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

[Wendell R. Breland]

Originally Posted by cheez avenger

The GRUV website hada bunch of mispricings on certain items back in September.

Thanks for the mention of that site. Have about 12 sites in my disc vendor list but did not have that one.

[cheez avenger]

Originally Posted by Wendell R. Breland

Thanks for the mention of that site. Have about 12 sites in my disc vendor list but did not have that one.

There's also a GRUV eBay store and that's where the BTTF 4k trilogy was gotten from. I think they also have an Amazon store now.

[Wendell R. Breland]

Originally Posted by cheez avenger

I must be late to the party, but I just found out that Monoprice makes their own A/V gear to sell and some of it looks great at an even greater price point.

Have bought many items (cables of all types, plugs, jacks, connectors, etc.) from Monoprice. Just received a 19" rack shelf and 12 certified HDMI cables.

Another great place is Parts Express (here), they have a fair selection of speakers for a very modest price.

If you should every want to do DIY speakers then Madisound (here) would be a good place to start.

[JohnAV]

Apple launched a new generation of M1 based computers (brand new SoC), 13" MacBook Air, 13" MacBook Pro with 20 hour battery life. Also the very usable Mac mini that has been used for HT computers starts at $699. Air and Mac mini no fans.

https://www.apple.com/mac-mini/
https://www.apple.com/macbook-air/
https://www.apple.com/macbook-pro-13/

Nice to see something new this year.

[cheez avenger]

Originally Posted by JohnAV

Apple launched a new generation of M1 based computers (brand new SoC), 13" MacBook Air, 13" MacBook Pro with 20 hour battery life. Also the very usable Mac mini that has been used for HT computers starts at $699. All of these no fans.

https://www.apple.com/mac-mini/
https://www.apple.com/macbook-air/
https://www.apple.com/macbook-pro-13/

Nice to see something new this year.

I have an older Mac mini, so good to know for a future purchase.

[bhampton]

Originally Posted by cheez avenger

I have an older Mac mini, so good to know for a future purchase.

My Mac mini is 2010 I think and no longer runs supported OS.

I use it as a music server only. It’s perfect but a new one would probably work too.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by JohnAV

Apple launched a new generation of M1 based computers (brand new SoC), 13" MacBook Air, 13" MacBook Pro with 20 hour battery life. Also the very usable Mac mini that has been used for HT computers starts at $699. Air and Mac mini no fans.

https://www.apple.com/mac-mini/
https://www.apple.com/macbook-air/
https://www.apple.com/macbook-pro-13/

Nice to see something new this year.

Surprised they didn’t release a new Apple TV. Something is brewing there imo.

[bhampton]

The Mac mini makes a great HTPC. Some people try to evade computers near home theater but when it comes to digital content, computers do it well.

I want to get one of these new Mac mini’s to see what exactly it can do in an HTPC setting.

I use both an ATV4K and a Mac mini and I bet a new Mac mini could replace both.

[Wendell R. Breland]

Originally Posted by bhampton

The Mac mini makes a great HTPC. Some people try to evade computers near home theater but when it comes to digital content, computers do it well.

Some of the posters at AVS construct inexpensive media servers and media players using Raspberry PI parts. If I were younger then I may would give it a go but in my later years I just want to take it out of the box and connect it up.

[bhampton]

Originally Posted by Wendell R. Breland

Some of the posters at AVS construct inexpensive media servers and media players using Raspberry PI parts. If I were younger then I may would give it a go but in my later years I just want to take it out of the box and connect it up.

I sometimes think of trying to play with rasp pi.

Of course a Mac mini is more like a full fledged computer and with its ATV app and it’s ability to run Plex and other media center software and mirror screens from other Apple devices I would say right out of the box it’s a fairly compelling HTPC. I understand it’s fanless too. Edit - it isn’t fanless.

I can’t wait to get one to experiment with.

[Wendell R. Breland]

Originally Posted by bhampton

I can’t wait to get one to experiment with.

I for one would be interested in your and other posters comments. I will be most curious to see if it can do integer frame rates.

[bhampton]

Originally Posted by Wendell R. Breland

I for one would be interested in your and other posters comments. I will be most curious to see if it can do integer frame rates.

It would be a blast to try stuff. I hope I can get one soon. I’ll certainly feed back discoveries if I do.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by Wendell R. Breland

Some of the posters at AVS construct inexpensive media servers and media players using Raspberry PI parts. If I were younger then I may would give it a go but in my later years I just want to take it out of the box and connect it up.

I have always been like that. I just want it in my HT looking shiny and well built with the ability to give me great quality. Thank goodness I have a friend who is extremely
knowledgable with AV stuff. He has taught me so much.

[JohnAV]

Originally Posted by Wendell R. Breland

I for one would be interested in your and other posters comments. I will be most curious to see if it can do integer frame rates.

It depends on Mac OS Big Sur detecting the display refresh rates connected via HDMI 2.0 on a Mac mini.

How to set non-integer display framerates in macOS Catalina. (should be the same in Big Sur)

The issue with integer was against ATV4k.

[bhampton]

I have a new Mac mini ordered. Can’t wait to discover it.

[JohnAV]

Originally Posted by bhampton

I have a new Mac mini ordered. Can’t wait to discover it.

The DRM aware browser supports VP9 now (4K/8K) and playing 4K Netflix streams. The previous Intel model supported HDR10 to displays, this should be the same. Anything that is x68 code will run in the Rosetta 2 emulation. Way faster then PPC Rosetta years ago. This model they made getting 16G RAM or larger 512 SSD $200 more each when you custom build order. It also runs iPhone/iPadOS apps natively as another means to interact with streaming sites then Safari. Don't expect Google to make a MacOS Youtube app. No point if you can run the iPadOS app or use the web browser.

Let us know how it works out. As always they have 15 days to test it out.

[Ender14]

Originally Posted by gotmule

Speaking of immersive audio, I told myself that I was going to not buy any discs until BF, but 10 Cloverfield Lane 4K popped up for $10 and I couldn’t resist. Loved that movie. Great Atmos mix for sure.

I saw the same deal and couldn't resist either.

[bhampton]

Originally Posted by gotmule

Speaking of immersive audio, I told myself that I was going to not buy any discs until BF, but 10 Cloverfield Lane 4K popped up for $10 and I couldn’t resist. Loved that movie. Great Atmos mix for sure.

Where is that deal ?

Edit found at Walmart. Ordered.

[JohnAV]

Disney’s Q4 Crushes Wall Street Estimates, Stock Pops After Hours; Revenue $14.7 Billion, Parks Take $2.4B COVID Hit - Deadline

‘Mulan’ PVOD Results: Disney CEO Bob Chapek “Pleased”, But Stays Mum On Numbers - Deadline

If you’re dying to know what the total revenue reap was from Disney’s combined PVOD/Disney+-overseas theatrical release experiment of Mulan, well, we just have to wait for the studio’s investor day on Dec. 10. That’s when they’re reportedly going to tell us more.

Disney CEO Bob Chapek said on today’s year-end earning call that he was “pleased with the results of Mulan as a premiere access title,” which repped the studio’s foray in providing an extra tier PVOD access to Disney+ subscribers to a premium title, this one intended for a theatrical worldwide release

Industry buzz has been that the Mulan experiment, at least on the streaming side, was not a success, given how quiet the studio has been about reporting revenue and viewership figures. Other factors causing doubt about Mulan: Disney was quick to announce the film’s Dec. 4 free availability to Disney+ subs, days before its Sept. 4 PVOD release. Why do that? Another indication Mulan was an immediate success was how soon it was fast-tracked to regular PVOD (outside Disney+). Oh, and let’s not forget that Disney is making another theatrical release, Pixar’s Soul, available for free on Dec. 25. If Mulan went so well, again, why do that?

“Unfortunately the title was met with controversy in the U.S. and internationally,” said Chapek about Mulan, “but we saw positive results to know that that we had something in the premiere access strategy.”

In regards to making Soul available for free on Disney+ and not implementing a PVOD-Disney+ premiere strategy on that title, the CEO said, “In terms of Soul, we also realize that the lifeblood of Disney+ is providing content to base level subscribers. The idea was that it was a really nice gesture to take it out during the holiday period and provide it on the service.”

All of this said, it’s plausible Mulan may have contributed to a spike in Disney+ subs, though Chapek didn’t specify that today. Disney+ reported 73.7 million subscribers as of Sept. 30, up from 60.5 million subs in August.

Soul will premiere December 25th on Disney Plus.

[gotmule]

Originally Posted by bhampton

Where is that deal ?

Edit found at Walmart. Ordered.

It was an Amazon deal but looks like it was short lived. Glad Wally World had it though.