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

[The_Donster]

Originally Posted by cpr3584

ok so forget what i said about disney movies and netflix.

From reuters:

Disney declares war on Netflix and will remove all its movies from the service to start its own
Disney branded direct-to-consumer streaming service will launch in 2019
Company will also launch its own ESPN video streaming service in early 2018

WOW, nice. I don't think Disney is declaring war on anyone and is just following the current trend that other companies are doing by creating their own streaming service. While I don't think it will have much impact on the physical streaming I wonder how it will affect cable companies in the long run? Is streaming the new cable?

[hYPE]

Physical copy for me all day!

[alchav21]

Originally Posted by hYPE

Physical copy for me all day!

My FTTH Provider is based in Las Vegas, Cable Systems Nevada, so I guess you don't have Fiber since you still love Disc so much. I'm sure once you have tried Symmetrical Fiber you will think twice about only viewing Disc. The Future is Streaming Video, but you do need the Bandwidth that only Fiber can provide.

[master gandhi]

Originally Posted by alchav21

My FTTH Provider is based in Las Vegas, Cable Systems Nevada, so I guess you don't have Fiber since you still love Disc so much. I'm sure once you have tried Symmetrical Fiber you will think twice about only viewing Disc. The Future is Streaming Video, but you do need the Bandwidth that only Fiber can provide.

They can have other reasons for liking physical so much, just like I have my reasons for loving Digital so much.

[Zu Nim]

Originally Posted by The_Donster

WOW, nice. I don't think Disney is declaring war on anyone and is just following the current trend that other companies are doing by creating their own streaming service. While I don't think it will have much impact on the physical streaming I wonder how it will affect cable companies in the long run? Is streaming the new cable?

Steedeel noted that Disney in the U.K. is via subscription (Disneylife, about $6.50/mo) and now we're seeing them offer something similar in the U.S. People don't feel compelled to own content and are happy to rent/subscribe. It's definitely impacting physical and digital purchases. Physical is collapsing and digital's growth is more limited than you'd expect. Comparing the first half of 2017 with the prior year, physical is down 10%, EST is up 8% and subscription is up 24%.

[alchav21]

Originally Posted by hYPE

Physical copy for me all day!

Originally Posted by alchav21

My FTTH Provider is based in Las Vegas, Cable Systems Nevada, so I guess you don't have Fiber since you still love Disc so much. I'm sure once you have tried Symmetrical Fiber you will think twice about only viewing Disc. The Future is Streaming Video, but you do need the Bandwidth that only Fiber can provide.

Originally Posted by master gandhi

They can have other reasons for liking physical so much, just like I have my reasons for loving Digital so much.

You're right Master, but unless people have the Bandwidth they really can't see the true value of Streaming Video. 6Mbps DSL is not going to cut it, or the people that have Caps. Good Streaming Video needs the Bandwidth, and proper equipment and set up.

[twobelowpar]

I'd still be interested to see how digital EST would do without codes.

[Zu Nim]

Originally Posted by twobelowpar

I'd still be interested to see how digital EST would do without codes.

I'm not sure how it would be any different than now. Most codes go unredeemed. Which shouldn't be a surprise given that Vudu is a small player along with the studios (Sony, Flixster, FandangoNow). Between them and iTunes that leaves at least half of the market using providers that don't support redemption codes. So most buyers have never even considered codes as part of their equation as to whether they would buy other titles digitally.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by Zu Nim

Steedeel noted that Disney in the U.K. is via subscription (Disneylife, about $6.50/mo) and now we're seeing them offer something similar in the U.S. People don't feel compelled to own content and are happy to rent/subscribe. It's definitely impacting physical and digital purchases. Physical is collapsing and digital's growth is more limited than you'd expect. Comparing the first half of 2017 with the prior year, physical is down 10%, EST is up 8% and subscription is up 24%.

DVD is collapsing. Bluray is actually up for the year. Only a fraction but up is up.

Of course, I think things are rushing towards subscription streaming even faster than I was predicting. Like we say, Digital ups come from the sales of kids films mostly (confirmed by another poster on here via official stats for year). Now that Disney are offering the service stateside, that may well be a blow to Digital HD going forward. Throw Marvel and Star Wars into the mix further down the line and it's easy to see where this is going. By the time disc dies, it will probably be 90 percent subscription so a move to collecting Digital HD just won't be worth it for hardcore disc lovers like me.

[Texan26]

Originally Posted by twobelowpar

I'd still be interested to see how digital EST would do without codes.

Digital sales would go up. Blu-ray sales would go down. Digital sales numbers that are constantly going up don't include code redemptions. I still buy a lot of blu-rays because of the codes. I would just buy the movie from VUDU and stop buying blu-rays if it didn't include the code. I already do that for many movies. I'm already enjoying Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.

[Steedeel]

This Disney thing is huge. The knock on effect will be very significant. You guys stil doubt me about the push for PG and U rated films? Don't forget, Netflix will want to match Disney and have franchises that will sell in other departments. Think Figures, video games, t shirts, toys etc.. the age of kiddified content is nearly upon us. Netflix'es latest acquisition proves my point. Plus, talks are going on about selling Netflix branded merchandise I hear.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by Zu Nim

Steedeel noted that Disney in the U.K. is via subscription (Disneylife, about $6.50/mo) and now we're seeing them offer something similar in the U.S. People don't feel compelled to own content and are happy to rent/subscribe. It's definitely impacting physical and digital purchases. Physical is collapsing and digital's growth is more limited than you'd expect. Comparing the first half of 2017 with the prior year, physical is down 10%, EST is up 8% and subscription is up 24%.

It's a shame you couldn't have spoken up for me when I was making these points years ago.

[Fiffy]

Originally Posted by twobelowpar

I'd still be interested to see how digital EST would do without codes.

The fact that the #2 EST player (Amazon) does not redeem any codes gives an indication. Codes are effectively a subsidy created to keep the physical disc market alive.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by Fiffy

The fact that the #2 EST player (Amazon) does not redeem any codes gives an indication. Codes are effectively a subsidy created to keep the physical disc market alive.

This thread is so funny.

[Fiffy]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

This thread is so funny.

Yep, and your doomsday prophecies are a big part of that. Why don't you give us your theory on why the studios are spending money to include free codes in disc releases? Should be entertaining.

[The_Donster]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

This thread is so funny.

Dude, you are funny

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by Fiffy

Yep, and your conspiracy theories are a big part of that. Why don't you give us your take on why the studios are spending money to include free codes in disc releases? Should be entertaining.

They were doing that for many years before UV entered the fray. In the U.K, nothing has changed. It's still effectively a code for your mobile devices. Only the name has changed.

As for discs, how come Arrow video and Criterion UK amongst others are doing so well on Bluray? None of them supply codes.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by The_Donster

Dude, you are funny

Yet I continue to predict how the industry is going. You guys focus on what you believe I am mistaken about. This subscription trend has been coming for years at the expense of disc AND digital HD. As for you, have I pissed on your fries at some point or do you hold a grudge when someone opposes your views?

[Fiffy]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

They were doing that for many years before UV entered the fray.

What does that have to do with anything? UV, iTunes or otherwise, a free code is a free code.

In the U.K, nothing has changed. It's still effectively a code for your mobile devices. Only the name has changed.

Yes, that is one of the reasons why studios think they need to prop up disc releases by including free codes: discs cannot be played back on a wide range of devices like digital releases can. If they didn't do that, disc sales would drop even faster than they already do.

As for discs, how come Arrow video and Criterion UK amongst others are doing so well on Bluray? None of them supply codes.

Their revenues are tiny compared to the big studio releases. And at least Criterion is putting out digital releases as well, sometimes even exclusively.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by Fiffy

What does that have to do with anything? UV, iTunes or otherwise, a free code is a free code.
Yes, that is one of the reasons why studios think they need to prop up disc releases by including free codes: discs cannot be played back on a wide range of devices like digital releases can. If they didn't do that, disc sales would drop even faster than they already do.
Their revenues are tiny compared to the big studio releases. And at least Criterion is putting out digital releases as well, sometimes even exclusively.

So they were putting out free mobile codes thst barely anyone used and replaced them with UV codes that anyone barely uses to prop up disc sales? Emmmm, ok!

you keep using the phrase disc sales. It's DVD sales that are dropping. Bluray is once again up year on year.