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

[Wendell R. Breland]

Originally Posted by Vilya

Amazon has the Denon 6500 in stock at the usual price of $2199. The flagship 8500 still goes for $3999; it needs to offer a whole lot more than DLNA certification for that price difference. It likely does, but a 13.2 channel AVR might be overkill for my needs.

Downloaded the 6500 manual and was looking to see if it listed IR codes (it did not) but came across this:

This unit can play back music files and playlists (m3u, wpl) from DLNA compatible servers including PCs and NAS devices on your network.

So it may not be certified but appears it will work with a DLNA server. There was no mention that it would act as a renderer.

The manual is only 343 pages so I suggest you get cracking.

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by Wendell R. Breland

The manual is only 343 pages so I suggest you get cracking.

I don't need to read it now seeing as I can just ask you for the abridged version.

[SCLee]

Originally Posted by Vilya

I find playing episodes one after the other on disc to be every bit as convenient as with streaming. Many discs have a "play all" option where every episode on the disc will automatically play one after the other negating the need to do any strenuous button pressing between episodes. An entire disc worth of episodes usually makes for a pretty substantial viewing session, too, but thanks to my rigorous exercise regimen I have the energy to get up and swap a disc every four or so hours.

Ah, but you can't go from season to season so easily... in the case of my Treehouse of Terror watch and they haven't released the seasons after 20.

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by SCLee

Ah, but you can't go from season to season so easily... in the case of my Treehouse of Terror watch and they haven't released the seasons after 20.

Again, I am well conditioned for disc swapping and even if I wasn't I own more than one player, so I could have another player cued and ready to go if I really wanted to conserve my strength.

Obviously, I can't watch a season on disc that has never been released to the format, so in that case there is no ease of playback comparison to make.

[SCLee]

Originally Posted by Vilya

Again, I am well conditioned for disc swapping and even if I wasn't I own more than one player, so I could have another player cued and ready to go if I really wanted to conserve my strength.

Obviously, I can't watch a season on disc that has never been released to the format, so in that case there is no ease of playback comparison to make.

I still think it's easier to press a button and go to the next season, than having to swap out 20 seasons worth of discs. Especially if i'm only watching one episode per season, say at Halloween or Christmas. Streaming has physical beat with convenience.

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by SCLee

I still think it's easier to press a button and go to the next season, than having to swap out 20 seasons worth of discs. Especially if i'm only watching one episode per season, say at Halloween or Christmas. Streaming has physical beat with convenience.

Your viewing style is different than mine altogether as I seldom just watch one episode per season. I binge watch TV seasons in episodic order most of the time. If I wanted just Halloween, or Christmas, episodes from across seasons, for example, I would make my own custom rips from my discs and create my own playlist.

Streaming's convenience is only a consideration, IMO, when the episodes are in the correct aspect ratio, the same or better resolution, and have not had their content altered in any way.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by SCLee

I still think it's easier to press a button and go to the next season, than having to swap out 20 seasons worth of discs. Especially if i'm only watching one episode per season, say at Halloween or Christmas. Streaming has physical beat with convenience.

Are you still trying to convince yourself?

Streaming is great if you want to watch a Halloween special from tv shows! Yay!

[SCLee]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

Are you still trying to convince yourself?

Streaming is great if you want to watch a Halloween special from tv shows! Yay!

Regarding convenience, it's great to watch anything

I have a lot of physical media but I probably watch more on streaming services. New shows and films that are not available on physical media and rentals, where I don't wanna pay full price for a 4K disc. I might not like the film. There are loads of films on Amazon that never come out on physical or they're in better resolution. Off the top of my head, Downton Abbey, 4K UHD on streaming, Blu Ray on disc.

I still like physical media but I see it for favourite films / blockbusters only. At £20 / £25 a pop (for new 4K films), it's a luxury. It's also good for cheap series on DVD (shows that are stuck in SD.) I don't understand being 100% physical media or 100% streaming. Both are good.

[SCLee]

Originally Posted by Vilya

Streaming's convenience is only a consideration, IMO, when the episodes are in the correct aspect ratio, the same or better resolution, and have not had their content altered in any way.

I'm with you on the ratio / altered content but the episodes appear to be in upscaled HD on Disney+ and they do look better than the DVD's. Then there's seasons 21 - 30 that are not available on DVD. Come on Vilya, can't you big up streaming ever? It does have its advantages

[SCLee]

Originally Posted by Vilya

Your viewing style is different than mine altogether as I seldom just watch one episode per season. I binge watch TV seasons in episodic order most of the time. If I wanted just Halloween, or Christmas, episodes from across seasons, for example, I would make my own custom rips from my discs and create my own playlist.

It depends, sometimes I go through entire seasons, but other times I wanna pick and choose favourite episodes. I might not have the time or it's at a certain time of the year. Christmas / Halloween etc...

Yes, you can create a disc playlist but that would be a major hassle to me, the time it would take and I have no way of doing it anyway. I don't own a DVD recorder / disc burner and I haven't for years.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by SCLee

Regarding convenience, it's great to watch anything

I have loads of physical media but I probably watch more on streaming services, new shows and films that are not available on physical media and rentals, where I don't wanna pay full price for a 4K film on disc. I might not like the film. There are loads of films on Amazon that never come out on physical or they're in better resolution. Off the top of my head, Downton Abbey, 4K UHD on streaming, Blu Ray on disc.

I still like physical media but I see it for favourite films / blockbusters only. At £20 / £25 a pop (new 4K films) it's a luxury. It's also good for cheap series on DVD (shows that are stuck in SD.) I don't understand being 100% physical media or 100% streaming. Both are good.

Downton Abbey?

[SCLee]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

Downton Abbey?

Too sophisticated for you Steedeel?

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by SCLee

Too sophisticated for you Steedeel?

Ask my maids, I couldn’t comment.

I’m a Archduke, I could have you banned for that!

[stonesfan129]

I really only stream my favorites on devices other than my main TV. I think it's just as easy to get the disc out of my binder and put it in my Xbox and watch it. And the picture/audio quality is better too.

[SCLee]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

Ask my maids, I couldn’t comment.

I’m a Archduke, I could have you banned for that!

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by SCLee

Come on Vilya, can't you big up streaming ever? It does have its advantages

The fact that I use streaming is actually the biggest compliment that I can give it.

Subscription streaming, albeit mostly from shared accounts, is my replacement for cable TV. I use it for viewing titles that are of a casual interest; content that I want to see, but probably have no interest in owning.

I also use it to research titles that may be of even greater interest. There have been several occasions where my streaming of a movie led me to purchase that movie on disc.

I use Vudu as a digital substitute for the once ubiquitous video rental store. I even watch their "free with ads" movies at the end of the month to earn my $2 credit which I in turn use towards their paid offerings.

I redeem my digital codes at Movies Anywhere and at Vudu which allows me remote access to several of my movies. I now have 470 titles redeemed at MA and 635 at Vudu. I also allow others access to my digital collection. I share what I have, too.

Then there is the original content unique to certain subscription services. While much of it is disposable dreck, a substantial amount of it is actually pretty good. I enjoyed 4 episodes of Ozark season three on Netflix just last night. I will even say that it mostly looked very good.

While I am critical of the video quality of streaming, I can still enjoy what I am watching. I can't help but notice its limitations, but often times the quality is quite decent overall. I wish the quality was more consistent throughout the runtime. If streaming was not a positive experience for me, I would not use it.

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by SCLee

Yes, you can create a disc playlist but that would be a major hassle to me, the time it would take and I have no way of doing it anyway. I don't own a DVD recorder / disc burner and haven't for years.

I don't see it as a hassle. After selecting the files of interest, most of the process runs in the background while I am doing other things like posting my illuminating comments on these forums, for example.

I put my computer's blu-ray burner to very good use.

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

Downton Abbey?

Even I own Downton Abbey on blu-ray, except for the latest movie that they did. I will probably add it someday.

There is more than just Twin Peaks and "Look Ma! No hands!" football on TV, you know.

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by SCLee

There are loads of films on Amazon that never come out on physical or they're in better resolution.

There are "loads of films" just in my disc library that are unavailable on subscription streaming, many of them are also not available as video on demand rentals or as digital purchases.

The "who offers what" title game can be played endlessly. If you use both physical media and streaming options, you have access to what both have to offer and that is another reason why I use them both.

With that said, any title that I deem to be worth owning I will buy on physical media. I love my region free blu-ray player as I can buy discs worldwide and that ability alone vastly increases the selection available to me.

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

Ask my maids, I couldn’t comment.

Your maids are too busy lubing up everyone's TV screens.