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

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by Lee A Stewart

https://www.mediaplaynews.com/disney...dangonow-vudu/

I do not shop at Vudu as often as some people do, but I have never noticed them doing a pre-order for a rental. All rentals have been explicitly labelled as such in my limited experience. I have emailed their support and put this question to them directly.

[Vilya]

I visited Fandango, Vudu's new owner, and this is what their product page for Mulan looks like:

MulanFandango.jpg

Notice how there is no "Rent" tab like you see when visiting the product pages for other titles; there is no rental option because the film is not available until Oct. 6th.

Sure looks like a digital purchase to me:

"Buy...watch as many times as you want."

This is the exact same wording and web page appearance that exists for other titles (when you click on the "Buy" tab).

[Vilya]

As you can see, Fandango's product page for this movie appears almost exactly the same as the one for Mulan:

BillTedFandango.jpg

Unlike Mulan, there is also a specifically labeled "Rent" tab next to the "Buy" tab because this movie is already available.

[alchav21]

Originally Posted by Vilya

Discs would not continue to be offered if they were being sold at a loss or at break even price points. I shouldn't even have to say something so obvious. No company makes a habit of selling products at a loss nor do they hope to just break even. Studios and their licensees would not make and market discs if it was not profitable for them to do so; this should be equally obvious.

Yes, and you know so much about marketing, I was going by the Best Buy prices. The pricing is different depending on the Seller, and what they pay and the Profit Margin they want. You're right no Seller wants to take a loss they want to make a profit, but if a product is not selling the price comes down. Well the Disc Market keeps going down, so we will soon know if they keep making those Discs.

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by alchav21

Yes, and you know so much about marketing, I was going by the Best Buy prices. The pricing is different depending on the Seller, and what they pay and the Profit Margin they want. You're right no Seller wants to take a loss they want to make a profit, but if a product is not selling the price comes down. Well the Disc Market keeps going down, so we will soon know if they keep making those Discs.

You do not need a degree in marketing to comprehend that no company continues to manufacture and market products that are losing them money just like you do not need a business degree to know that a product must be purchased to have any chance at being profitable. Do you need a hydrologist to tell you that water is wet?

I buy discs routinely from Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart, and many other retailers. Release day prices are usually very similar among most retailers. Come release day, what competitive retailer wants to be the one with the higher price? Best Buy is currently selling 300 4K and Shutter Island 4K for the exact same price as Amazon. Best Buy's price for the Back To The Future trilogy 4K will fall in line with the other retailers as release day approaches; Amazon and Walmart are both offering it for $42.99.

I, and others, know how much discs cost because we buy the things and we buy them often year in and year out. You don't buy discs and thus you do not know what you are talking about.

[Vilya]

Vudu has responded to my email regarding the pre-order for Mulan. I quote their entire reply below:

Thank you for contacting Vudu Customer Care. I totally understand how confusing it may be when you want to pre-order Mulan, but you're not sure if you will own the movie or if it's only a rental. Let me help you with this situation.

To provide you with more context into this, every studio decide how to release the movie in our Theater at Home category. In this case the movie studio decided to fully release a copy that you can own forever, so pay $29.99 to fully own the movie.

After it's released you will be able to watch it as many times as you like. Please feel free to reach back or give us a call if you have any additional questions regarding you pre-order. We'll be here to gladly help you.

Best regards,

Adam M.
Vudu Customer Care
1-888-554-Vudu (8838)
7:00 AM - 8:00 PM PST
support@vudu.com

The "forever" part is laugh out loud funny, but this reply confirms that the Mulan pre-order at Vudu and Fandango is for a digital copy purchase and that it is not a rental.

[Steedeel]

Lee and Alchav are going to get a shock when EST goes back to single digit growth lol.

[Lee A Stewart]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

Lee and Alchav are going to get a shock when EST goes back to single digit growth lol.

When do you think that will happen? A year from today? Sure isn't happening anytime soon.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by Lee A Stewart

When do you think that will happen? A year from today? Sure isn't happening anytime soon.

It will happen.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by alchav21

Yes, and you know so much about marketing, I was going by the Best Buy prices. The pricing is different depending on the Seller, and what they pay and the Profit Margin they want. You're right no Seller wants to take a loss they want to make a profit, but if a product is not selling the price comes down. Well the Disc Market keeps going down, so we will soon know if they keep making those Discs.

Let’s just pretend that your most anticipated little fantasy comes true, why would that be cool anyway? Millions of people who love collecting films on disc would lose that ability. If you think that is cool, why even be a member of this forum? It’s against forum rules to hate on the format and you obviously do. I used to give you the benefit if the doubt but you are just a outright troll at this stage imo.

By the way, if you are waiting for disc to die, you might have to get yourself frozen like Walt Disney and hope for some tech breakthrough.

[Ender14]

Originally Posted by alchav21

Yes, and you know so much about marketing, I was going by the Best Buy prices. The pricing is different depending on the Seller, and what they pay and the Profit Margin they want. You're right no Seller wants to take a loss they want to make a profit, but if a product is not selling the price comes down. Well the Disc Market keeps going down, so we will soon know if they keep making those Discs.

As Steedeel said, why do seem so happy at the prospect of a hobby enjoyed by millions of people suddenly coming to an end? Are you so insecure in your choices that your preferred format should be the only one available? Do you kick puppies in your spare time as well?

You come across as an infantile troll with a sadistic streak. I prefer physical media but would never wish for streaming to go away because I know millions enjoy it. What kind of sad life do you have to have to wish unhappiness on others? This is the last time I will indulge your troll behavior with a response. But you may want to seek help for your antisocial personality disorder.

[sapiendut]

He’s a troll. Pure and simple.

[Wendell R. Breland]

Sales Report for Week Ended 9-12-20

BD Avg Cost: This Year - $16.83 ● Last Year- $19.59

[Wendell R. Breland]

Anyone planing on the purchase of The Godfather, Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone? Or will you wait to see if there will be a UHD version? Or will you do both?

[avs commenter]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

It will happen.

Ok. But when that day comes what do you think disc numbers are going to look like?

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by avs commenter

Ok. But when that day comes what do you think disc numbers are going to look like?

Falling, as they are now. But obviously steady compared to this year which is a unfair basis to judge anything on.

Like many have said, ownership is falling in general. That’s just the landscape. Disc will be just fine.

[Ender14]

Originally Posted by Wendell R. Breland

Anyone planing on the purchase of The Godfather, Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone? Or will you wait to see if there will be a UHD version? Or will you do both?

I am personally going to wait for a UHD version. I never upgraded that series to Blu-ray for one reason or another over the years. If they went to the trouble of preparing a new 4K scan it doesn't make sense for them not to release it on UHD. But if they announce there will be no UHD release I guess I will purchase it and the original trilogy on Blu-ray.

[Ender14]

Originally Posted by Wendell R. Breland

Anyone planing on the purchase of The Godfather, Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone? Or will you wait to see if there will be a UHD version? Or will you do both?

Just saw this on The Digital Bits:

So, we asked Paramount about it and haven’t heard back. But another source has let us know that there is a tentative plan at the studio to release all three Godfather films in 4K. One can only assume sometime in 2021. Don’t take that as confirmation, but we do know for a fact that 4K masters exist of these films, and I have personally seen footage from The Godfather in 4K a number of times at various 4K UHD Alliance events.

https://thedigitalbits.com/columns/m...ts/100120-1500

So I would say the odds are good of a UHD release.

[Ender14]

For fans of The Little Rascals ClassicFlix has launched an Indiegogo campaign to remaster and restore The Little Rascals shorts in HD. If you donate $50 or more you get a Blu-ray copy of the first 22 shorts. Anticipated release date is March. They are trying to raise $70,000 by the end of October. If you're a fan and can help I highly recommend it.

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/l...tion-project#/

[Wendell R. Breland]

Originally Posted by Ender14

So I would say the odds are good of a UHD release.

Have had on LaserDisc, DVD and now Blu-ray. May as well add UHD Blu-ray to that list.