What "K" will you draw the line at?

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by Jegærn

Why should we bother with 4/8k when everything goes online streaming? Doesn't help with a super 8k tv when netflix takes over the movie industri. Compressed crap!

4K displays, and presumably 8K displays- I've yet to see one, work wonders with our existing physical media. Streaming is not so bad on them, either, but I will always much prefer my discs.

Online streaming may be a future, but it is not the only future. I personally will never subscribe to the "what's the use" attitude. I believe that physical media will continue as there are enough of us that care about the best in quality to sustain the market for it. I don't care how niche it may become, so long as it remains. Even if I am guilty of wishful thinking, I prefer that over being fearful or resigned about the future.

I still buy CDs in 2019 and for how many years have I been told that they were a lost cause? The Chicken Littles of the world have been crying "the sky is falling!" forever, but last I looked the firmament is firmly above us.

[Jegærn]

Originally Posted by sapiendut

You know that we can buy 4K physical media right?

At this moment in time we can. In just a few years we can't.
Are you still then gonna buy that fanzy 8k tv?

[Jegærn]

Originally Posted by sapiendut

You know that we can buy 4K physical media right?

But don't get me wrong. I'm like you. I want better technology, higher resolutions, 3D, atmos sound, HDR and everything the future holds. It's just not gonna float when 90% of the consumers are happy with 720p streaming.

The future of home movie experiences is not lookin too bright.

[Jegærn]

Originally Posted by Vilya

4K displays, and presumably 8K displays- I've yet to see one, work wonders with our existing physical media. Streaming is not so bad on them, either, but I will always much prefer my discs.

Online streaming may be a future, but it is not the only future. I personally will never subscribe to the "what's the use" attitude. I believe that physical media will continue as there are enough of us that care about the best in quality to sustain the market for it. I don't care how niche it may become, so long as it remains. Even if I am guilty of wishful thinking, I prefer that over being fearful or resigned about the future.

I still buy CDs in 2019 and for how many years have I been told that they were a lost cause? The Chicken Littles of the world have been crying "the sky is falling!" forever, but last I looked the firmament is firmly above us.

Yeah some of us still buy physical. I do. I just can't stand the compression on HBO and netflix. It looks aweful on my OLED.

And as many already pointed out, living rooms need to get bigger if 8k res is gonna be visible. I think 4k is the last 'k'

[The_Donster]

As other members have already pointed out, this isn’t about the future of home video. If anyone wants to discuss that give this thread a swing. So let’s take (leave) that particular argument to the appropriate thread.

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by Jegærn

At this moment in time we can. In just a few years we can't.
Are you still then gonna buy that fanzy 8k tv?

If you truly have the gift of prophecy, could you be more precise with the exact date? I'd like to be prepared. I have heard that physical media was dying since 2015, maybe even before that, yet somehow I am still able to buy 20-25 titles on disc every month, same now as ever. I don't see that changing because it hasn't changed. Even if it ever happens, I have a fair number already and it will take years to exhaust the supply of what already exists.

Like with 4K TVs today, I will choose from what is offered the next time that I am in the market for one. I will buy the best that I can afford, 8K or otherwise, just like I did the last time. There is no limit to the Ks that I will consider; I reserve judgment until I see them for myself.

Now I must defer to Deputy Fife of the thread police.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by Anthony P

that does not make much sense.

Let me ask you this. what do you think has a higher carbon foot print and by how much? a DVD , a BD or a UHD BD?

what takes more gas a truck load of DVDs , BDs or UHD BDs?

I am referring to streaming, that’s the future for the masses. Us 4K disc lovers are a niche.

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

I am referring to streaming, that’s the future for the masses. Us 4K disc lovers are a niche.

The future? It is the present reality.

[The_Donster]

[Vilya]

^Wilco, Barney!

[Anthony P]

Originally Posted by Vilya

I'd like to be prepared. I have heard that physical media was dying since 2015

Only 2015 are you sure about that. I remember people proclaiming (for music) the death of physical media at the end of the 90's. And I remember people saying there is no reason to launch BD because streaming was right around the corner.

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by Anthony P

Only 2015 are you sure about that. I remember people proclaiming (for music) the death of physical media at the end of the 90's. And I remember people saying there is no reason to launch BD because streaming was right around the corner.

I have never seen such a high concentration of "visionaries" as I have found here on this website. They renew and repeat their same redundant, tired, and open-ended predictions. They provide no specificity in most cases, just a vague "the end is near" mantra.

For all of their self-professed foresight and imagined market analysis, they have likely never picked a winning investment in their lives. They all can see the future, if it is a negative one, but yet they haven't profited from having this astounding ability in the least. They are like circling vultures expecting to soon pick away at a carcass that just keeps refusing to die.

[sapiendut]

“CD is dead” - Zdnet, circa 2001.
“Bluray is dead” - Zdnet, 2019.

Yet... the sales of physical media is about the same as the sales of digital downloads. (Streaming is not considered as purchase)

[smithb]

I've never understood the need to proclaim one technology dead when another surfaces.

Rental was proclaimed dead when the majority of rental stores closed down and buying titles became more feasible, but one can still take value in Redbox or Netflix. Physical media has been proclaimed as dying due to streaming, yet media sales are still decent. The only thing I've noticed with physical media is some divergence in what is released. New from theater to physical media releases are always available. The most popular titles of the past can only be re-released so many times in a single format, so 4K/HDR is giving new life for those titles. What I have noticed is an uptick in getting "B" titles from the 40's through 60's now on blu-ray, and perhaps a shift downward in TV titles on physical media. Streaming has probably made a bigger dent with TV than movies.

I have Hulu for the kids, Netflix disk rental for newer titles, and continue to buy physical media for first-time releases of classic titles from pre-60's. There is no one fit that serves all. Options are good.

[Anthony P]

Originally Posted by smithb

I've never understood the need to proclaim one technology dead when another surfaces.

I think for the most part there are three reasons

1) Hatred+ hope forself fulfilling prophecy: I remember when Toshiba threw in the towel there were a few HD-DVD fan boys that started proclaiming that BD was doomed. I always took their change of heart on HD disks as nothing more that fear mongering (i.e. if we say it6 and people believe us then it might hurt BD and spell its doom)

2) self importance: simple sh!t happens and evberything sooner or later dies. If someone "conveniently" for the last 20 years they have been saying CD is doomed and one day CD is really dead they can say "see I told you so", that is why Vilya asked "could you be more precise with the exact date? ". as long as it is vague the guy can't be proven wrong ( it is alive today but what does it mean for tomorrow) and if and when it does happen the person can pretend they read the future,.

3) opinion intentionally or not that is misrepresented. I stopped buying films on DVD in 2005 accouple of years later I knew I would never find the time to re-watch any of them so I started making room for BDs on my shelves by putting my old DVDs in plastic bins in my storage room (just in case I would ever want to watch any of them). For m DVD might as well have been dead for the last decade. sometimes "dead" needs to be better defined

ps

I have Hulu for the kids, Netflix disk rental for newer titles, and continue to buy physical media for first-time releases of classic titles from pre-60's. There is no one fit that serves all. Options are good.

see, that fits in with #3 I agree that options are good, but maybe there is no one right fit for you, but there is a right fit for me. I don't stream content, the quality is just not there, I work hard and I can afford to buy every film I want to watch so I don't need to rent.

[smithb]

Originally Posted by Anthony P

3) opinion intentionally or not that is misrepresented. I stopped buying films on DVD in 2005 accouple of years later I knew I would never find the time to re-watch any of them so I started making room for BDs on my shelves by putting my old DVDs in plastic bins in my storage room (just in case I would ever want to watch any of them). For m DVD might as well have been dead for the last decade. sometimes "dead" needs to be better defined

ps

see, that fits in with #3 I agree that options are good, but maybe there is no one right fit for you, but there is a right fit for me. I don't stream content, the quality is just not there, I work hard and I can afford to buy every film I want to watch so I don't need to rent.

I don't see where you are going with this? From my experience in threads like this, most arguing that "physical media is dead" aren't stating it is dead to them, but that it is dead or soon to be dead within the industry. That is specifically what I was responding to related to the industry, not one's personal choice. What was posted above from ZDnet was not about "dead" from a personal choice, but dead from an industry perspective. How have I misrepresented that?

The fact you have a single option that is a fits for you, is great. I never stated anyone has to take advantage of other options, just that since we don't all have the same needs, options are good overall within the industry so more can have what they want.

Even within physical media, we have options that don't always fit all (e.g., DVD, standard Blu-ray, UHD/HDR Blu-ray). I'm not interested in 4K/HDR content, but that doesn't mean I wouldn't want that option available for those that do value it. Some find DVD is good enough, other have no need for DVD. I've read where some have no interest in standard blu-ray anymore now that UHD/HDR Blu-rays are available.

There are just too many consumers with varying needs to make established options go away easily, even when new options become available.

[Anthony P]

Originally Posted by smithb

I don't see where you are going with this?

with #3 what I am saying is we all tend to have a natural tunnel vision and our own "definition" of dead.

For example I have an old family friend who is only interested in watching his old VHS tapes, some months ago (maybe a year or two ago) when his player died I looked on-line and saw that my local Walmart should have one in stock, went there, looked around (the guy there did not think they had any) found them and bought one. Now as far as I know it has been years since anyone has manufactured a VHS player, it has been years since anyone has released new content on VHS and it has been years since blank tapes have been made. To me that is dead enough for someone to call it dead, but for someone else, does anyone still use it, can you find old stock can you find used.... might be the cut off point (and in that sense VHS is still there with my friend) but that also assumes some is really trying hard to answer those questions because there are not a lot of people like my friend.

[smithb]

Originally Posted by Anthony P

with #3 what I am saying is we all tend to have a natural tunnel vision and our own "definition" of dead.

For example I have an old family friend who is only interested in watching his old VHS tapes, some months ago (maybe a year or two ago) when his player died I looked on-line and saw that my local Walmart should have one in stock, went there, looked around (the guy there did not think they had any) found them and bought one. Now as far as I know it has been years since anyone has manufactured a VHS player, it has been years since anyone has released new content on VHS and it has been years since blank tapes have been made. To me that is dead enough for someone to call it dead, but for someone else, does anyone still use it, can you find old stock can you find used.... might be the cut off point (and in that sense VHS is still there with my friend) but that also assumes some is really trying hard to answer those questions because there are not a lot of people like my friend.

That's fine. I had no issue with your examples of why some may suggest physical media is dead.

However, you specifically highlighted my example related to how multiple options is generally of value since it is typically difficult for one option to solve the needs of the many. This was in reference to your option #3 "opinion intentionally or not that is misrepresented" and then later "we all tend to have a natural tunnel vision and our own definition of dead".

I'm just trying to figure out how my simple example of having multiple options better fitting the masses qualifies for either scenario? What was I "misrepresenting" or being "tunnel visioned about"? I wasn't referencing individual perspectives as i further explained (e.g., your VHS example) but specifically those that are claiming this at an industry level.

[hifiHigh]

Originally Posted by stonesfan129

Plain 1080p on a Blu-ray disc is good enough for me. I am willing to settle for DVD if they ever quit making Blu-ray.

This ^^^^^

[Anthony P]

Originally Posted by smithb

That's fine. I had no issue with your examples of why some may suggest physical media is dead.

However, you specifically highlighted my example related to how multiple options is generally of value since it is typically difficult for one option to solve the needs of the many. This was in reference to your option #3 "opinion intentionally or not that is misrepresented" and then later "we all tend to have a natural tunnel vision and our own definition of dead".

I'm just trying to figure out how my simple example of having multiple options better fitting the masses qualifies for either scenario? What was I "misrepresenting" or being "tunnel visioned about"? I wasn't referencing individual perspectives as i further explained (e.g., your VHS example) but specifically those that are claiming this at an industry level.

you said " There is no one fit that serves all." that is open to interpretation from the reader. Is it
There is no one fit that serves all people: aka everyone can use what works for them
or
There is no one fit that serves all viewing needs aka everyone should use the three that I use for the reasons I mentioned.