Aussie DVD while International get Blu-ray

[Rick Grimes]

Just found out today that Eastbound & Down S4 + Veep S2 are not getting BR releases in our country.

This after Orange is the New Black S1 did not get a BR release.

All three titles have UK releases, but distributors in Australia have neglected the Aussie BR community.

What's worse is Eastbound S1-3 & Veep S1 were released on Blu here. It is annoying when an Aussie BR collector wants to finish off (or continue) their collection, then the only option is to import!

Other examples: Weeds S1-6 released in Oz on Blu, 7 & 8 DVD only.
Bates Motel, Defiance did not even DVD releases, let alone BR!


I just don't get it. BR TV looks fantastic in native 1080p (and looks way better than any upscaled DVD). PLUS, for US titles, you get the correct speed that the show was filmed at. No PAL speedup (US shows on DVD are 4% quicker). The voices of male actors don't sound like they've been toking on helium. Soundtracks are the correct tempo.

What is happening to BR TV in Australia (and BR in general for that matter)? Is the scourge of piracy to blame? Or the archaic practice of Australians refusing to adopt Blu-Ray (where ignorance plays a big role). I can't believe our technologically ignorant country when I hear such questions as "What's the difference between DVD & Blu-Ray" and statements like "Blu-Ray is a dying medium, DVD is way better". Does the latter statement ring true for our country when a combination of deriders, naysayers & proles spread such crap?

With brand name BR players only $80, BR titles only a couple of dollars more than DVD, I just don't get why people aren't getting on the BR band wagon like our US and UK counterparts.

O.K., so Europe is slow to accept BR. We don't' have to follow them. It annoys me, when I'm in JB HiFi and I see the bulk of disc buyers still hovering around the DVD section. And I know that some of them are still using composite cable connections in the back of their HDTVs and braying "I enjoy watching DVDs in High Def on my HDTV".
I whole heartedly believe that ignorance plays a big role in the aborted start to Australia's HD revolution & has thus led to DVD only releases for TV shows that have BR transfers overseas.

I guess the bulk of people in Australia must be happy to continue to utilise a technology that will be 20 years old next year… Even for those who have some HD tech knowledge, who tout 1080p upscaling as DVDs saviour, must not be able to appreciate true HD quality that you only get with Blu-Ray. With upscaled DVDs, you get digital artefacts and anomalies that are always prevalent, ruining the benefits of upscaling. And with 4K coming, I couldn't imagine the issues a DVD has when upscaled to 4K (with a jump from 576i to 2160p!)

DVD upscaling is an affront to my viewing pleasure. 99.9% of Blu-Rays look way better than their DVD upscaled counterparts + you only get lossless audio with Blu-Ray.

I know I'm preaching to the converted, but I had to start this thread as a way to vent. Also, I want to know how many out there are also upset with the neglect of BR TV releases by Aussie distributors, when DVD isn't the only option. It must be due in the most part, to the fact that most consumers aren't adopting Blu-Ray in Australia. A sad state of affairs that makes my blood boil.

Thank the gods for Amazon. Aussie distributors are not getting my $ for their inferior DVD releases.


Still reading! or skipped to here. Either way, as an appendix to this rant (which has cathartically subdued my anger… for now), outside the colony, it appears that Netflix 4K streaming is available. But, with Australia's ancient internet, with an average 4.6 Mbps streaming for most and only 4% having access to >10 Mbps, 4K streaming is way off in Oz.
Ultimately, does this have any impact on Blu-Ray TV releases here? Not bloody likely, but it is still troubling to the author.

Here are some articles that BR aficionados may find disturbing (albeit heavily editorialised):

Why the 4K Blu-Ray format could be dead in the water http://www.techradar.com/au/news/vid...-water-1246497

Why Netflix in Ultra HD will ruin TV http://www.techradar.com/au/news/tel...uin-tv-1241142

4K streaming is leaving Blu-Ray in the dirt http://www.techradar.com/au/news/tel...e-dirt-1247111