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

[alchav21]

Originally Posted by PenguinInfinity

Why would recommendations from an author I've never heard of in a newspaper I've never read for movies I've never heard of convince me of anything? Tons of movies are on someone's top 10 list but those lists are useless without knowing what other movies the author likes.

That's the point, most Movies are coming out Streaming now. You don't know because you don't Stream!

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by alchav21

That's the point, most Movies are coming out Streaming now. You don't know because you don't Stream!

Most movies come out on disc, also.

Streaming may get them first, but I do not mind waiting for the better quality, the uneditable content, and the real ownership that a disc purchase provides.

Lastly, he doesn't have to stream anything to be aware of what movie is available where. Anyone can find that out easily enough.

If you can comment upon 4K discs and 4K disc players, without your owning or using either, he can certainly comment upon streaming. I would bet that he has far more experience with viewing streamed content than you have with viewing 4K discs.

[Wendell R. Breland]

Originally Posted by gotmule

I don’t disagree with a lot of the negatives with vinyl mentioned so far, but I will challenge the notion that it doesn’t sound better.

In the 80's we had both CD and LP playback capability for our statewide FM radio network. At the time we had the finest equipment that money could buy and no audio processing.

A listeners story. We received a detailed letter from a listener that complained listening to the CD’s via our network caused headaches, fatigue, etc. The listener provided a detailed list of songs played via LP’s and CD’s and their time of play. A check of the log and schedule showed the listener was 100% correct as to the source and time.

What the listener did not know, we distributed the audio to the transmitter sites via a digital system. That system was only a 12 bit system that was companded to 14 bit equivalent with a sample of 32 KHz. It had ≈ 84 dB SNR and a flat response to 15 KHz. The CD should have a SNR of 96 dB and a flat response to 20 KHz.

I would not presume to tell anyone what they like or dislike. I have friends that have Edison cylinder phonographs and love to listen to them. If they told me the sound from it was more accurate than a properly done digital recording then I would have a problem with that. If they prefer “the sound” of the Edison to that of a digital recording I am just fine with that.

[Anthony P]

Originally Posted by Vilya

Streaming may get them first, but I do not mind waiting for the better quality, the uneditable content, and the real ownership that a disc purchase provides.

agree 100% if I realy cared more about being first to see a film I would not have spend the money on building an HT in my home I would go see them at the theatre (which I do when I care to see it early)

[Wendell R. Breland]

Originally Posted by PenguinInfinity

Why would recommendations from an author I've never heard of in a newspaper I've never read for movies I've never heard of convince me of anything?

Means a big zero, anyone that would have “The Lodge” in a top ten list must be really hard up for entertainment, IMHO.

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by Wendell R. Breland

Means a big zero, anyone that would have “The Lodge” in a top ten list must be really hard up for entertainment, IMHO.

To be fair, pickings are a little slim this year for new movies.

I own The Lodge, but I bought it blindly and I did not manage to watch it last night, so I do not know if my faith was well placed or not.

[Anthony P]

Originally Posted by Vilya

To be fair, pickings are a little slim this year for new movies.

but that is because the A list titles are being kept for theatrical runs and normal procedure while studios decided to release crappy titles direct to video to keep the cashflow rolling in while waiting for things to get better.

it still does not change the fact that some pretend we should get excited about those mediocre titles to the point where we buy into at least 6 different formats.

[sapiendut]

Originally Posted by alchav21

That's the point, most Movies are coming out Streaming now. You don't know because you don't Stream!

I don’t need to be a car collector to know that Lamborghini Aventador SV is one of the collectors’ cars of choice.

[bessetmath]

Originally Posted by Vilya

Most movies come out on disc, also.

Streaming may get them first, but I do not mind waiting for the better quality, the uneditable content, and the real ownership that a disc purchase provides.

Lastly, he doesn't have to stream anything to be aware of what movie is available where. Anyone can find that out easily enough.

If you can comment upon 4K discs and 4K disc players, without your owning or using either, he can certainly comment upon streaming. I would bet that he has far more experience with viewing streamed content than you have with viewing 4K discs.

Out of curiosity... If a studio stop releasing physical releases, will you buy the digital counterpart? Or will you boycott the studio?

[Wendell R. Breland]

Originally Posted by bessetmath

Out of curiosity... If a studio stop releasing physical releases, will you buy the digital counterpart? Or will you boycott the studio?

What makes you think they would still offer a streaming version? What will you do when you can no longer buy cheap codes provided with disc? Will you then pay the going rate for a streaming version? Does it bother you to redeem a code and say you own the physical copy when you do not?

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by bessetmath

Out of curiosity... If a studio stop releasing physical releases, will you buy the digital counterpart? Or will you boycott the studio?

As it stands now I do buy some digital copies to act as a back-up to some of my discs that did not include them or that were expired. I also like having remote access to my content; well, once it is safe to go anywhere again I will enjoy that access. I like sharing access to my digital collection with a few of my friends, too, seeing as they, like me, are sheltering in place.

When it comes to renting movies if the digital copy purchase price is equivalent to the rental price, then I will opt to buy the digital copy. For any movie that I really like, however, I will always seek a physical copy.

I am not very quick to jump onto boycott bandwagons. I would instead hope that such a studio would license their content for release on physical media to one of the many labels that do exactly that. If the studio in your example were to license their movies to, say, Criterion or Arrow or Kino Lorber or Shout, etc. the net result would be that I still get a disc release.

I am also able to play discs from anywhere, so shopping globally is no problem for me. If a studio were not to release discs here in the U.S., maybe they will in Europe or elsewhere. There are large portions of the world where broadband internet does not exist making streaming very problematic.

If a studio literally ceased to allow their movies to be released by anyone anywhere on physical media, then I would assess my remaining options at that time. I sure wouldn't be happy about it, that's for sure.

[Vilya]

My most recent digital purchase was yesterday for Marrowbone. I already own the 4K disc, but it does not come with a digital copy. Vudu offered a UHD digital purchase for just $4.99. At that price, I did not hesitate. Now, I have a back-up and remote access for about what a small soda costs at the cinema.

[alchav21]

Originally Posted by Wendell R. Breland

What makes you think they would still offer a streaming version? What will you do when you can no longer buy cheap codes provided with disc? Will you then pay the going rate for a streaming version? Does it bother you to redeem a code and say you own the physical copy when you do not?

Those cheap codes are going up in price, and some Studios are not including them. Now the Distribution of Movies and TV Shows are Streaming, and if it's Cost Effective it might come out on Disc. Like the examples I gave in those Top 10 for 2020, two came out on Blu-ray Disc. Also Vudu is having some great sales, $5 Moves....You can't beat that!

[Wendell R. Breland]

Originally Posted by alchav21

Now the Distribution of Movies and TV Shows are Streaming, and if it's Cost Effective it might come out on Disc.

I really hate making you look so ignorant but movies and TV shows have been available for streaming purchase for many years now (10 or more). Vudu download to own goes back to about 2005.

Like the examples I gave in those Top 10 for 2020, two came out on Blu-ray Disc.

Content providers have marketing departments and they know what movies will do well at the theater, home video, pay TV, etc. If they make content available for streaming but not disc then they do so for a reason, the most likely being it is B grade junk and would not sell very well on disc.

Also Vudu is having some great sales, $5 Moves....You can't beat that!

Yes I can, I already own worthy titles from that list, have viewed several titles via Netflix disc by mail or passed because I had no interest.

[bessetmath]

Originally Posted by Wendell R. Breland

I really hate making you look so ignorant but movies and TV shows have been available for streaming purchase for many years now (10 or more). Vudu download to own goes back to about 2005.

Content providers have marketing departments and they know what movies will do well at the theater, home video, pay TV, etc. If they make content available for streaming but not disc then they do so for a reason, the most likely being it is B grade junk and would not sell very well on disc.

Yes I can, I already own worthy titles from that list, have viewed several titles via Netflix disc by mail or passed because I had no interest.

I am sure bluray/dvd/4k will still exist in the future. By the way, its will become a very NICHE market. When you check the whole picture right now, you see Netflix ( or any monthly based subscription (hbo disney+ etc)) is taking a big portion of the tv shows and movies entertainment. Netflix killed blockbusters.

Sadly, business like Netflix and others only think with $$$ and not with the customers. It is not nice for US (customers) to pay multiples subscriptions just because of original show only available on one streaming providers. You don t want to pay 60-70 a months for netflix, hbo, disney+. If THEY will care about us, all this will be UNIFIED.

Lastly, going this way Netflix is only helping PIRACY. People will torrent or usenet the newest disney + original show or netflix original.

It is a broken system.

[Lee A Stewart]

Originally Posted by bessetmath

I am sure bluray/dvd/4k will still exist in the future. By the way, its will become a very NICHE market. When you check the whole picture right now, you see Netflix ( or any monthly based subscription (hbo disney+ etc)) is taking a big portion of the tv shows and movies entertainment. Netflix killed blockbusters.

Sadly, business like Netflix and others only think with $$$ and not with the customers. It is not nice for US (customers) to pay multiples subscriptions just because of original show only available on one streaming providers. You don t want to pay 60-70 a months for netflix, hbo, disney+. If THEY will care about us, all this will be UNIFIED.

Lastly, going this way Netflix is only helping PIRACY. People will torrent or usenet the newest disney + original show or netflix original.

It is a broken system.

That's like saying we should have car dealerships that sells all makes and models. Besides being impractical it's a bad business decision. Competition is what drives our markets. This is the USA not China!

[bessetmath]

Originally Posted by Lee A Stewart

That's like saying we should have car dealerships that sells all makes and models. Besides being impractical it's a bad business decision. Competition is what drives our markets. This is the USA not China!

Yes but by doing this way they are helping PIRACY grow..

The music industry adapted faster. All you can eat songs for x,xx$ amount on itunes, google play etc... All unified.

Also, your car dealership comparison don t work. They already do that in Canada.

https://www.albilegeant.com/en/

[JohnAV]

Originally Posted by bessetmath

By the way, its will become a very NICHE market.

There is no such thing as a very niche market, there's the term niche but it not like you can double the term up and say its a niche niche? Sounds like a Monty Python skit!

Originally Posted by bessetmath

Netflix killed blockbusters.

Nope.

see Who really killed Blockbuster? - Retaildive 10/7/2019

One hole in the standard Netflix-killed-Blockbuster narrative is the fact that Blockbuster was unprofitable as far back as 1997. The company posted a net loss for every year but two between 1996 and 2010. And while Netflix was founded in 1997, its revenue wasn’t even a blip in the industry until the 2000s. Even by 2006, Netflix’s revenue was still less than 20% that of Blockbuster’s, though net income was catching up.

Put simply: Blockbuster was kind of a mess for much of its life, and long before Netflix was a major player.

As far back as the early 1990s, Huizenga and other executives were aware that the company could be made irrelevant by new technology like the internet and video-on-demand. Huizenga’s team explored different investments and ways to transform the company but never came up with a solution, at least not one that fit his team’s expertise and comfort level. So instead, as Time Magazine once wrote, Huizenga “devised a brilliant tactical retreat: he made Blockbuster somebody else's problem.” That is, he sold out.

Blockbuster’s most visible troubles started after Huizenga sold Blockbuster to media conglomerate Viacom in 1994. Payne describes the eventual executive transition from Huizenga as CEO to John Antioco, who started in 1997, as a “complete and total disaster.” The company’s value fell by half in the interim years following Viacom’s acquisition, as the conglomerate tried to turn the video stores into repositories for Paramount and MTV merchandise along with clothes, books, toys and clothing. The plan failed.

Antioco, a veteran of Taco Bell and 7-Eleven, quickly refocused the chain around movie rentals. When he joined, Blockbuster’s market share stood at 25%, which he thought could be pushed yet higher, the former CEO wrote in the Harvard Business Review (HBR) about eight years ago. (Antioco did not respond to a request for an interview made by email and postal letter to BRIX Holdings, where he is majority shareholder and managing partner.) Antioco also focused on hashing out revenue share deals with the movie studios in an effort to get more copies of hot movies on shelves and reduce costs.

And then came a big disruption to Blockbuster’s business. It wasn’t the internet, it wasn’t streaming, it wasn’t cable. Beyond a surface level, it had nothing to do with technology.

When movie studios turned to the DVD format, they departed from their years-long strategy, opting to offer new movies at prices anybody could afford. Walmart, Best Buy and other box retailers quickly became among Blockbuster’s biggest competitors, as they could price movies at or even below wholesale costs, using them as loss leaders to drive traffic. Oh, and those DVDs were also lighter and cheaper to send through the mail, giving rise to Netflix’s initial mail-service business and allowing for a more practical kiosk rental model (i.e. Redbox).

“We were just hit from everywhere. It was Redbox. It was Netflix. It was pay-per-view, Direct TV. Boy, it just came from all sides.”
Geoff Graves - Former Director of Operations at Blockbuster Video Corp.


“The economics of the business completely changed,” Payne said. Studios were “mining their back catalogue and selling millions of these things to Walmart and Target and everybody for like $3 or $4. And they would retail them for $5. Well, [customers] would go in a Blockbuster to rent it, and they’d want to rent it to them for $4.50.”

“It made no sense at all,” he added. Blockbuster executives, in his view, “were in complete denial over what they were doing. But I think they were just literally killing the business before its time.”

[Lee A Stewart]

Originally Posted by bessetmath

Yes but by doing this way they are helping PIRACY grow..

Please explain.

The music industry adapted faster. All you can eat songs for x,xx$ amount on itunes, google play etc... All unified.

The music industry is totally different than the movie/TV show industry.

Also, your car dealership comparison don t work. They already do that in Canada.

https://www.albilegeant.com/en/

I said . . . "this is the USA . . ." Canada has the same population as California.

[Wendell R. Breland]

Originally Posted by bessetmath

Netflix killed blockbusters.

Blockbuster killed themselves, anyone with a pea brain should have saw kiosk taking over the disc rental market.

Disney+ does not care about Netflix which does care about Apple+ which does not care about .... Its every streamer for themselves. The streaming ship sailed many years ago without a plan and compass so we have a giant CF in terms of formatting and hardware. Really doesn't matter to most because they use TV apps or cheap Roku to stream.