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

[bhampton]

I use some headphones myself.

I'm sure someday practicality will move me to headphones and VR more often.

[Wendell R. Breland]

You all need to remember alchav21 does not own a modern disc player. He went to Best Buy and looked at one then went home and looked at his streaming then determined they looked about the same. Makes me then I .

Keep in mind some people truly do not see aberrations in video such as quantizing noise, banding, dropped frames, etc. even when someone uses a pointer and tries to point them out.

[sapiendut]

Completely off topic but I just want to share my excitement. I’m getting MKsound S150 speakers for my LCR. Still contemplating about getting another pair of S150 for my rears and the V12+ sub too.

[Anthony P]

Originally Posted by alchav21

No the Point is Digital Streaming has gotten better, and IMO with the right setup and equipment it's hard to tell the difference from a Disc.

don't you mean wrong set-up?

If I put a 100$ and a 10$ bill in front of you you can pick the 100$ bill easily, if I want to cheat you into picking the 10$ bill I need to put something in your way so that you can't tell the difference between the two.

Maybe for you it is how can I mess up my AV so badly so that I can't tell the difference, for me it is how can I improve my set-up so that I can have a better AV experience.

I know true Collectors will continue as long as Discs are made, but there Quantity and Quality are Diminishing.

that makes no sense what so ever.

1) are you saying someone collecting films on K (because he wants digital and quality)or other digital purchases like Apple or Vudu that don't offer good quality is not a true collector?

2) what does quantity mean? do you mean Anthony can't buy 5M copies of the film he wants to buy (why would I want to do that) or Anthony can't buy 1 copy (that I actually care to buy- OK technically it has happened that I bought 2-3 as gifts for people that I know would want a copy but that is rare and has never been an issue)

3) quality? lol

I don't know if you listen to the reports on poor Disc Quality especially 4K Discs from the Major Studios, probably because of Department Budget Cuts. The Independent Studios are putting out the best Discs, but they will have limited Quantities with higher prices!

lol for someone that does not have a 4k player and that went to a lower Netflix package because "4K does not matter" you sure like to pretend you are an expert on the subject.

[Wendell R. Breland]

Here is a link to 14 images that compares different devices upscaling 1080p to 2160p. I have the Apple TV4K (2021), Nvidia Shield Pro (2019), Zidoo Z9X and HDFury (not used). These captures were made using a Blackmagic Design DeckLink card that captures the HDMI out of a device.

I have most of my source devices set to output original resolution and frame rate because the VW600 projector does a good job of upscaling when needed.

[bhampton]

I wish the ATV could output at source resolution. A simple and completely worth it feature. I guess they like to keep it even more simple.

All things considered they really could improve it if they wanted to like giving it the audio capabilities it had in previous models.

My 2020 Mac Mini can't play 24/96 audio (without additional hardware) but my 2010 Mac Mini could.

[gotmule]

Originally Posted by sapiendut

Completely off topic but I just want to share my excitement. I’m getting MKsound S150 speakers for my LCR. Still contemplating about getting another pair of S150 for my rears and the V12+ sub too.

If I was designing a room from scratch, I would try to have identical LCRs, but can't make that work well in my current room. Great choice of speakers! Iconic model in the world of audio.

[veritas]

Personally in terms of video quality that my eyes can see it goes:
4k blu ray >=blu ray >4k stream > hd stream > dvd >=sd stream.


The improvement between 4k blu ray and blu ray are rather minor to none existent for a lot of films. Its not a problem with the technology as much as a limitation of the source material.

generally blu ray looks better to me then a 4k stream. The extra bitrate helps streaming but they still cut corners if you know where to look then you will see banding and compression a good blu ray just won't have.


I will say streaming has improved years ago I would have put a top quality dvd ahead of an hd stream but generally hd streams now look better then a dvd.

SD streams are just plain awful. They aren't just over compressed but they seem to generally be poorly compressed looking bad even for the file size.

[JohnAV]

Box Office: ‘The Batman’ Soars to Bedazzling $134M Opening - Hollywood Reporter 3/6

Starring Robert Pattinson, the superhero pic scored the second-best domestic debut of the pandemic era behind 'Spider-Man: No Way Home.'

The Caped Crusader is back.

The Batman — starring Robert Pattinson in his first turn as the brooding crime fighter — flew to a huge $134 million in its domestic box office debut to secure the second-best opening of the pandemic era behind 2021’s Spider-Man: No Way Home. It’s also director Matt Reeves’ biggest opening to date and only the second picture since December 2019 to cross $100 million at the box office in its first frame.

On Sunday, the opening was an estimated $128.5 million, but traffic for the day was much better than expected, pushing the final weekend number higher.

Overseas, the $200 million tentpole opened to an estimated $124 million from 75 markets for a worldwide start of $258 million. Like the domestic number, the final international number came in higher than Sunday’s estimate.

The Batman’s early performance is all the more impressive considering it runs nearly three hours and is on the darker side. Nor was Reeves’ vision for the superhero a sure bet. It’s safe to say the pic’s strong opening launches a new Batman franchise for Warner Bros. and DC at a critical juncture for legacy Hollywood studios, who are growing ever more reliant on mega-tentpoles and known IP. (Also, Warners is on the brink of having a new owner, Discovery.)

Reeves was the first person Toby Emmerich hired to helm a superhero pic when Emmerich took over as president of Warner Bros. Motion Pictures (Joker and Suicide Squad were already in the works).

“You have to buy into the idea that Batman is like Hamlet. He’s such a rich character. And that the only reason to do it is if you find a different swim lane and a Batman that’s true to the DNA, but is a different interpretation,” Emmerich says. “From the very beginning, Matt consciously made sure that the character and the story he was telling was different than anyone that had been told before.”

The Batman’s opening cements the supremacy of the superhero genre at a time when many genres are struggling on the big screen. Younger males — who have so far fueled the fragile box office recovery — turned out in force. More than 65 percent of ticket buyers were male, while more than 60 percent of the audience was between ages 18 and 34.

The arrival of the Warner Bros. and DC blockbuster couldn’t have come sooner for theater owners following a slow January and February in terms of Hollywood tentpoles.

The PG-13 film centers on Bruce Wayne’s earlier days of fighting crime and features a rogues’ gallery of Batman antagonists. Paul Dano plays the Riddler, a serial killer pursued by Batman, while Zoë Kravitz plays Catwoman and Colin Farrell appears as the Penguin.

Friday’s $57 million haul for The Batman included $21.6 million in Thursday previews and fan screenings in Imax theaters on Tuesday and Wednesday. Like other superhero pics, it is doing substantial business on Imax and other premium, large-format screens, which represent 30 percent of all business. Imax alone turned in $22.3 million globally, including more than $12 million in North America.

Higher ticket prices at some cinemas didn’t seem to deter consumers. The world’s largest exhibitor, AMC Entertainment, is using the movie as a chance to experiment with variable pricing in the U.S. and charge anywhere from $1 to $1.50 more for a ticket. That’s for regular digital screenings; the upcharge for showings on AMC-operated Imax and PLF screens is likely more.

Overseas, The Batman opened in most markets across the globe, although its release in Russia was scrubbed at the eleventh hour because of the invasion of Ukraine. It doesn’t release in China until March 14.

The Batman has been well received by critics and earned an A- CinemaScore from audiences, as well as strong PostTrack exit scores.

According to EntTelligence, Batman commanded more than 80 percent of all tickets sold on Friday, with 22 percent of the audience opting to see it in a premium format. For the overall weekend, eight out of 10 moviegoers in North America opted to see the movie, while 23 percent choose premium formats.

March 5, 10:50 a.m. Updated with international grosses.

March 6, 7:30 a.m. Updated with revised weekend grosses.

March 7, 7:50 a.m. Updated with revised weekend grosses.

March 7, 8:45 a.m. Updated with revised weekend grosses.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by JohnAV

Box Office: ‘The Batman’ Soars to Bedazzling $128.5M Opening - Hollywood Reporter 3/6

Starring Robert Pattinson, the superhero pic scored the second-best domestic debut of the pandemic era behind 'Spider-Man: No Way Home.'

Well deserved.

[Ender14]

Originally Posted by JohnAV

Box Office: ‘The Batman’ Soars to Bedazzling $128.5M Opening - Hollywood Reporter 3/6

Starring Robert Pattinson, the superhero pic scored the second-best domestic debut of the pandemic era behind 'Spider-Man: No Way Home.'

Agree with Steedeel. I actually wish it had made more but understand its box office limitations. SO much darker than I was expecting but I loved it. Highly recommended.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by Ender14

Agree with Steedeel. I actually wish it had made more but understand its box office limitations. SO much darker than I was expecting but I loved it. Highly recommended.

It’s always a good sign when my mind switches to the 4K release when I leave the cinema.

[Steedeel]

Don’t normally post week days but I’m off work with COVID.

Thought I had got away with it.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by SantanaJade

I hope you're feeling okay despite that. Get better soon.

Thanks, I’m ok. Just means I won’t see much of family for next week. Wouldn’t dare risk it.

How are you?

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by SantanaJade

Understandable! Especially your dad and sister.

I'm doing good. Weather here has been crazy (70 one day, 30 the next) and I'll be 37 in 12 days...other than that nothing too exciting is going on outside of getting older.

I'm looking forward to the 4K released of No Way Home and The Batman (going to buy the digital too).

You? (Outside Covid of course)

37? You are just a Bairn!

Yeah, Batman was immense. It should look and sound great.

I’m ok, just plodding on thanks.

[Ender14]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

Don’t normally post week days but I’m off work with COVID.

Thought I had got away with it.

Sorry to hear that. I hope it's mild for you.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by Ender14

Sorry to hear that. I hope it's mild for you.

It is so far mate, thanks. I’m just watching (going to watch) a couple more episodes of ‘The Terror’ with a few croissants and a nice cup of Joe!

[Wendell R. Breland]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

Don’t normally post week days but I’m off work with COVID.

Hope it passes soon for you with no lingering effects.

Our son's GF got COVID a couple of months back, went for treatment and was over the worst part after a couple of days. She had been vaccinated. Was quarantined for several days.

As a reminder to everyone, my first cousin refused to get vaccinated, contracted CV-19 and expired after 2 weeks of intensive hospital care.

We have been vaccinated and have had our boosters as well. We still disinfect all mail, incoming packages and local purchased goods. We wear our mask when out in the public.

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

Don’t normally post week days but I’m off work with COVID.

Thought I had got away with it.

I sure hope that you have a very mild case of it and that you recover fully and quickly. Make the best of your time off; kick up your feet and watch some movies with that nice projector of yours.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by Vilya

I sure hope that you have a very mild case of it and that you recover fully and quickly. Make the best of your time off; kick up your feet and watch some movies with that nice projector of yours.

Thanks, going to watch The Irishman on Blu-ray this evening.