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

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by Wendell R. Breland

Just the thought of doing that would cause my eyes . As of now my ISP does not have data caps per say so I don't have to worry about data usage.

My data cap is 2 TB, which is ample for no more often than I stream content. When you live in a rural market with only one broadband internet service provider like I do, they impose data caps on all plans that they offer. They raise their rates religiously, too, because they know that their customers have no decent alternatives.

ISP's like mine hold streaming for ransom both with data caps and annual price hikes. Between the streaming service provider's rate increases and those from my ISP, streaming is less and less of a bargain each year.

[cheez avenger]

I'm addicted to 4K media! Still ironing out the quirks from all of my new components, but it's a fun journey so far. I watched Blade Runner 4K on disc last night and it was a revelation I will be watching 2001 and Gemini Man next. I've also been re-watching episodes of Altered Carbon on Netflix in DV/Atmos in preperation for season 2.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by Vilya

My data cap is 2 TB, which is ample for no more often than I stream content. When you live in a rural market with only one broadband internet service provider like I do, they impose data caps on all plans that they offer. They raise their rates religiously, too, because they know that their customers have no decent alternatives.

ISP's like mine hold streaming for ransom both with data caps and annual price hikes. Between the streaming service provider's rate increases and those from my ISP, streaming is less and less of a bargain each year.

I’m sure you remember how conversation about data caps?

Personally, I think it’s games that cause a big issue. Look at Call Of Duty on the PS4 for example. 90 gig game download, 50 gig update (latest). That’s just a joke. The game looks beautiful but if you are not on fibre, it would be a waste of time buying it. You would have to wait a few days just to play after a update.

[Wendell R. Breland]

Originally Posted by Vilya

My data cap is 2 TB, which is ample for no more often than I stream content.

My TOS says no data caps for residential use but has exceptions, example, online servers are not allowed.

When you live in a rural market with only one broadband internet service provider like I do, they impose data caps on all plans that they offer. They raise their rates religiously, too, because they know that their customers have no decent alternatives.

I too live in the sticks and my ISP is a small independent. We had a town meeting about a year and a half ago where a NC ISP co-op was invited and they said if enough users signed up they would install 100 Mbps fiber for $100/month. Since that time my ISP has been pretty busy updating their system. In my area (12 miles from town) they have been adding more fibers and updating their nodes (fiber to coax) and installing DOCSIS 3.1 modems.

Read were some small cable operators have dropped their video services and now provide data only. Makes sense, data is hugely profitable and no more continuous content and retransmission price negations.

[Wendell R. Breland]

Originally Posted by cheez avenger

I watched Blade Runner 4K on disc last night and it was a revelation I will be watching 2001 and Gemini Man next.

Blade Runner 2049 is quite good as well and is more bombastic at times. Will give your subs a workout. 2001 is pretty subdued, haven't watched Gemini yet.

[Wendell R. Breland]

Originally Posted by alchav21

I couldn't imagine any kind of Streaming difficulties!

That is understandable because you do not have any knowledge of how a large percentage of the US gets data and the problems people have with their ISP's. There is good reason why several telecoms are in the top 20 most hated corps in the US.

Telecom companies, such as internet, phone, and television service providers, are the worst rated types of businesses on the American Customer Satisfaction Index.

In Jan 2015 the Netflix top average was 3.5 Mbps and in Jan 2020 we have moved all the way up to 4.7 Mbps. Most BD and UHD BD spot checks of lossless audio have data rates that exceed this.

[alchav21]

Originally Posted by Wendell R. Breland

That is understandable because you do not have any knowledge of how a large percentage of the US gets data and the problems people have with their ISP's. There is good reason why several telecoms are in the top 20 most hated corps in the US.

You guys should know I worked for one of these Telecoms, and I have a pretty good idea on how people get their Data. I feel our Copper Infrastructure is Obsolete, and it should be changed to Fiber. Like you the only way to do this is to get involved with your Community or City. I did this when I lived in Palm Desert, CA, when I arrived there in 2000 our Community only had Dial-up. When I left in 2013 the Community had Verizon FiOS.

To go along with this, when you move you should put your priorities in the home you pick. That it has the best Facilities like Fiber, and the home has Structured Wiring. The only way to get what you want is to take a personal interest.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by Wendell R. Breland

Blade Runner 2049 is quite good as well and is more bombastic at times. Will give your subs a workout. 2001 is pretty subdued, haven't watched Gemini yet.

I second that about Bladerunner.

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by cheez avenger

I'm addicted to 4K media! Still ironing out the quirks from all of my new components, but it's a fun journey so far. I watched Blade Runner 4K on disc last night and it was a revelation I will be watching 2001 and Gemini Man next. I've also been re-watching episodes of Altered Carbon on Netflix in DV/Atmos in preperation for season 2.

The 4K disc of Gemini Man is 60 frames per second, so that should provide you with an interesting viewing experience. The only other 4K disc that is 60 fps is Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk if I recall correctly.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by Vilya

The 4K disc of Gemini Man is 60 frames per second, so that should provide you with an interesting viewing experience. The only other 4K disc that is 60 fps is Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk if I recall correctly.

Another reason to avoid it.

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

Another reason to avoid it.

I don't know; I found the look of Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk to be intriguing, but it can make a movie look too realistic for some people's tastes.

Gemini Man is supposedly a mediocre movie, but I am interested in seeing it in 4K 60 fps when the 4K disc inevitably drops in price.

High Frame Rate is disconcerting to some, but I would like to see more director's experiment with it. If used right it can be amazing, especially with fast moving action sequences. I would love to see The Hobbit Trilogy in HFR as it was shot that way, but it was only exhibited in HFR at a few select theaters and mine was not one of them.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by Vilya

I don't know; I found the look of Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk to be intriguing, but it can make a movie look too realistic for some people's tastes.

Gemini Man is supposedly a mediocre movie, but I am interested in seeing it in 4K 60 fps when the 4K disc inevitably drops in price.

High Frame Rate is disconcerting to some, but I would like to see more director's experiment with it. If used right it can be amazing, especially with fast moving action sequences. I would love to see The Hobbit Trilogy in HFR as it was shot that way, but it was only exhibited in HFR at a few select theaters and mine was not one of them.

I really don’t like it. Maybe I will change my mind if I see sports coverage shot this way. Can’t see it though.

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by PenguinInfinity

Personally I thought Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk looked great, but Gemini Man looked terrible. High frame rate is great for showing reality but the reality is that movies are full of fake action. High frame rate works well for showing extra nuance in facial expressions but doesn't do stunts, props, or CGI any favors.

I am surprised that you strongly disliked the look of Gemini Man; the blu-ray.com review gave the video a perfect 5 out of 5 as did some of our forum members. The reviewer gave it quite high praise:

"The purity of the picture quality itself never falters. The image appears consistently crisp and ultra sharp, picking up levels of clarity and detail well beyond the Blu-ray's capabilities, whether considering the resolution or the frame rate. World details are striking, everywhere to be sure but particularly in chapter seven during Henry's first clash with Junior. The textural efficiency and clarity around the city, both within the buildings as they battle on foot and minutes later as they zoom through the streets on motorcycle, proves as visually complex as the scene is intense. One can practically feel the environment, experience the flow of battle firsthand."

"For absolute picture quality few, if any, are better."

https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Gemin...252674/#Review

I mostly want to see this movie as a HFR curiosity rather than for the movie itself and thus my reason for waiting for it to go on sale. I don't have $23 worth of curiosity here, but more like just $15.

HFR can be unforgiving with special effects and set designs, so much greater effort with these is necessary when using it. On the other hand any scene with fast motion can be vastly improved providing the fast motion was not meant to disguise a stunt double.

HFR should make sporting events feel like you were there in person, but I have not seen it used with any as I am not the biggest sports fan, so I can't comment from experience.

Still, I feel there is great potential with HFR, but it requires great care and skill to use it successfully with movies. We have the technology to pull of convincing special effects in HFR, but doing so must be far more expensive and the budget minded bean counters might be the real reason why it has disappointed some people in this area.

[cheez avenger]

Originally Posted by Wendell R. Breland

Blade Runner 2049 is quite good as well and is more bombastic at times. Will give your subs a workout. 2001 is pretty subdued, haven't watched Gemini yet.

I'm probably going to wait on Blade Runner 2049 to come down in price. The first one and 2001 were bought as part of a deal. Gemini is a 4K disc rental from Redbox and the 4K disc only comes with the 4K/60fps version. I've got about 30-minutes left of GM and it's a crazy experiment in terms of presentation. Some parts look absolutely stellar while others look god awful.

[cheez avenger]

Originally Posted by Vilya

I don't know; I found the look of Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk to be intriguing, but it can make a movie look too realistic for some people's tastes.

Gemini Man is supposedly a mediocre movie, but I am interested in seeing it in 4K 60 fps when the 4K disc inevitably drops in price.

High Frame Rate is disconcerting to some, but I would like to see more director's experiment with it. If used right it can be amazing, especially with fast moving action sequences. I would love to see The Hobbit Trilogy in HFR as it was shot that way, but it was only exhibited in HFR at a few select theaters and mine was not one of them.

I watched the first Hobbit film in HFR at my local ArcLight Theater when it was first released. I never did get used to the 48fps. GM, as I mentioned, looks good in parts and awful in others. I think Will Smith looks fantastic in terms of how he is framed. Other actors/characters tend to look a bit on the pasty side. Mary Elizabeth Winstead is gorgeous but she looks like she hasn't been in the sun in years. lol

[gotmule]

Originally Posted by Vilya

I don't know; I found the look of Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk to be intriguing, but it can make a movie look too realistic for some people's tastes.

Gemini Man is supposedly a mediocre movie, but I am interested in seeing it in 4K 60 fps when the 4K disc inevitably drops in price.

High Frame Rate is disconcerting to some, but I would like to see more director's experiment with it. If used right it can be amazing, especially with fast moving action sequences. I would love to see The Hobbit Trilogy in HFR as it was shot that way, but it was only exhibited in HFR at a few select theaters and mine was not one of them.

I gave in and bought it for pure technical merit reasons, as I didn’t have much hope from a movie standpoint. To say it was a mediocre movie might be giving it a bit more credit, as it was at times pretty painful to watch. Technically speaking however, it was impressive. The opening scene in a train station was jaw dropping as I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. Action scenes were equally as impressive, as there were no motion artifacts. The image was a distraction though, as you were sometimes caught up in what you were seeing since your eyes are just not use to something like this. There is a motorcycle chase scene that is demo material, as it looks and sounds amazing with an effective Atmos mix.

[cheez avenger]

GM was not a good film story-wise, but did have a couple of instances of dynamic action in 60fps. Very few and in between, though. Glad it was only rental.

[Steedeel]

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

[gotmule]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

Not so sure about that. Most of us were loving 5.1 back in the day, and it was certainly not broke. Now here we are loving immersive audio that much more as Atmos / DTS X have certainly enhanced the experience in our home and commercial theaters. Innovation is often a good thing. Not saying I am a raving fan of 60fps yet, but I appreciate the mindset of seeing what could happen.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by gotmule

Not so sure about that. Most of us were loving 5.1 back in the day, and it was certainly not broke. Now here we are loving immersive audio that much more as Atmos / DTS X have certainly enhanced the experience in our home and commercial theaters. Innovation is often a good thing. Not saying I am a raving fan of 60fps yet, but I appreciate the mindset of seeing what could happen.

Yeah, but better audio is a no-brainier. We are talking about changing the entire look and feel of film here.