Download or buy a disc?

[camper]

Originally Posted by Maxell

I am so tired of the "downloads will take over media" crap that gets tossed around, especially with high-def. It hasn't happened with lower bandwidth music, and it's not going to take over video media anytime in the next decade or two.

That's because most people who think it's the wave of the future, usually don't know what they're talking about. You can't squeeze and elephant down a toilet, no matter how much you want to, or how hard you try. And if do build a big enough toilet to accomodate said elephant, if the sewage line can't accomodate it then it doesn't friggin matter.

~Camper

[photorebel]

There are some people who are content with downloading a movie, watching it once..maybe twice and deleting it. To me, this makes sense, and is not much different than just renting a movie, other than the delivery method.
But there are many other people, myself included, who buy movies..and want them on physical media. I don't want to burn the media myself to the discs, I want it already done,..as in a Blu-Ray disc.
I'm a photographer, and sure everything has gone digital in photography. Our new problem, and it is a growing problem..is storage. Sure ..I can store hundreds, even thousands of images on a HD. However, what if the HD crashes?
So then it's a 2nd and 3rd HD for backup, along with DVDs of the images, for backup, with multiple DVDs, in case of DVD rot on one disc.
I can't see where downloabable movies will ever replace being able to buy Blu-Ray or whatever type of disc in the near or distant future. There will always be a market for physical media.
What I predict is downloadable (direct to your TV, not via PC) movies will greatly impact the rental market. People who already buy DVDs and Blu-Rays will continue to do so.
IOW, both markets can co-exist. In fact, the downloads may even boost sales of movies. Whereas it's easier to rent more movies, this way..you might find more you like, and more you'd like to buy.
Just my 02 cents worth.

[greekjgg]

Originally Posted by camper

That's because most people who think it's the wave of the future, usually don't know what they're talking about. You can't squeeze and elephant down a toilet, no matter how much you want to, or how hard you try. And if do build a big enough toilet to accomodate said elephant, if the sewage line can't accomodate it then it doesn't friggin matter.

~Camper

I can't imagine how early adopters such as yourselve's can be so narrow minded?

10 yrs ago we were still buying floppy's and using dial up. Today we have 100gig disc's and T1 lines and faster. WHy is it so impossible to imagine digital downloads for movies with the fast pace technology is moving at today???

[davidPS3]

I want to hold a disc in my hand. Just trying to down-load a preview or demo on-line takes for-ever! Can't imagine trying to do a entire movie and not have the system lock up or be disconnected. No thank you.

[beavis667]

I don't think we'll EVER go to downloads for these reasons:

1. Enthusiasts won't accept downloads unless they have 1080p video and lossless audio. Some enthusiasts also enjoy the extras on optical media. To put together a digital download to sway the enthusiast crowd, you are looking at 40+ gb. Broadband speeds won't be near making that viable any time soon.

B. The average customer, the walmart shopper, and J6P do not want to invest in the network infrastructure required to go to download/digital. This requires a home network, not just 1 PC. This requires a backup server preferably. You could argue that you need a way to back the files up and store them remotely to protect yourself from flood/fire destroying your data. It's much easier to get insurance to replace your dvd collection than your data collection. The "average Joe" who made DVD the king of movie media will never get that point technically, and losses due to simple hard drive failures will scare average Joe from adopting downloadable movies.

III. The hackers/pirates of the world would ruin this medium before it even got off the ground. Movies would go straight from download to upload.

four. The best way to avoid sharing issues and hardware/backup hard drive issues is to stream the video. We are even less close to that being viable in the world of broadband bandwidth-wise, or at least to have like quality with what we have today with HDM.

[tron3]

Originally Posted by AxlVanHagar

LMAO! That quote is a keeper! ...

Feel free to put it in your signature line. Just be sure to quote the author.


If you liked that, you should love my "TransFUDers". Check it out.

https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread...ht=transfuders

[photorebel]

What Netflix is proposing is to have LG build a set-top box that would allow direct download/feed of a movie to the TV, not via PC.

http://www.marketwatch.com/news/stor...5E4D3B5878B%7D
Whether you could transfer that to a PC via network and make a hard copy, I don't know.

[WimeTime]

I purchase blu-rays with the intent on letting my family members borrow them. I'm blessed with that privilege. I don't much feel like handing them my box on my tv that i download content into. I shouldn't say never, but in my lifetime i will always want the disc for my home entertainment needs.

[Kristin Simard]

We've been through this on other threads, but generally, how long would it be before 1080p with uncompressed PCM sound is available for download in all places in the world? A dreamtime from now? Certailny Blu-rays will be long established by then.

How long will it be before Blu-ray discs are available all over the world? (Or, how long ago was that?)

You can travel with BDs and play them in different machines.

You can resell BDs. After you have built up an extensive library you have an asset that can be resold at any time, or passed on to someone else. (Or passed on to a library, archive, school, in-patient hospital, etc.)

A dead server could destroy your library. But a damaged BD? (Just buy another.)

[McLovin]

I don't know about you guys but I'm still waiting on that flying car thing.

[Sonny]

Originally Posted by Kristin Simard

You can resell BDs. After you have built up an extensive library you have an asset that can be resold at any time, or passed on to someone else. (Or passed on to a library, archive, school, in-patient hospital, etc.)

A dead server could destroy your library. But a damaged BD? (Just buy another.)

Thats what im sayin

[Sonny]

Originally Posted by McLovin

I don't know about you guys but I'm still waiting on that flying car thing.

yeah in 1985 they said we would have flying car in the year 2000 its 2008 & nothing...

[greekjgg]

Originally Posted by Kristin Simard

We've been through this on other threads, but generally, how long would it be before 1080p with uncompressed PCM sound is available for download in all places in the world? A dreamtime from now? Certailny Blu-rays will be long established by then.

How long will it be before Blu-ray discs are available all over the world? (Or, how long ago was that?)

You can travel with BDs and play them in different machines.

You can resell BDs. After you have built up an extensive library you have an asset that can be resold at any time, or passed on to someone else. (Or passed on to a library, archive, school, in-patient hospital, etc.)

A dead server could destroy your library. But a damaged BD? (Just buy another.)

My Dear!! Lets say blu does continue on and win the war. Just how many people will have a PCM receiver? How many people own just DVD today w/o a surround sound. Quite a bit!!

Yes, enthusiasts will prefer a higher quaility DISC that will still be around for some time. However, like CD's, mp3's are not always the same quailty. In fact, on Itunes (THE MOST POP MUSIC DL SITE), they are of a lesser quality in most cases, yet people buy them up buy the thousands daily. People want the conveinence versus quality.

If all I have to do is turn my tv on and DL a movie, even if it takes a few hours, it's still more conv then driving to BB or BBY to buy one when I can have it NOW. I LOVE when a song comes on the radio and I can WALK over to my pc and INSTANTLY own it. Not drive to the store. YES, this isn't th ecase today with Movies, but so many of you seem resistant to the idea even if it was available today?

[Kayne314]

Cover Art
Box Art
Special Features
Easter Eggs
Interactive Menus
Interactive Features
Director Commentary
Box Sets
Gift Sets - including cool collectibles
The ability to permanently own my movies.
The ability to display my movies.
The ability to watch anytime I want. As many times as I want.
Uncompressed Lossless HD Audio
1080p Pristine Image
Multiple Language and Subtitle Options

When they can fit all of this into a 5 minute Download. I'll consider it. But I wont hold my breath.

[Kristin Simard]

Originally Posted by greekjgg

My Dear!! Lets say blu does continue on and win the war. Just how many people will have a PCM receiver? How many people own just DVD today w/o a surround sound. Quite a bit!!

Yes, enthusiasts will prefer a higher quaility DISC that will still be around for some time. However, like CD's, mp3's are not always the same quailty. In fact, on Itunes (THE MOST POP MUSIC DL SITE), they are of a lesser quality in most cases, yet people buy them up buy the thousands daily. People want the conveinence versus quality.

If all I have to do is turn my tv on and DL a movie, even if it takes a few hours, it's still more conv then driving to BB or BBY to buy one when I can have it NOW. I LOVE when a song comes on the radio and I can WALK over to my pc and INSTANTLY own it. Not drive to the store. YES, this isn't th ecase today with Movies, but so many of you seem resistant to the idea even if it was available today?

My dear,

You are in the wrong forum.

[true2_blu]

I'll buy BD's! I would never download too many problems, backing up files. etc.. losing entire library because your hard drive goes bad. Give me my library of BD's, regardless if it takes up room space.

[greekjgg]

Originally Posted by Kristin Simard

My dear,

You are in the wrong forum.

Oh, I'm sorry!! I forgot to drink the Kool Aid??

It is not surprising that many of you are in favor of a tangible copy. The bulk of the members on this forum are early adoptors and tend to be purists. I can respect that, but you need to review this scenerio from a mass standard.

Pictures and Audio both went the way of downloads and so will video. You don't have to use it, thats your choice, but at least acknowledge that it is coming and will have big impact in a couple of years.

[jsteinhauer]

Obviously, the posters on this forum are not a representative cross section of home movie viewers and are biased. There is a little bit of denial, as well. The ability to download already exists, and it will take a minimal amount of tweaking to get SD, widescreen, DD5.1 downloads on demand into a huge number of homes that already rent movies and buy DVDs. It doesn't need to be saved, if the one fee, 48 hours per month plan is effective. This is far more time than most spend watching movies. I don't know too many who travel with movies, either, so this will not impact the mass market.

I've said this many times. It does not matter what YOU want. What matters is what is most profitable.

[Denzelio]

Discs 100%, The majority of movie watchers are to lazy or incompetent to understand a Microsoft operating system to understand a computer in general. Be great if Microsoft put all their resources into the downloads then no more Microsoft.
That would actually solve much more then just the Format war haha.

[Kristin Simard]

Originally Posted by greekjgg

Oh, I'm sorry!! I forgot to drink the Kool Aid??

It is not surprising that many of you are in favor of a tangible copy. The bulk of the members on this forum are early adoptors and tend to be purists. I can respect that, but you need to review this scenerio from a mass standard.

Pictures and Audio both went the way of downloads and so will video. You don't have to use it, thats your choice, but at least acknowledge that it is coming and will have big impact in a couple of years.

I think you are right, downloads are coming, but I don't think they will replace discs. Not in video anyway, and not for a very long time if at all. It will be an option. The consumer will decide ultimately what they want. I think there will be a demand for discs for a long enough time to not worry about buying into something obsolete for now. Downloads can become obsolete, too. (Hardware changes, Format changes, etc.)