphones, smart watches...

Exactly. People are always worried about one thing "replacing" the other. A few years ago people were saying you wouldn't be able to get PCs because of tablets. I remember when CGI was becoming really popular in movies people were saying they wouldn't even need actors for movies anymore (I'm sure they were half-kidding, but still).
My point is one thing doesn't always have to replace the other. We just have a greater number of options. I watch stuff on my TV at home, when I'm on my lunch break at work, I might watch an episode or two of a show on my tablet (never movies, though). I like having both.

[Dynamo of Eternia]

Originally Posted by eiknarf

But Lynch does have a point.
Movies are not meant to be watched on a phone. That's not how the medium of film gets to utilize its full potential. One can't become immersed in a two hour story properly on a phone.

Watching a seven minute YouTube clip, video game walkthrough, SNL skit, or Funny or Die clip is completely different than watching a movie.

Overall I agree. I understand why someone might opt to watch a movie on a tablet if they are on a long flight just to help pass the time, but I doubt that it's their preferred way to watch long movies.

While I don't have a tablet, I do have the Wii U game system. The system comes with a game controller pad with a built in touch screen. You can play the games and use the other functions on a TV or just right off of the pad if you want.

Most evenings, after watching I'm done wathing TV shows/movies for the night (on a 64" TV in my living room), before going to sleep, I'll lay in bed and using the Wii U gamepad, check out a few Youtube videos and the like on it, because it's actually pretty handy for that sort of thing. Having this as an option does not stop me from wanting to have and use a large television.

The TV that I have actually is a smart TV, but I find trying to watch Youtube, etc. on it to be somewhat combersome, and the quality looks pretty bad on a larger screen depending on the content. But I like the Wii U pad for this purpose. I don't actually use the Youtube app, but instead go directly to the actual site. It works well and I can use the stylus to quickly type in anything that I'm looking for. It's pretty handy.

But by no means will this ever replace my TV.