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

[gotmule]

Originally Posted by alchav21

Hey Steedeel we are knocked senseless, but Sound Systems are expensive and the next day they are outdated. You can buy the latest equipment today, and tomorrow it is outdated. So like any Tech, buy the best today and hope for the best by tomorrow. We all try to stay above the curve!

You are completely out of your element in this conversation at the moment. It would be like me chiming in on a Harley Davidson thread because I once had a moped.

[JohnAV]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

Not really. It's the loss of a great industry to cater for the likes of you with your desire to watch Star Wars on your watch or phone IMO. It's a sad sad state of affairs. I don't even know what you are doing on this forum. There are loads of forums for streaming and mobile devices. Or do you enjoy getting a rise out of dedicated home cinema fans?

Originally Posted by Steedeel

You are preaching to the converted here, get yourself to the streaming threads and knock some sense into them.

We heard this discussion before, perhaps it’s you that needs to go get yourself to the streaming threads and knock some sense into them!

[alchav21]

Originally Posted by PenguinInfinity

I thought you used wireless headphones with an optical connection. How is that staying above the curve?

You're right Penguin with my Virtual Optical Surround Sound Headphones, I'm happy. I'll just wait for those Headphones that will bring me that Immersive Sound in the latest Technology.

[flyry]

This thread is going to be the only thing to survive the pandemnic

[flyry]

Originally Posted by bhampton

When it comes to online movies, I do believe thinking people will realize it's not good when they have enough problems with it.

Target, Best Buy, and Walmart all had a movie service and all of them became a liability and were eliminated. All three STILL sell physical media.

I don't think the "buy" option will continue much longer with these services as the new hotness is Subscribe.

At least subscription is a little more honest in my opinion than selling online access that users think they own.

Disney is nice enough to give the choice. I don't subscribe to Disney+ and they still provide new releases to disc.


-Brian

Nice try Brian, VUDU is still here. it may have a new coat of paint(name) in 6 months to a year, but the interface and all my movies will remain

[JohnAV]

Originally Posted by flyry

Nice try Brian, VUDU is still here. it may have a new coat of paint(name) in 6 months to a year, but the interface and all my movies will remain

Hmmm, Fandango, Vudu and Xfinity as digital retailer accounts.

Fandango is a unit of NBCUniversal, which holds a majority interest in the company. Warner Bros. Entertainment has a minority interest in Fandango.

Vudu is now going to be owned 70% by Comcast which owns NBCUniversal, 30% which is AT&T which own WarnerMedia.

How the two largest ISP's get to own everything streaming just about.

The Vudu acquisition fits the larger direction of things at NBCU, especially with theatrical moviegoing sidelined by COVID-19. The entertainment division, working in tandem with Philadelphia-based colleagues in broadband and pay-TV distribution, recently has pivoted to streaming for major film releases including Trolls World Tour. After bypassing theaters, the animated sequel posted the best single-day and opening-weekend rental totals in company history.

Separately, Comcast in February bought Xumo, an ad-supported streaming service. Its strategy for orchestrating the overlapping efforts of Peacock, Fandango, Xumo and Vudu, is still coming into focus. One more organizational layer is Sky’s streaming expertise, which was a key motivation of Comcast’s $40 billion acquisition of the UK satellite operator in 2019.

In a post on its website, Vudu said it will continue to operate as a separate brand, coexisting with FandangoNow for the near term. “Our priority is to ensure that Vudu customers and partners are given the highest level of service during this time of transition,” the post said. “So, there will be no immediate changes to either service. In the months ahead, we will explore ways to bring great online entertainment experiences to our valued customers.”

Streaming investment continues apace across the traditional media sector, with Disney and WarnerMedia joining NBCU in mounting direct-to-consumer efforts, and ViacomCBS and Fox Corp. fortifying their portfolios. Viacom bought Pluto TV in early 2019 and since the ViacomCBS merger closed it has provided an ad-supported counterpart to subscription services like Showtime and CBS All Access. Fox, meanwhile, just closed its $440 million acquisition of Tubi TV, an AVOD rival to Pluto.

Source (Deadline)

Streaming change of ownership seems to be going to the people that all you cord cutters wanted to get away from.

[flyry]

What does that really have to do with my post?

[JohnAV]

Originally Posted by flyry

What does that really have to do with my post?

Concerning "VUDU is still here. it may have a new coat of paint(name) in 6 months to a year". It just seems a lot of the VoD seem redundant in a business sense, I know they say we will be here but its a bit to much under AT&T/Comcast thumbs. Perhaps everything will stay as it is currently though.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by flyry

Nice try Brian, VUDU is still here. it may have a new coat of paint(name) in 6 months to a year, but the interface and all my movies will remain

For now...........

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by flyry

This thread is going to be the only thing to survive the pandemnic

No doubt.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by JohnAV

We heard this discussion before, perhaps it’s you that needs to go get yourself to the streaming threads and knock some sense into them!

I’m all out of energy on that front. I tried, no one can deny that. I need someone to take over the baton for a short while.

[bhampton]

Originally Posted by flyry

Nice try Brian, VUDU is still here. it may have a new coat of paint(name) in 6 months to a year, but the interface and all my movies will remain

Awesome you know the future! Can you PM me with information about how the Covid stuff shakes out?

No doubt if I sold something the new owners would just own it and not change anything about it. That does sound right.

The press release says nothing will change and that's likely just truth and stuff.

-Brian

[Steedeel]

I would t be surprised if Vudu just becomes a ad-supported part of Comcast’s new streaming service (Peacock) eventually.

[bhampton]

Originally Posted by alchav21

Hey Steedeel we are knocked senseless, but Sound Systems are expensive and the next day they are outdated. You can buy the latest equipment today, and tomorrow it is outdated. So like any Tech, buy the best today and hope for the best by tomorrow. We all try to stay above the curve!

But speakers don't go obsolete like that.

Most speakers connect the same way they connected 40 or more years ago. And immersive audio formats change but the speakers function the same.

My own speakers are all from twenty years ago. I changed the foam surrounds in them and they work like when they were new.

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by alchav21

Hey Steedeel we are knocked senseless, but Sound Systems are expensive and the next day they are outdated. You can buy the latest equipment today, and tomorrow it is outdated. So like any Tech, buy the best today and hope for the best by tomorrow. We all try to stay above the curve!

You are senseless; you said it yourself here and who I am to disagree with your first moment of clarity ever?

Sound systems do not become outdated very often. I am not aware of any new audio formats since the inclusion of Dolby Atmos on home AVRs and this has been available for years now. When I buy a new AVR this year, I will not likely need to buy another for at least a decade, maybe even longer. My 2006 model of AVR offers most commonly used surround sound formats except for ATMOS.

Speakers do not become obsolete; I use a pair of 36 year-old floor standing Polk SDA2's to this day.

You have no more business talking about surround sound systems than you do about 4K disc players; you don't own either and you have ZERO knowledge about them.

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by alchav21

You're right Penguin with my Virtual Optical Surround Sound Headphones, I'm happy. I'll just wait for those Headphones that will bring me that Immersive Sound in the latest Technology.

Your 2011 model of inexpensive wireless Sony headphones only offer virtual, or simulated, surround sound. I have more money invested in just my speaker wiring than you have in your entire sound system . They were a low tier Sony product when they were new nine years ago. They in NO WAY compete with a true surround sound system.

"7.1ch Virtualphones Technology"

https://www.engadget.com/2011-04-19-...-sound-in.html

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by avs commenter

A dedicated audio setup is really not practical in most households.

I disagree. Most people that I know with a home larger than a studio apartment have at least one room large enough for a surround sound system. Whether they want one is the only real consideration. Some do not like the aesthetics of looking at a room full of speakers, some dislike the initial expense, and some dislike both. It isn't so much a question of "practicality" as it is of money and decor.

Buying all of the speakers is the biggest expense, which you can add over time, but if you buy good speakers you likely will not have to do so again as they can perform for many decades. Few investments in home entertainment technology are as worthwhile and are as enduring; speakers can last a lifetime.

[bhampton]

Even good stereo speakers make a good audio system. Couple of near field monitors is not a impractical thing to work with.

[Wendell R. Breland]

Originally Posted by Vilya

Sound systems do not become outdated very often.

Agreed. My Crown DC-300 audio amp will soon be 48 years old. My Hafler amps (3) and Crown PS-400 are 37 years old. During this time there have been 8 different pre/processors used to feed them. 2 Crown XLS 1000 amps were added for Atmos/DTS:X.

Originally Posted by Vilya

Whether they want one is the only real consideration.

This source says:

The statistic shows the household penetration of home theater systems/surround sound systems in the United States from 2012 to 2016. In July 2016, 41 percent of U.S. households owned a home theater system/surround.

5.1 AVR's have been readily available at box stores and online for many years now.

[bhampton]

Watching with interest as people speculate what Walmart selling Vudu means to people who think they "own" movies on Vudu.

Reviewing the T&C because someone once said there was a provision in there that purchased content would be available for a minimum of 3 years it seems that is no longer mentioned.

But the way it reads should be a comfort to anyone who has invested in Vudu content. T&C makes it clear the content providers own the content and Vudu licenses access to it from them and to the end user. So people worried about the movies they "own" can relax because in fact they don't "own" anything.


If you purchase Content, you may view it for as long as you (i) are capable of accessing the Vudu Service, and (ii) maintain an active Vudu Account.
Vudu’s authority to provide Content to you is subject to restrictions imposed by the movie studios and other distributors that make Content available to Vudu (“Content Providers”). These Content Providers may designate limited periods of time when Vudu is prohibited from renting, selling and/or streaming certain Content to you, including Content that you have previously purchased. You will be able to again rent, purchase and/or view such Content at the conclusion of these restricted periods.

You understand and agree that the Content is licensed by Vudu from Content Providers. Copyrights in the Content are owned by the Content Providers and protected by the copyright laws of the United States, as well as other intellectual property laws and treaties. Except as expressly provided in these Terms of Service, no right, title or interest in the Content is transferred to you. All Content is licensed to you, and is not sold, transferred or assigned to you.

Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, you may not (i) show any Content to any public audience or view it in a public location; (ii)

Except as specifically granted herein, all rights to the Content are reserved by the owners of such Content.


-Brian