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

[The_Donster]

Well, in the long run it comes down to preference more than anything with most members. Be it physical or digital. Me? I don’t mind watching some series or movies on digital. Especially ones that I’m not sure are worth a blind buy or repeated viewing. I mean, by the time I start upgrading to 4K another format will be come out

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by alchav21

If you watched the 2019 Shootout, they tested Netflix on all their High End Displays and the PQ was very good. All the testers commented that the Streaming Quality has come a long way.

Provide a link or you are again just posting hearsay.

None of the articles that I have read about the shootout even mention Netflix nor do they comment about improvements in streaming quality.

Historically, since Netflix began streaming in 2007, streaming has improved greatly from when it first began, but nothing since 2015 has changed with Netflix or Vudu.

4K streaming bitrates and the codecs used have not changed for either Netflix or for Vudu since 2015. 15-16 Mbps then, 15-16 Mbps now. No change in codec, either. H.265 (for 4K) then as now. Neither Netflix nor Vudu have raised their internet requirements to stream since 2015 as well. Nothing has changed. No change in quality.

The 4K TVs are what have improved since 2015, but not Netflix or Vudu themselves.

[Wendell R. Breland]

Originally Posted by The_Donster

I don’t mind watching some series or movies on digital.

All total, I probably watch more streaming hours per week than I watch physical. Been doing so for sometime now. Started streaming UHD with House of Cards in late 2014 or early 2015 using a Sony FMP-X10, by far the most expensive per hour of use box I have ever owned (about $500).

For me, my per movie cost is ≈ $2 per movie using Netflix Blu-ray by mail. I have yet to find anything that cheap at that quality level.

When people say streaming quality = disc quality is the only time I have to chime in because it is not true. Not really sure why pro streamers feel the need to make out streaming quality to be the equivalent of disc quality. I have no problem when people say streaming suits their needs or works best for them or fits their budget or ....

[Vilya]

I am currently streaming Netflix's The Haunting Of Hill House with Dolby Vision and I am enjoying it. It looks and sounds fine overall, but it could look even better were it on a 4K disc of that I have no doubt.

It is a show made up of a lot of dark scenes and streaming has a little bit of difficulty with scenes such as these.

[Wendell R. Breland]

Originally Posted by Vilya

I am currently streaming Netflix's The Haunting Of Hill House with Dolby Vision and I am enjoying it. It looks and sounds fine, but it could look even better were it on a 4K disc of that I have no doubt.

Interesting, we finished all in that series just a few weeks ago . Just finished Sabrina and Our Planet. Planet looked quite good till one looks at Planet Earth II on UHD BD.

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by Wendell R. Breland

Interesting, we finished all in that series just a few weeks ago . Just finished Sabrina and Our Planet. Planet looked quite good till one looks at Planet Earth II on UHD BD.

Don't tell me it how it ends!

Planet Earth II on 4K disc is mesmerizing! Stunningly beautiful!

[alchav21]

Originally Posted by Wendell R. Breland

When people say streaming quality = disc quality is the only time I have to chime in because it is not true. Not really sure why pro streamers feel the need to make out streaming quality to be the equivalent of disc quality. I have no problem when people say streaming suits their needs or works best for them or fits their budget or ....

I have a problem when you guys say Streaming is good enough or convenient, when to me HD 1080P Streams look like BD. I've been watching a lot of Netflix too like Jessica Jones and last night the Movie Murder Mystery with Jennifer Aniston and Adam Sandler. Jessica has a lot of dark scenes, and Mystery's beautiful sceneries, PQ looking Outstanding to me.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by alchav21

I have a problem when you guys say Streaming is good enough or convenient, when to me HD 1080P Streams look like BD. I've been watching a lot of Netflix too like Jessica Jones and last night the Movie Murder Mystery with Jennifer Aniston and Adam Sandler. Jessica has a lot of dark scenes, and Mystery's beautiful sceneries, PQ looking Outstanding to me.

Were you wearing a face mask?

[The_Donster]

Okay, don’t act surprised when you get what you give from another member Steedeel

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by The_Donster

Okay, don’t act surprised when you get what you give from another member Steedeel

It’s the only explanation. Either that or dark scenes when streamed have suddenly become super crisp, super clear and free of any artefacts. Considering I last watched Netflix on Friday night, I sort of doubt it.

Too many fence sitters in here.

[octagon]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

Too many fence sitters in here.

Try as I might I just can't seem to make myself give two shits about how other people watch TV.

Sorry

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by octagon

Try as I might I just can't seem to make myself give two shits about how other people watch TV.

Sorry

The time to be sorry has not arrived yet.

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by alchav21

I have a problem when you guys say Streaming is good enough or convenient, when to me HD 1080P Streams look like BD. I've been watching a lot of Netflix too like Jessica Jones and last night the Movie Murder Mystery with Jennifer Aniston and Adam Sandler. Jessica has a lot of dark scenes, and Mystery's beautiful sceneries, PQ looking Outstanding to me.

Well, the convenience aspect should not bother you because it is true. Streaming IS convenient and that is one of its biggest selling points.

Clearly, streaming is "good enough" even for many of us that prefer disc. If it was not "good enough" I would not subscribe to Netflix nor would I use Vudu for rentals.

Amazon Prime, in my opinion, is NOT "good enough" because the video freezes almost every time I attempt to watch anything with it; they are the only streaming service to cause me any headaches. Thus, I seldom use it because using it results in movie mood killing aggravation. From what I have read from other forum members, I am far from being alone in my criticism of Amazon Prime streaming.

Netflix and Vudu's 4K streaming looks, and usually sounds, very good to me. My experience with watching 4K discs prevents me from giving it any higher praise than that. It looks more than "good enough" for me to keep using them both.

If you think streaming looks "outstanding" then that's great for you. I certainly have no problem with your enjoying it that much and I doubt that anyone else does, either. I just define "outstanding" differently than you do. I think 4K disc playback is outstanding and 4K streaming I find to be very good.

With that, it is time for me to resume streaming The Haunting Of Hill House; I have become hooked to this show after four episodes into it. I like haunted house stories; they're spooky!

[octagon]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

The time to be sorry has not arrived yet.

Keep us posted.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by octagon

Keep us posted.

Always.

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

Always.

One of the constants of the universe.

[sapiendut]

Yup. Very good, but not good enough, let alone “outstanding”.

[avs commenter]

I rarely notice the ‘motion’ artifacts or issues when streaming movies in 24P.

However, I definitely do if streaming live sports. Which is why I haven’t cut the cord.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by avs commenter

I rarely notice the ‘motion’ artifacts or issues when streaming movies in 24P.

However, I definitely do if streaming live sports. Which is why I haven’t cut the cord.

It’s panning I notice the most. Followed by banding and pixelation.

[Wendell R. Breland]

Originally Posted by alchav21

I have a problem when you guys say Streaming is good enough or convenient, when to me HD 1080P Streams look like BD.

There is very few BD or UHD BD movie titles that I and many others would call Outstanding [sic]. In most all cases it has little or nothing to do with the disc, it is the source material that is less than Outstanding. Now take that same source material, compress it down to streaming data rates and even more severe audio/video compromises will have to be made compared to disc.

The folks at Hi-Def Digest (here) do a fairly good job of rating the picture and sound quality. Select a title to review then click the reviewers name to see a list of the hardware used for the review. Most have their displays calibrated to ISF requirements (site here)[also see the calibrator that post here]. You can bet these guys have motion interpolation, noise reduction, and other auto settings turned off, use original frame rate turned on, etc. IOW, the display needs to be as close to a real video monitor as one can get. IMHO, these reviewers are too kind in their reviews of titles with immersive audio (Dolby Atmos/DTS:X), I tend to agree with Widescreen Review (here) on immersive audio reviews.

Think you have seen the best that Blu-ray or UHD Blu-ray has to offer, think again. Watch the Vincent T video on the Sony BVM-HX300, that I linked earlier, where he states Blu-ray looks the best he has ever seen. I am told the Sony BVM-HX310 even looks better than the 300.