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

[flyry]

Originally Posted by dublinbluray108

My own preferences in buying music should have been in stone from the very beginning. I should have never gone to streaming or downloading as primary use of buying music. Half of my songs from the downloaded albums were taken off due to downloading them after having multiple hard drive failures in my laptop. The issues were that the recording studios providing the songs for sale had them taken away from me without notice.

This was because albums were at risk of being duplicated & sold with the same song & the music streaming providers having a strict limit on the amount of downloads for each type of song sold on it. When a single from an artist's full album is sold on a streaming provider; it get deleted from servers & your purchase history when a full album comes up on sale through the same service. It's basically just a vicious money making scam from recording studios in tricking people to buy the full album once your already purchased single is removed from their collection. If you're a person who wants to pay for a music subscription, to download your favourite albums & to purchase multiple CD-R's or a hard drive. You are paying through the nose if you want this type of stuff to make you happy as for a lot of people; this type of method is not relevant for them as it could be an instant waste of money. It was also way too expensive for me to buy new blank CD-Rs in music stores just to store the same music to prevent it being stored on a hard drive on my laptop to prevent them being lost once more. I did this nonsense for two years & then I just couldn't do this my more. It was just a big waste of time & money IMO.

I have definitely gone back to buying music on CD in my last 5 purchases. The majority of them were really cheap when I got them brand new in stores. They are much cheaper from downloading albums or songs from a streaming service. The music CD will be with me until they are fully out of print from retailers & studios. I will never stop buying them again to support my favourite artists. I love buying them as I do with buying Blu-rays for my movies.

You can just upload your digital music collection to Google Play Music. Up to 50,000 songs for free. I never pay for digital music subscriptions.

I've actually been in the process of reuploading many of my CDs as apparently I uploaded them to 128 in the mid 00s instead of flac or even 320.

I've been enjoying playing my physical CDs lately but then realized I lost one of my booklets with tons of my favs in my wife's previous vehicle

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by Vilya

Most of us have voluntarily placed internet connected cameras and microphones inside of our homes . Your cellphone, tablet, personal computer, voice activated TVs, game consoles, and more devices have cameras and/or microphones built-in. Any of these can be hacked and used to spy on their "owners." Webcams have been remotely accessed by hackers in the past. We have bugged our homes ourselves.

Yep, so it’s not hard to imagine what I said will happen in the above post.

[flyry]

Originally Posted by Dustin44

Yeah, unless it is something that is OOP or very rare, it is tougher and tougher to get rid of DVD's.

You can't even really give away VHS tapes now. I don't think my local library still even take's VHS donations anymore.

We used to have a big local used movie store, which closed a little over a year ago. I know in the back they had a VHS section. They kept lowering the prices on VHS tapes over and over just trying to get rid of them. The guy working there said they could barely get rid of any of them even when they lowered the price to 25 cents each. (and these were decent titles and some Disney titles)

I can't even get rid of blu-rays of titles I've doubled dipped on in 4K. Popular titles too. Granted maybe people already own these titles, but I think moreso they just don't want the physicals.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by flyry

I can't even get rid of blu-rays of titles I've doubled dipped on in 4K. Popular titles too. Granted maybe people already own these titles, but I think moreso they just don't want the physicals.

Send them my way if you can’t get rid. I will happily take them off your hands. Every last mother******* one!

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by moviegeek1992

So I recently bought La La Land on iTunes (my first film from them). I watched it and noticed that the subtitles weren't formatted properly. They were those weird closed captions rather than the traditional SDH subs. So I shot Apple support an email enquiring about this. Without asking or confirming they automatically removed the title from my library and refunded me. Telling me to wait two weeks for them to sort the issue out and to buy it again afterwards. But seeing as I purchased it on sale, the price has now gone up. Wouldn't it have been easier for them to suggest I wait two weeks for them to try and sort out the issue and if they couldn't I could then ask for a refund?

The point is the fact that they were able to pull the title from my collection shows I had no control over that title. I did complain and to their credit they offered me two rentals for free. But it just reminded me that I myself don't have the same ability to curate my collection as I do with physical.

This will be a ongoing problem going forward imo.

[Dynamo of Eternia]

Originally Posted by moviegeek1992

So I recently bought La La Land on iTunes (my first film from them). I watched it and noticed that the subtitles weren't formatted properly. They were those weird closed captions rather than the traditional SDH subs. So I shot Apple support an email enquiring about this. Without asking or confirming they automatically removed the title from my library and refunded me. Telling me to wait two weeks for them to sort the issue out and to buy it again afterwards. But seeing as I purchased it on sale, the price has now gone up. Wouldn't it have been easier for them to suggest I wait two weeks for them to try and sort out the issue and if they couldn't I could then ask for a refund?

The point is the fact that they were able to pull the title from my collection shows I had no control over that title. I did complain and to their credit they offered me two rentals for free. But it just reminded me that I myself don't have the same ability to curate my collection as I do with physical.

The hell?! I wouldn't accept two free rentals. I would demand to have the title put back in your collection since you never asked them to remove it in the first place, you were just inquiring about the subtitles.

I wouldn't back down either. What a bunch of crap!

But this is why I stick with physical when and where possible.

[moviegeek1992]

Originally Posted by Dynamo of Eternia

The hell?! I wouldn't accept two free rentals. I would demand to have the title put back in your collection since you never asked them to remove it in the first place, you were just inquiring about the subtitles.

I wouldn't back down either. What a bunch of crap!

But this is why I stick with physical when and where possible.

It's probably for the best really. I was on the fence about starting a digital collection (the fact that we don't have Movies Anywhere in the UK only made me more apprehensive about diving in). I see the benefits of digital when it comes to streaming subscription services and even digital rentals from iTunes and Amazon etc but actually purchasing films to keep was totally different. It's ironic that when I did settle on iTunes as my provider of choice that not only did their rival, Amazon have better prices (alongside price matching iTunes), but they also had better formatted subtitles (like seriously Apple, what's up with them closed captions?).

I mentioned earlier that paying 2x or 3x more than the blu-ray just for the conveniance was not a great deal especially when you lose out on special features on certain titles on top of that. I can see myself purchasing a digital title in the future if it's the same price as a rental, but for everything else I'll stick with physical media for now and wait and see if we get Movies Anywhere here or how the digital services fare going forward.

[moviegeek1992]

Originally Posted by cmleblanc

I've also had that happen. This is totally unacceptable. They should never remove a title without customer authorization. This is making me nervous about reporting any issues to them if purchased within 90 days.

The funny thing is you can't check if they fixed the issue without repurchasing the title. Also I'm assuming reporting an issue to them after the 90 day period will most likely mean they won't bother refunding customers at all.

[Fiffy]

Originally Posted by moviegeek1992

So I recently bought La La Land on iTunes (my first film from them). I watched it and noticed that the subtitles weren't formatted properly. They were those weird closed captions rather than the traditional SDH subs.

What's wrong with the closed captions? They are actually better than subtitles, since they are usually horizontally positioned on the screen where the character is. Besides, many movies on iTunes have both closed captions and the simple SDH subtitles (often in several languages).

[alchav21]

Originally Posted by flyry

I can't even get rid of blu-rays of titles I've doubled dipped on in 4K. Popular titles too. Granted maybe people already own these titles, but I think moreso they just don't want the physicals.

Originally Posted by Steedeel

Send them my way if you can’t get rid. I will happily take them off your hands. Every last mother******* one!

If you Disc Lovers don't see the problem with giving things away, don't be surprised when Discs are eliminated. You guys want Discs to continue, but are not willing to pay Market Price. I use to buy Combo Packs, take the Digital and sell the Physical but you guys only want to pay a couple of bucks. I see DVD and Blu-ray selling for under $5 and 4K under $15 and probably $10. So at those prices Discs will not last. What do you guys want to pay for Discs, and the reality will set in so don't be surprised when Discs start disappearing!

[Dynamo of Eternia]

Originally Posted by alchav21

If you Disc Lovers don't see the problem with giving things away, don't be surprised when Discs are eliminated. You guys want Discs to continue, but are not willing to pay Market Price. I use to buy Combo Packs, take the Digital and sell the Physical but you guys only want to pay a couple of bucks. I see DVD and Blu-ray selling for under $5 and 4K under $15 and probably $10. So at those prices Discs will not last. What do you guys want to pay for Discs, and the reality will set in so don't be surprised when Discs start disappearing!

Is it some kind of "professional" message board posting goal of yours to miss the point of the posts that you reply to as much as possible?

I'm pretty sure Steedeel's point wasn't that he doesn't want to/refuses to pay market prices for movies as a general rule. Just that if someone wants to "toss"/get rid of their discs, he would be happy to take them off their hands rather than let them go to waste.

[moviegeek1992]

Originally Posted by Fiffy

What's wrong with the closed captions? They are actually better than subtitles, since they are usually horizontally positioned on the screen where the character is. Besides, many movies on iTunes have both closed captions and the simple SDH subtitles (often in several languages).

My main issue with closed captions is the font size. I have my ATV set to display subtitles at default settings which is medium size for the text. Everything from Netflix, Amazon Prime and YouTube subtitles are normal (medium sized), but the CC on iTunes are too small, to point of straining to read them. Only when I change the font size to large are they more legible but then the other app's subtitles are huge.

It seems like the CC are better designed for ipads and macbooks but don't work at that size for TV's when viewed from an average viewing distance. I also don't like the fact that they are higher up on the screen getting in the way of the picture. Even YouTube's subtitles move left to right depending on who is talking but they stay at the bottom in the black bar so it's not intrusive.

[alchav21]

Originally Posted by alchav21

If you Disc Lovers don't see the problem with giving things away, don't be surprised when Discs are eliminated. You guys want Discs to continue, but are not willing to pay Market Price. I use to buy Combo Packs, take the Digital and sell the Physical but you guys only want to pay a couple of bucks. I see DVD and Blu-ray selling for under $5 and 4K under $15 and probably $10. So at those prices Discs will not last. What do you guys want to pay for Discs, and the reality will set in so don't be surprised when Discs start disappearing!

Originally Posted by Dynamo of Eternia

Is it some kind of "professional" message board posting goal of yours to miss the point of the posts that you reply to as much as possible?

I'm pretty sure Steedeel's point wasn't that he doesn't want to/refuses to pay market prices for movies as a general rule. Just that if someone wants to "toss"/get rid of their discs, he would be happy to take them off their hands rather than let them go to waste.

You miss my point, I know what Steedeel meant, he waits till the end of the year and buys his Discs OnLine at discount prices, probably around my quotes. You guys are quick to say Disc sales are holding, but what are you willing to pay for them. If it's what I see as well as others, then Discs are on the way out. We see that no one is buying Discs like before, and if you guys buy close to my quotes then this is the reason why. Stats are fine, but that's old information tell us what you guys are willing to pay then we will get closer to the truth.

[flyry]

Originally Posted by alchav21

If you Disc Lovers don't see the problem with giving things away, don't be surprised when Discs are eliminated. You guys want Discs to continue, but are not willing to pay Market Price. I use to buy Combo Packs, take the Digital and sell the Physical but you guys only want to pay a couple of bucks. I see DVD and Blu-ray selling for under $5 and 4K under $15 and probably $10. So at those prices Discs will not last. What do you guys want to pay for Discs, and the reality will set in so don't be surprised when Discs start disappearing!

This really has nothing to do with my post. When I buy physical I pre-order and buy on day one because i'm impatient.

I'm impatient with digital too.

I was talking people not even wanting to spend $5 on classic titles that i'm trying to get rid of since I've upgraded them.

[The_Donster]

Originally Posted by flyry

Apple gonna Apple

I definitely agree, "Apple gonna Apple" I ran into an issue with my unrated version of Bridesmaids. It is in the extras on my computer's iTunes, but not my iPhone's copy. No biggie now. Since I worked out the issue, but I was pretty hot when dealing with their CSRS. I often wonder if I was actually speaking to a supervisor though. As my wife said, how much work are you going to put into a movie you probably will never watch digitally

[Dynamo of Eternia]

Originally Posted by alchav21

You miss my point, I know what Steedeel meant, he waits till the end of the year and buys his Discs OnLine at discount prices, probably around my quotes. You guys are quick to say Disc sales are holding, but what are you willing to pay for them. If it's what I see as well as others, then Discs are on the way out. We see that no one is buying Discs like before, and if you guys buy close to my quotes then this is the reason why. Stats are fine, but that's old information tell us what you guys are willing to pay then we will get closer to the truth.

Even if that is what Steedeel is doing with his purchases, why do you assume that it applies to anyone who buys discs?

I buy new titles on upon release regularly.

Plus a lot of people on the digital side of things like to get their movies at discounts as well and not at full price, such as those who like to buy codes from combo packs that others are selling if it's a better deal than buying the movie outright through the digital service.

[Swissangel4616]

to much trouble with Streaming-Service. After an update is done it doesn't work anymore (Music/movies) and I Need hours to get fixed. So no thanks for digital copy or Streaming blah blah

[Steedeel]

Yeah, just to be clear, I do things in a odd way. Rather than cherry picking discs throughout the year, I buy all my films in one bulk. This way I have a film for every weekend in the year and 5 or 6 for Christmas week just to have a film fest lol. That way, I always have a new film to watch (I blind buy every film)
The odd part is that I am one year behind so it takes a lot of patience and restraint to avoid spoilers for films. For example, I am only getting around to watching the likes of Hacksaw Ridge, Dunkirk, Wonder Woman 3D, Swiss Army Man etc.. now and in the next few weeks. It works a treat forme and it has nothing to do with getting cheap discs. It costs me around £700 but that includes tv shows like Bates Motel, Planet Earth 2, Blue Planet 2 etc.. sure some discs are cheaper but that’s not by planning it’s just the way it is. I have no qualms about paying full price.

So basically I track films from the very early stages and have a very good idea of what I will enjoy. I then read reviews but avoid spoiler reviews at all costs.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by alchav21

If you Disc Lovers don't see the problem with giving things away, don't be surprised when Discs are eliminated. You guys want Discs to continue, but are not willing to pay Market Price. I use to buy Combo Packs, take the Digital and sell the Physical but you guys only want to pay a couple of bucks. I see DVD and Blu-ray selling for under $5 and 4K under $15 and probably $10. So at those prices Discs will not last. What do you guys want to pay for Discs, and the reality will set in so don't be surprised when Discs start disappearing!

Are you having a laugh? You do realise Digital fans have been scraping around for codes for the last few years? In many cases, completely free?

[Steedeel]

Was just reading about the Disney streaming service and it’s going to be PG13 at the very most. It starts!

Hulu will probably get the R rated stuff but once again, that will leave other countries up in the air as we can’t get Hulu. So Digital fans outside the US don’t bet on a Netflix style global expansion. Sure, The UK will get the Disney service but we won’t have access to R rated content imo. What a mess Digital is.