Physical & Digital EST: The Future of Home Video Discussion Thread

[Fiffy]

Originally Posted by tele1962

You really think the likes of Criterion, Eureka, Arrow will bother their arses with film restoration , transfer if it goes digital?

Of course they will. They already do. As I already mentioned earlier in this thread, Criterion, for example, has some masters that have only been released on digital. For companies like this digital is a god-send, because it allows them to release more movies that have only a limited audience, which is the case for many classic movies.

[Mr Kite]

Originally Posted by Fiffy

Of course they will. They already do. As I already mentioned earlier in this thread, Criterion, for example, has some masters that have only been released on digital. For companies like this digital is a god-send, because it allows them to release more movies that have only a limited audience, which is the case for many classic movies.

Arrow also, as they have to make money they way joe public wants it, but the PQ?

This is an easy question here and takes away all of the this and that. Is Blu Ray better than Streaming?

[Texan26]

Annabelle is on Vudu and available in Ultra HD. Make sure you spell it correctly.

http://www.vudu.com/movies/#!content/585507/Annabelle

Also on iTunes

https://itunes.apple.com/us/movie/annabelle/id920304240

Originally Posted by master gandhi

Who says digital is always easy? My wife and I wanted to watch Anabelle before The Conjuring 2 comes out, and guess what? It's not on Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, iTunes, Vudu or HBO Go. I ended up purchasing it from Amazon in HD. I was surprised that a recent movie that's related to a big theatrical release is practically non-existent digitally.

Not sure what that says or means, but I thought it was interesting to share.

Reminded me of when I used to drive all over town looking for a specific version of a movie in stores, only I didn't spend any gas in this case.

Back to being more on topic I guess.

Obviously it's cheaper for the studios to go digital, but as long as there's a market for physical and they can recoup their investment in most of their physical releases, we won't see an all-digital future. Like I said before, I don't like renting, so I'd also hate a future that is all about subscriptions and rentals. I like being able to revisit movies whenever I want. I watch movies on all the different HD formats, so I don't discriminate. I'm all about my movies!

[alchav21]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

Originally Posted by wolfpackTri:
Is it a win if the company puts the movie out on disc, no one buys it, and they lose money and then don't release any more movies?

Digital is cheaper than making discs.



There is that word again. 'Cheaper'. it cheapens the home cinema experience not having a Bluray of a film. How do the companies know no one will buy it if they don't release it? Sad sad times for purists this! It's going to get worse as well.

Like I have said before, it's all Digital whether you put it on a Disc or Hard Drive. The PQ and Sound all come down to BitRate, and that has to do with Bandwidth. If anyone has Ripped DVD's or Blu-rays, you know you can get a 1:1 ratio for PQ and Sound. So my argument is if Cinema has gone to Digital Projector from a Hard Drive, why not put these same Digital Files on your Streaming Provider's Hard Drive. Now the only limiting factor is your access and Bandwidth.

[Fiffy]

Originally Posted by tele1962

Yes Blu Ray is compressed but not to the vast amounts streaming is and if done correctly will not be noticeable?

You seem to think today's digital media look like a Quicktime movie from 2005. Have you even tried any of them? Go watch House of Cards or Daredevil on Netflix over a connection with proper bandwidth and tell me it looks bad ...

[Mr Kite]

Originally Posted by Fiffy

You seem to think today's digital media look like a Quicktime movie from 2005. Have you even tried any of them? Go watch House of Cards or Daredevil on Netflix over a connection with proper bandwidth and tell me it looks bad ...

It does not look bad, but looks how it should on Blu Ray.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by wolfpackTri

Technology leaves those who resist behind

Not according to my record player. Quality tends to stick around a long time.

By the way, it's only worth jumping aboard if the tech enriches my hobby. Watching on a tiny screen with tinny headphones is not my dream film scenario. I will pass thanks.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by wolfpackTri

Yep! I'm all for change. Vudu has made my life easier and now I can sell off most of my collection!

What happens if UV fails to make the necessary impact and Vudu goes under? Don't forget iTunes and Amazon still have the biggest share of the pie. Vudu needs to punch above it's weight just to survive.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by Fiffy

Mount them to a wall?
That is very debatable, unless you only have seen 3 year old Walmart models.

And again, I'll take an iTunes movie on my projector over even the sharpest Blu-ray on a teeny-weeny 55" screen any day. It's just a much more cinematic experience.
We can't all be the elite like you.

He is right though. Blacks are gorgeous. I still have my Panny Plasma and a projector. When the plasma dies I'm hoping the new 4K quantum dot TVs can match the plasma. I doubt it.

I have tried ITunes on a projector (Captain Philips) the digital sheen, even in daytime scenes is irritating. If it wasn't for that and banding in some challenging areas it wouldn't be bad. I mean they have done wonders with such a low bit rate.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by Fiffy

You seem to think today's digital media look like a Quicktime movie from 2005. Have you even tried any of them? Go watch House of Cards or Daredevil on Netflix over a connection with proper bandwidth and tell me it looks bad ...

Netflix looks fine. They aren't going to win any prizes for their handling of backgrounds though IMO.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by master gandhi

The evolution of marketing lingo across the formats:

"Available on Video" (VHS)
"Available on DVD and Video"
"Available on Blu-ray and DVD"
"Available on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital HD"

I wonder if it'll ever be...

"Available on Ultra HD Blu-ray, Blu-ray, DVD, Digital UHD and Digital HD"

There's quite a few formats right now, and that's not even mentioning Blu-ray 3D or Digital 3D.

It's either an exciting time or an exhausting time, depending on your outlook. Heh

Available in micro vision Digital SD on your watch! With free magnifying glass! Limited time only.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by wolfpackTri

Thread over.

As if!

[Fiffy]

Originally Posted by tele1962

It does not look bad, but looks how it should on Blu Ray.

Actually no, House of Cards on Netflix UHD looks better than the Blu-ray. Daredevil looks really bad on Blu-ray (because it isn't available).

[Fiffy]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

I have tried ITunes on a projector (Captain Philips) the digital sheen, even in daytime scenes is irritating. If it wasn't for that and banding in some challenging areas it wouldn't be bad. I mean they have done wonders with such a low bit rate.

WTH is "digital sheen"?

But yes, more visible compression artifacts in difficult to encode scenes is the biggest difference. Grain reproduction is particularly difficult, but Blu-ray struggles with that as well.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by Fiffy

WTH is "digital sheen"?

But yes, more visible compression artifacts in difficult to encode scenes is the biggest difference. Grain reproduction is particularly difficult, but Blu-ray struggles with that as well.

I have no idea! . That should have said shimmer!

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by Fiffy

Actually no, House of Cards on Netflix UHD looks better than the Blu-ray. Daredevil looks really bad on Blu-ray (because it isn't available).

The foreground does. The background, not so much.

[Fiffy]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

I have no idea! . That should have said shimmer!

OK: WTH is "digital shimmer"?

[master gandhi]

Originally Posted by Texan26

Annabelle is on Vudu and available in Ultra HD. Make sure you spell it correctly.

http://www.vudu.com/movies/#!content/585507/Annabelle

Also on iTunes

https://itunes.apple.com/us/movie/annabelle/id920304240

Ha! Whoops. Yeah, I was misspelling it, you're right. Oh well, it was $7.99 on Amazon. A surprisingly decent price. Thanks!

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by Fiffy

OK: WTH is "digital shimmer"?

Think of sharpening but over cooked? I just find it a bit noisy (twitchy) even in bright daytime scenes.

[Fiffy]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

Think of sharpening but over cooked? I just find it a bit noisy (twitchy) even in bright daytime scenes.

That sounds like the Voodoo language that self-proclaimed audiophiles use when you ask them what they actually hear. Too much sharpening is very likely from the master, since compression tends to soften high-contrast edges rather than emphasizing them.