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

[Sector Drone]

Originally Posted by filmmusic

I can't understand why in this era of HD and UHD later where we want the best, there are loads of people that still want digital copies, which are of inferior quality!!
I never cared for them, and I'll never will..

You do know that Vudu has HD versions of movies that have only been released on DVD, right? So they actually do have the highest quality on some movies.

It's also not hard to understand why people would want the convenience of being able to watch all of their movies across all of their devices. Storage also becomes a major factor once you build up a big enough physical collection.

[alchav21]

Originally Posted by filmmusic

I can't understand why in this era of HD and UHD later where we want the best, there are loads of people that still want digital copies, which are of inferior quality!!
I never cared for them, and I'll never will..

It's all Digital now, the only difference is Streaming from your Blu-ray Player or Streaming Server. Film use to be the best Picture Quality, but now even the Studios are going all Digital. The Streaming Picture Quality and Sound is only going to get better. Streaming is the Future, and First Run Movies are coming out Streaming as soon as they hit the Theaters.

[Noetic Hatter]

I buy some Blus if they are collectible (Like the new James Bond steelbooks I just ordered) or it's something I want to support. Or if it's cheaper.

But as a rule, I prefer the convenience of digital - as you can tell from the disparity of my discs vs digital collection numbers. (I had more blus and DVDs, but I sold them off once I acquired the digital copies. I only regret letting a couple of them go.)

I don't even mind multiple digital lockers. I regularly use amazon, ultraviolet (mostly via Vudu), iTunes, and Google - I own stuff in all those places.

I love Disney Movies Anywhere, too. Thanks to them, I have 12 movies that I have acquired in all sorts of ways showing up in all my digital lockers (even Microsoft's).

[filmmusic]

Originally Posted by Sector Drone

You do know that Vudu has HD versions of movies that have only been released on DVD, right? So they actually do have the highest quality on some movies.

It's also not hard to understand why people would want the convenience of being able to watch all of their movies across all of their devices. Storage also becomes a major factor once you build up a big enough physical collection.

Obviously I was talking about the films that do have a Bluray release.
And a film lover that watches a film on his phone, obviously is not a film lover for me.
He's just a regular film viewer..

[alchav21]

Originally Posted by filmmusic

Obviously I was talking about the films that do have a Bluray release.
And a film lover that watches a film on his phone, obviously is not a film lover for me.
He's just a regular film viewer..

I guess that is the obvious conclusion, that most Streaming is to Mobile Devices and certainly that is a plus. You have to realize now that Streaming has come a long way, and the trend is to Stream to your HDTV. I have a 62" Mitsubishi HDTV in my Entertainment Center, and Stream from my Panasonic Blu-ray Player which is Hard Wired with Structured Cat5 going back to a Fiber fed GigaBit Switch. So my HDX 1080P Movies are as good as any Blu-ray Physical Disc. Film Lover have to catch up now!

[Sector Drone]

Originally Posted by filmmusic

Obviously I was talking about the films that do have a Bluray release.
And a film lover that watches a film on his phone, obviously is not a film lover for me.
He's just a regular film viewer..

You said you didn't understand why people who would want the best would want digital copies. There's many instances where digital is the best. If you truly wanted everything in the best quality you would support digital and physical media. I watch most of my movies on Blu-ray, but will watch early releases, movies not on Blu-ray, and movies I'm not that sure about on Vudu. And I stream all of my movies to my TV and not a phone. I guess I can qualify as a film lover, thank god.

[filmmusic]

Originally Posted by alchav21

So my HDX 1080P Movies are as good as any Blu-ray Physical Disc.

No, they're not.
I've seen comparisons, and the digital copies are still of inferior quality to the actual Bluray discs.

[JMS1223]

I currently only own 10 sstand alone discs (which I just upgraded to blu-ray) so now I will have ten blu-ray discs - my top 10 favorite movies. I will try to sell the DVD versions once I get the blu-rays in the mail. On iTunes I have far more movies. I hope to add more to my iTunes library. I always wait for their sales.

I also have two box sets - Hitchcock set in Blu-ray and Band of Brothers in DVD.

[Cevolution]

Originally Posted by Sector Drone

You said you didn't understand why people who would want the best would want digital copies. There's many instances where digital is the best. If you truly wanted everything in the best quality you would support digital and physical media. I watch most of my movies on Blu-ray, but will watch early releases, movies not on Blu-ray, and movies I'm not that sure about on Vudu. And I stream all of my movies to my TV and not a phone. I guess I can qualify as a film lover, thank god.

That's a bit of an exaggeration. There is only a very small amount of content that is digitally distributed that trumps the Blu-ray version in terms of PQ. I would like to see you list 100 examples where this is the case, and provide screen cap evidence for each to support the claim. Comparing online 4K content to 1080p Blu-ray content does not count, you must compare apples to apples, 1080p streamed/downloaded content to 1080p Blu-ray's. Any 4K streamed/downloaded content must be compared to UHD Blu-ray content once it hits the market.

[Sector Drone]

Originally Posted by Cevolution

That's a bit of an exaggeration. There is only a very small amount of content that is digitally distributed that trumps the Blu-ray version in terms of PQ. I would like to see you list 100 examples where this is the case, and provide screen cap evidence for each to support the claim. Comparing online 4K content to 1080p Blu-ray content does not count, you must compare apples to apples, 1080p streamed/downloaded content to 1080p Blu-ray's. Any 4K streamed/downloaded content must be compared to UHD Blu-ray content once it hits the market.

Let me explain this again. There are many instances where Vudu has a movie that is only available on DVD and has NO Blu-ray release. Therefore they have the best available version of those movies. I never said that the digital copies look better than Blu-ray's.

[Joeker]

Originally Posted by Cevolution

That's a bit of an exaggeration. There is only a very small amount of content that is digitally distributed that trumps the Blu-ray version in terms of PQ. I would like to see you list 100 examples where this is the case, and provide screen cap evidence for each to support the claim. Comparing online 4K content to 1080p Blu-ray content does not count, you must compare apples to apples, 1080p streamed/downloaded content to 1080p Blu-ray's. Any 4K streamed/downloaded content must be compared to UHD Blu-ray content once it hits the market.

That seems like a lot of unnecessary work.

[crackedknee]

Regarding picture (transfer) quality and collections: As mentioned above, there are some examples of movies having only a DVD release and no BD presence. 2 recent examples for me are Popeye (1980) and Dragonslayer, which do not have BD releases, and which I purchased on UV, though VERY reluctantly, as I had no HD review to reference.

Luckily, in the case with those 2 films, they are both excellent transfers (film prints (a restoration issue) not perfect but very good/excellent digital transfers, film print sharp with no artificial sharpening/manipulation, color timing excellent, film stock quality presentations (accurate reproductions) for the cinemaphile).

The disadvantage to digital cloud content is lack of control over the quality. When I own the BD, I can read the review, and ensure that the transfer (restoration) in question is based on quality, not artificial manipulation of the image to make it conform to a "High-Definition" image. e.g. Somewhere in Time, much of the film purposely shot in soft-focus lenses, for effect (for the story), should not be artificially changed to become an HD sharp image. It was the artist's choice, take it or leave it.

However, it does not always work that way, and so if the studio decided, whether they have "evidence" or not, that every film must be manipulated to conform to a perceived HD standard, then that is the transfer they will provide to the streaming service (such as UV). Because you "own" the movie digitally, but really you are being granted (life-long?) access to the digital transfer (print) of that movie. Owning a reviewed, hard copy ensures you yourself can choose to have (or not have) the transfer/quality in question.

So I buy BDs of those films (mostly older films) where I worry about this, so I can ensure that I have the more permanent quality I want. But as with most who have posted here, the rest (more casual watches) I am content with digital copies.

Also, I must note, I can sell a physical copy that I get dislike or get sick of having (however good or meagre the selling price, I can at least reap some amount from it), but digital content, I can merely request it be deleted from me service, all monies paid for it gone forever.

[alchav21]

Originally Posted by filmmusic

No, they're not.
I've seen comparisons, and the digital copies are still of inferior quality to the actual Bluray discs.

Well it's all in the eye of the beholder, and of course the equipment you are using. I have a pretty good Home Theater set up, it's not the latest but it has a bright big picture....62" DLP. I really can't tell the difference when I watch BD or HDX Streaming. Right now I am enjoying the Streaming Movies more than the BD. I have also read and seen comparisons of BD and Streaming, and the Picture Quality for 1080P is getting more and more seamless. The Average Person Home Theater is probably a 42" HDTV, and with this I'm sure you could not tell the difference.

[Cevolution]

Originally Posted by filmmusic

I can't understand why in this era of HD and UHD later where we want the best, there are loads of people that still want digital copies, which are of inferior quality!!
I never cared for them, and I'll never will..

Originally Posted by Sector Drone

You do know that Vudu has HD versions of movies that have only been released on DVD, right? So they actually do have the highest quality on some movies.

It's also not hard to understand why people would want the convenience of being able to watch all of their movies across all of their devices. Storage also becomes a major factor once you build up a big enough physical collection.

Originally Posted by filmmusic

Obviously I was talking about the films that do have a Bluray release.
And a film lover that watches a film on his phone, obviously is not a film lover for me.
He's just a regular film viewer..

Originally Posted by Sector Drone

You said you didn't understand why people who would want the best would want digital copies. There's many instances where digital is the best. If you truly wanted everything in the best quality you would support digital and physical media. I watch most of my movies on Blu-ray, but will watch early releases, movies not on Blu-ray, and movies I'm not that sure about on Vudu. And I stream all of my movies to my TV and not a phone. I guess I can qualify as a film lover, thank god.

Originally Posted by Sector Drone

Let me explain this again. There are many instances where Vudu has a movie that is only available on DVD and has NO Blu-ray release. Therefore they have the best available version of those movies. I never said that the digital copies look better than Blu-ray's.

You don't need to try to explain. Read member Filmmusic's original post, clearly he was referring to picture and audio quality (and possibly the fact that some physical media comes with special features as well), of movies that are available on Blu-ray as well as through digital distributed methods, which he goes on to say to you in his reply to your reply. However that still didn't stop you replying again to him, carrying on about movies that are only available in HD from digital distribution services, when this is irrelevant to what he was meaning. Obviously you are having trouble comprehending this for you to continue to respond. "There's many instances where digital is the best", is what you stated, within the context of what Filmmusic was meaning for you to state this you are arguing that in many instances digital distribution has superior quality to the Blu-ray counterpart.

Originally Posted by Joeker

That seems like a lot of unnecessary work.

If anyone here is going to make claims that digitally distributed content is objectively superior to the Blu-ray version of said movie, then they need to back this up. If not, the individual has zero credibility, and should simply shut up.

[Sector Drone]

Originally Posted by Cevolution

You don't need to try to explain. Read member Filmmusic's original post, clearly he was referring to picture and audio quality (and possibly the fact that some physical media comes with special features as well), of movies that are available on Blu-ray as well as through digital distributed methods, which he goes on to say to you in his reply to your reply. However that still didn't stop you replying again to him, carrying on about movies that are only available in HD from digital distribution services, when this is irrelevant to what he was meaning. Obviously you are having trouble comprehending this for you to continue to respond. "There's many instances where digital is the best", is what you stated, within the context of what Filmmusic was meaning for you to state this you are arguing that in many instances digital distribution has superior quality to the Blu-ray counterpart.



If anyone here is going to make claims that digitally distributed content is objectively superior to the Blu-ray version of said movie, then they need to back this up. If not, the individual has zero credibility, and should simply shut up.

Okay, let me go back and read his original post again. No mention of audio quality, check. No mention of Blu-ray, check. No mention of special features, check. You must have clearly read a post that I missed or like to argue over absolutely nothing.

Oh, and I'll get right on taking those screen caps of 100 movies for you. Should be done any minute now.

[Cevolution]

Originally Posted by Sector Drone

Okay, let me go back and read his original post again. No mention of audio quality, check. No mention of Blu-ray, check. No mention of special features, check. You must have clearly read a post that I missed or like to argue over absolutely nothing.

Oh, and I'll get right on taking those screen caps of 100 movies for you. Should be done any minute now.

You certainly are a peanut. It was implied in Filmmusic's original post, and in his second post as I previously pointed out he states this, which was common sense unless you are a moron. So tell me, who is arguing over absolutely nothing. It was you who continued quoting Filmmusic's posts when it wasn't necessary, as what you had to say had no bearing on his comment.

[Sector Drone]

Originally Posted by Cevolution

You certainly are a peanut. It was implied in Filmmusic's original post, and in his second post as I previously pointed out he states this, which was common sense unless you are a moron. So tell me, who is arguing over absolutely nothing. It was you who quoted Filmmusic's post when it wasn't necessary, as what you had to say had no bearing on his comment.

Whatever helps you sleep easier at night, chief.

[Cevolution]

Originally Posted by Sector Drone

Whatever helps you sleep easier at night, chief.

Typical response of someone who is beaten and has nothing intelligent to say.

[Sector Drone]

Originally Posted by Cevolution

Typical response of someone who is beaten and has nothing intelligent to say.

I'm not going to debate a person endlessly over something I didn't say and who feels the need to insult other people by calling them morons and telling them to shut up. If it will fill your childish ego by saying I was beaten, consider myself beaten.

[Cevolution]

Originally Posted by Sector Drone

I'm not going to debate a person endlessly over something I didn't say and who feels the need to insult other people by calling them morons and telling them to shut up. If it will fill your childish ego by saying I was beaten, consider myself beaten.

If you are going misinterpret things, causing what was actually meant to be explained to you (especially when it was obvious) but blatantly disregard it, then the use of 'peanut' and 'moron' is warranted. There is no debate, there never was, Filmmusic was agreeding with you about content which is not available on Blu-ray. Childish ego?... This goes to you I'm afraid, because you simply can't admit that you made a mistake.