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

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by crutzulee

I'm thinking...

VHS<DVD<Blu-ray<UHD<Kaleidescape

I would have to see Kaleidescape in action before making that determination.

Still, I just do not trust Kaleidescape as a viable business; my concerns would possibly be assuaged if they published their financials, but they are a private company and thus they are not required to do so.

I have also heard that their selection is not really all that deep. Apparently, their representation of older films, indie films, and foreign films is quite lacking according to some comments that I have read here. They are okay for mainstream stuff, but I often like to swim in cinematic backwaters.

Another observation made here at blu-ray.com is that a company like Apple could destroy their business overnight if they were to offer comparable quality downloads even with Apple DRM attached to it. Apple, and other behemoths, could offer such a service without the need for the exorbitantly priced hardware that Kaleidescape mandates. If any company is vulnerable to being undercut by a more reasonalby priced competitor, it is Kaleidescape.

Finally, I hope that my Kaleidescape comments will roust sapiendut into posting as I know that he likes their system. He has been absent for too long.

[Vilya]

I have 11 medical appointments over the next 18 days requiring 752 total miles of travel, but I have today off!

[crutzulee]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

Just hugged myself.

Originally Posted by Steedeel

What a day! Dead Of Night U.K. 4K announced and Star Angel as a top flight filthy release.

Most people wouldn’t post that last bit, but I’m not most people.

OK...Just how tightly are you hugging yourself?

[crutzulee]

Originally Posted by Vilya

I would have to see Kaleidescape in action before making that determination.

Still, I just do not trust Kaleidescape as a viable business; my concerns would possibly be assuaged if they published their financials, but they are a private company and thus they are not required to do so.

I have also heard that their selection is not really all that deep. Apparently, their representation of older films, indie films, and foreign films is quite lacking according to some comments that I have read here. They are okay for mainstream stuff, but I often like to swim in cinematic backwaters.

Another observation made here at blu-ray.com is that a company like Apple could destroy their business overnight if they were to offer comparable quality downloads even with Apple DRM attached to it. Apple, and other behemoths, could offer such a service without the need for the exorbitantly priced hardware that Kaleidescape mandates. If any company is vulnerable to being undercut by a more reasonalby priced competitor, it is Kaleidescape.

Finally, I hope that my Kaleidescape comments will roust sapiendut into posting as I know that he likes their system. He has been absent for too long.

..and that's just it..There's lots of unanswered questions about Kaleidescape's viability as the next refuge for home cinema aficionados RIGHT NOW that will be answered if and when physical discs start to wane...and, depending how things break whether it will in fact be them, or someone else that handles the high end market.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by Vilya

I would have to see Kaleidescape in action before making that determination.

Still, I just do not trust Kaleidescape as a viable business; my concerns would possibly be assuaged if they published their financials, but they are a private company and thus they are not required to do so.

I have also heard that their selection is not really all that deep. Apparently, their representation of older films, indie films, and foreign films is quite lacking according to some comments that I have read here. They are okay for mainstream stuff, but I often like to swim in cinematic backwaters.

Another observation made here at blu-ray.com is that a company like Apple could destroy their business overnight if they were to offer comparable quality downloads even with Apple DRM attached to it. Apple, and other behemoths, could offer such a service without the need for the exorbitantly priced hardware that Kaleidescape mandates. If any company is vulnerable to being undercut by a more reasonalby priced competitor, it is Kaleidescape.

Finally, I hope that my Kaleidescape comments will roust sapiendut into posting as I know that he likes their system. He has been absent for too long.

Me too, he is missed.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by crutzulee

OK...Just how tightly are you hugging yourself?

[veritas]

kaleidoscopes business doesn't make much sense IMO

pros:
a good bit rate

Cons:
loss of ownership
loss of convenience
loss of variety
more expensive
likely to be a brick eventually
more complicated to set up


Like from a pros and cons standpoint kalidoscope might lose to vhs let alone blu ray. Its business model looks like blu ray saying -look what they must do to pretend to have even a fraction of my power.

Has anyone here actually used kaleidoscope as their main device? If not that really speaks for its survival chances.

[Ender14]

Originally Posted by Dynamo of Eternia

How much do they charge? I assume these are previously used. Are the digital copies still included for the titles that originally came with them? Just curious.

Wolf Man was $9.99, Bill & Ted was $12.99 and CA: BNW was $14.99. They are used but this is my 3rd or 4th order with them and they always come in excellent condition. And I've only had 1 digital code that didn't work. Highly recommend ordering from them.

[Ender14]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

Any thoughts on Dead Silence 4K please? I have my finger on the trigger. Blind buy as usual.

I own the Blu-ray. Certainly not one of James Wan's best movies but not his worst either. It's one I do revisit from time to time but then again I'm a big James Wan fan so that may taint my judgement. He's not a consistent director at all but he always does something interesting and when he's on his game can knock it out of the park. If you're a fan of his other movies I would say it's worth a look.

[bhampton]

Originally Posted by Vilya

Another movie arrived today:



I haven't even watched the animated original yet.

I watched the UHD of the original movie last night and again it's easy to recommend. Being a fairly recent release it is altered to change a scene where Lilo hides in a clothes dryer.



Somewhat clumsy change as it kind of looks like she's hiding in an oven instead. My older Blu Ray copy shown below has the original scene intact.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by Ender14

I own the Blu-ray. Certainly not one of James Wan's best movies but not his worst either. It's one I do revisit from time to time but then again I'm a big James Wan fan so that may taint my judgement. He's not a consistent director at all but he always does something interesting and when he's on his game can knock it out of the park. If you're a fan of his other movies I would say it's worth a look.

I have ordered it.

[Wendell R. Breland]

Sometime back I posted how Disney+ would not do UHD on my system but Movies Anywhere worked fine. Here is some new problems with Disney+.

It appears several streaming services have problems with UHD Dolby Vision and/or Dolby Atmos.

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by bhampton

I watched the UHD of the original movie last night and again it's easy to recommend. Being a fairly recent release it is altered to change a scene where Lilo hides in a clothes dryer.

[Show spoiler]

Somewhat clumsy change as it kind of looks like she's hiding in an oven instead. My older Blu Ray copy shown below has the original scene intact.

Thankfully, I have that blu-ray.

[crutzulee]

Originally Posted by veritas

kaleidoscopes business doesn't make much sense IMO

pros:
a good bit rate

Cons:
loss of ownership
loss of convenience
loss of variety
more expensive
likely to be a brick eventually
more complicated to set up


Like from a pros and cons standpoint kalidoscope might lose to vhs let alone blu ray. Its business model looks like blu ray saying -look what they must do to pretend to have even a fraction of my power.

Has anyone here actually used kaleidoscope as their main device? If not that really speaks for its survival chances.

Yeah, it's not a viable option at present compared to the present state of things..but the present state of things will change and Kaleidescape type offerings will improve...loss of convenience and more complicated to set up are not at all cons even at present...more expensive is being addressed with each iteration and variety will be addressed in the same fashion it has been with every other home option since VHS.

Loss of ownership is the big one for the majority of people in this thread. A concern that I am less prone to than most...but I also think that most of our players will be bricks someday as almost every piece of hardware I've had as turned into.

[Ender14]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

I have ordered it.

Let me know what you think.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by Ender14

Let me know what you think.

Certainly will.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by crutzulee

Yeah, it's not a viable option at present compared to the present state of things..but the present state of things will change and Kaleidescape type offerings will improve...loss of convenience and more complicated to set up are not at all cons even at present...more expensive is being addressed with each iteration and variety will be addressed in the same fashion it has been with every other home option since VHS.

Loss of ownership is the big one for the majority of people in this thread. A concern that I am less prone to than most...but I also think that most of our players will be bricks someday as almost every piece of hardware I've had as turned into.

One can buy a coupe of back up layers, and even PS5 as a second reserve and be good to go for the next decade at least.

[bhampton]

Excited this blind buy arrives today. Can't wait to watch it.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by bhampton

Excited this blind buy arrives today. Can't wait to watch it.

Not got a release date here yet, pre ordered though.

[crutzulee]

Originally Posted by bhampton

Excited this blind buy arrives today. Can't wait to watch it.

You're in for a treat...