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

[JohnAV]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

Hopefully the content won’t be downgraded to SD!

Suddenly DVD media is worth more.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by JohnAV

Suddenly DVD media is worth more.

Time to generate some potato juice!

[kfbkfb]

https://www.foxbusiness.com/technolo...bute-smart-tvs
^^^
Under the terms the companies are discussing,
retail giant Walmart would promote TV sets running
Comcast software, and would get a share of
recurring revenue from Comcast in return


I wonder if Amazon or Netflix will try something
similar.


Kirk Bayne

[JohnAV]

Originally Posted by kfbkfb

https://www.foxbusiness.com/technolo...bute-smart-tvs
^^^
Under the terms the companies are discussing,
retail giant Walmart would promote TV sets running
Comcast software, and would get a share of
recurring revenue from Comcast in return


I wonder if Amazon or Netflix will try something
similar.


Kirk Bayne

Regarding

Still, Comcast executives believe Flex has a limited financial payoff and think the company can earn higher profit margins in the long run by embedding software directly into TVs, one of the people familiar with the matter said. The company has said publicly Flex “increases the lifetime value” of its broadband customers, and also now contributes to Peacock’s growth.

This is a rather limited substitute for a good streaming set-top box.



The were trying to pitch Flex to their cord cutters, but I haven't heard its doing particularly well

Xfinity internet-only customers now get the Flex streaming platform for free - Engadget - 9/18/2019

The service comes with access to popular apps like Netflix, Amazon Prime, YouTube and HBO, plus music streaming from Amazon Music, Pandora and iHeartRadio. Comcast recently added NBC Sports Gold packages, and since the service is relatively new, we'll likely continue to see additions like this.

Xfinity Flex is a lot like Roku, Apple TV or Fire TV, but there's no up-front cost for the streaming device, which also comes with a voice remote. That might appeal to new cord cutters who aren't as experienced with managing their own internet TV experiences and are more comfortable with longstanding services like Comcast

I would put this down to Comcast desperately trying to shop around for some way to make this useful. I would not buy any TV with their software on it.

[Wendell R. Breland]

A just in case FYI:

Introducing Discount Home Video - a new site from the people behind the Twilight Time Movies store. Let us know what you think!

Site here.

[cheez avenger]

Amazon and Best Buy have a few 4Ks on sale ATM.

I scored:

Sicario 4K $7.99
Ghost in the Shell 4K (ScarJo) $7.99
Full Metal Jacket 4K $9.99

[JohnAV]

Originally Posted by cheez avenger

Amazon and Best Buy have a few 4Ks on sale ATM.

I scored:

Sicario 4K $7.99
Ghost in the Shell 4K (ScarJo) $7.99
Full Metal Jacket 4K $9.99

I picked up
Mission: Impossible - Fallout 4K $7.99
Birds of Prey 4K $7.99

Nice to see some early deals.

[PenguinInfinity]

Originally Posted by cheez avenger

Amazon and Best Buy have a few 4Ks on sale ATM.

I scored:

Sicario 4K $7.99
Ghost in the Shell 4K (ScarJo) $7.99
Full Metal Jacket 4K $9.99

But I read somewhere that all physical media was supposed to skyrocket in price by now. Was that not true?

[gotmule]

Originally Posted by cheez avenger

Amazon and Best Buy have a few 4Ks on sale ATM.

I scored:

Sicario 4K $7.99
Ghost in the Shell 4K (ScarJo) $7.99
Full Metal Jacket 4K $9.99

Some early BF prices for sure. The two I didn’t have were Rocketman and Birds of Prey, but I didn’t like either of them when I rented the discs.

[Wendell R. Breland]

Originally Posted by PenguinInfinity

But I read somewhere that all physical media was supposed to skyrocket in price by now. Was that not true?

Very .

Looks like disc is helping Paramount in this difficult time:

Paramount Home Entertainment Revenue Up 14% Through Nine Months of 2020

Primary sales drivers in the quarter included Paramount catalog and Miramax movies. Top-selling Paramount titles include Terminator: Dark Fate, Sonic The Hedgehog, and the original Top Gun, with the titles generating a combined $69.4 million in sales of DVD and Blu-ray Disc units.

[cgpublic]

Originally Posted by PenguinInfinity

But I read somewhere that all physical media was supposed to skyrocket in price by now. Was that not true?

Typically retailers will hold a clearance sale to clear stock/shelf space for newer and/or higher margin/greater volume items, such as this recent example at Best Buy, then they will raise the price for limited, mail order-only stock, e.g., catalog physical media.

Word on the street is that Best Buy will only stock new release UHD in shippers near the cashiers, perhaps as impulse buy/loss leaders, with no dedicated aisles for discs.

[Wendell R. Breland]

Originally Posted by cheez avenger

Amazon and Best Buy have a few 4Ks on sale ATM.

I scored:

Sicario 4K $7.99
Ghost in the Shell 4K (ScarJo) $7.99
Full Metal Jacket 4K $9.99

Sicario will give your immersive audio system a real workout. For Full Metal Jacket, to me the audio sounds more processed and low end rolled off than the earlier BD release.

[Vilya]

The prices were so good that I had to make an exception to my disc buying moratorium to pick up Full Metal Jacket 4K for a mere $9.99.

I am going to take a little longer saving up to buy new gear. I think I want to go with separates even though it will cost more than twice as much as an AVR alone.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by cgpublic

Typically retailers will hold a clearance sale to clear stock/shelf space for newer and/or higher margin/greater volume items, such as this recent example at Best Buy, then they will raise the price for limited, mail order-only stock, e.g., catalog physical media.

Word on the street is that Best Buy will only stock new release UHD in shippers near the cashiers, perhaps as impulse buy/loss leaders, with no dedicated aisles for discs.

Word on the street? Who is that, you and Alchav?

Keep telling you folk, collectors use online methods now, stores are feeling it and can’t compete.

[Vilya]

Here is another oft repeated and long standing "word on the street": Many of us enthusiasts buy our discs online and we have been doing so for years upon years already. We don't give much of a damn what stores choose to stock in their brick & mortar locations.

The pandemic has caused even more online shopping than normal. Why expose one's self to potential infection when it is safer, easier, and more comfortable to browse the infinitely better selection found online?

[Wendell R. Breland]

Amazon comes to the country side in western North Carolina.

Last week, Amazon announced that the company is building a new, 112,000-square-foot distribution center on a 27-acre site on Fanning Fields Rd. in Mills River, and it’s scheduled to open by the end of the year. It will be Amazon’s ninth facility in NC.

Starting last week most of my Amazon orders were delivered by Amazon delivery vans.

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by Wendell R. Breland

Amazon comes to the country side in western North Carolina.

Starting last week most of my Amazon orders were delivered by Amazon delivery vans.

I doubt that I will ever see Amazon delivery vans here in Podunkville.

Amazon is offering a $5 credit if you watch something via Amazon Prime. I like getting a credit for streaming something and then using that credit to buy another disc. If such credits were offered more often, I might stream more regularly from Amazon's shoddy streaming service. Amazon streaming is routinely rated among the worst two or three streaming services for video and audio quality, but I will watch it if they want to pay me to do so.

Originally Posted by RingOfHonor

Not sure if it works for everyone, but all I have spoken to have gotten the "your offer is activated" after visiting the link below.


https://www.amazon.com/b?ie=UTF8&node=19700960011

[Wendell R. Breland]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

Keep telling you folk, collectors use online methods now, stores are feeling it and can’t compete.

For me it goes back to the early days of LaserDisc and a mail order site called The Lasers Edge. They mailed out a catalog every month with new and catalog titles. They still have a site (here) but sell mostly CD's.

Was really glad to see Twilight Time Movies reemerge as Discount Home Video (noted above).

[cgpublic]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

Word on the street? Who is that...?

Primarily those who are presently working at Best Buy, and the same dynamic is also reported for Target and Wal-mart.

Originally Posted by Steedeel

Keep telling you folk, collectors use online methods now, stores are feeling it and can’t compete.

Well, you just resolved your own statement, as collectors alone cannot support a mass-market, and the same is certainly true for those who only purchase during sales. The volume and related profit is not sufficient to maintain warehouse and shelf space, not mention returns, loss and theft.

So, no more brick and mortar for any titles other than new releases from the majors, combined with no new UHD players, just consoles.

The only question now is how long will the micro-market last?

I'm cautiously optimistic. The big wild card is 8K streaming with AI from Apple, Disney, LG and others.

When, not if, that hits, well...

[cheez avenger]

Originally Posted by Wendell R. Breland

Sicario will give your immersive audio system a real workout. For Full Metal Jacket, to me the audio sounds more processed and low end rolled off than the earlier BD release.

I'm excited about Sicario -- everyone has raved about that 4K disc. And those titles should be arriving today -- got an Amazon shipping notice.