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

[alchav21]

Originally Posted by dublinbluray108

I just read the good news about the PS5 having the UHD drive in 2020. I am very happy to hear about it.

Hanging on to the success of a Gaming Console for the Holidays of 2020 is a year away. That is a long time in Tech Technology, many things could change by then. 4K UHD will be the last Physical Media, and Panasonic and the other remaining Manufacturers haven't announced any new models. We will have to see what 2020 brings to the Table!

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by alchav21

Hanging on to the success of a Gaming Console for the Holidays of 2020 is a year away. That is a long time in Tech Technology, many things could change by then. 4K UHD will be the last Physical Media, and Panasonic and the other remaining Manufacturers haven't announced any new models. We will have to see what 2020 brings to the Table!

You just can't stand the fact that discs are still with us heading into a new decade and that still another game console will be adding 4K disc playback to its capabilities. You are so petty and vindictive in your ceaseless wishing for the death of physical media. Discs will outlast you and I have a copy of Dumb And Dumber ready to serve as your epitaph.

4K will likely be the last streaming format, too, as no studio is releasing any content in 8K, so your attempted point here is as moot as the prominent one atop your thick head.

There is no need to release a new model of 4K disc player every year; these are not cars, Sherlock. We did not automatically get new DVD player models each year nor did we get new blu-ray player models each year. A new model of disc player is released only when significant improvements make doing so worthwhile. 4K disc player sales were up 63% at the end of the first quarter of this year. The upcoming PS5 can only help the 4K disc format; the only real question is by how much.

I am pretty sure that Sony did their due diligence in deciding to add a 4K disc player to their upcoming PS5. I will take their market analysis over your profound ignorance without hesitation. What can be predicted with certainty is that you will be wrong next year the same as you have been wrong every year and about so very, very many things.

Now get back out there and tell those random strangers that you assault on your shopping trips about the gospel of Netflix and Amazon; those two streaming services that you said that few people know about. Go spread the word to all those hapless pagans who know not of the goodness of Netflix and Amazon!

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by Vilya

Digital purchases, or electronic sell thru, are up just 3.3% as of the first half of 2019. 3.3% growth is pretty lackluster and it does not suggest that there is all that much enthusiasm for digital purchases.

https://www.degonline.org/portfolio_...inment-report/

Q3 results should be published soon in that there "digital sales thread" that doofus is trying to scare everyone with.

Yes, that is really not good. Alchav forgets that he was heavily promoting digital HD a while back and now he realises the format hasn’t got legs, he is clutching at straws. Soon he will need six or seven subscriptions to see all the films out there.

[PenguinInfinity]

If anything comes of lawsuits like this all the studios will drop support for digital purchases. Everything will just be subscriptions. At that point people will either have to pay a fortune for a dozen subscriptions or they'll have to pick and choose each month to only watch one or two types of movies.

Therefore digital will either be way more expensive or way less convenient than physical media. Whatever happens in the future all of our physical movies are safe. But anything could happen to digital purchases, rentals, and subscriptions because... technology waits for no one.

[Cevolution]

I don't believe Alchav21's devoted love for streaming and downloads, I've always thought that it's a money thing for him... I don't think he can afford physical media the way that some of us here can (there's nothing wrong with that, but why not just be honest and come out and say that, it's nothing to be ashamed of), therefore that's the main reason why streaming and downloads appeal to him. If money wasn't a factor (if he won the lotto tomorrow for instance), I think that he would buy physical copies over streaming and downloading.

[PenguinInfinity]

Originally Posted by Cevolution

I don't believe Alchav21's devoted love for streaming and downloads, I've always thought that it's a money thing for him... I don't think he can afford physical media the way that some of us here can (there's nothing wrong with that, but why not just be honest and come out and say that, it's nothing to be ashamed of), therefore that's the main reason why streaming and downloads appeal to him. If money wasn't a factor (if he won the lotto tomorrow for instance), I think that he would buy physical copies over streaming and downloading.

I highly doubt that. Alchav has talked many times about how he moved in order to get fiber internet access (and suggested that others do the same). I can't imagine that anyone with that low of funds could afford to prioritize internet access when buying or renting a home.

He's too much of a zealot for it to just be a money thing.

[Wendell R. Breland]

Originally Posted by alchav21

4K UHD will be the last Physical Media, and Panasonic and the other remaining Manufacturers haven't announced any new models.

Bill Gates said that about Blu-ray but he was dead wrong!!

Care to name any new streamer boxes? You can't because there are not any. NVIDIA has dropped their top model of the Shield, same for Amazon and their top model of the Fire TV STB. Many models of Roku has lost their Hulu support and will lose their Netflix support soon.

[Wendell R. Breland]

Originally Posted by PenguinInfinity

He's too much of a zealot for it to just be a money thing.

He has stated that he comes here looking for deals on cheap digital codes. Why else would a streamer only come to a site like Blu-ray.COM? Trolling?

[AnamorphicWidescreen]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

Nothing to do with the fact that discs are easier to buy from the likes of Amazon?

Seriously, if discs were as barren as some anecdotes make out, they wouldn’t still be making millions. It’s that simple.

I completely agree that one of the reasons physical media is getting more difficult to find in stores is because it's easier to just get it online, and so stores aren't carrying as much due to reduced sales. Plus, as has been said, more brick & mortar retail stores are closing each year (some of which carried physical media) - so there are less stores out there these days anyway.

That being said, I stand by my previous post that another reason is that there are less people purchasing physical media & Blu/DVD players than in the past - because of the ease of & advancements in streaming.

So, yes - while those of us on this board are obviously physical media & HD aficionados first and foremost (including myself, obviously), John & Jane Q. Public don't all share our enthusiasm for purchasing/collecting physical media (due to the expense, space it takes up, etc.) and would prefer to stream in many cases.

[Wendell R. Breland]

Originally Posted by AnamorphicWidescreen

John & Jane Q. Public don't all share our enthusiasm for purchasing/collecting physical media (due to the expense, space it takes up, etc.) and would prefer to stream in many cases.

Nothing has really changed, at the height of physical sales it was a small fraction of pay TV revenue. Pay TV is still the dominant revenue stream, some of it has shifted from linear pay TV to SVOD but in the end it all is pay TV.

Purchased physical sales revenue is still greater than electronic sales (EST). That really is surprising when one considers the huge number of devices that can play EST titles. Saw somewhere recently there are 900 million iPhones in use. Could help explain why Apple accounts for 60% of EST revenue. Does not leave much for the other providers.

[avs commenter]

Given the low cost of streaming devices (Roku and Amazon stick for under $40), I don't see the need to upgrade/replace every few years as a big deal

[rui no onna]

Originally Posted by Wendell R. Breland

Care to name any new streamer boxes? You can't because there are not any. NVIDIA has dropped their top model of the Shield, same for Amazon and their top model of the Fire TV STB. Many models of Roku has lost their Hulu support and will lose their Netflix support soon.

The last round of hardware updates already brought 4K HEVC support. Mind, there appears to be a Roku Ultra being released soon.

Plenty of reports of the Shield Pro (with HDD) hanging/overheating. Besides, as far as streamers are concerned, this is on the very pricey end of the spectrum. If all one needs is video streaming, there's no reason to opt for the Pro model.

Last I checked, Amazon's still selling their FireTV Cube.

The Roku models that are getting dropped are very old and don't even have HEVC support.

Originally Posted by AnamorphicWidescreen

That being said, I stand by my previous post that another reason is that there are less people purchasing physical media & Blu/DVD players than in the past - because of the ease of & advancements in streaming.

True. Reckon the decline could be more greatly attributed to the DVD side than on the Blu-ray side, though.

Originally Posted by Wendell R. Breland

Purchased physical sales revenue is still greater than electronic sales (EST). That really is surprising when one considers the huge number of devices that can play EST titles. Saw somewhere recently there are 900 million iPhones in use. Could help explain why Apple accounts for 60% of EST revenue. Does not leave much for the other providers.

This is painting a pretty broad brush but in general, I think Apple users are freer with their money and are more used to the idea of paying for digital goods (thanks to years of iTunes) compared to Android users. Android has a much, much, much greater install base than Apple but reckon they're also more likely to just torrent stuff.

Another caveat is interoperability. Unless you pay for the same content multiple times, at one point, you needed an AppleTV for the Apple stuff (and HBONow), FireTV for Amazon and Roku for Vudu and Ultraviolet.

MoviesAnywhere has remedied that to some extent and the app situation is much better now but vendor lock-in still exists for content from, for example, MGM and Lionsgate.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by Wendell R. Breland

Bill Gates said that about Blu-ray but he was dead wrong!!

Care to name any new streamer boxes? You can't because there are not any. NVIDIA has dropped their top model of the Shield, same for Amazon and their top model of the Fire TV STB. Many models of Roku has lost their Hulu support and will lose their Netflix support soon.

To be fair, most people are just using streaming sticks. Roku, Amazon, Now tv etc..

I also think Apple will bring out a streaming stick that will be 4K and also a gateway to its gaming service (Apple Arcade)

People who stream generally just want HD picture and stereo sound. (At best) sticks serve this purpose.

By the way, Amazon have just released a new Amazon cube in the last few days.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by avs commenter

Given the low cost of streaming devices (Roku and Amazon stick for under $40), I don't see the need to upgrade/replace every few years as a big deal

As much as I hate digital, this is true.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by AnamorphicWidescreen

I completely agree that one of the reasons physical media is getting more difficult to find in stores is because it's easier to just get it online, and so stores aren't carrying as much due to reduced sales. Plus, as has been said, more brick & mortar retail stores are closing each year (some of which carried physical media) - so there are less stores out there these days anyway.

That being said, I stand by my previous post that another reason is that there are less people purchasing physical media & Blu/DVD players than in the past - because of the ease of & advancements in streaming.

So, yes - while those of us on this board are obviously physical media & HD aficionados first and foremost (including myself, obviously), John & Jane Q. Public don't all share our enthusiasm for purchasing/collecting physical media (due to the expense, space it takes up, etc.) and would prefer to stream in many cases.

I agree with you, but discs are not this barren wasteland that Alchav makes out. I mean, that’s just ridiculous.

[Vilya]

I am excited to learn that there is news that there will be a 4K release of all of the Lord Of The Rings movies in June 2020!

https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=322273

https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=322272

There are no films that I want to see more on the 4K disc format; this is very exciting news!

[The_Donster]

Alright, all caught up. The Martin Scorsese comments date back to a Roger Corman’s documentary called, Corman’s World (highly recommend). Where Hollywood stars and directors blamed Star Wars for breaking the looking glass. After that, Hollywood was looking for the next summer blockbuster. So it’s only natural the MCU or whatever is next is going to be considered the demise of movies as we know it. I think it is ludicrous. Make a movie worth watching and I’ll be there. Otherwise I’m spending my spare time and money elsewhere.

[The_Donster]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

I agree with you, but discs are not this barren wasteland that Alchav makes out. I mean, that’s just ridiculous.

[AnamorphicWidescreen]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

I agree with you, but discs are not this barren wasteland that Alchav makes out. I mean, that’s just ridiculous.

Agree with this. They're still definitely making new DVD's/Blu's, obviously. And, you can typically find what you're looking for (even obscure movies/TV shows) if you're willing to buy online....for the most part...unless it's a limited release and gets sold out quickly, or is OOP.

However - and going along with my last post:

1) I feel that the general public are less likely to drop $15-$20 on a single film DVD/Blu release these days, due to streaming; however, these same people may have been willing to buy physical media years back, when that was the only option (other than renting). Which brings me to my next point...

2) Also due to the popularity/ease of streaming - video rental stores are all but extinct (other than places like Redbox, etc.) - so folks who may still be willing to fork over the cost of a rental (to see a movie on DVD/Blu) don't easily have that option anymore.

Originally Posted by The_Donster

Alright, all caught up. The Martin Scorsese comments date back to a Roger Corman’s documentary called, Corman’s World (highly recommend). Where Hollywood stars and directors blamed Star Wars for breaking the looking glass. After that, Hollywood was looking for the next summer blockbuster. So it’s only natural the MCU or whatever is next is going to be considered the demise of movies as we know it. I think it is ludicrous. Make a movie worth watching and I’ll be there. Otherwise I’m spending my spare time and money elsewhere.

Agreed. The idea that Star Wars: ANH (1977) "killed" the movie industry to any extent is nuts. Being a huge SW fan since Day 1 (I was 6 when ANH was first released to theaters), what SW did was revitalize the industry to a great extent. People became (and still are) more excited about films as a result. I also suspect (but can't prove) that ANH may have resulted in more movie theaters being built over time - due to increased demand.

[Wendell R. Breland]

Originally Posted by AnamorphicWidescreen

1) I feel that the general public are less likely to drop $15-$20 on a single film DVD/Blu release these days, due to streaming; these same people may have been willing to buy physical media years back, when that was the only option (other than renting) - which brings me to my next point...

Disagree. Outright ownership of content, physical and electronic, is in decline. The revenues of the two of them combined does not match ownership revenue of yesteryear. Same for music.

2) Also due to the popularity/ease of streaming - video rental stores are all but extinct (other than places like Redbox, etc.) - so folks who may still be willing to fork over the cost of a rental (to see a movie on DVD/Blu) don't easily have that option anymore.

Redbox has more than 40,000 locations so access should be pretty easy for many people. I have the best combo of all, Netflix BD by mail: Get to see and hear new releases in the best quality, cheap - about $2 per title and real convenient - placed in my mail box.