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

[zodwriter]

It all depends on how it is marketed. The only way it works is if it safeguards every digital title you currently "own" from ever being removed. At this point in time it isn't needed because digital is still building it's consumer base and isn't going to shoot themselves in the foot by messing with people's collections. Insurance is a good word for it and frankly it makes great sense. The tagline can be: "Nothing lasts forever but your digital collection comes close." Haha!

[PenguinMaster]

When you're paying insurance to the companies who are providing your movies it does sound a bit like a protection racket:

"If you don't pay us we'll take your movies away"

[flyry]

Originally Posted by zodwriter

Except in this case you would never have to worry about losing anything ever. Again even if you kept your Blu Ray collection in pristine condition your whole life, something unplanned could always happen that would force you to have to re-buy your collection. If I am paying a small convenience fee for my digital collection to be indefinitely maintained I'm probably saving money in the long run. Nobody disputes that studios shouldn't be required to maintain content they are not profiting from digitally and this eliminates that concern entirely.

I redeem every ultraviolet code I get with my blurays just to back up my collection digitally on VUDU because I don't have the same fear that others do.

I wouldn't want to pay anything though.

[zodwriter]

I don't know if it would go as far as that. Theoretically they probably wouldn't touch or tamper with your movies for the most part. This kind of thing would likely be optional insurance. It wouldn't be good business to delete peoples vast digital collections because all that would do is alienate people causing them to quit buying content. The main draw for a subscription like this would be to maintain your collection preventing *any* title from ever being removed from your digital library.

[Texan26]

Originally Posted by PenguinMaster

I don't think that a fee is unreasonable, it's basically just paying insurance.

I think that most people would have a problem with it. "I have to pay to access my own movies, WTF?!"

And the fee would have to apply to everyone. The cost of providing access to a movie to a few people is basically the same as providing access to everyone. So it only works if everyone is paying.

You coming up with all these different scenarios that haven't happened is no different than people coming in here with the crazy scenario that physical is going away. I've been on Vudu since 2011 and they haven't removed any of my movies. Yes, there are movies in my collection that are not for sale to others anymore but they didn't remove them from my collection. Those movies aren't making them money anymore but they still host them. They actually upgraded all my HD movies that I got early on to HDX for free two years ago. I am a satisfied customer.

I'm more into digital but i probably support physical more than you since most of the time I usually buy the blu-ray to get the code. And you are hurting physical sales by stating that you rent from Redbox and DVD.com.

[PenguinMaster]

Originally Posted by Texan26

You coming up with all these different scenarios that haven't happened is no different than people coming in here with the crazy scenario that physical is going away. I've been on Vudu since 2011 and they haven't removed any of my movies. Yes, there are movies in my collection that are not for sale to others anymore but they didn't remove them from my collection. Those movies aren't making them money anymore but they still host them. They actually upgraded all my HD movies that I got early on to HDX for free two years ago. I am a satisfied customer.

None of us really know what will happen in the future. But you should be aware that a few years of your movies not being taken away doesn't provide any confirmation that they won't be taken away a few decades from now.

What happens in the future with physical media won't affect any of the movies I already own. When and if physical media stops being produced all of the movies manufactured up to that point will continue to work. The only uncertainty is which future movies will be released on physical media in the first place.

What happens in the future with digital can affect the movies you already own. When and if titles are removed from digital collections the movies you bought before that can disappear. There is uncertainty whether already released titles will still be available.

Originally Posted by Texan26

I'm more into digital but i probably support physical more than you since most of the time I usually buy the blu-ray to get the code. And you are hurting physical sales by stating that you rent from Redbox and DVD.com.

My collection is clearly linked on the side of this page. You can see that I buy plenty of movies, I don't just rent them. I just use rentals when movies are high priced and I don't know if I'll like them. I rarely rent anything that I'm sure I'll like.

I recognize that physical rentals aren't doing much to help physical media but they aren't helping digital either. If a movie sells poorly on physical media (because most people are just renting it) but sells even worse on digital then future similar movies will still come to physical media.

That being said if you get all of your digital movies from Blu-ray / Digital combos then I have no problem with you. People buying combos can't possibly lead to future titles not being released on physical media.

[flyry]

I will admit I do get jealous when I see my sister or my mother posting on facebook that they are watching a movie I have pre-ordered 2 or 3 weeks before I get it

[alchav21]

Originally Posted by Texan26

You coming up with all these different scenarios that haven't happened is no different than people coming in here with the crazy scenario that physical is going away. I've been on Vudu since 2011 and they haven't removed any of my movies. Yes, there are movies in my collection that are not for sale to others anymore but they didn't remove them from my collection. Those movies aren't making them money anymore but they still host them. They actually upgraded all my HD movies that I got early on to HDX for free two years ago. I am a satisfied customer.

Originally Posted by PenguinMaster

None of us really know what will happen in the future. But you should be aware that a few years of your movies not being taken away doesn't provide any confirmation that they won't be taken away a few decades from now.

What happens in the future with physical media won't affect any of the movies I already own. When and if physical media stops being produced all of the movies manufactured up to that point will continue to work. The only uncertainty is which future movies will be released on physical media in the first place.

Like I said, 99 years you will still have Access to your Movies on Digital HD. Also in 99 years Blu-ray and UHD will be a thing of the past, and I don't think most people will miss not having Access. Like it or not, Streaming Video from Local Servers is the Next Natural Step. Collecting Disc are a thing of the past, and Streaming Video from your Local Server is the Next Logical Step!

[PenguinMaster]

Originally Posted by alchav21

Like I said, 99 years you will still have Access to your Movies on Digital HD.

How do you know that?

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by alchav21

Like I said, 99 years you will still have Access to your Movies on Digital HD. Also in 99 years Blu-ray and UHD will be a thing of the past, and I don't think most people will miss not having Access. Like it or not, Streaming Video from Local Servers is the Next Natural Step. Collecting Disc are a thing of the past, and Streaming Video from your Local Server is the Next Logical Step!

99 years? Digital HD? Don't you mean 9 years? Even then, it won't last that long. .

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by flyry

I will admit I do get jealous when I see my sister or my mother posting on facebook that they are watching a movie I have pre-ordered 2 or 3 weeks before I get it

All good things come to those that wait. Think of the better quality A/V.

UV is a quickie, Bluray is a full night of loving!

[veritas]

Originally Posted by alchav21

Like I said, 99 years you will still have Access to your Movies on Digital HD. Also in 99 years Blu-ray and UHD will be a thing of the past, and I don't think most people will miss not having Access. Like it or not, Streaming Video from Local Servers is the Next Natural Step. Collecting Disc are a thing of the past, and Streaming Video from your Local Server is the Next Logical Step!

Where do you get digital providers lasting 99 years. Just looking at digital run so far Its more like one provider goes bankrupt each year and either ceases to exist or gets bought out by some other company. So far they have transferred movies over to other services but you may not like those other services or they may at some point not bother and you will lose your whole collection on that service. If a studio ever goes out of business then like a persons example earlier the new owner may revoke distribution rights and you will lose all of those movies.

Digital is very convenient but the license they offer you for movies is pretty weak. Studios really can pull back anytime they want to and leave you with the rights to drm locked movies to old devices or you might not even not get your collection off the cloud leaving you with no movies at all.

[alchav21]

Originally Posted by alchav21

Like I said, 99 years you will still have Access to your Movies on Digital HD. Also in 99 years Blu-ray and UHD will be a thing of the past, and I don't think most people will miss not having Access. Like it or not, Streaming Video from Local Servers is the Next Natural Step. Collecting Disc are a thing of the past, and Streaming Video from your Local Server is the Next Logical Step!

Originally Posted by PenguinMaster

How do you know that?

Originally Posted by Steedeel

99 years? Digital HD? Don't you mean 9 years? Even then, it won't last that long. .

Originally Posted by veritas

Where do you get digital providers lasting 99 years. Just looking at digital run so far Its more like one provider goes bankrupt each year and either ceases to exist or gets bought out by some other company. So far they have transferred movies over to other services but you may not like those other services or they may at some point not bother and you will lose your whole collection on that service. If a studio ever goes out of business then like a persons example earlier the new owner may revoke distribution rights and you will lose all of those movies.

Digital is very convenient but the license they offer you for movies is pretty weak. Studios really can pull back anytime they want to and leave you with the rights to drm locked movies to old devices or you might not even not get your collection off the cloud leaving you with no movies at all.

Don't you guys see we live in a Connected World, Streaming and Cloud Services are all around us. Quick access to any information is the thing now, so having your Entertainment on a Local Server for quick access is very logical. Like I said, Discs are just Storage Devices and are becoming Obsolete. Accessing Cloud Services or Local Servers for your information is very logical, and it should be very plain to anyone. Racks and Selves full of Blu-rays and DVD's are as outdated as the Old MainFrame IBM Computers, if you can't see this then you have no insight at all!

[zodwriter]

Originally Posted by alchav21

Don't you guys see we live in a Connected World, Streaming and Cloud Services are all around us. Quick access to any information is the thing now, so having your Entertainment on a Local Server for quick access is very logical. Like I said, Discs are just Storage Devices and are becoming Obsolete. Accessing Cloud Services or Local Servers for your information is very logical, and it should be very plain to anyone. Racks and Selves full of Blu-rays and DVD's are as outdated as the Old MainFrame IBM Computers, if you can't see this then you have no insight at all!

Even if discs are eventually phased out, home media servers will still be around and those are also physical ways of maintaining content beyond studio interference. That's what the physical vs digital argument is about. If you backup your entire Blu Ray/DVD collection to a home media server you are doing so on physical hard drives and your library is preserved. The studio's controlled cloud is flaky and uncertain which is why many people choose to support discs over digital for collecting and owning their movies and TV shows. Not to mention the fact that Blu Ray still surpasses digital from an audio/video/extra content standpoint and doesn't require a fast internet connection or any internet connection for that matter to be enjoyed at the best possible quality level.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by alchav21

Don't you guys see we live in a Connected World, Streaming and Cloud Services are all around us. Quick access to any information is the thing now, so having your Entertainment on a Local Server for quick access is very logical. Like I said, Discs are just Storage Devices and are becoming Obsolete. Accessing Cloud Services or Local Servers for your information is very logical, and it should be very plain to anyone. Racks and Selves full of Blu-rays and DVD's are as outdated as the Old MainFrame IBM Computers, if you can't see this then you have no insight at all!

I have more insight than you would believe, which is why I oppose Digital,with all my heart.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by alchav21

Don't you guys see we live in a Connected World, Streaming and Cloud Services are all around us. Quick access to any information is the thing now, so having your Entertainment on a Local Server for quick access is very logical. Like I said, Discs are just Storage Devices and are becoming Obsolete. Accessing Cloud Services or Local Servers for your information is very logical, and it should be very plain to anyone. Racks and Selves full of Blu-rays and DVD's are as outdated as the Old MainFrame IBM Computers, if you can't see this then you have no insight at all!

We are not stupid, of course we see that. What we also see is that there will always be a place for disc. As for Digital HD, it's not going to happen. As a long term term format it just hasn't got the legs IMO. The sales numbers reflects that. Subscription is the future for streaming with discs still around for the serious collectors. Like I said, even many streaming fans don't see the value in paying more than £5 for a Digital copy when they can get 'all you can eat' buffets for slightly more.

What you must realise IMO, is that once the studios have full power over their customer, they can do what they like. Dont be surprised if we have forced ads with a monthly fee if you want to remove those ads. Things like this will be commonplace.

[zodwriter]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

We are not stupid, of course we see that. What we also see is that there will always be a place for disc. As for Digital HD, it's not going to happen. As a long term term format it just hasn't got the legs IMO. The sales numbers reflects that. Subscription is the future for streaming with discs still around for the serious collectors. Like I said, even many streaming fans don't see the value in paying more than £5 for a Digital copy when they can get 'all you can eat' buffets for slightly more.

What you must realise IMO, is that once the studios have full power over their customer, they can do what they like. Dont be surprised if we have forced ads with a monthly fee if you want to remove those ads. Things like this will be commonplace.

That makes perfect sense. VUDU has already been offering movies with ads for a while now at no cost. That's probably how libraries will be maintained in the future for those that don't want to pay a maintenance fee. For example HULU is $7.99 per month with ads or $11.99 without.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by zodwriter

That makes perfect sense. VUDU has already been offering movies with ads for a while now at no cost. That's probably how libraries will be maintained in the future for those that don't want to pay a maintenance fee. For example HULU is $7.99 per month with ads or $11.99 without.

It's really grim. I'm hanging on to my discs thanks.

There is zero value in my movies interrupted with ads.

This is the future we have to look forward to. Been telling folks for years but they won't have it. It's the industries dream to have forced ads and complete control.

[Texan26]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

It's really grim. I'm hanging on to my discs thanks.

There is zero value in my movies interrupted with ads.

This is the future we have to look forward to. Been telling folks for years but they won't have it. It's the industries dream to have forced ads and complete control.

Again, more scenarios that have not happened. While blu-rays have ten minutes of ads and trailers before the movie that are sometimes not so simple to skip. While on Vudu, the movies I paid for start immediately.

I can make up scenarios also. In the future, new and future discs will only play on your player if you are connected to the internet. Forcing you to watch updated ads and giving the studio control. See how easy it is to make up scenarios.

[PenguinMaster]

Originally Posted by Texan26

I can make up scenarios also. In the future, new and future discs will only play on your player if you are connected to the internet. Forcing you to watch updated ads and giving the studio control. See how easy it is to make up scenarios.

If that were to happen it wouldn't affect any of the discs that have already been made. The discs we are currently supporting will continue to work the same.

But anything that happens with digital can affect your existing collection. You've already given the studios and digital providers complete control. If they want to take away your movies, they can. If they want to insert ads into your collection, they can. If they want to charge you to access your collection, they can. None of that is possible with our existing discs.