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

[jtu128]

I never think of a physical media purchase as an asset to buy/sell, it’s all about collecting for me.

[bhampton]

Originally Posted by jtu128

I never think of a physical media purchase as an asset to buy/sell, it’s all about collecting for me.

Me Too !

And that is why I quit buying digital!

(also the audio .... can't argue with better audio)

iTunes just downgraded 3 of my James Bond movies from 4K to HD and everyone I speak to thinks they are being upgraded but it's been over a week and I don't think they are being upgraded. Your digital purchases can be superseded with new versions and this can result (at least in iTunes) with your version dis-appearing !!

So one day I have the complete James Bond collection in 4K and the next day I don't. Did Apple apologize ? Heck no.

So my future is not in buying digital (streaming) movies.

I can't collect Digital. They can be lost instantly. People don't believe this but there is proof !


For some people proof isn't enough.


Online streaming is a rental format. I believe that Vudu used to provide 3 years access for anything you purchased. Of course terms and conditions change rapidly these days. Don't like the changes.... can't use the service.


-Brian

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by bhampton

Me Too !

And that is why I quit buying digital!

(also the audio .... can't argue with better audio)

iTunes just downgraded 3 of my James Bond movies from 4K to HD and everyone I speak to thinks they are being upgraded but it's been over a week and I don't think they are being upgraded. Your digital purchases can be superseded with new versions and this can result (at least in iTunes) with your version dis-appearing !!

So one day I have the complete James Bond collection in 4K and the next day I don't. Did Apple apologize ? Heck no.

So my future is not in buying digital (streaming) movies.

I can't collect Digital. They can be lost instantly. People don't believe this but there is proof !


For some people proof isn't enough.


Online streaming is a rental format. I believe that Vudu used to provide 3 years access for anything you purchased. Of course terms and conditions change rapidly these days. Don't like the changes.... can't use the service.


-Brian

Not sure why you went digital in the first place when you have always insisted that quality is essential.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by flyry

It can't work both ways

Other pro physical posters and also yourself in here often say "How much can you flip your digital movies you bought for!?"

But at the end of the day, with disc you are getting the best A/V quality. So I often say a digital collection is worthless. If you are a film fanatic and you are collecting digital, you are robbing yourself of HT quality. You know it, I know it.

[cheez avenger]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

But at the end of the day, with disc you are getting the best A/V quality. So I often say a digital collection is worthless. If you are a film fanatic and you are collecting digital, you are robbing yourself of HT quality. You know it, I know it.

Being a film fanatic and a physical media fanatic are not mutually exclusive. Never have, never will be.

If the only way to catch a movie is via digital means, it doesn't stop anyone from being any less a fan of the medium of film.

[Wendell R. Breland]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

Not sure why you went digital in the first place when you have always insisted that quality is essential.

IMO, not important. If the poster is all about supporting physical again then that is what counts.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by flyry

Disney is already fixing Simpsons as I predicted, granted not until 2020.

Shouldn’t have needed a fix in the first place. It’s very sloppy from Disney in my opinion.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by cheez avenger

Being a film fanatic and a physical media fanatic are not mutually exclusive. Never have, never will be.

If the only way to catch a movie is via digital means, it doesn't stop anyone from being any less a fan of the medium of film.

A film fanatic would want all their content unaltered and free from the risk of censorship. Digital cannot guarantee that and will likely face constant issues with such things given the ‘snowflake’ mentality of social media.

[cheez avenger]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

A film fanatic would want all their content unaltered and free from the risk of censorship. Digital cannot guarantee that and will likely face constant issues with such things given the ‘snowflake’ mentality of social media.

Until the day that all of digital media is censored, it remains a popular and viable means of watching film. No problem there.

On a separate but relevant tangent, do you still watch DVDs or is it 4K end all for you? If someone's only means of procuring film is going to their nearest library and checking out a few titles for free is the only option, are you against that, too? There's a digital component, as well, because some libraries also offer access to services like Kanopy and Hoopla for free. Folks that may only have access to these services may not be home theater enthusiasts, but are film fans nonetheless. It feels like your lumping in the two.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by cheez avenger

Until the day that all of digital media is censored, it remains a popular and viable means of watching film. No problem there.

On a separate but relevant tangent, do you still watch DVDs or is it 4K end all for you? If someone's only means of procuring film is going to their nearest library and checking out a few titles for free is the only option, are you against that, too? There's a digital component, as well, because some libraries also offer access to services like Kanopy and Hoopla for free. Folks that may only have access to these services may not be home theater enthusiasts, but are film fans nonetheless. It feels like your lumping in the two.

Just Blu-ray/3D and UHD Disc.

I’m not against people doing what you mention, I am against people dumping their disc collection for digital and then making false claims to try to justify it.

[bhampton]

I wanted to go all iTunes. I Wanted to believe in it. What if my whole collection could go anywhere. I did like it at first.

But eventually I picked up some more discs and the quality of streaming is not there. When you know this you know this. The lossless audio on many discs is fully engaging. Video can still be a bit hit or miss but truth is the best version of most content is on disc.

This could change quick. I do have some movies in iTunes that are otherwise not available in 4K.

I do care about censorship but not as much. I care more about the lasting ability to own movies as it is a risk due to changing habits of consumers.

-Brian

[bhampton]

Originally Posted by cheez avenger

Until the day that all of digital media is censored, it remains a popular and viable means of watching film. No problem there.

Really,...all content has to be censored before it becomes un-viable?

All of it?...

Geez. I guess Streaming should leave one movie alone just to protect themselves.

[DustnBones001]

It really saddens and scares me to see digital winning this war. After seeing how much the physical media section has shrunk at my local best buy it broke my heart. I love the convience of digital but I value physical ownership more. You don't own anything on digital. And it's sad to see people not realize that.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by DustnBones001

It really saddens and scares me to see digital winning this war. After seeing how much the physical media section has shrunk at my local best buy it broke my heart. I love the convience of digital but I value physical ownership more. You don't own anything on digital. And it's sad to see people not realize that.

For the millionth time, people order far more online these days. If the number of discs sold via the (anecdotal) stories of empty sale aisles added up, Blu-ray would have died years ago.

Also, if it saddens you to see this fake scenario, why would you invest in digital in the first place? Surely you are contributing to that?

[DustnBones001]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

For the millionth time, people order far more online these days. If the number of discs sold via the (anecdotal) stories of empty sale aisles added up, Blu-ray would have died years ago.

Also, if it saddens you to see this fake scenario, why would you invest in digital in the first place? Surely you are contributing to that?

Do you really think studios are going to continue to manafacture discs? Where do you think the online inventory comes from? I think I remember you from the thread years ago of dvd vs bd(you choose the wrong enemy there. Digital was always the threat not dvd). I only buy movies that come with digital copy. I enjoy the convience of digital. But that doesn't mean I don't like to own my physical media. It's not a black/white situation. I still support the few local video stores I have over renting digitally. I do my part to try and keep physical media alive. The question is is it enough? The vast majority seem to prefer digital more. And that does bother me as I don't want physical media to die.

[Wendell R. Breland]

Originally Posted by DustnBones001

It really saddens and scares me to see digital winning this war.

Which war would that be? Currently there are two forms of streaming, ownership (EST) and OTT (SVOD & AVOD). EST had been gaining ground for the last several quarters but has really slowed down and lost ground in the last quarter and revenue has remained below physical disc revenue.

The ones losing to OTT streaming is traditional linear pay TV. Just look at the loss of cable and satellite subs. Even with the losses traditional linear pay TV is still the very big gorilla in the room revenue wise.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by DustnBones001

Do you really think studios are going to continue to manafacture discs? Where do you think the online inventory comes from? I think I remember you from the thread years ago of dvd vs bd(you choose the wrong enemy there. Digital was always the threat not dvd). I only buy movies that come with digital copy. I enjoy the convience of digital. But that doesn't mean I don't like to own my physical media. It's not a black/white situation. I still support the few local video stores I have over renting digitally. I do my part to try and keep physical media alive. The question is is it enough? The vast majority seem to prefer digital more. And that does bother me as I don't want physical media to die.

Of course I do. Also, I have always seen the threat as digital, not DVD (a format I embraced for its improvement over VHS). Digital is a backwards step, it’s for lazy people, not HT enthusiasts.

Digital HD is a dead end. Subscription streaming is king but it’s going to be a shitfest trying to afford all the various exclusives that will no doubt be a big part of their armour.

[Steedeel]

First you're talking about two completely different types of media. One does not equal the other in any way. Second so what if some people do this because they will not remove the option to watch at normal speed. Actually listen to how illogical it sounds to REMOVE an option the majority use. It makes absolutely no financial sense to anyone. Even if 1.5x was added as some crazy speed watchers option they are not going to remove the normal option. Remember the article you yourself linked to said 79% never ever watch tv or movies at a faster speed. That is a pretty damn big majority to say f*** you to.

You already can watch those things at 1.5x speed because that is just called fast forward which has existed forever. However you're talking about this as a new feature. something that you can click right from the start and something they advertise as an option. For that i'll take the bet with you for $100 that it will not happen on Netflix, Amazon, or anything else within 2-3 years. I am so damn confident this crazy outlandish thing won't happen I'll bump it to a $1,000 if you'd like.

I came across this post today from three years ago from Armyofdarkness. Imagine if I had took that bet from you Army (if you are still around). Could have been a grand better off.

See, THIS is why you guys shouldn’t rule out my predictions. Speed watching will happen, 100%. I predicted Netflix would add it within 3 years and here we are with Netflix trialling it on Android.

That speed watching future doesn’t seem so far fetched now does it?

[Wendell R. Breland]

OTT pay TV following the path of traditional pay TV.

The price for the Hulu Live TV service will increase by $10 a month, Hulu announced.

The skinny bundle will jump from $44.99 a month to $54.99 starting Dec. 18.

[Wendell R. Breland]

Black Friday: Amazon Taking 50% Off New Release Movies Through Dec. 5

Buried in the details of Amazon’s Black Friday (Nov. 29) deals is the ecommerce giant offering Prime members 50% off on all new release movie purchases and rentals through Dec. 5.

Prime Video is also launching its first holiday-themed original content with the debut of “The Kacey Musgraves Christmas Show” on Black Friday, which will be accompanied by an official country music soundtrack available on Amazon Music and other DSPs.