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

[PCFan]

Originally Posted by PenguinMaster

It's not an impressive feat for digital to match an 11 year old physical format. Does it match Ultra HD Blu-ray?

https://www.kaleidescape.com/products/encore/

[ThatOneGuy]

Originally Posted by PenguinMaster

I appreciate that but it doesn't excuse your support for digital.

Not trying to seek forgiveness for buying digital. Still going to do it even if it outcasts me on this site. The film is more important then the format I choose to see it on.

It just means many of those films won't be available at all in the future. It's far more likely to happen with indie films. Many of the small film companies will fail and no one will be able to offer any of their movies digitally.

Discs can still be watched and resold even if the company who owns the rights doesn't exist anymore.

Disks are also slaves to devices required to view them. How many things can still support cassette tapes? VHS? Very few. It is true that you don't have to worry as much compared to digital but disks are not safe from future issues either.

[PenguinMaster]

Originally Posted by PCFan

https://www.kaleidescape.com/products/encore/

The player costs about $3000 (compared to $200 for an Ultra HD Blu-ray player) and the movies are more expensive too. Plus it doesn't support streaming, only downloads. Meaning that you need to buy storage for all your movies or you have to pick out each movie hours in advance.

So I stand by my question... can streaming match Ultra HD Blu-ray?

Originally Posted by John Klein

Disks are also slaves to devices required to view them. How many things can still support cassette tapes? VHS? Very few. It is true that you don't have to worry as much comparec to digital but disks are not safe from future issues either.

It's not hard in the slightest to find a working VCR. With hundreds of millions of Blu-ray players manufactured it will never be hard to find a working Blu-ray player either.

[ThatOneGuy]

Originally Posted by PCFan

https://www.kaleidescape.com/products/encore/

I'm going to guess that you aren't able share libraries? Like being able to link my VUDU with them so I can watch those with that?

Hard pass by me if that is the case.

[flyry]

Originally Posted by PenguinMaster

It's not an impressive feat for digital to match an 11 year old physical format. Does it match Ultra HD Blu-ray?

I don't think UHD blu even matches 4K HDR streaming right now with UHD discs being 95% upscales at the moment.

[PenguinMaster]

Originally Posted by flyry

I don't think UHD blu even matches 4K HDR streaming right now with UHD discs being 95% upscales at the moment.

That's a problem with the source material, not the format. When the same movie is released on both Ultra HD Blu-ray and 4K HDR streaming the Ultra HD Blu-ray is better looking.

And only a little over 50% of Ultra HD Blu-ray are upscales. Here's a list of the ones that are native 4K (there are about 100 of them).
https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=270798

[Texan26]

Originally Posted by PenguinMaster

It's not an impressive feat for digital to match an 11 year old physical format. Does it match Ultra HD Blu-ray?

Hasn't Digital HD been around for around eight years? It's not like it just came out and started matching blu-rays quality recently.

[PenguinMaster]

Originally Posted by Texan26

Hasn't Digital HD been around for around eight years? It's not like it just came out and started matching blu-rays quality recently.

When Digital HD first came out it was 720p, not 1080p. And even when it switched to 1080p bit rates were still extremely low. It's only gotten close to Blu-ray quality in the last few years.

But quality is not my primary concern anyway. Due to the lack of online DRM and the ability to redistribute without studio involvement even a DVD is a superior choice to 4K streaming.

[Texan26]

Originally Posted by PenguinMaster

When Digital HD first came out it was 720p, not 1080p. And even when it switched to 1080p bit rates were still extremely low. It's only gotten close to Blu-ray quality in the last few years.

But quality is not my primary concern anyway. Due to the lack of online DRM and the ability to redistribute without studio involvement even a DVD is a superior choice to 4K streaming.

Actually what I meant was Digital HDX (1080p) Vudu HDX (1080p) came out in 2008. Nine years ago.

[DamageINC]

Originally Posted by alchav21

As for Sound, I usually use my Optical Sony Headset and the Sound is Outstanding. So put that Digital HD argument to rest, because the Quality is there if you have the right set up.

Are you saying that sound through a headset is equal to a proper 5.1 or 7.1 setup with lossless audio?

[Jett Rink]

Originally Posted by PenguinMaster

Many titles don't get Blu-ray releases because there isn't enough support for Blu-ray. If all the people who were buying digital were buying Blu-ray instead than everything would get a Blu-ray release. The customers supporting digital releases are just as much to blame as the studios putting out digital releases.

If you buy something digital because it's not on Blu-ray then you're just adding to the problem and ensuring more titles will be digital-only.

I agree, some Actuary is probably pushing the HD streaming/VUDU/whatever thing to save a few dollars. The same thing is happening with books, but the DTB buyers pushed back and now physical books are the top sellers. Probably because they are cheaper to make and buy than an e-book. Although books have been around since Antiquity so they will probably be around in physical form literally forever. BD's are a new medium, so their fate is a different story. Only time can tell what will happen to them. Although I would much rather have a physical BD than a HD copy.

[PCFan]

Originally Posted by PenguinMaster

Many titles don't get Blu-ray releases because there isn't enough support for Blu-ray. If all the people who were buying digital were buying Blu-ray instead than everything would get a Blu-ray release. The customers supporting digital releases are just as much to blame as the studios putting out digital releases.

If you buy something digital because it's not on Blu-ray then you're just adding to the problem and ensuring more titles will be digital-only.

I thought only a small percentage of consumers buy digital movies compared to physical movies and most that are into digital, do it through a subscription service, and the majority of consumers that buy movies buy them in physical form. Maybe there is not a big enough of a demand for buying movies in general, no matter if digital or blu-ray.

[Groot]

Originally Posted by PenguinMaster

Many titles don't get Blu-ray releases because there isn't enough support for Blu-ray. If all the people who were buying digital were buying Blu-ray instead than everything would get a Blu-ray release. The customers supporting digital releases are just as much to blame as the studios putting out digital releases.

If you buy something digital because it's not on Blu-ray then you're just adding to the problem and ensuring more titles will be digital-only.

Do you have a single article or statistical proof that the statements you just made aren't hot air?

[PenguinMaster]

Originally Posted by PCFan

I thought only a small percentage of consumers buy digital movies compared to physical movies and most that are into digital, do it through a subscription service, and the majority of consumers that buy movies buy them in physical form. Maybe there is not a big enough of a demand for buying movies in general, no matter if digital or blu-ray.

That's true but digital caused that problem as well. The introduction of streaming subscription services has caused many people to devalue individual movies and TV shows.

Originally Posted by Groot

Do you have a single article or statistical proof that the statements you just made aren't hot air?

In the last decade physical media sales have dropped drastically. In that time digital has become popular. I think those two things might be connected.

[blackwidowavenger1964]

Penguin what do you think of the people who buy a blu-ray that also includes a digital copy so they can take the movie anywhere or on the go? The convenience of the digital going hand in hand. One blu-ray copy at home and one digital for on the go. Is someone entering the digital code from the blu-ray also showing film companies that digital is superior or what? Honestly wondering.

[PenguinMaster]

Originally Posted by blackwidowavenger1964

Penguin what do you think of the people who buy a blu-ray that also includes a digital copy so they can take the movie anywhere or on the go? The convenience of the digital going hand in hand. One blu-ray copy at home and one digital for on the go. Is someone entering the digital code from the blu-ray also showing film companies that digital is superior or what? Honestly wondering.

That's fine with me. People buying combos can't possibly lead to less Blu-rays being produced.

[Texan26]

Originally Posted by PenguinMaster

That's true but digital caused that problem as well. The introduction of streaming subscription services has caused many people to devalue individual movies and TV shows.



In the last decade physical media sales have dropped drastically. In that time digital has become popular. I think those two things might be connected.

Redbox started the decline of physical sales. Why buy a movie for $20 when I can watch it for a dollar was/is the thought of many consumers.

[PenguinMaster]

Originally Posted by Texan26

Redbox started the decline of physical sales. Why buy a movie for $20 when I can watch it for a dollar was the thought of many consumers.

How is Redbox particularly different than Blockbuster or other rental stores? Those had been around for decades before sales declined.

[Texan26]

Originally Posted by PenguinMaster

How is Redbox particularly different than Blockbuster and Hollywood Video? Those had been around for decades before sales declined.

Convenience and price. Redboxes are everywhere, fast and easy to check out, Blockbuster rental prices were a lot higher.

[PenguinMaster]

Originally Posted by Texan26

Convenience and price. Redboxes are everywhere, fast and easy to check out, Blockbuster rental prices were a lot higher.

Regardless physical media rentals don't cause less titles to be available on physical media. Since the studios make more money from physical media sales than physical media rentals that's what they're focused on.

It is extremely rare for any title to be available to rent on physical media but not available to buy on physical media. But there are plenty of titles that are available on digital media (as a rental, purchase, and/or subscription) but not available to buy on physical media.