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

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by stonesfan129

Forgive me if I'm wrong, but wasn't Episode 2: Attack of the Clones shot digitally in 1080p? I would be the original trilogy set if they were the theatrical cuts, not the special edition cuts.

The digital intermediate (D.I.) was finished at 2K and many movies continue to be exhibited at 2K at commercial theaters to this day. Commercial theaters all have screens far bigger than any of us have at home and movies derived from a 2K digital intermediate look excellent on these giant screens.

Remember also that mere resolution is not the whole equation here. Wide color gamut (WCG) and high dynamic range (HDR) are just as important, if not even more so, in providing that increase in overall quality that we prize with the 4K format.

CGI special effects are often rendered at a lower resolution (2K) while other parts of the movie, without such effects, are shot at a higher resolution, but as these special effects are essentially the lowest common denominator, the digital intermediate is created to match the resolution of those effects. Rendering such effects at 4K does occur with some newer movies, but going back to an older movie with a 2K D.I. and re-rendering these effects at 4K would mean recreating them entirely and that is a huge expense just to increase the resolution.

The upscaling capabilities of our 4K disc players and 4K TVs will do a nice job upconverting as the jump from 2K to 4K is not immense and especially when viewed on home screens that are a fraction of the size of those found at the cinema. WCG and HDR will contribute greatly to our home viewing experience also.

[avs commenter]

Episode 2 in UHD is on Dis+. The special effects look even worse now in 4K.

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by avs commenter

Episode 2 in UHD is on Dis+. The special effects look even worse now in 4K.

If that is so, then Disney should have spent the money to redo the special effects in 4K; it's not like they can't afford it. Disney's rush to have so much 4K content ready for their streaming service may have come at the expense of quality.

I revisited the blu-ray.com review of Star Wars The Complete Saga and the reviewer felt that Episode 1 looked the worst due to excessive use of DNR in what he hypothesizes may have been an attempt to make episode 1 look "digital" to match the other two prequels. Episode 1 was shot mostly on 35 mm film while episodes 2 and 3 were shot on digital. He felt that episodes 3-6 looked the best leaving episode 2 as being the next to worst of the six movies in terms of video quality. The reviewer felt that the special effects in episode 1, and by extension probably episode 2 as well, looked a bit "outdated" and even "cartoonish."

https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Star-.../14903/#Review

Maybe they will look better on the 4K disc when viewed without streaming's heavy handed compression. We'll know soon enough.

[cgpublic]

WB and Universal to merge their respective physical home media operations, citing irreversible declines in disc sales.

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by cgpublic

WB and Universal to merge their respective physical home media operations, citing irreversible declines in disc sales.

Merging operations does not bother me in the least. Mergers happen often in business. Had they closed these operations, that would have concerned me.

Two quotes from the article that you cited:

"Ron Sanders, Warner Bros. president, worldwide theatrical distribution and home entertainment, and EVP international business operations, said in a statement. “The physical business is still an important and active category for the industry. This proposed joint venture with Universal gives us the best opportunity to foster innovation in this business, optimize the physical offering and extend the lifespan of the format for our fans and consumers.”

"Peter Levinsohn, Universal Filmed Entertainment Group president and chief distribution officer, commented...This proposed JV (joint venture) presents a significant opportunity to continue to work with our retail partners to ensure the format’s strength and sustainability for years to come.”

https://variety.com/2020/film/news/u...nt-1203467934/

The article in Variety misquotes The Digital Entertainment Group's report also. Disc sales for 2019 were down 18.29% and all disc sales totaled only $3.293 billion. All sales for 2019, including digital EST, were $5.876 billion and that is what was down 9.4%. Digital sales for 2019 were $2.583 billion and still below the sales total for discs. Purchases overall are declining, not just the sales of discs.

https://www.degonline.org/portfolio_...ment-report-2/

DVD sales were actually down 20.4% and blu-ray was down 14.1% for 2019. Blu-ray share vs. DVD was 47.2% in 2019.

https://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.p...postcount=1273

[gotmule]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

You took the words right out of my mouth. (Vocals in the style of Meatloaf)

Thank you for not including the rest of the line in that song “Must have been while you were kissing me.”

[cheez avenger]

Since I'm still in the early stages of component shopping for the AVR and 4K TV, I initially thought I was going to mount the tv set to the wall, but there's just something so classy with a entertainment center. I might just buy a new one of those instead.

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by cheez avenger

Since I'm still in the early stages of component shopping for the AVR and 4K TV, I initially thought I was going to mount the tv set to the wall, but there's just something so classy with a entertainment center. I might just buy a new one of those instead.

I prefer to have my TVs standing upon a nice solid wood stand. I have never trusted wall mounts to hold a TV; the TV falling off of the wall is just my own little irrational fear, I suppose.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by gotmule

Thank you for not including the rest of the line in that song “Must have been while you were kissing me.”

You are welcome.

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

You are welcome.

You must just be waking up while it is way past my bedtime here. The "discs are dying" fanatics have been busy tonight; it's your turn to have fun with them.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by Vilya

You must just be waking up while it is way past my bedtime here. The "discs are dying" fanatics have been busy tonight; it's your turn to have fun with them.

Yes, off to work but tonight I will receive a couple of Vinegar Syndrome titles. That’s the same VS that offer stunning restorations, great packaging and excellent customer service. Oh, and they are now dipping their toes in UHD. As you say, we are also getting Star Wars and LOTR soon and that’s just the start. If disc is dying, some one needs to tell my storage room. They also need to tell my wallet. This is the most intense few weeks of all time in terms of collecting. 3D classics announced, cult titles announced, mainstream UHD/Blu-ray ready to watch and a ever growing movie night selection. My problem this year has been controlling my purchases.

[stonesfan129]

How heavy are the big 65" 4K TV sets? I have a 42" Panasonic plasma that is a monster.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by stonesfan129

How heavy are the big 65" 4K TV sets? I have a 42" Panasonic plasma that is a monster.

Not heavy as much as awkward when first setting up. Obviously needs two people. Plasmas are very heavy as you know.

[Wendell R. Breland]

Have mounted two of my TV's and family members TV's to the wall without issues. I use Omnimount brand, here. They are sturdy, heavy and expensive. For the TV cable management I use Wiremold products here. Home Depot and Lowe's has them. Spray paint to match wall color as close as possible.

For projector mounting I use Chief mounts, here. Home Depot and Lowe's has various lengths of threaded 1-½" NPT pipe. Clean with mineral spirits, alcohol, prime and spray paint. Mask off the part of the threads that will be used. On mine I made a collar out of a short length of PVC, had to enlarge a small amount then painted black. This collar covers the unused pipe threads.

[Show spoiler]

[Ender14]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

My problem this year has been controlling my purchases.

That's ALWAYS my problem .

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by Ender14

That's ALWAYS my problem .

I can normally have a cut off but this year I want to grab the 3D Golden era films, some unexpected cult releases and a few fruity titles . Also, some UHD titles.

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by stonesfan129

How heavy are the big 65" 4K TV sets? I have a 42" Panasonic plasma that is a monster.

Some examples just to give you an idea of what to expect:

A 65" Sony 4K LED TV weighs 56.2 pounds with stand and 54 pounds without the stand.

A 65" LG OLED 4K TV weighs 74.7 pounds with stand and 55.6 pounds without the stand; LG OLED TV stands are quite heavy adding 19 pounds to the total weight while the Sony LED TV stand adds just 2.2 pounds!

My 85" Sony 4K LED weighs 106.2 pounds with stand and 99.6 pounds without the stand. I just don't trust mounting a 100 pound TV to the wall.

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

Yes, off to work but tonight I will receive a couple of Vinegar Syndrome titles. That’s the same VS that offer stunning restorations, great packaging and excellent customer service. Oh, and they are now dipping their toes in UHD. As you say, we are also getting Star Wars and LOTR soon and that’s just the start. If disc is dying, some one needs to tell my storage room. They also need to tell my wallet. This is the most intense few weeks of all time in terms of collecting. 3D classics announced, cult titles announced, mainstream UHD/Blu-ray ready to watch and a ever growing movie night selection. My problem this year has been controlling my purchases.

Lots of exciting releases to look forward to this year. I guess you and I will be too busy shopping and enjoying our purchases to help plan the funeral that the doomsayers have been prophesying for 8 years now.

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by Wendell R. Breland

Have mounted two of my TV's and family members TV's to the wall without issues. I use Omnimount brand, here. They are sturdy, heavy and expensive. For the TV cable management I use Wiremold products here. Home Depot and Lowe's has them. Spray paint to match wall color as close as possible.

For projector mounting I use Chief mounts, here. Home Depot and Lowe's has various lengths of threaded 1-½" NPT pipe. Clean with mineral spirits, alcohol, prime and spray paint. Mask off the part of the threads that will be used. On mine I made a collar out of a short length of PVC, had to enlarge a small amount then painted black. This collar covers the unused pipe threads.

[Show spoiler]

I know wall and ceiling mounting is safe when done right, but I am not confident that I would do it right or that the person that I hired would do it right. It is like living in the old Green Acres sitcom here and anyone that I hired would likely be akin to these two:



I am surprised that the walls in your projector room are what appear to be white or whitish; shouldn't they ideally be a non-reflective dark color, even outright black? I have read several times that a projector room should be as dark and light absorbing as possible.

[JohnAV]

Originally Posted by Vilya

Lots of exciting releases to look forward to this year. I guess you and I will be too busy shopping and enjoying our purchases to help plan the funeral that the doomsayers have been prophesying for 8 years now.

A lot of the media doomsayers were trying to use CES 2020 that tech is abandoning physical media.

However anyone that read CES 2020: Where have the tech companies gone? - Marketwatch would realize this show has completely changed.

Big tech companies have gradually moved away from the biggest electronics trade show of the year, but 2020’s keynote lineup and absences show a more dramatic shift.

LAS VEGAS — CES really doesn’t stand for Consumer Electronics Show anymore.

The trade show was once the exclusive province of gadgets, gizmos and the latest and greatest personal-technology tools, but that has changed over the years. The 2020 edition, which will be held next week, shows how far those changes have come — from keynote speeches to exhibitor booths, the annual weeklong high-tech bacchanal will be distinguished as much by auto makers and airlines as chip makers and computer manufacturers.

This change has been happening for years — the name was changed from the Consumer Electronics Show to just CES in 2016 — but for an indication of how much has changed in just the past year, look at the keynote lineup. In 2019, executives from blue-chip tech giant International Business Machines Corp. IBM, +0.42% and chip maker Advanced Micro Devices Inc. AMD, +2.34% delivered the top keynote speeches. In their place this year are Delta Air Lines Inc. DAL, +0.49% , Daimler-Benz, Unilever ULVR, +0.05% and startups like Impossible Foods and Quibi.

You had FlatpanelHD, the danish site that caters to TV's make a point that its all going away because of no UHD BD players announcement at CES2020. Well duh! What products announcements were there really?

Everyone here likely watch a few of those YouTube presentation or read about the main points of each vendors presentation. Not much was it? Even projectors are not as apparent there. Zip almost for AVRs, speakers, and other audio gear.

I guess this Danish site seems to still think CES 2020 was a tech show? Wrong! Go look at IFA Berlin or CEDIA or some other show but not CES anymore except for who had the best elite TV demos.

There I said it all!