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

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

I need to update my list. I will in the next few weeks

Did you start watching TP?

Yes, I did.

I watched the pilot and the first two episodes after it. I am really enjoying it. I will resume tonight.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by Hardback247

I got mine in late 2017.

You should get the update then. You will need fibre though to watch 4K. Not that you would want to. (I always stick to disc) . We have to be strong and back our love of the best quality imo.

[flyry]

Originally Posted by Hardback247

Should I be worried if certain movie distributors decide not to release 4K Blu-Rays anymore?

There's quite a few movies in the past year that get UHD digital but not a UHD disc release.

Most recently oscar contender The Favourite

[flyry]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

I hate the idea that movie lovers could drink the koolaid and leap into a format that’s not going to last the pace anyway. It’s stupidity imo.

My frustration grows from that. If you love collecting, bloody collect disc! Not a format that’s about to be made irrelevant by subscriptions and exclusives.

You are a prime example. Using the term ‘us’ despite the fact you have over 400 blurays. You are one of the main reasons HT lovers may not have access to the best quality in years to come. In that case, does it even class as HT anymore? Surely the point of HT is to replicate the cinema experience as closely as possible at home?

I expect it of the masses, some of them are still struggling with changing a light bulb. However, to class yourselves as film fans and then desert the best quality is nothing short of shameful imo.

I am just out of space at this time and i don't have the room to buy a shelf.

I recently received the Arrow version of Audition this past week.

I also have Burning and The Karate Kid (4k) on pre-order, but I may cancel Burning since I bought the digital a few weeks ago since it literally came to digital like 6 weeks before the disc. (plus it was only $9.99 and the physical will not have a digital copy so I dont mind the double dip).

I gave my Karate Kid blu-ray to my father and since its an upgrade its not taking up any new space.

I kind of like the idea of upgrading my absolute favs to 4K when they come out and getting the newer titles on UHD digital.

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by flyry

There's quite a few movies in the past year that get UHD digital but not a UHD disc release.

Most recently oscar contender The Favourite

From what I have observed, UHD digital is not significantly better than a blu-ray disc and often it is slightly worse. Especially the audio, in dark scenes, and in background stability. Plus, no real ownership, yada yada yada.

Again, there are far more titles in my disc collection that are not on digital anything than there are digital titles in your collection that are not on disc.

The number of new releases favor disc by far and so does the quality. And did I mention real ownership?

[Hardback247]

I'm still very pissed that the Fate of the Furious Extended Director's Cut is a digital-exclusive. That didn't stop me from contacting Universal to ask if they would release it on physical formats.

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by Hardback247

I'm still very pissed that the Fate of the Furious Extended Director's Cut is a digital-exclusive. That didn't stop me from contacting Universal to ask if they would release it on physical formats.

There are other options if you want to send them a stronger message.

[flyry]

Originally Posted by Vilya

From what I have observed, UHD digital is not significantly better than a blu-ray disc and often it is slightly worse. Especially the audio, in dark scenes, and in background stability. Plus, no real ownership, yada yada yada.

Again, there are far more titles in my disc collection that are not on digital anything than there are digital titles in your collection that are not on disc.

The number of new releases favor disc by far and so does the quality. And did I mention real ownership?

I get all of that but with the way things are gone I expect this trend to continue as well as increase. Especially for smaller movies (i.e. blindspotting, the old man and the gun etc- just a few off top that i have uhd digital but did not get the 4k disc)

[Hardback247]

Originally Posted by Vilya

There are other options if you want to send them a stronger message.

What do you mean? What options?

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by flyry

I get all of that but with the way things are gone I expect this trend to continue as well as increase. Especially for smaller movies (i.e. blindspotting, the old man and the gun etc- just a few off top that i have uhd digital but did not get the 4k disc)

Considering the quality differences between a 4K digital title and a blu-ray disc being so, let's be charitable and say, negligible, the issue of real ownership more than tips the balance in favor of the blu-ray disc, a disc that still gives you a digital code, albeit a code that redeems in HD.

When I decided to adopt the 4K disc format I did so wanting all that it could offer. I embraced it because I wanted the best that was possible. I have no need for 4K Lite (Digital) that is lower quality than 4K disc and that is often even lower quality than the blu-ray.

Even when 4K Lite equals or bests its blu-ray counterpart, there's still no tangible ownership. Control freaks like me can't accept that.

If I lived outside of the U.S., and if I had been relying upon UV for my movies, I would be in a difficult spot right now. I am not trying to make fun of the situation; I don't like to see anyone lose what they paid for, but it increasingly looks like those overseas with UV collections are really going to get burned. I want no part of any scenario that even has that as a possible outcome, yet alone the probable one that our overseas friends are now facing.

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by Hardback247

What do you mean? What options?

Sorry, I am not allowed to elaborate. Some blanks you gotta fill in yourself.

[alchav21]

Originally Posted by Hardback247

Should I be worried if certain movie distributors decide not to release 4K Blu-Rays anymore?

Originally Posted by Steedeel

Depends. If it’s a ‘wait and see’ policy, possibly no. If it’s a ‘we have ceased producing 4K titles for good’ then yes!

Originally Posted by Hardback247

How possible is it for the latter to happen?

The Studios control distribution, so it all depends on demand. With Disc Sales on the decline there is a greater emphasis on their distribution. Two points to consider are Break Even Point and Profit Margin. The Studios make the decision on the Distribution Method, and depending on the results make adjustments. The Studios just want to sell Movies and TV Shows and make a profit. 4K BD have a small market share, and DVD's outsell them and I think it has to do with cost. It's too early to tell which direction this is going with Streaming coming on Hot, but many people feel 4K BD will be a niche market.

[PenguinInfinity]

Originally Posted by alchav21

The Studios control distribution, so it all depends on demand. With Disc Sales on the decline there is a greater emphasis on their distribution. Two points to consider are Break Even Point and Profit Margin. The Studios make the decision on the Distribution Method, and depending on the results make adjustments. The Studios just want to sell Movies and TV Shows and make a profit. 4K BD have a small market share, and DVD's outsell them and I think it has to do with cost. It's too early to tell which direction this is going with Streaming coming on Hot, but many people feel 4K BD will be a niche market.

The studios' control over distribution is the reason why streaming is an inferior choice to physical media. If something that's only available on streaming is unprofitable (or cuts into the profits of other things) it could easily disappear completely. If something on physical media is unprofitable it will go out of print but all the copies that have already been made will still function and can easily be redistributed via the used market.

I have no doubt that most physical media will eventually become a niche market, but it will always be the best choice regardless of how popular it is.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by Vilya

Considering the quality differences between a 4K digital title and a blu-ray disc being so, let's be charitable and say, negligible, the issue of real ownership more than tips the balance in favor of the blu-ray disc, a disc that still gives you a digital code, albeit a code that redeems in HD.

When I decided to adopt the 4K disc format I did so wanting all that it could offer. I embraced it because I wanted the best that was possible. I have no need for 4K Lite (Digital) that is lower quality than 4K disc and that is often even lower quality than the blu-ray.

Even when 4K Lite equals or bests its blu-ray counterpart, there's still no tangible ownership. Control freaks like me can't accept that.

If I lived outside of the U.S., and if I had been relying upon UV for my movies, I would be in a difficult spot right now. I am not trying to make fun of the situation; I don't like to see anyone lose what they paid for, but it increasingly looks like those overseas with UV collections are really going to get burned. I want no part of any scenario that even has that as a possible outcome, yet alone the probable one that our overseas friends are now facing.

That’s the main reason Sky movie store has taken off in the U.K. you have the option of buying the Digital HD with a DVD or Blu-ray. Only some Blu-ray owners know what UV is. Codes need to go away completely then we will see the demand for digital HD when people have to pay full price. At the moment, digital lovers are (imo) like parasites, sucking the format for cheap codes while declaring disc dead. It needs to stop.

Meanwhile, in the UK, UV is a utter failure imo. The industry would have been better off just keeping those old digital copy codes for mobile phones. That’s essentially what UV is. Disney Plus is coming here soon and buying Disney movies digitally is going to be far less appealing. I’m sure most willjust wait once they have been to the cinema. The same with WB films and I’m sure Universal films will be exclusive to Comcast/Sky. I think Digital HD has just come along at the wrong time. By that, I mean the masses don’t want to own their films anymore.

[Steedeel]

I still say you guys don’t realise how all this digital stuff makes us fragile as HT lovers. I have said before, all it would take is for AT&T to offer Netflix or Time Warner’s new streaming service for Free BUT only via mobile, to change the landscape literally overnight.

Something like:

“Go with AT&T wireless as your service provider and we will give you unlimited free access to Netflix in SD on mobile only.

Or choose Comcast and we will give you our new Streaming service for free to mobile customers for the entire year.

Who is going to pay for access on their tv when they can get it free on mobile?

This will happen.

[Wendell R. Breland]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

I still say you guys don’t realise how all this digital stuff makes us fragile as HT lovers.

One never knows how something will turnout. UV was designed to move physical movie purchase to digital movie purchase. The studios hate the The First Sale Doctrine and thought they could move us to digital purchase where the TFSD does not apply. UV was a colossal failure and only served to devalue their product. They are now trying to put that Genie back in the bottle, only time will tell if they are successful.

The next thing the studios need to do is produce movies that is worth purchasing.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by Wendell R. Breland

One never knows how something will turnout. UV was designed to move physical movie purchase to digital movie purchase. The studios hate the The First Sale Doctrine and thought they could move us to digital purchase where the TFSD does not apply. UV was a colossal failure and only served to devalue their product. They are now trying to put that Genie back in the bottle, only time will tell if they are successful.

The next thing the studios need to do is produce movies that is worth purchasing.

They won’t put the genie back. Subscription has plonked its big fat bum in the playing field.

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

I still say you guys don’t realise how all this digital stuff makes us fragile as HT lovers. I have said before, all it would take is for AT&T to offer Netflix or Time Warner’s new streaming service for Free BUT only via mobile, to change the landscape literally overnight.

Something like:

“Go with AT&T wireless as your service provider and we will give you unlimited free access to Netflix in SD on mobile only.

Or choose Comcast and we will give you our new Streaming service for free to mobile customers for the entire year.

Who is going to pay for access on their tv when they can get it free on mobile?

This will happen.

I can't be bothered with these "what ifs" of yours.

All I can think about is pie.

[red_5ive]

Originally Posted by Vilya

From what I have observed, UHD digital is not significantly better than a blu-ray disc and often it is slightly worse. Especially the audio, in dark scenes, and in background stability. Plus, no real ownership, yada yada yada.

Again, there are far more titles in my disc collection that are not on digital anything than there are digital titles in your collection that are not on disc.

The number of new releases favor disc by far and so does the quality. And did I mention real ownership?

Audio is enough for me to favor physical media. The only two "digital" movies

[Show spoiler](I still can't get over why they exclusively call it that)

I own are supposed to be Dolby Digital+, but there's no dynamics and sound heavily compressed like there's DRC applied. Which is why I only own two, the 2nd one being "I'll try another and see if it, too, sounds like crap."

[Wendell R. Breland]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

They won’t put the genie back. Subscription has plonked its big fat bum in the playing field.

No doubt subscription streaming has had an effect on physical and electronic movie/TV sales but the main effect has been on traditional pay TV. After all, subscription streaming is just another form of pay TV, no matter how the DEG tries to spin it otherwise.