Bu-ray Disc vs 4K Digital...

[cpr3584]

Agree.
4K streams look better than the BD.
Period. I've tested several movies.
4K Disc>4K Stream>BD> HD stream.

Even if it means giving up my ownership rights, I'll take the 4K digital copy over the BD because the movie just looks better.
But if a movie is available ok 4K disc i prefer owning that

[Phillip c. Niethe]

Blu-ray disk....death to Streaming

[vortexx]

Originally Posted by bytor

Yes, the difference is 4K streams are better than their blu ray counterpart, especially when the movie has a 4K DI and the stream has HDR. I have done comparisons. And as far as internet connections go, that's not my problem. My connection is great and I have no issues getting full quality from streaming. If you have connection issues then obviously streaming isn't for you.

There's a lot of dogma here regarding blu rays that a stream couldn't possibly be better. I get it. People feel threatened that a stream you don't own could offer a better visual experience than a blu ray you own. But that's the reality and it's unfortunate so many here on this forum live in denial, so much so that it promotes false information.

In my case the co located servers are in my city so I can get the fastest possible stream if I wanted. I have gigabit internet, so that helps, but not if I wasn't close to the servers. Digital media unfortunately will win as it has with music. As a filmmaker it will mean less in royalties (I'm getting nothing for my currently licensed film that is being streamed because it is part of a package deal. What will happen is that more filmmakers will stop making films - particularly independents just like you rarely see an independent film in a theater these days. There really isn't enough money to make a profit on a film if it is streaming. People will realize and go into a different business. It's bad enough when distributors hide profits (it happens all the time - I never made a penny on the first release of my film). As an aside, an interesting statistic - the film sizes that get downloaded most are not even DVD quality. Most people download movies around the 2 gig mark. They don't seem to care about quality. Maybe they get watched on their phones? Again the edges look sharp because of the codec, but artifacts as well as blockiness in spots becomes really apparent. BTW- Those 2 gigabyte files are still 1080p. They look nothing like a bluray though.

[bytor]

Originally Posted by vortexx

As an aside, an interesting statistic - the film sizes that get downloaded most are not even DVD quality. Most people download movies around the 2 gig mark. They don't seem to care about quality. Maybe they get watched on their phones? Again the edges look sharp because of the codec, but artifacts as well as blockiness in spots becomes really apparent. BTW- Those 2 gigabyte files are still 1080p. They look nothing like a bluray though.

I'm well-aware the HD 1080p streams aren't great and don't compare favorably to blu ray. And you're right, most people don't care about quality. I do though and that's why I watch films in the best quality available which is sometimes a 4K stream. I understand it probably sucks for independent filmmakers but I'm just a customer, I buy what gives me the best quality.

[Jay Mammoth]

I buy the 4K digitally if there is only a Blu-ray. Bought Annabelle Come Home on iTunes, will do the same with Midsommar.

[vortexx]

Originally Posted by bytor

I'm well-aware the HD 1080p streams aren't great and don't compare favorably to blu ray. And you're right, most people don't care about quality. I do though and that's why I watch films in the best quality available which is sometimes a 4K stream. I understand it probably sucks for independent filmmakers but I'm just a customer, I buy what gives me the best quality.

I'm pretty sure we all will end up having to stream in the future except for some special releases that will get a physical release just as some albums come out on audiophile vinyl. I just hope that those people downloading the 1 and 2 gig versions of films dont far outnumber people who want quality, and they stop mastering most films with the care they are currently taking. I honestly wouldn't have believed the percentage of small file streams/ downloads compared to better quality. A statistic I was told was over 80% choose the small files. That is more a concern for me as I dont expect to get rich off the films I made. I've stopped directing all but a few sequences here and there. Making money from a film is really hard unless you make something worthy of getting shown on the big screen. I dont want to discourage future filmmakers, bit it's interesting how so many filmmakers in the Nightmare USA book were ripped off by their distributors. Even Roger Corman was upset with AIPs creative accounting that gave hime much fewer royalties than he was supposed to get.

[gooseygander2001]

Originally Posted by bytor

I resisted for a while but if you want the best, it's what you have to do. Some examples that have been worth getting the 4K stream for me are The Disaster Artist, District 9, The Conjuring, First Reformed, Green Room, Edge of Tomorrow, The Nice Guys, and especially Samsara.

Even movies like Gone Girl and American Hustle which don't have HDR, you still get a nice increase in detail because of their 4K DI. Absolutely worth it to me.

Where did you get your digital 4k of Samsara?? I bet that's a knockout...

[cpr3584]

Originally Posted by vortexx

Digital media unfortunately will win as it has with music.

i don't think so. For movies, discs still outsell digital copies by the millions.
For music, subscription services are leading the way. After that, vinyl and cd. Mp3s are nearly dead.

[bytor]

Originally Posted by gooseygander2001

Where did you get your digital 4k of Samsara?? I bet that's a knockout...

It is on iTunes and does look pretty incredible.

[HD Goofnut]

Originally Posted by cpr3584

Agree.
4K streams look better than the BD.
Period. I've tested several movies.
4K Disc>4K Stream>BD> HD stream.

Even if it means giving up my ownership rights, I'll take the 4K digital copy over the BD because the movie just looks better.
But if a movie is available ok 4K disc i prefer owning that

I noticed this last night with Toy Story 4. My son wanted to watch it on one of my 1080p 46" where I only have a BD player. So, just for kicks I watched a bit of the 4K stream on VUDU on my 4K 65" and it blew the socks off the BD. It was just a larger difference than I expected.

[Phillip c. Niethe]

Recently they announced that both Xbox and PS5 would come with a physical 4K player...nice to see the physical media isn't going anywhere for awhile, if streaming was all the rage it pretends to be then why bother giving customers a physical player

[AmishParadise]

Isn't it about time this thread is moved here. Just saying.

[guachi]

If releases of new movies aren't in 4k I almost always skip them.

I've only purchased five theatrical and five direct-to-video releases on blu-ray that were released in 2016 or later but 45 4k discs.

4k or bust, basically, on non-catalog releases.

I doubt I'd purchase a 4k digital of a movie even if the release only came on blu-ray simply because I'd likely never look to see if it was available in 4k.

EDIT: I agree with those who say a 4k stream is better than a blu-ray disc.

[LMFAObros]

Considering how terrible internet is down under, normal bluray still obliterated 4k streaming when you factor in how tightly compressed streams are for crappy connections. That being said(if streaming has a much better master aka goldeneye or version of the film like the warriors). I sometimes cave in