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

[bhampton]

I love my ATV4K despite it's limitations.

I haven't had an HTPC for years.

Actually, ... it's limitations are an issue but still I love it. In my case my display is a projector so it has no apps and the ATV4K makes a convenient way to keep track of any and all the internet based stuff. I have taken it on vacations if I go for more than a few days.

Can't say I'm anti apple at all. I have and my kids have tons of apple gear. We would subscribe to it. These days I use both and only use my PC for stuff the mac doesn't do better.

Even if they discontinued ATV and went with just the app, I would still like all the things my ATV4K is capable of. Or maybe the new model is not something I want (Soundbar with the ATV logo on it or stick with no hardwire option) I will still have use for my ATV4K. I would put it head to head with any HTPC. It works well and is pretty direct about it and therefore it's very reliable. (Plus I could check out someone's tricked out HTPC .... them things are like classic cars in that I would be interested in someone else's version even if I don't want one of my own.)

[lgans316]

Originally Posted by bhampton

When you have known good back up copies of 4K discs I'd say your glass is nearly full and your hard drive definitely is getting there.

Thanks. My 4K disc backup is about to touch 80 TB (40 TB primary + 40 TB backup) !!! Btw, I don't do illegal downloads. All from my personal collection.

1 more TB left and that's it. I will have to hunt for 2 more high capacity 12 or 14 TB Western Digital drives. My motivation behind backing up discs was due to about a dozen discs going bad and one of them being out of print everywhere and almost impossible to find.

[Ender14]

Originally Posted by bhampton

Can't say I'm anti apple at all. I have and my kids have tons of apple gear. We would subscribe to it. These days I use both and only use my PC for stuff the mac doesn't do better.

Apart from the iTunes issue I'm just not a fan of how restrictive they are with their ecosystem. I have had a Mac in the past and I know they make quality hardware but I am a tinkerer when it comes to computers (I work in IT after all) and Apple devices are too locked down. That's also why I use an Android phone.

I build my own PC's and perform upgrades to extend the life of my systems until I build a new one. That is not possible with Apple. Plus I do all my gaming on PC and we know how great Apple is with that . But I know they are easy to use and provide a quality experience and many are willing to pay the premium for that.

[lgans316]

Originally Posted by Ender14

Apart from the iTunes issue I'm just not a fan of how restrictive they are with their ecosystem. I have had a Mac in the past and I know they make quality hardware but I am a tinkerer when it comes to computers (I work in IT after all) and Apple devices are too locked down. That's also why I use an Android phone.

I build my own PC's and perform upgrades to extend the life of my systems until I build a new one. That is not possible with Apple. Plus I do all my gaming on PC and we know how great Apple is with that . But I know they are easy to use and provide a quality experience and many are willing to pay the premium for that.

Same here. Hate Apple ecosystem and anything that is too closed book. It was painstaking to get this bloody developer HUD working on my ATV (Windows PC with Mac OS running on Virtual Box). Having said that, I like iTunes and app support but not the Apple TV app.

[lgans316]

Just when I talked about continuing support for boutique labels and this gets announced

https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=338303

[bhampton]

Now that they discontinued the original Homepod,

I'm starting to really enjoy having things they abandoned. It's kind of fun...

We have a waterproof iPod Shuffle ... that thing is so cool for something officially obsolete. You can still get them on Ebay.

[Wendell R. Breland]

Originally Posted by lgans316

It was painstaking to get this bloody developer HUD working on my ATV (Windows PC with Mac OS running on Virtual Box).

Did you use Oracle or some other virtual machine? Mac OS via ISO?

I am in the process of adding XP 32 to a Windows 10 64 computer because I need to program an old URC MSC-400 control box. Only has 32 bit drivers.

[lgans316]

Originally Posted by Wendell R. Breland

Did you use Oracle or some other virtual machine? Mac OS via ISO?

I am in the process of adding XP 32 to a Windows 10 64 computer because I need to program an old URC MSC-400 control box. Only has 32 bit drivers.

Oracle VirtualBox with Mac ISO.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by lgans316

Fair points. At least you are level headed unlike some of the condescending folks here. So I appreciate you for that.

I didn't mean to demean LED-LCD TVs but my point is we can all keep endless arguing that disc is best (which no one denies) but I find it baffling to understand the lack of respect for those who support digital.

Meaning me. Putting me on ignore then having little pops. I suggest you just keep your opinion to yourself if you don’t like what is said in return.

[alchav21]

This Trailer just Dropped on Netflix.....Stream On!

Stowaway - Official Trailer (2021) Anna Kendrick, Daniel Dae Kim, Toni Collette - YouTube

[bhampton]

Getting Groceries I stopped into Best Buy.

I was greeted at the door by the general manager who I know.

GM "What brings you in today"
Me "Movies, if you still have any"
GM "There's still a few"
Me "Are you getting rid of them?"
GM "That's the future I'm certain"
Me "But, you have records?"
GM "Yeah, those are making a comeback"

I'm silly to think I can shop in person for movies now with the exception of the Dollar Store which is fun. Amazon it is.
(My town is getting a Target though which may be good.)

[JohnAV]

Originally Posted by lgans316

I didn't mean to demean LED-LCD TVs but my point is we can all keep endless arguing that disc is best (which no one denies) but I find it baffling to understand the lack of respect for those who support digital.

Its attributed to posters that constantly make comments like media is going away, digital is the only future. People need to just back off and understand different levels of film reproduction exists using both. Nothing wrong using what gives you better or easier film/tv playback for your HT. But if someone makes a comment about one or the other that is contrary to mutual coexisting well they are fair game to be picked on.

Like media makes everything perfect, well assuming your using good 4K OLED display as a example, not something like a eShift projection without native 4K resolution without dynamic tone mapping for HDR. Good gear makes for both better media playback and streaming in the end. Go the cheap route and it looks the same then your HT setup is suspect.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by bhampton

Getting Groceries I stopped into Best Buy.

I was greeted at the door by the general manager who I know.

GM "What brings you in today"
Me "Movies, if you still have any"
GM "There's still a few"
Me "Are you getting rid of them?"
GM "That's the future I'm certain"
Me "But, you have records?"
GM "Yeah, those are making a comeback"

I'm silly to think I can shop in person for movies now with the exception of the Dollar Store which is fun. Amazon it is.
(My town is getting a Target though which may be good.)

The fountain of knowledge that is Best Buy staff!

Disc is going to be absolutely fine. We have never needed stores to build our collection and we never will.

[JohnAV]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

The fountain of knowledge that is Best Buy staff!

Disc is going to be absolutely fine. We have never needed stores to build our collection and we never will.

I like stores, frequently they say no stock and I still find it in their inventory. I’ve had good luck with the condition of media also slips. The BB manger comment was dumb.

[JohnAV]

Originally Posted by lgans316

Same here. Hate Apple ecosystem and anything that is too closed book. It was painstaking to get this bloody developer HUD working on my ATV (Windows PC with Mac OS running on Virtual Box). Having said that, I like iTunes and app support but not the Apple TV app.

MacOS is not closed, its just gone through a lot of operating system transitions to get to the point that Apple is ready to switch from x86 Intel to ARM. This is where Microsoft is heading in less then 2 years. Going from 32 to 64 bit, redoing file hierarchy system from HFS to APFS, then you have openGL to Metal which started in 2017. It was the game developers for their own graphics engines that saw a rapid decline on whether AAA games supported MacOS. Up to last June's WWDC no one except developers knew where this is all headed.

For Microsoft you have them progressing to 64-bit ARM applications with OpenCL™ and OpenGL® Compatibility Pack for Windows 10 on ARM in Nov 17 2020.

They also have Vulcan support directed towards compatibility with Microsoft Windows 10 for ARM and Mac OS Big Sur.



Anytime you have this much upheaval you going have AAA game manufacturers looking to see how long they can maintain the status quo for supporting those platforms. Business applications is just as much fun.

Wiki's Metal article shows how many games are already made to run on Metal.

As much as people can say oh I am safe on Windows side because they have lots of games, that ARM transition is still coming.

PS I see the iOS OS variants as the only semi-closed ecosystem, aka iOS 14x, iPadOS 14x, tvOS 14x.

[cheez avenger]

I'm about to reactivate my AMC Stubs membership and get tickets to the new Scott Pilgrim re-release in Dolby Cinema. It gets released next month April 29th.

[Ender14]

Originally Posted by cheez avenger

I'm about to reactivate my AMC Stubs membership and get tickets to the new Scott Pilgrim re-release in Dolby Cinema. It gets released next month April 29th.

I saw that was coming back. I re-activated my Stubs membership a couple of months ago. Hoping to catch Nobody this weekend.

[cheez avenger]

Originally Posted by Ender14

I saw that was coming back. I re-activated my Stubs membership a couple of months ago. Hoping to catch Nobody this weekend.

I'm doing it to coincide with my vaccines being at full power by Scott Pilgrim's release date. I get my second dose 4/12 dose and SP opens 4/29. They say 2 weeks after your second dose and it should be at maximum level.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by cheez avenger

I'm doing it to coincide with my vaccines being at full power by Scott Pilgrim's release date. I get my second dose 4/12 dose and SP opens 4/29. They say 2 weeks after your second dose and it should be at maximum level.

Haven’t had my first one yet. Hoping I can get both by the time Spiral drops at the cinema. Not missing that one.

[cpr3584]

Is Spiral release date confirmed??