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

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by bhampton

Redbox is very tempting for me with the $4 Blu Rays they offer for sale.

But, then my kids don't get access to the steaming copies and my nearby Redbox doesn't do the UHD discs yet.

So, .... Keep the UHD BDs releases coming ... I have a feeling I'lll never catch up to all the 4K Blu Ray goodness on offer. It's fun to try.

"Steaming" copies? Was that a typo or was that a deliberate reference to a "steaming pile of ...."?

Buy the bargain blus, anyway. Steaming copies go on sale, too; you can add them later on.

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by Wendell R. Breland

Did some spot checking last night on HBO Max and the Atmos sound track seemed to be a winner. Plan to watch tonight.

I had planned to watch it last night, but I got roped into playing online video games with friends until after midnight. Maybe I'll have better luck tonight?

[Anthony P]

Originally Posted by Vilya

That's what happens when confronted with an avalanche of unremarkable drivel to choose from. What little there is that is worth watching is camouflaged by the massive amount of mind numbing mediocrity offered.

Mostly agree. Higher quality content costs more and it is about # of titles. But even if most of the titles where good I think the problem would still persist. Many years ago I tried implementing a digital list for my own library of titles. If you know the title and want to pick that particular film it works well, but scrolling through a bunch of titles to find what you want to watch was IMHO way more trouble then eyeing the shelves (and a bunch more trouble to keep it up to date) so I abandoned the idea.

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by Anthony P

Mostly agree. Higher quality content costs more and it is about # of titles. But even if most of the titles where good I think the problem would still persist. Many years ago I tried implementing a digital list for my own library of titles. If you know the title and want to pick that particular film it works well, but scrolling through a bunch of titles to find what you want to watch was IMHO way more trouble then eyeing the shelves (and a bunch more trouble to keep it up to date) so I abandoned the idea.

Naturally, I do not consider my collections to be overrun with mediocre titles, but I have no trouble finding exactly what I want regardless of format.

When I want to find a specific title in my digital collection, I just use the search bar on the website as if I were looking to buy it. The title comes right up and it shows that I already own it, so I simply select it and press play. No scrolling thru a long list of titles to get to it.

[cheez avenger]

Originally Posted by Vilya

I was just pointing out that the show was available on blu-ray seeing as you said it was a "damn good show." Damn good shows are exactly the kind of shows worth owning on blu-ray.

You can't count on this show staying on Netflix as they don't own it, so if its worth rewatching owning your own copy might be worthwhile.

It's a damn good show that I don't feel like owning on disc. I own very few televisions shows on disc as it is. I own the X-Files, Millennium, Hunter, and that's about it. I re-watch those in their entirety every few years or so.

Even if Netflix doesn't own the show and can be pulled at anytime, there are so many other damn good shows out there on various platforms that I doubt I will run out of anything to watch. I also have a library card, so I can check out physical media for free there and they tend to stock tv shows, as well.

My priorities lean towards physical media when it comes to collecting. I don't collect TV shows all that much.

[Anthony P]

Originally Posted by Vilya

Naturally, I do not consider my collections to be overrun with mediocre titles, but I have no trouble finding exactly what I want regardless of format.

When I want to find a specific title in my digital collection, I just use the search bar on the website as if I were looking to buy it. The title comes right up and it shows that I already own it, so I simply select it and press play. No scrolling thru a long list of titles to get to it.

like I said "If you know the title and want to pick that particular film it works well". The issue IMHO happens when you don't know what you want to watch (especially if there are more people) physical searching is a lot easier and faster then digital searching to find something unknown but interesting.

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by Anthony P

like I said "If you know the title and want to pick that particular film it works well". The issue IMHO happens when you don't know what you want to watch (especially if there are more people) physical searching is a lot easier and faster then digital searching to find something unknown but interesting.

I have no idea how big your collections are, but casually browsing thru over 8,000 titles on disc, even when alphabetized and neatly shelved, can take a considerable amount of time.

Digital searching at least offers me several search filters if I have a genre in mind or some other parameter to narrow my search. I can't apply search filters to my physical library, though. I gotta walk the whole thing as its all arranged by title and format. I can't change how its arranged "on the fly" like I can with my digital collection.

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by cheez avenger

It's a damn good show that I don't feel like owning on disc. I own very few televisions shows on disc as it is. I own the X-Files, Millennium, Hunter, and that's about it. I re-watch those in their entirety every few years or so.

Even if Netflix doesn't own the show and can be pulled at anytime, there are so many other damn good shows out there on various platforms that I doubt I will run out of anything to watch. I also have a library card, so I can check out physical media for free there and they tend to stock tv shows, as well.

My priorities lean towards physical media when it comes to collecting. I don't collect TV shows all that much.

I highly doubt that any of us here will ever run out of things to watch.

There are some damn good shows that I choose not to own, also. The Wire is one example. While I really enjoyed it, it has no replay value for me, thus there's no reason for me to buy it. Any damn good show that has replay value, however, needs to be a part of my collection.

[cheez avenger]

Originally Posted by Vilya

I highly doubt that any of us here will ever run out of things to watch.

There are some damn good shows that I choose not to own, also. The Wire is one example. While I really enjoyed it, it has no replay value for me, thus there's no reason for me to buy it. Any damn good show that has replay value, however, needs to be a part of my collection.

And most of those damn good shows are all available at a clip through those streaming services. Not only am I saving money left and right, I can redirect those funds to 4K film titles, a night out, or even some investments. It's the art of leverage.

I watched The Wire before HBO MAX was a thing via HULU. It was great. I should also point out that I also own Star Trek TNG on BD, Original Series BD, and even the Scott Bakula one that no one liked, also on BD. I also have Deadwood on BD. Combined, I probably own 10 but no more than 15 TV shows on BD/DVD. A few years ago I was tempted to start collecting Supernatural on BD, but it's been on Netlfix and now I believe is on HBO MAX in HD and 5.1. I'll save myself the $300 (or however much it is for the complete set) and watch it via streaming.

[Anthony P]

Originally Posted by Vilya

I have no idea how big your collections are, but casually browsing thru over 8,000 titles on disc, even when alphabetized and neatly shelved, can take a considerable amount of time.

Digital searching at least offers me several search filters if I have a genre in mind or some other parameter to narrow my search. I can't apply search filters to my physical library, though. I gotta walk the whole thing as its all arranged by title and format. I can't change how its arranged "on the fly" like I can with my digital collection.

I have my films by "categories" and in each category is mostly alphabetically by series and then by how the came out (so under "Evil dead" it starts by The Evil Dead followed by Evil Dead II then Army of Darkness (even if technically it should be a) and lastly Evil Dead

The categories are mostly genres and sub-...-genres but some like "unwatched" is a category that has nothing to do with genres (nd the only one by length of play) where every category must fit on one shelf (so when a category gets too big it gets split up.

So if a decision is taken for "unwatched" or "Zombie type films" there are very few films to pick from. There is never a need to scan through all the thousands of films. one or two categories at best

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by cheez avenger

And most of those damn good shows are all available at a clip through those streaming services. Not only am I saving money left and right, I can redirect those funds to 4K film titles, a night out, or even some investments. It's the art of leverage.

I watched The Wire before HBO MAX was a thing via HULU. It was great. I should also point out that I also own Star Trek TNG on BD, Original Series BD, and even the Scott Bakula one that no one liked, also on BD. I also have Deadwood on BD. Combined, I probably own 10 but no more than 15 TV shows on BD/DVD. A few years ago I was tempted to start collecting Supernatural on BD, but it's been on Netlfix and now I believe is on HBO MAX in HD and 5.1. I'll save myself the $300 (or however much it is for the complete set) and watch it via streaming.

I own 1,154 seasons of TV shows on disc, so we definitely diverge there.

I do not trust streaming services, or even the studios themselves, to respect the artistic integrity of a TV series. Netflix in particular has removed entire episodes from some series (and edited others- even their own series are not immune) that they deemed to be too offensive and that is not something that I can tolerate. Who knows what they will find offensive next? Even some studios have excised whole episodes that they now feel are too offensive; the disc sets already in circulation are unaffected by these fits of political correctness.

If I really like a show, and if it has has replay value, I need to own it in its entirety and I need to know that it will remain intact.

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by Anthony P

I have my films by "categories" and in each category is mostly alphabetically by series and then by how the came out (so under "Evil dead" it starts by The Evil Dead followed by Evil Dead II then Army of Darkness (even if technically it should be a) and lastly Evil Dead

The categories are mostly genres and sub-...-genres but some like "unwatched" is a category that has nothing to do with genres (nd the only one by length of play) where every category must fit on one shelf (so when a category gets too big it gets split up.

So if a decision is taken for "unwatched" or "Zombie type films" there are very few films to pick from. There is never a need to scan through all the thousands of films. one or two categories at best

I can't arrange my discs by genre because there are too many films that do not fit neatly into just one category. It would drive me mad trying to remember what genre I assigned to which movie. Alphabetical by title eliminates that guesswork.

[Anthony P]

Originally Posted by Vilya

I can't arrange my discs by genre because there are too many films that do not fit neatly into just one category. It would drive me mad trying to remember what genre I assigned to which movie. Alphabetical by title eliminates that guesswork.

I don't think you give yourself enough credit.

In my experience if it is the type of film that someone would say "I want to watch X" it is easy to remember what you thought of it (and where it will be). If it is the type of film no one remembers, than you end up on it when you look at the category.

Where what you said gets trick is others. I remember many years ago I was not at home and my BIL wanted to borrow Cowboys & Aliens he called me back and asked "where is it" to which I replied "look in Western", he was looking for it in sci-fi.

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by Anthony P

I don't think you give yourself enough credit.

In my experience if it is the type of film that someone would say "I want to watch X" it is easy to remember what you thought of it (and where it will be). If it is the type of film no one remembers, than you end up on it when you look at the category.

Where what you said gets trick is others. I remember many years ago I was not at home and my BIL wanted to borrow Cowboys & Aliens he called me back and asked "where is it" to which I replied "look in Western", he was looking for it in sci-fi.

Thank you, but when my CRS acts up, I have to look at my ID to remember my own name.

[Wendell R. Breland]

At a click I can see all westerns or titles with immersive audio or all 1.85 titles or ... in my library. You create your on views, columns, etc. I don't believe Vudu or MoviesAnywhere has anywhere near this kind of flexibility. My disc are stored alphabetized, as movie, music, special, test and TV series.

[Show spoiler]

[cheez avenger]

Originally Posted by Vilya

I own 1,154 seasons of TV shows on disc, so we definitely diverge there.

That is impressive.

[PenguinInfinity]

Originally Posted by Vilya

I own 1,154 seasons of TV shows on disc, so we definitely diverge there.

I've got you beat: 1,700 seasons in my collection.

I do not trust streaming services, or even the studios themselves, to respect the artistic integrity of a TV series. Netflix in particular has removed entire episodes from some series (and edited others- even their own series are not immune) that they deemed to be too offensive and that is not something that I can tolerate. Who knows what they will find offensive next? Even some studios have excised whole episodes that they now feel are too offensive; the disc sets already in circulation are unaffected by these fits of political correctness.

If I really like a show, and if it has has replay value, I need to own it in its entirety and I need to know that it will remain intact.

I absolutely agree with all of this. And in addition to the the problems you mentioned there is also the issue of remastering gone wrong. Buffy the Vampire Slayer is the biggest offender: the HD version that is available via streaming has horrible cropping, DNR, and coloring issues. Fortunately my DVDs don't have any of those problems.

[Wendell R. Breland]

Originally Posted by Anthony P

lol isn't that why even though Walmart sucks at buying disks, they still carry them but they got rid of Vudu

Best Buy CinemaNow is no more, Target Ticket is gone but both still sell disc in stores and online.

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by Wendell R. Breland

At a click I can see all westerns or titles with immersive audio or all 1.85 titles or ... in my library. You create your on views, columns, etc. I don't believe Vudu or MoviesAnywhere has anywhere near this kind of flexibility. My disc are stored alphabetized, as movie, music, special, test and TV series.

[Show spoiler]

Very fancy.

I only keep simple Word document listings of what I own, alphabetical by title, and one such document for each format. I really only use these lists to keep tabs on what I have already bought. When I am undecided on what to watch, I just roam my shelves as if I were in a video rental store of olde. Both a nostalgic and fun way to hunt.

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by PenguinInfinity

I've got you beat: 1,700 seasons in my collection.

I absolutely agree with all of this. And in addition to the the problems you mentioned there is also the issue of remastering gone wrong. Buffy the Vampire Slayer is the biggest offender: the HD version that is available via streaming has horrible cropping, DNR, and coloring issues. Fortunately my DVDs don't have any of those problems.

I know that you are one of the biggest supporters of TV shows on disc around these parts and that's awesome. I have become much more selective about what TV shows I buy now. As my age advances and my health retreats, a TV series really has to have strong replay value for me to buy it. When I was young and invincible I would buy anything that caught my eye. I am beginning to take this more cautious approach with what movies I buy as well.

I own both Buffy and Angel on DVD and I seem to recall that Buffy looks rough. Still, rough in SD is better than butchered in HD. It's a shame that we don't have a quality blu-ray release of both of these shows.