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

[cheez avenger]

That article does have some good points. I happily co-exist with physical/streaming. Now when it comes to music, I prefer to spin vinyl. I have a an awesome set-up for it. I don't buy CD's or subscribe to any digital music services. I spin vinyl exclusively. Also, when spinning vinyl, I don't skip tracks. I listen to the entire side that is being currently spun. I can see the same correlation with regards to the movie-going experience. When you're at a movie theater screening you have no choice but to sit still and watch the entire film all the way through. At home, you can skip around when viewing physical/streaming media. I think there's more to digest when spinning vinyl since you have to sit there and listen to it. Nowadays, folks are easily distracted with social media that they cannot sit still for a 30-minute tv show let alone a 2-hour movie.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by cheez avenger

That article does have some good points. I happily co-exist with physical/streaming. Now when it comes to music, I prefer to spin vinyl. I have a an awesome set-up for it. I don't buy CD's or subscribe to any digital music services. I spin vinyl exclusively. Also, when spinning vinyl, I don't skip tracks. I listen to the entire side that is being currently spun. I can see the same correlation with regards to the movie-going experience. When you're at a movie theater screening you have no choice but to sit still and watch the entire film all the way through. At home, you can skip around when viewing physical/streaming media. I think there's more to digest when spinning vinyl since you have to sit there and listen to it. Nowadays, folks are easily distracted with social media that they cannot sit still for a 3-minute tv show let alone a 2-hour movie.

Very true. Especially the last bit.

[Wendell R. Breland]

Originally Posted by PhysicalMediaNut

Maybe the two can coexist nicely since one doesn’t really replace the other.

I see this as no different than the majority of viewers in the 80's and 90's and beyond saying, “I will watch XYZ when it comes to HBO or Showtime.” Most people follow Ohm’s law and take the path of least resistance. Watching a movie on a large screen with multi channel sound is not in the cards for the masses.

It’s the size of the enthusiast crowd, with some technical knowhow, that seems to be diminishing, at one time we had Audio, High Fidelity, Stereo Review, Video, Video Review, Widescreen Review and others that could be purchased at most any magazine rack. Today its pretty much Sound & Vision and Widescreen Review. Sound & Vision used to print some technical measurement info on speakers and electronics but that too is gone. No more Heathkit, Dynaco, Hafler, Ico, etc.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by Wendell R. Breland

I see this as no different than the majority of viewers in the 80's and 90's and beyond saying, “I will watch XYZ when it comes to HBO or Showtime.” Most people follow Ohm’s law and take the path of least resistance. Watching a movie on a large screen with multi channel sound is not in the cards for the masses.

It’s the size of the enthusiast crowd, with some technical knowhow, that seems to be diminishing, at one time we had Audio, High Fidelity, Stereo Review, Video, Video Review, Widescreen Review and others that could be purchased at most any magazine rack. Today its pretty much Sound & Vision and Widescreen Review. Sound & Vision used to print some technical measurement info on speakers and electronics but that too is gone. No more Heathkit, Dynaco, Hafler, Ico, etc.

Sound bars and surround speakers/smart speakers are going to be pushed big time (Along with object based audio) over the next decade by the likes of Apple, Amazon etc.. but the days of real high end stuff is slowly fading away. Even film enthusiasts are opting for Netflix, Disney+, Amazon etc.. and getting excited at bit starved 4K. what hope do we have?

Sad times.

Somewhere, in a alt reality, people care more about quality than convenience.

[JohnAV]

Originally Posted by Wendell R. Breland

I see this as no different than the majority of viewers in the 80's and 90's and beyond saying, “I will watch XYZ when it comes to HBO or Showtime.” Most people follow Ohm’s law and take the path of least resistance. Watching a movie on a large screen with multi channel sound is not in the cards for the masses.

It’s the size of the enthusiast crowd, with some technical knowhow, that seems to be diminishing, at one time we had Audio, High Fidelity, Stereo Review, Video, Video Review, Widescreen Review and others that could be purchased at most any magazine rack. Today its pretty much Sound & Vision and Widescreen Review. Sound & Vision used to print some technical measurement info on speakers and electronics but that too is gone. No more Heathkit, Dynaco, Hafler, Ico, etc.

Interesting enough some exposure to larger screens with speakers does change some peoples minds. I had visitors that were not HT enthusiasts specifically that later got their own setup. It depends on what they were exposed to growing up also.

[Ricky G]

Originally Posted by stonesfan129

Count me as another one who is jumping on the streaming bandwagon. I just have way too many discs. I have converted most of my collection for VUDU and then sold off a lot of my discs. I have my Criterion Collection stuff still and maybe a handful of movies that I don't want to get rid of (James Bond, Dark Knight Trilogy, Star Wars) but I'm pretty much at the point where it's just easier to get the streaming version. I can watch it whenever, wherever unlike iTunes but I don't have to deal with the disc and it often comes out weeks before the disc release. I am pretty satisfied with the quality. Yes it isn't the same quality as the discs but it's acceptable to me on my 42" Panasonic plasma or my laptop screen. I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels this way.

You are definitely no the only one. Tons of people are just casual watchers. DVD sales outnumber blu-ray/4K sales big time. But look what site we are on, physical is fun for a bunch of people still. I will always be physical.

[Wendell R. Breland]

Originally Posted by Ricky G

DVD sales outnumber blu-ray/4K sales big time.

There have been ≈ 204,480 replicated titles released on DVD and ≈ 21,930 replicated titles released on Blu-ray. All things considered I would say Blu-ray has done pretty well.

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by Ricky G

You are definitely no the only one. Tons of people are just casual watchers. DVD sales outnumber blu-ray/4K sales big time. But look what site we are on, physical is fun for a bunch of people still. I will always be physical.

It depends on how you look at it. In terms of revenue, blu-ray sales, including 4K, was 47.2% of total disc sales revenue; that is not a "big time" difference at all.

Originally Posted by bruceames

the 2019 totals are (in millions):

OD: $3393.39 -17.6% YoY (last year YoY was -12.9%)

DVD: $1792.13 -20.4% YoY (last year was -20.7%)

Blu-ray $1601.28 -14.1% YoY (last year was -1.2%)

Blu-ray share vs. DVD: 47.2% (last year was 45.3%)

Box office power: -9.7% (last year was +15.2%)

Considering that there are so many more titles released on DVD than there are on blu-ray, blu-ray's sales performance is impressive. There were 3.6 times as many DVD titles released last year (10,866) than there were blu-ray titles (3,027), but blu-ray still generated 47.2% of all disc sales revenue.

Since the inception of both formats throught the end of 2019, there have been 229,252 titles released on DVD and just 24,369 on blu-ray.

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by stonesfan129

Count me as another one who is jumping on the streaming bandwagon. I just have way too many discs. I have converted most of my collection for VUDU and then sold off a lot of my discs. I have my Criterion Collection stuff still and maybe a handful of movies that I don't want to get rid of (James Bond, Dark Knight Trilogy, Star Wars) but I'm pretty much at the point where it's just easier to get the streaming version. I can watch it whenever, wherever unlike iTunes but I don't have to deal with the disc and it often comes out weeks before the disc release. I am pretty satisfied with the quality. Yes it isn't the same quality as the discs but it's acceptable to me on my 42" Panasonic plasma or my laptop screen. I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels this way.

It is your choice to make, but I think it is a poor one. Choosing convenience over quality and true ownership is a bad one in my opinion. When I buy a disc I not only genuinely own what I bought, I get a digital copy, too. I get both for my money.

Your 42" TV is tiny by today's standards and plasma TVs died in 2014. Your TV can not display the best that physical media has to offer or even the best that streaming has to offer. If you're satisfied with a small outdated TV, that's fine, but it is no real surprise from that fact alone that quality is a secondary concern for you.

You are far from being alone alright. The masses love cheap and convenient, but I, and others, aspire to have the best that we can afford and to actually own the things that we buy.

[Ricky G]

Originally Posted by Vilya

It depends on how you look at it. In terms of revenue, blu-ray sales, including 4K, was 47.2% of total disc sales revenue; that is not a "big time" difference at all.



Considering that there are so many more titles released on DVD than there are on blu-ray, blu-ray's sales performance is impressive. There were 3.6 times as many DVD titles released last year (10,866) than there were blu-ray titles (3,027), but blu-ray still generated 47.2% of all disc sales revenue.

Since the inception of both formats throught the end of 2019, there have been 229,252 titles released on DVD and just 24,369 on blu-ray.

I meant "sales" in terms of people purchasing. We were talking about people's preference not money.

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by Ricky G

I meant "sales" in terms of people purchasing. We were talking about people's preference not money.

Well, how the money was spent speaks volumes as to their preference, too.

47.2% of all disc revenue came from blu-ray sales despite there being far fewer blu-ray releases compared to those of DVD. DVDs cost less on average and 3.6 times as many titles were released, but even with all of that in its favor DVD sales were still just 52.8% of total disc revenue.

The studios care about where the money comes from after all. The casual DVD buyer shopping the $3.74 bin at Walmart is not where the best physical media profit margins are being realized. The avid collectors who routinely pay $20-$30 each for blu-rays and 4K discs are where the juiciest profit margins come from.

[Wendell R. Breland]

Originally Posted by Vilya

Your 42" TV is tiny by today's standards and plasma TVs died in 2014.

How about the 80's?

Below is my late 84 or early 85 setup. That picture was taken several years later and some equipment items had been added.

[Show spoiler]Screen size was 78" dia.

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by Wendell R. Breland

How about the 80's?

Below is my late 84 or early 85 setup. That picture was taken several years later and some equipment items had been added.

[Show spoiler]Screen size was 78" dia.

You were never the typical consumer when it comes to home video entertainment and that's a great thing. You, I, and others have always wanted far better than just average and economical.

[Wendell R. Breland]

@Vilya and speakers

Finally, I remembered to search and find this post. I have not auditioned any speakers by Revel but if Kris thinks they are good then it may be worthwhile to look into what they have to offer. Revel here.

[gotmule]

Originally Posted by Wendell R. Breland

I see this as no different than the majority of viewers in the 80's and 90's and beyond saying, “I will watch XYZ when it comes to HBO or Showtime.” Most people follow Ohm’s law and take the path of least resistance. Watching a movie on a large screen with multi channel sound is not in the cards for the masses.

It’s the size of the enthusiast crowd, with some technical knowhow, that seems to be diminishing, at one time we had Audio, High Fidelity, Stereo Review, Video, Video Review, Widescreen Review and others that could be purchased at most any magazine rack. Today its pretty much Sound & Vision and Widescreen Review. Sound & Vision used to print some technical measurement info on speakers and electronics but that too is gone. No more Heathkit, Dynaco, Hafler, Ico, etc.

I am in the mindset that a true enthusiast will still pursue his or her hobby, and acquire the equipment and content to satisfy that need. The manner in which they research their purchases may be different, as well as having to often take a leap of faith when purchasing something without seeing or hearing it. I think it is more a situation with Joe six pack who at one point would go to a big box retailer to get a surround sound setup who makes up the group that is diminishing.

[Anthony P]

Originally Posted by JohnAV

Maybe the MGM archives will be opened up to view. Why wait forever to see what in the vault. You know you can't sell media if the stuff never see the light of day to get people interested. Oh wait someone here buys a lot of things blind buy!

MGM is a big name that has existed a long time in Hollywood but they don't really have an "archive." In 1986 MGM was sold to Turner Broadcasting, later that year Turner kept most of the content but sold the production studio, use of name and a few UA titles back to Kerkorian (he was the CEO of MGM that sold him the company) and MGM was reborn. So any MGM film /TV/short/cartoon before 1986 now belongs to WB.

[Anthony P]

Originally Posted by JohnAV

Have streaming services sucked the magic out of watching movies? [opinion] - RedShark 1/30/20

I was thinking, the other day, when trying to find a film to watch on Netflix, why do I spend so much time trying to decide what to watch? Yes, sometimes there is a lack of titles but across multiple streaming services surely I should be able to find something?

Actually, I don’t think it’s down to the titles available as much as it’s about the lack of watching a streaming movie as an event.

I don't think he is right. don't get me wrong, I think for a lot of people it is about wasting time (and excuse to sit on the couch) but I don't think that is the reason that he can't find something to watch.

When I used to have multi disk DVD players daisy chained together picking films with the remote it used to take longer to pick a film( and I blamed the slow and clunky interface). When digital catalogue software popped up I tried entering my films but it too made picking a film longer and so I stopped (and why I never entered anything on this site). It is the same reason long menus make it harder to pick something to eat at some restaurants.
you ask yourself maybe the next thing will be abetter choice and so you can't just stop with the first "OK" thing that pops up add to it the " that next thing might not be there any more next week" and it makes it seam even more imperative to continue looking for something better until you finally have enough.

[cheez avenger]

Just ordered my AVR, so I'm now 75% of the way there. The 4K TV is next. Hopefully by the end of the month or early next month.

[Wendell R. Breland]

Originally Posted by cheez avenger

Just ordered my AVR, so I'm now 75% of the way there.

What was your choice?

[cheez avenger]

Originally Posted by Wendell R. Breland

What was your choice?

Since budget was a definite consideration I went with the Sony STR-DN1080. I'll be going for a 5.2.2 Atmos configuration for my HT space. I was initially worried about not being able to connect my turntable to it but I have a pre-amp, so it will work after all. It looks like a solid unit and Amazon is delivering it tomorrow at no extra charge.