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

[russweiss1]

Originally Posted by Narcissus

I haven't gone through 2583 pages, so apologies if this has been covered:
One of the main issues disc has is disc rot.
Has anyone come close to a non....crash-able...format, because every form of media storage has flaws.

I disagree. Back when I collected laserdiscs that was more of an issue. Certainly not the case with blu-rays or UHDs in my experience.

[CV19]

Originally Posted by alchav21

While you guys are watching Old Movies on Disc, Happy Gilmore 2, coming out on Friday on Netflix and I finished watching Stick on AppleTV...Go Streaming!

I hope you won't take this the wrong way, but I don't know why you can't just tell us what you are watching without having to keep saying "you guys watching discs". Even the most loyal disc collectors on this thread also subscribe to various streaming services - I'm probably the only one who doesn't.

[alchav21]

Originally Posted by CV19

I hope you won't take this the wrong way, but I don't know why you can't just tell us what you are watching without having to keep saying "you guys watching discs". Even the most loyal disc collectors on this thread also subscribe to various streaming services - I'm probably the only one who doesn't.

Sorry this started a long time ago on this Thread, Digital vs Physical. You're right there should be no difference, and that is my point. With the right set up the Quality will be transparent with Fiber and Bitrate!

[the-pi-guy]

Originally Posted by alchav21

Sorry this started a long time ago on this Thread, Digital vs Physical. You're right there should be no difference, and that is my point. With the right set up the Quality will be transparent with Fiber and Bitrate!

That wasn't remotely what he said.

And again, as everyone has said, Fiber makes no difference, the bitrate doesn't change, and it doesn't get close to 4k blu-ray. Those are objective facts.

Subjectively, maybe you can't tell the difference, and that's good for you. Other people certainly can.

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by Narcissus

I haven't gone through 2583 pages, so apologies if this has been covered:
One of the main issues disc has is disc rot.
Has anyone come close to a non....crash-able...format, because every form of media storage has flaws.

If you're looking for perfection, you will never find it. All you can do is weigh the pros and cons of each option and decide for yourself.

I have been buying and collecting physical media for over 40 years. I would have stopped decades ago if the failure rate was a problem. It isn't. During all of that time I have experienced a failure rate of about 0.5-0.75% and most of that was with laserdiscs.

The very few discs that did fail were all easily replaced and often at no cost. Discs can also be backed-up a number of ways.

You can't back-up a digital collection. You can't prevent digital titles from being altered, or even removed, by the studios after you "buy" them. If a digital store shuts down, as many already have, you lose much of what you bought there.

With a physical collection you have control over your purchases because you actually possess them. You have options to mitigate what little risk exists with a physical collection.

You have absolutely no say, no control, and no recourse with a digital collection. The studios and the storefronts make all of the decisions and you get to like it or lump it.

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by CV19

I hope you won't take this the wrong way, but I don't know why you can't just tell us what you are watching without having to keep saying "you guys watching discs". Even the most loyal disc collectors on this thread also subscribe to various streaming services - I'm probably the only one who doesn't.

He lives to stir the pot.

He continually ignores the fact that most of us also stream content. We have access to everything that he does and so very much more. Between our physical libraries, digital collections, and our subscription streaming services we have a wider selection of titles available to us than he can even begin to comprehend.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by Narcissus

I haven't gone through 2583 pages, so apologies if this has been covered:
One of the main issues disc has is disc rot.
Has anyone come close to a non....crash-able...format, because every form of media storage has flaws.

Only experienced two examples in 25 years.

[gotmule]

Originally Posted by CV19

I hope you won't take this the wrong way, but I don't know why you can't just tell us what you are watching without having to keep saying "you guys watching discs". Even the most loyal disc collectors on this thread also subscribe to various streaming services - I'm probably the only one who doesn't.

Nope. I do not subscribe to any as well.

[CV19]

Originally Posted by gotmule

Nope. I do not subscribe to any as well.

Well that's good to hear - meaning that I can say I'm no longer the odd one out.

[bhampton]

I subscribe to many services (ATV+, Disney+, Netflix, Prime)and have access someone else's Paramount+. Peacock basic is bundled with our internet access. I don't often use them but my grown kids use them and some of them even like to watch with captions on for everything. (They listen to books and read movies .... I tried to raise them right.)


I like Kanopy which I have through my local library the AV quality varies and some things they have like Joe Picket sounded bad on Kanopy and better on Prime.

I did my best to build a nice home theater and I prefer higher quality media which is often found on physical media.

[stonesfan129]

Originally Posted by Wendell R. Breland

Actually it is one of several that has come and gone.

Best Buy CinemaNow
Dish Network Slingbox - 2020 no more hardware sales, servers to shutdown in 2022
Flixster
Microsoft stops selling movies and TV. July 19, 2025
Paramount Store
Red One UHD movie/video download service
Sony Pictures Store
Sony FMP-X1 and FMP-X10 UHD movie/video download service
Sony ULTRA is now shutting down on July 26, 2019
Sony Playstation Vue shutting down on January 30, 2020
Target Ticket
UltraFlix and Nanotech UHD movie/video streaming service
UltraViolet (UV) is now shutting down on July 31, 2019
Walmart VUDU, purchased by Walmart in 2010 and sold by Walmart in 2020

All of my > 40 year CD's still play fine along with my > 27 year old DVD's. For convenience sake all my CD’s are copied to a dedicated Synology music server, most of my DVD’s, PBS and CBS recordings on a dedicated Synology video and data server. All my Blu-ray and UHD Blu-ray on a dedicated Zappiti video server. In the process of a DIY video server to mirror the Zappiti.

Oh I don't disagree with you at all. These services are not making money and I wonder how long until FAH goes kaput too. I remember when Redbox shut down and my sister's family lost a bunch of stuff they bought in there for their kids to watch. Creditors and studios got paid, paying customers got the shaft.

My main argument against digital services is that they cost too much for what you're getting. I might buy something there if it was $2-5 and you could get a 4K copy cheaply. But you can't, they want just as much, sometimes more, than a disc. And I'm sick of the constant shadow games over content missing and rights/ownership issues.

I think streaming is here to stay, that ship has sailed, but I have seen physical media making a comeback because people are tired of the prices and availability of stuff.


But the fact that a company as big as Microsoft shut down its TV and movie store... What's to say Apple won't follow suit? Nothing is safe, all bets are off imo.

[stonesfan129]

Originally Posted by Vilya

If the price difference is nominal, I would still recommend buying 4K disc combo packs when offered. You will likely upgrade your equipment eventually and when you do you will benefit from the higher quality presentation. In the meantime, most blu-rays still look and sound great. If I had no choice I could easily be happy with what blu-rays can offer, but thankfully I do have a choice and I can be ecstatic with what 4K discs can offer.

I have seen the results of ripped streams and I was not at all impressed. The source matters and as you said yourself streaming quality "SUCKS" in comparison, so why would anyone want that as their source?

I'm kinda done with 4K Blu-rays honestly. If it's the only way to get something, so be it. But I've had enough problems with them not working out of the box that I won't even entertain it. Plus they're getting too expensive and I don't even have a good enough TV to see a noticeable difference with HDR. I prefer regular Blu-rays. I'm also getting to an age where I will probably need glasses soon so...

[Ender14]

Originally Posted by stonesfan129

I'm kinda done with 4K Blu-rays honestly. If it's the only way to get something, so be it. But I've had enough problems with them not working out of the box that I won't even entertain it. Plus they're getting too expensive and I don't even have a good enough TV to see a noticeable difference with HDR. I prefer regular Blu-rays. I'm also getting to an age where I will probably need glasses soon so...

It's interesting how different people have different experiences. I'm sitting at 527 4K Blu-ray's and have only experienced issues with 1-2 so far. Granted, I haven't watched all the ones in my collection yet, but I would say I've seen over half. That is a failure rate I am more than comfortable with.

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by stonesfan129

I'm kinda done with 4K Blu-rays honestly. If it's the only way to get something, so be it. But I've had enough problems with them not working out of the box that I won't even entertain it. Plus they're getting too expensive and I don't even have a good enough TV to see a noticeable difference with HDR. I prefer regular Blu-rays. I'm also getting to an age where I will probably need glasses soon so...

Eye glasses/ contacts often correct vision to 20/20, so don't let that particular joy of aging worry you. Even at my age and with all of my health problems my corrected vision is 20/20.

Your bad experiences with 4K discs surprise me as I can count the number of times that I have had playback problems with them on one hand. Are your playback issues due to the 4K discs arriving damaged due to being poorly packaged for shipment? If so, that's not the fault of the 4K disc format, but of the retailer that sold them to you. It is very frustrating when it happens, but there are ways to improve the shipping survival odds.

Blu-rays offer an excellent presentation of movies and TV shows, so if that is your preference you should be happy with your choice. You still actually own and control what you buy in an unalterable form, which is something that is never true with a digital purchase.

[bhampton]

DVDs and Blu Rays are still great! I haven't had many problems with the nearly 1000 UHD4K Blu Rays I own. And many of them have been backed up to MKV with no problems indicating they are actually trouble free.

I watched an old DVD yesterday which played back like it was brand new.



I bought 3 UHD BDs so far today.



I've been watching disc quite a lot and haven't had problems. I think most trouble people have with UHD BD comes from Sony X700 which is sad because the PS5 works great and most Sony Blu Ray players were unstoppable.

[the-pi-guy]

Originally Posted by Narcissus

I haven't gone through 2583 pages, so apologies if this has been covered:
One of the main issues disc has is disc rot.
Has anyone come close to a non....crash-able...format, because every form of media storage has flaws.

There are no perfect systems.
Even HDDs fail and have bit flips that can corrupt.

A lot of digital mediums, you're at the mercy of what companies do with it, how long they keep the servers on. Unfortunately nothing lasts forever.

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by bhampton

DVDs and Blu Rays are still great! I haven't had many problems with the nearly 1000 UHD4K Blu Rays I own. And many of them have been backed up to MKV with no problems indicating they are actually trouble free.

I watched an old DVD yesterday which played back like it was brand new.

We have a DVD in common. It certainly deserves an upgrade, though.

[the-pi-guy]

Originally Posted by stonesfan129

I'm kinda done with 4K Blu-rays honestly. If it's the only way to get something, so be it. But I've had enough problems with them not working out of the box that I won't even entertain it. Plus they're getting too expensive and I don't even have a good enough TV to see a noticeable difference with HDR. I prefer regular Blu-rays. I'm also getting to an age where I will probably need glasses soon so...

I'd say blu-rays are still great.

I get 4ks when I can, but blu-rays are still great.

[Wendell R. Breland]

Originally Posted by CV19

I hope you won't take this the wrong way, but I don't know why you can't just tell us what you are watching without having to keep saying "you guys watching discs". Even the most loyal disc collectors on this thread also subscribe to various streaming services - I'm probably the only one who doesn't.

Does no good to present verifiable facts to that poster, real A/V data is above his pay grade. Why anyone with just a smart TV believes they have some kind of special setup is beyond me. As of now my streaming hardware* investment is approaching $3,000, my download speed is 5X that of said poster.

*Does not include any of my smart TV’s.

[Wendell R. Breland]

An old favorite of ours is coming to UHD BD via Criterion. Hope they do a good job with the transfer.