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

[squatting hen]

Originally Posted by Texan26

I have good internet. Doesn't happen to me.

They both have their place, digital and disc. We stream pretty much everything now and have for nearly 7 years. We still put in the occasional bluray(once every 6 months), but only if we don't have it on Vudu, Amazon, Netflix, Hulu. We have cable right now because of the new customer package discount. It was only a little more to bundle the internet with cable, than just having internet alone.

My point is, we do have a good internet connection, and over the past seven years we have had 4 different providers. We also moved three times. We do not ever experience buffering, blurry picture, or a stuttering while streaming. We actually use Hulu (not the new live tv Hulu) instead of our cable as we like it better. I really only use cable for sports, but with the live streaming now offering regional sports, I may change one day.

The reason I don't switch to a full streaming TV now is, it would cost me more to have a streaming tv service and internet opposed to having internet and cable bundled.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by Texan26

I have good internet. Doesn't happen to me.

Good for you.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by Texan26

I never said it's a new thing. Actually it's been an annoying thing for blu-rays for a long time. I could see them doing it for rental copies but they also do it for the versions you buy. So why use the defense that digital will get ads if you have no problem waiting a few minutes? You do it for blu-rays. Sounds like it's no big deal for you to wait a few minutes to start the movie.

Im not using a defence. You guys brought it up as a negative for disc. I was simply stating that if Digital becomes more established (Digital HD) it will almost certainly have ads eventually. Especially, if, as I expect, it all goes to subscription. We may even be talking mid movie ads if that's the case and you pay extra for no ads.

[flyry]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

Advertisements? I haven't seen a advertisement for a year. Trailers sure, but they are skippable.

Semantics. Trailers are in essence advertisements.

Originally Posted by Steedeel

They call it pure laziness where I come from.

I was being facetious, but it is somewhat annoying. I still like having the physical disc but space is becoming an issue so I know I may go fully digital in the very near future.

Though I've been saying that for a year or 2, but keep finding a way to make more room for blurays

[alchav21]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

Yeah, right! Look in the official Vudu forum. Last time I checked it was full if people experiencing stuttering in the middle of their film.

Originally Posted by Texan26

I have good internet. Doesn't happen to me.

Originally Posted by squatting hen

They both have their place, digital and disc. We stream pretty much everything now and have for nearly 7 years. We still put in the occasional bluray(once every 6 months), but only if we don't have it on Vudu, Amazon, Netflix, Hulu. We have cable right now because of the new customer package discount. It was only a little more to bundle the internet with cable, than just having internet alone.

My point is, we do have a good internet connection, and over the past seven years we have had 4 different providers. We also moved three times. We do not ever experience buffering, blurry picture, or a stuttering while streaming. We actually use Hulu (not the new live tv Hulu) instead of our cable as we like it better. I really only use cable for sports, but with the live streaming now offering regional sports, I may change one day.

The reason I don't switch to a full streaming TV now is, it would cost me more to have a streaming tv service and internet opposed to having internet and cable bundled.

Yes, I'm with Texan26, it doesn't happen to me either but that's because we have good Providers and Solid Setups. I keep Preaching Hard Wire, but for Consistent Streaming this is a must. I think it was Flyry that said with Vudu you need Compatible Devices to Stream UHD, which is correct. Last night I watched Resident Evil: Final Chapter in Streaming UHD on the Sony Pictures Ultra with HDR. It looked and sounded Fantastic, but here again you need to be properly setup.

[alchav21]

Originally Posted by Vor4

The best way to avoid your issue is to download the iTunes movies and stream the movies over your network with Apple homesharing.

Originally Posted by PCFan

I was doing it for testing purposes to see how long I can stream from iTunes Store if my internet connection goes out. I wanted to see if it will actually play from what is cached without iTunes Store phoning home if my internet gets disconnected. Today I tested again but this time I paused the movie with about 15 minutes of the stream cached ahead. 5 minutes later after I disconnected my Apple TV from the local network, the paused movie changes to a screen that says "The iTunes Store is currently unavailable. Try again later". Last year I had an issue with my internet or the router power cycling itself and same thing happened during streaming on the Apple TV despite have about 30 minutes of the movie cached ahead. Is there a reason for iTunes to phone home every 5 minutes during streaming if the movie is fully cached in the Apple TV?
I might go back to doing Home Sharing and download the movies to my PC. I have an Intel NUC with Windows 10 Home installed that I'm not using right now and I can use that as my iTunes media server since it's much quieter than my main PC.

I see you jumped back to Apple TV, and still having problems Streaming Movies. Your problem is U-Verse, that was a mistake AT&T made rolling out this Product which is FTTC then Twisted Copper to your Home. It's VDSL and ADSL, which doesn't provide the best Streaming Platform. That's another one of my Predictions, Copper as an Infrastructure is Obsolete, especially Twisted Copper Pairs. What you need is for AT&T to upgrade you to GigaPower, which is FTTH.

[Texan26]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

Im not using a defence. You guys brought it up as a negative for disc. I was simply stating that if Digital becomes more established (Digital HD) it will almost certainly have ads eventually. Especially, if, as I expect, it all goes to subscription. We may even be talking mid movie ads if that's the case and you pay extra for no ads.

I think it was brought up because of the instant satisfaction comment you said about blu-ray when it's really not instant.

Making up scenarios about digital that haven't happened is the same as someone stating blu-ray is dead. I'm not saying it won't happen. They do like to put ads everywhere. But if it hasn't happened, why use it as a negative against digital? Especially since it's blu-rays that currently have the ads/trailers before the movie.

[Texan26]

Originally Posted by alchav21

Yes, I'm with Texan26, it doesn't happen to me either but that's because we have good Providers and Solid Setups. I keep Preaching Hard Wire, but for Consistent Streaming this is a must. I think it was Flyry that said with Vudu you need Compatible Devices to Stream UHD, which is correct. Last night I watched Resident Evil: Final Chapter in Streaming UHD on the Sony Pictures Ultra with HDR. It looked and sounded Fantastic, but here again you need to be properly setup.

I will admit that when I first started using VUDU about six years ago, I had issues. I called Comcast and they changed all my cables in and outside and streaming movies has been 99.99% reliable since then. There is the rare instance that there is an internet slowdown issue but there is also the rare instance that a blu-ray starts skipping or freezing. Very, very rare though that I have an issue. It was easy to cancel cable tv after seeing how reliable streaming had become.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by Texan26

I think it was brought up because of the instant satisfaction comment you said about blu-ray when it's really not instant.

Making up scenarios about digital that haven't happened is the same as someone stating blu-ray is dead. I'm not saying it won't happen. They do like to put ads everywhere. But if it hasn't happened, why use it as a negative against digital? Especially since it's blu-rays that currently have the ads/trailers before the movie.

Well, it has happened with Digital. Not yet with Digital HD but it has with streaming services.

[Texan26]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

Well, it has happened with Digital. Not yet with Digital HD but it has with streaming services.

Hulu started with ads from the very beginning. Then they started offering it without ads for $4.00 more a month. The $11.99 a month is completely worth it. Hulu is the main reason I cancelled cable tv.

[alchav21]

Originally Posted by alchav21

Yes, I'm with Texan26, it doesn't happen to me either but that's because we have good Providers and Solid Setups. I keep Preaching Hard Wire, but for Consistent Streaming this is a must. I think it was Flyry that said with Vudu you need Compatible Devices to Stream UHD, which is correct. Last night I watched Resident Evil: Final Chapter in Streaming UHD on the Sony Pictures Ultra with HDR. It looked and sounded Fantastic, but here again you need to be properly setup.

Originally Posted by Texan26

I will admit that when I first started using VUDU about six years ago, I had issues. I called Comcast and they changed all my cables in and outside and streaming movies has been 99.99% reliable since then. There is the rare instance that there is an internet slowdown issue but there is also the rare instance that a blu-ray starts skipping or freezing. Very, very rare though that I have an issue. It was easy to cancel cable tv after seeing how reliable streaming had become.

I do have a Sony UHD TV, and that is not compatible with Vudu UHD Streaming, I can only Stream HDX on Vudu. Sony has a 4K Ultra Streaming Site that is a UV Locker too, so I have access to my UV Library that is Sony Compatible. That is one of the biggest downsides of Streaming Digital HD, you need Bandwidth with Consistency.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by Texan26

Hulu started with ads from the very beginning. Then they started offering it without ads for $4.00 more a month. The $11.99 a month is completely worth it. Hulu is the main reason I cancelled cable tv.

Amazon have ads as well.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by alchav21

I do have a Sony UHD TV, and that is not compatible with Vudu UHD Streaming, I can only Stream HDX on Vudu. Sony has a 4K Ultra Streaming Site that is a UV Locker too, so I have access to my UV Library that is Sony Compatible. That is one of the biggest downsides of Streaming Digital HD, you need Bandwidth with Consistency.

The other big downside is that it's a bit shit really!

[Texan26]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

Amazon have ads as well.

I have Amazon Prime streaming and have never seen an ad before or during a movie or tv show. Is it different in the UK?

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by Texan26

I have Amazon Prime streaming and have never seen an ad before or during a movie or tv show. Is it different in the UK?

By ads, I mean forced preview of other shows. Yeah, been the case for a while I believe.

[alchav21]

Originally Posted by alchav21

I do have a Sony UHD TV, and that is not compatible with Vudu UHD Streaming, I can only Stream HDX on Vudu. Sony has a 4K Ultra Streaming Site that is a UV Locker too, so I have access to my UV Library that is Sony Compatible. That is one of the biggest downsides of Streaming Digital HD, you need Bandwidth with Consistency.

Originally Posted by Steedeel

The other big downside is that it's a bit shit really!

Why do you have to make it personal, tell us what you really think! Since this Tread has started, the quality of Digital HD has improved dramatically. If you still like watching Disc more, go for it.....But Digital HD is The Future!

[Texan26]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

By ads, I mean forced preview of other shows. Yeah, been the case for a while I believe.

I haven't seen any. Maybe only on Amazon's original content since I haven't seen any of their exclusive tv shows. I know Netflix does it on some of their exclusive shows. They show like a 15 second preview of another Netflix show before the episode starts but they don't do it on every episode. Not sure if they still do it since it received a lot of backlash when it first happened about two years ago.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by alchav21

Why do you have to make it personal, tell us what you really think! Since this Tread has started, the quality of Digital HD has improved dramatically. If you still like watching Disc more, go for it.....But Digital HD is The Future!

No, subscription is the future, just like music..........for you lot anyway! My future? Tons of 4K discs and then 8K.

[Texan26]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

No, subscription is the future, just like music..........for you lot anyway! My future? Tons of 4K discs and then 8K.

Unless they're going to offer new release movies on subscription services, buying and renting digital movies is not going away. People want to see new releases right away. Logan came out in the theaters just ten weeks ago and people can already watch it on their TV legally. Logan probably won't be on HBO (or whatever cable channel has the rights) subscription streaming till around the Fall.

Music subscriptions are different as they offer new release music right away.No need to buy the mp3 album when you can listen to it on demand on a $10 a month music subscription.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by Texan26

Unless they're going to offer new release movies on subscription services, buying and renting digital movies is not going away. People want to see new releases right away. Logan came out in the theaters just ten weeks ago and people can already watch it on their TV legally. Logan probably won't be on HBO (or whatever cable channel has the rights) subscription streaming till around the Fall.

Music subscriptions are different as they offer new release music right away.No need to buy the mp3 album when you can listen to it on demand on a $10 a month music subscription.

New releases, it will happen. It will take a little while, but it will happen.