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

[Vilya]

I would love to own a projector some fine day. Besides the gigantic image they provide, I love that they still support 3D. I can't say I am as enthusiastic about replacing projector bulbs every few years, though. The bulbs are very expensive. I understand the laser lit projectors last a lot longer, but do they also provide a better image? I also hope projectors support Dolby Vision soon; the last time I looked they still did not.

[Groot]

Originally Posted by Vilya

I would love to own a projector some fine day. Besides the gigantic image they provide, I love that they still support 3D. I can't say I am as enthusiastic about replacing projector bulbs every few years, though. The bulbs are very expensive. I understand the laser lit projectors last a lot longer, but do they also provide a better image? I also hope projectors support Dolby Vision soon; the last time I looked they still did not.

Decent non-oem bulbs for high end projectors can be under $100. Not bad for every couple of years, IMO. If you go oem style they are $200 or so.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by Vilya

I would love to own a projector some fine day. Besides the gigantic image they provide, I love that they still support 3D. I can't say I am as enthusiastic about replacing projector bulbs every few years, though. The bulbs are very expensive. I understand the laser lit projectors last a lot longer, but do they also provide a better image? I also hope projectors support Dolby Vision soon; the last time I looked they still did not.

The short throw laser projectors look excellent.

As a kid, I dreamt about owning my own home cinema and 4K plus a good projector along with a good surround set up means one can achieve that. It can’t be beaten imo. I enjoy it more than the actual cinema as it’s much quieter lol. I still go to the flicks though and I will be seeing the new Halloween next.

[stonesfan129]

Do you think they will end up coming out with 6K or 8K UHD? Or do you think they will stop at 4K? I feel like once you get past 1080P, you start to run into diminishing returns. I have seen a 4K UHD disc on what I thought was a good 75" 4K TV with HDR. I thought it looked spectacular. But by comparison I still don't think there is anything wrong with regular 1080P Blu-ray.

[alchav21]

Originally Posted by Vor4

But if someone that has a huge digital media collection and decides to go back to disc that person wasted all that money on digital media, even if he/she doesn't watch most of the flims and tv shows that were bought digitally. If that happens that person may have to rebuy their favorite flims on disc, even if they have to pay top dollar for out of print discs, or have to rebuy every movie on bluray or 4k bluray that he/she owned before switching to digital media.

Originally Posted by Vilya

Resuming the purchase of discs will not make your digital library disappear; you still have access to that content for as long as the digital providers permit it.

You could choose to repurchase on disc only those titles that are either on sale or just those titles that you especially love. Going forward I would recommend buying subsequent new additions on disc. I would replace those digital only titles on a case by basis over time based on both price and level of personal interest.

It is no surprise that I think digital only purchases are a poor choice and for a lot of reasons. Clearly, not everyone agrees with me. Had I made such poor choices, I would rather learn from my mistakes and not just continue to repeat them. It is never too late to embrace the best in quality, and in control of content, that only physical media offers.

You guys sound like broken records, who are you trying to convince us or yourselves. Going back to Discs, is like stepping back in time. Technology waits for no one, before you know it, it's Obsolete. You have to think what is after 4K Discs, 8K or 16K, and then what will they put it on. I say some kind of Storage Device, so we are back to Servers. The natural order of things is moving forward, not back. Oppo saw this coming, the Disc Player Manufacturers have to start thinking in Storage too. Then they can play the Digital Content no matter how big the size. Like I have said before it's all Digital now! I didn't know Blockbuster was still around, but they are closing the stores in Anchorage, Alaska, and only Bend, Oregon will be left....Discs are on the way out!

[CV19]

Originally Posted by alchav21

You guys sound like broken records, who are you trying to convince us or yourselves. Going back to Discs, is like stepping back in time. Technology waits for no one, before you know it, it's Obsolete. You have to think what is after 4K Discs, 8K or 16K, and then what will they put it on. I say some kind of Storage Device, so we are back to Servers. The natural order of things is moving forward, not back. Oppo saw this coming, the Disc Player Manufacturers have to start thinking in Storage too. Then they can play the Digital Content no matter how big the size. Like I have said before it's all Digital now! I didn't know Blockbuster was still around, but they are closing the stores in Anchorage, Alaska, and only Bend, Oregon will be left....Discs are on the way out!

Forgive me, I know I never normally post here but I do like to read everyone's opinions, if anything just to simply improve my knowledge.

However as I see it, the majority of guys here who choose physical media (and I include myself here), choose it for the quality a disc can provide and the fact that they own a tangible product, plus importantly they are not dependent on the performance of their internet provider. We all know how that can vary wildly from one area to another.

However, with regards to discs being on their way out, I would imagine from a business point of view that so long as the studios can continue to make money out of physical media, then discs will continue to be readily available.

As for Blockbusters closing down, well here in the UK it's the same. However, it's not just video stores that are closing (I'm referring to video rental shops) - some high street stores are closing simply because people are making purchases online instead. The products themselves still exist, just not in a bricks and mortar store.

I should add that there are still a number of independent stores which do sell Blu-rays and DVD's - I pop into one a few miles away from me now and again, and I can assure you there are plenty of people who do buy discs.

Just my 2 cents worth, for what it is.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by PenguinInfinity

8K (and higher) will probably happen eventually. But it'll just be for new movies that were filmed and mastered at those resolutions. 99% of the movies currently in existence can't benefit from anything higher than 4K.

VR will be one of the main beneficiaries.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by CV19

Forgive me, I know I never normally post here but I do like to read everyone's opinions, if anything just to simply improve my knowledge.

However as I see it, the majority of guys here who choose physical media (and I include myself here), choose it for the quality a disc can provide and the fact that they own a tangible product, plus importantly they are not dependent on the performance of their internet provider. We all know how that can vary wildly from one area to another.

However, with regards to discs being on their way out, I would imagine from a business point of view that so long as the studios can continue to make money out of physical media, then discs will continue to be readily available.

As for Blockbusters closing down, well here in the UK it's the same. However, it's not just video stores that are closing (I'm referring to video rental shops) - some high street stores are closing simply because people are making purchases online instead. The products themselves still exist, just not in a bricks and mortar store.

I should add that there are still a number of independent stores which do sell Blu-rays and DVD's - I pop into one a few miles away from me now and again, and I can assure you there are plenty of people who do buy discs.

Just my 2 cents worth, for what it is.

I wouldn’t argue against any of that. Excellent points.

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by alchav21

You guys sound like broken records, who are you trying to convince us or yourselves. Going back to Discs, is like stepping back in time. Technology waits for no one, before you know it, it's Obsolete. You have to think what is after 4K Discs, 8K or 16K, and then what will they put it on. I say some kind of Storage Device, so we are back to Servers. The natural order of things is moving forward, not back. Oppo saw this coming, the Disc Player Manufacturers have to start thinking in Storage too. Then they can play the Digital Content no matter how big the size. Like I have said before it's all Digital now! I didn't know Blockbuster was still around, but they are closing the stores in Anchorage, Alaska, and only Bend, Oregon will be left....Discs are on the way out!

I wish I could say it was nice to have you back, but even you could see through that lie.

Discs are NOT on the way out. Your repeatedly saying such stupid things is one of the many reasons why you are the laughing stock of this thread. 4K discs sales are up 130%. Disc sales overall are still in a decline, about 10% in the first quarter 2018, but they are in no more danger of disappearing than are your imbecilic predictions to the contrary.

Discs ARE a storage device, genius. We are not "back" to servers; servers fail and have to be replaced every 5-7 years. They are an expensive and unreliable choice for consumers. There are many storage devices available for future formats.

State of the art video and sound playback come from 4K discs. Discs lead the technology; streaming lags behind as it always has. 35% of American adults do not have broadband internet access. Streaming 4K is impossible for them. Far fewer people could hope to stream in 8K or beyond. The internet infrastructure in the U.S. ranks 10th in the world, 28th for mobile internet.

Oppo's decision to leave the home video and audio business has little to do with the performance of physical media. 4K disc players, like 4K discs themselves, are seeing solid sales growth. Oppo sold two players; one for $550 and the other for $1299. Most people would never pay that for a disc player when there are options under $200 now. Oppo makes most of its money from its smartphone sales in Asia; they said they wanted to concentrate on that.

Your saying it is "all digital now" is meaningless. If you are trying to equate all digital content as being the same or equal, you could not be more wrong... even for you. Not everything digital is the same and the quality of digital video and audio formats vary widely based on many factors. The 4K disc format is the standard bearer for quality; physical media continues to offer cutting edge technology.

[Wendell R. Breland]

Originally Posted by Vilya

I wish I could say it was nice to have you back, but even you could see through that lie.

Vilya, the poor guy just does not get it and appears never will. Very typical in today's internet world where folks read a little about a subject and then think they are an expert on the subject. He made a post in the BD-R thread and it was obvious the poster did not know what BD-R was. It really is .

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by Wendell R. Breland

Vilya, the poor guy just does not get it and appears never will. Very typical in today's internet world where folks read a little about a subject and then think they are an expert on the subject. He made a post in the BD-R thread and it was obvious the poster did not know what BD-R was. It really is .

You are right. I need to keep that in mind. I have a low tolerance for hyperbole, especially when it keeps getting repeated- and by someone fond of using the "broken records" analogy.

[Dustin44]

Originally Posted by CV19

As for Blockbusters closing down, well here in the UK it's the same. However, it's not just video stores that are closing (I'm referring to video rental shops) - some high street stores are closing simply because people are making purchases online instead. The products themselves still exist, just not in a bricks and mortar store.

I should add that there are still a number of independent stores which do sell Blu-rays and DVD's - I pop into one a few miles away from me now and again, and I can assure you there are plenty of people who do buy discs.

Just my 2 cents worth, for what it is.

Are there still many Blockbusters open in the UK?

I remember I used to go to Blockbuster all the time in the late 90's and into the 2000's. There was a Blockbuster only about a mile from my house, so it was a very short trip to the store.

That Blockbuster closed in early 2014 (along with most of the stores that were left) and it still feels weird that they are gone.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by Dustin44

Are there still many Blockbusters open in the UK?

I remember I used to go to Blockbuster all the time in the late 90's and into the 2000's. There was a Blockbuster only about a mile from my house, so it was a very short trip to the store.

That Blockbuster closed in early 2014 (along with most of the stores that were left) and it still feels weird that they are gone.

No, they closed years ago.

[CV19]

Originally Posted by Dustin44

Are there still many Blockbusters open in the UK?

I remember I used to go to Blockbuster all the time in the late 90's and into the 2000's. There was a Blockbuster only about a mile from my house, so it was a very short trip to the store.

That Blockbuster closed in early 2014 (along with most of the stores that were left) and it still feels weird that they are gone.

The one closest to me shut down about 7 or 8 years ago sadly. They went into administration and the last of the stores shut down in about 2013 or thereabouts.

The main supermarkets near me do stock Blu-rays and DVD's, but generally they're all new releases. If I go into the city, there's a store called Fopp which does stock a really good range of titles, both old and new. Fopp's do have a number of stores around the country.

[The_Donster]

I vote CV19 be the pro physical spokesperson. You kept it brief and made some fine points without making it personal. Which I’m guilty of too. My wife and I literally came across our old Blockbuster and local video stores when purging for the move Dustin44. It has been so long I can’t remember when ours closed their doors.

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by The_Donster

I vote CV19 be the pro physical spokesperson. You kept it brief and made some fine points without making it personal. Which I’m guilty of too. My wife and I literally came across our old Blockbuster and local video stores when purging for the move Dustin44. It has been so long I can’t remember when ours closed their doors.

I will second that nomination as he is both eloquent and a gentleman, always.

[CV19]

Originally Posted by Dustin44

I remember I used to go to Blockbuster all the time in the late 90's and into the 2000's. There was a Blockbuster only about a mile from my house, so it was a very short trip to the store.

I used to love going into Blockbusters back in my VHS days in the 90's. Honestly, I could spend all day just browsing through all the titles they had - including some films I'd simply never heard of. My local one had quite a decent selection of Italian horrors too by the likes of Mario Bava and Dario Argento, which although I've always enjoyed horror films, I wasn't too familiar with the Italian ones back then.

A shame it closed down. Now there's a Waitrose store in its place.

[CV19]

Originally Posted by The_Donster

I vote CV19 be the pro physical spokesperson. You kept it brief and made some fine points without making it personal. Which I’m guilty of too. My wife and I literally came across our old Blockbuster and local video stores when purging for the move Dustin44. It has been so long I can’t remember when ours closed their doors.

Originally Posted by Vilya

I will second that nomination as he is both eloquent and a gentleman, always.

Thank you both for your kind comments, I appreciate that.

[Dustin44]

Originally Posted by The_Donster

I vote CV19 be the pro physical spokesperson. You kept it brief and made some fine points without making it personal. Which I’m guilty of too. My wife and I literally came across our old Blockbuster and local video stores when purging for the move Dustin44. It has been so long I can’t remember when ours closed their doors.

I am sure I have my old Blockbuster membership card somewhere.

Originally Posted by CV19

I used to love going into Blockbusters back in my VHS days in the 90's. Honestly, I could spend all day just browsing through all the titles they had - including some films I'd simply never heard of. My local one had quite a decent selection of Italian horrors too by the likes of Mario Bava and Dario Argento, which although I've always enjoyed horror films, I wasn't too familiar with the Italian ones back then.

A shame it closed down. Now there's a Waitrose store in its place.

Yeah, I would browse for a long time. My store didn't have many Mario Bava films; they did have quite a few Argento ones though.

I am a big horror movie fan, and they some strange ones that I had never heard of before. Of course, some of those horror films sucked you in with awesome cover art, but the movie was terrible.

[CV19]

Originally Posted by Dustin44

I am a big horror movie fan, and they some strange ones that I had never heard of before. Of course, some of those horror films sucked you in with awesome cover art, but the movie was terrible.

Yes, horror is my favourite genre closely followed by sci-fi. You're absolutely right about the cover art - I recall getting Driller Killer one night which had that very famous image on the cover and remember the film not being anywhere near as gory as the image would have indicated. I'm guessing the video was a heavily cut version of the film, as back in those days the BBFC (British Film Censors) were cracking down on so-called 'video nasties'.