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

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by gotmule

Preach. 1917 was one of those discs that justifies having the rooms and setups we do. Although some people hated 1917 and didn’t think of is as a war movie, I thought it was simply magic. It is amazing some of the opinions shared on this forum. I am up for a good debate, and have changed my stance and belief on several occasions based on intelligently thought out and presented facts. But like Ender14 has shared, some people are just trying to get a rise out of others, and that addlepated mindset needs to go away as it does not move any conversation forward, it only serves to rehash old nonsensical dialogue without any desire or ability to change.

Mine arrived today. Building up my collection to make up for the quiet spell this year. Next due in the post is The Invisible Man in a couple of weeks.

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

Mine arrived today. Building up my collection to make up for the quiet spell this year. Next due in the post is The Invisible Man in a couple of weeks.

My copy is due to arrive tomorrow; it will be my 200th 4K title.

I am tickled to have received this today:



https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Monty...Blu-ray/78922/

[octagon]

I haven't been a me to talk myself into the Python set yet but I've gotten close.

One thing nudging me closer, I grabbed one of the Tom Baker Who sets on sale a few weeks ago and that's been surprisingly projectable. It doesn't look great, obviously but it's much more tolerable than I expected.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by Vilya

My copy is due to arrive tomorrow; it will be my 200th 4K title.

I am tickled to have received this today:



https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Monty...Blu-ray/78922/

Cool.

I’m hoping The Invisible Man hasn’t already arrived and I just can’t see it.

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by octagon

I haven't been a me to talk myself into the Python set yet but I've gotten close.

One thing nudging me closer, I grabbed one of the Tom Baker Who sets on sale a few weeks ago and that's been surprisingly projectable. It doesn't look great, obviously but it's much more tolerable than I expected.

You really should treat yourself; it's friggin' classic Monty Python on blu-ray! We should support all the vintage TV on the format that we can; know what I mean?



It's a limited set, too, so don't think about it too long.

[gotmule]

Originally Posted by cgpublic

Well, I took a peek at your 'high end home theaters,' and all I found was the past.

Not that there's anything wrong with the past, other than it should never be confused with the present, and certainly not the future.

In other words, it's perfectly okay for someone to say they prefer the past to the present, and let those who prefer the present to enjoy things as they are, which is pretty fine.

After all, what 'high end home theater' projector system can provide infinite contrast to deliver perfect blacks.

Doesn't take long to answer that question.

At the other end of the spectrum, what home theater can replicate the scale and immersive experience of a Dolby Cinema or IMAX Laser?

Same as above.

Today you can walk into a store, swipe a bit of plastic on a 77" OLED, add a Samsung or Nakamichi sound bar along with an Apple TV, plug in a few wires along with GigE and in less than an hour, have the best of cinema at your fingertips thanks to a slew of streaming options.

Top that.

With 8K sets and related AI processing thousands 4K HDR streaming titles at the click of a button for a few bucks per month, the bottom line is that the world has moved on from the 1980s.

It's 2020.

There's a fact we can all agree on.

I know everyone has done a nice job refuting the majority of the claims contained in this post, but there is one that seems to be left untouched. Now I give the guy credit for cramming a system into a space the size of the closet, so I apologize if coming late to the table to challenge his notion that projectors can’t handle black levels. The image loses a bit of clarity while being captured, and then again during the copying and pasting, but you still can get an idea of the black levels I experience with my setup, as it is pretty hard to tell where the image stops.

[alchav21]

Originally Posted by JohnAV

What happens if it's removed?

Originally Posted by bhampton

No one has ever lost a digital title

Or I think that's how it goes. We should write to Vudu and have them take it away... That would be kind of funny.

I don't know what an IPTV server is. I know IPTV as a concept but I don't know what an IPTV server is... I may have to look that up.

You guys do know there are different Streaming Providers, HBO Max provides Streaming Digital Content while Vudu provides Movies and TV Shows with a Digital Locker for storage. Even though pulling Movies from your Storage Locker is possible, it would not be easy or funny. Just to prove a point.

As for the IPTV Server, I think that's what it might be called, is a Server that you can access with your recorded Movies like a DVR. You can access that Server from any of your TV's on the Network. So on a TCM Channel I had recorded "Gone with the Wind," and I have been watching it these last couple of nights.

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by gotmule

I know everyone has done a nice job refuting the majority of the claims contained in this post, but there is one that seems to be left untouched. Now I give the guy credit for cramming a system into a space the size of the closet, so I apologize if coming late to the table to challenge his notion that projectors can’t handle black levels. The image loses a bit of clarity while being captured, and then again during the copying and pasting, but you still can get an idea of the black levels I experience with my setup, as it is pretty hard to tell where the image stops.

Sadly, I don't own a projector, so I could not speak to that point.

I really like what I have seen with OLED TVs in general, but I could not bring myself to buy one. I feel that my 85" Sony 900F does more than a good job with blacks and it certainly can get brighter than any OLED that I have seen.

I also wanted a TV that I did not have to babysit to prevent burn-in; I know that burn-in is supposedly a rare occurrence, but not so rare that LG will protect against it in their warranties. When, and if, LG ever warrants against OLED TV burn-in, I will be much more inclined to believe that this is indeed as rare a problem as they and their disciples claim.

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by alchav21

You guys do know there are different Streaming Providers, HBO Max provides Streaming Digital Content while Vudu provides Movies and TV Shows with a Digital Locker for storage. Even though pulling Movies from your Storage Locker is possible, it would not be easy or funny. Just to prove a point.

As for the IPTV Server, I think that's what it might be called, is a Server that you can access with your recorded Movies like a DVR. You can access that Server from any of your TV's on the Network. So on a TCM Channel I had recorded "Gone with the Wind," and I have been watching it these last couple of nights.

Why did you bother to record a movie that you already purchased at Vudu? Something wrong with the Vudu version?

Removing a movie from Vudu would be as easy as with any other digital title and Vudu is a digital provider from whom you can rent or buy content; Movies Anywhere is more aptly called a digital locker as they link to multiple digital providers.

[gotmule]

Originally Posted by Vilya

Sadly, I don't own a projector, so I could not speak to that point.

I really like what I have seen with OLED TVs in general, but I could not bring myself to buy one. I feel that my 85" Sony 900F does more than a good job with blacks and it certainly can get brighter than any OLED that I have seen.

I also wanted a TV that I did not have to babysit to prevent burn-in; I know that burn-in is a rare occurrence, but not so rare that LG will protect against it in their warranties. When, and if, LG ever warrants against OLED TV burn-in, I will be much more inclined to believe that this is indeed as rare a problem as they and their disciples claim.

I read that post at 4:00am eating a bowl of cereal before work without time to throw in my 2 cents, but I was confident I would come home to see you guys answer his claims. That black level comment stuck with me though.

You did a great job picking out a tv, and it seems you are on the right path with the Denon too. Happy hunting!

[bhampton]

I'm very happy with my projector and surround sound system.

If 77" 16:9 screen and sound bar is the future I'll take the past.

(Not even getting to the ATV part.... ATV is a great bit of hardware for what it is but we all know Streaming doesn't get close to the quality from a well made Disc)

[gotmule]

Originally Posted by bhampton

I'm very happy with my projector and surround sound system.

If 77" 16:9 screen and sound bar is the future I'll take the past.

(Not even getting to the ATV part.... ATV is a great bit of hardware for what it is but we all know Streaming doesn't get close to the quality from a well made Disc)

In his defense, sound bars have come a long way as there are some upper tier models that do an adequate job depending on the room in making you believe you have additional speakers, and they are certainly better than tv speakers, but they still don’t hold a candle to the real thing.

[Lee A Stewart]

Originally Posted by bhampton

I'm very happy with my projector and surround sound system.

If 77" 16:9 screen and sound bar is the future I'll take the past.

(Not even getting to the ATV part.... ATV is a great bit of hardware for what it is but we all know Streaming doesn't get close to the quality from a well made Disc)

I see you threw a caveat in there: "to the quality from a well made Disc." That would lead me to believe that all Discs are not of the same quality. Eh?

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by Lee A Stewart

I see you threw a caveat in there: "to the quality from a well made Disc." That would lead me to believe that all Discs are not of the same quality. Eh?

The disc format is not the problem; sometimes the studios, or their licensee, do a subpar job with mastering a title for home video and it will then look and/or sound bad regardless of how it is distributed.

Terminator 2 on 4K disc is a great example of a crappy transfer on the best home video format to date. It's not the fault of the 4K disc format that T2 often looks like clay animation, but rather the fault of the excessive use of DNR when making the master used to then make the 4K disc.

Disney's The Sword In the Stone on blu-ray is another smeary mess due to a lazy mastering effort.

It all begins with the source provided by the studios; no format can overcome a lackluster effort by the studios.

[Lee A Stewart]

Originally Posted by Vilya

The disc format is not the problem; sometimes the studios, or their licensee, do a subpar job with mastering a title for home video and it will then look and/or sound bad regardless of how it is distributed.

Terminator 2 on 4K disc is a great example of a crappy transfer on the best home video format to date. It's not the fault of the 4K disc format that T2 often looks like clay animation, but rather the fault of the excessive use of DNR when making the master used to then make the 4K disc.

Disney's The Sword In the Stone on blu-ray is another smeary mess due to a lazy mastering effort.

It all begins with the source provided by the studios; the disc format alone can't overcome a lackluster effort by the studios.

You did an admiralable job of defending disc formats but that was totally unnecessary. Yet you did get to the crux of the matter; they don't all achieve 5 star ratings when it comes to the disc's production. We have had this "issue" since DVD came out and started using LD transfers to save money.

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by Lee A Stewart

You did an admiralable job of defending disc formats but that was totally unnecessary. Yet you did get to the crux of the matter; they don't all achieve 5 star ratings when it comes to the disc's production. We have had this "issue" since DVD came out and started using LD transfers to save money.

It just comes down to the old saying: "garbage in, garbage out." This applies as much to physical media formats as it does to digital distribution.

[alchav21]

Originally Posted by bhampton

I get it.... (I think) ...

Alchav has decided he needed to go with less fancy gear and now wants us all to dumb down our systems so that we are on the same level.

Originally Posted by JohnAV

That sounds like what he is trying to recommend. Pretty bad IMHO.

Hey I don't know why you guys think that I don't want you to have high end audio equipment, all I'm saying it's not for me anymore. Like the saying goes, "Been there done that." Vilya says my equipment wasn't that good, but it was top of the line for that time period. The Buyers for the PX got good prices for products, especially in other countries outside the US and Japanese Manufactures were cutting edge and coming into their own. Anyway, enjoy your Sounds I'm just passed all that, just give me the basics.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by Lee A Stewart

You did an admiralable job of defending disc formats but that was totally unnecessary. Yet you did get to the crux of the matter; they don't all achieve 5 star ratings when it comes to the disc's production. We have had this "issue" since DVD came out and started using LD transfers to save money.

There are exceptions to every format, your nitpicking doesn’t change the fact that the majority of Blu-ray/UHD look fantastic projected.

[bhampton]

AMC plans to reopen all theaters in July

https://www.avsforum.com/wordpress/a...opening-plans/

I love the part about buying the concessions with an app so you can just pick them up!!!! To me that sounds so much better for all involved. It certainly helps with getting the order right.

[Lee A Stewart]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

There are exceptions to every format, your nitpicking doesn’t change the fact that the majority of Blu-ray/UHD look fantastic projected.

You see it as nitpicking, no surprise there. That's why there are so many reviewers on the net giving their opinion on each title released. It isn't the one, two or even three star video reviews, it's the four star video reviews I would be concerned about. Good, but not good enough to get the top honor 5 star rating.