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

[V40LLY]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

Yeah, I disagree!

With all of that?

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by V40LLY

With all of that?

Most of it!

[V40LLY]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

Most of it!

That's interesting. Which bit DID you agree with?

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by V40LLY

That's interesting. Which bit DID you agree with?

Your first capital letter and the full stop (period) at the end.

[Mr Kite]

Originally Posted by V40LLY

It's the older stuff that could do with the 4K UHD upgrade; more so, than the latest, expensive blockbusters we see today. I think the 1080 resolution is perfectly acceptable for them, anyway (I'm sure you'll also, disagree with me on that one). But, when you look at movies on Blu-ray, from the 60s, 70s and 80s, you'll notice grain and dirt in the print etc. It depends on how much effort, if any, has gone into restoring them.

Obviously, the only movies, that will get the 4K UHD Blu-ray release treatment, besides the modern blockbusters, are the iconic stuff from yesteryear. Certainly not the old B movies! Having said that; I'm surprised from time to time, what does get released on Blu-ray and what does not!

In my opinion, the only reason why the Ghostbusters movies are getting the upgrade, is because of the new one being released in the summer. If it wasn't for that, I don't think Sony would have bothered.

Grain is supposed to be there.

[V40LLY]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

Your first capital letter and the full stop (period) at the end.

So, you actually think something like (let me see) Head Above Water or Jaws: The Revenge would get a UHD 4K Blu-ray release?

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by V40LLY

So, you actually think something like (let me see) Head Above Water or Jaws: The Revenge would get a UHD 4K Blu-ray release?

I was just joking with you.

[V40LLY]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

I was just joking with you.

So, you're agreeing with me now?

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by V40LLY

So, you're agreeing with me now?

No. But I do agree with your Ghostbusters comment.

[V40LLY]

Why not support a format, which has the bigger choice of titles, excluding DVD, obviously?

[Mr Kite]

Originally Posted by v40lly

why not support a format, which has the bigger choice of titles, excluding dvd, obviously?

PQ, AQ, Extras, physical ownership.etc...........

[V40LLY]

Picture quality difference in most cases, would only be noticed on the largest TV's and projector screens. Audio quality would only be noticed on an expensive sound system, which most people don't have.

I have plenty of movies in my iTunes locker that have extras one. I'm willing to bet that the menu's for them are identical to what you see on the Blu-ray versions of those.

Physical ownership-all my titles are backed up to a hard drive. I download both the SD version and the HD version (1080p). I don't have anything to hold in my hand and admire the artwork, which may or may not be good. That isn't a deal breaker for me.

[Dynamo of Eternia]

Originally Posted by V40LLY

Why not support a format, which has the bigger choice of titles, excluding DVD, obviously?

Define "format" with regards to digital movie/TV show purchases (we'll leave services like Netflix out of this for now).

There are various services... UV, Vudu, ITunes, Disney Movies Anywhere, and so on. Some services allow you to "link" your account with another service, while others do not. Some titles are exclusive to one service.

Even if you have a device that allows you to use apps for many (if not all) of these services, the fact that several apps are needed, each with their own respective encryption and DRM methods, makes each service effectively a separate format.

While the quality might be comparable between some of these services (as opposed to the obvious quality difference between DVD and Blu-Ray), how is running several of these apps from the same device otherwise fundamentally any different than having a Blu-Ray player which plays Blu-Rays and DVDs?

Furthermore, many recent Blu-Rays players, newer game consoles (which also play DVDs and Blu-Rays), and Smart TVs all tend to feature apps for most of these services. So even if hypothetically a particular piece of content is only available for purchase digitally (and not on DVD or Blu-Ray), and it's something that I want bad enough to make an exception and buy digitally, I can easily watch it on my existing equipment without the long-term concerns of restricting the rest of my entire collection behind some other company's DRM wall, and have to worry about access to my whole collection potentially going belly-up if ever something goes south with said company (or companies).

Not to mention that in the specific case of ITunes, Apple has been more stubborn on what devices it will allow ITunes to be used on. So if even part of your purchases are through ITunes, it is arguably the most restrictive format of digital distribution in that regard. You have to have something like an apple TV or a PC connected to your TV. The aforementioned existing devices don't offer that option.

[Dynamo of Eternia]

Originally Posted by V40LLY

Physical ownership-all my titles are backed up to a hard drive.

But still restricted by the ITunes DRM. As highly unlikely as it may seem now (and probably won't happen anytime in the immediate future, if ever), if someway, somehow, ITunes was to become less dominant in the market place, start to go south to the point of possibly ending entirely or getting bought out by another company, your hard drive back ups may not necessarily work if you needed to transfer them to a compatible device, especially if the authentication isn't already established on said device. And you may not be able to reestablish the authentication.

[Mr Kite]

Originally Posted by V40LLY

Picture quality difference in most cases, would only be noticed on the largest TV's and projector screens. Audio quality would only be noticed on an expensive sound system, which most people don't have.

I have plenty of movies in my iTunes locker that have extras one. I'm willing to bet that the menu's for them are identical to what you see on the Blu-ray versions of those.

Physical ownership-all my titles are backed up to a hard drive. I download both the SD version and the HD version (1080p). I don't have anything to hold in my hand and admire the artwork, which may or may not be good. That isn't a deal breaker for me.

Anything over 32" and yes anyone can notice it.

[Dynamo of Eternia]

Originally Posted by tele1962

Anything over 32" and yes anyone can notice it.

Yup. And you don't necessarily have to have the absolute "top of the line" super-expensive sound system to notice the audio differences either.

There are plenty of sound systems that come with everything you need (in terms of speakers, sub woofer, etc.) packed in for only a few hundred bucks, and the difference is very noticeable.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by tele1962

Anything over 32" and yes anyone can notice it.

Very true.

[unsung122212]

Originally Posted by Dynamo of Eternia

But still restricted by the ITunes DRM. As highly unlikely as it may seem now (and probably won't happen anytime in the immediate future, if ever), if someway, somehow, ITunes was to become less dominant in the market place, start to go south to the point of possibly ending entirely or getting bought out by another company, your hard drive back ups may not necessarily work if you needed to transfer them to a compatible device, especially if the authentication isn't already established on said device. And you may not be able to reestablish the authentication.

To be honest, that is whole debate between physical digital and stream/download digital is the allusion of 'ownership.' Well, other than the PQ/AQ, which give people time to research could nullify that aspect. If UV, iTunes, Amazon or Google developed a file that could be downloaded (like one copy downloaded at a time) to a disc, USB drive or portable hard drive that was DRM protected, so it couldn't be copied and illegally distributed, while being able to play on any device (computer, phone, tablet bluray player, etc) as long as it had something that could play video, then that would still give the sense of 'ownership. Even blurays are DRM protected, but they can be played with just about any blu ray player in your region.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by unsung122212

To be honest, that is whole debate between physical digital and stream/download digital is the allusion of 'ownership.' Well, other than the PQ/AQ, which give people time to research could nullify that aspect. If UV, iTunes, Amazon or Google developed a file that could be downloaded (like one copy downloaded at a time) to a disc, USB drive or portable hard drive that was DRM protected, so it couldn't be copied and illegally distributed, while being able to play on any device (computer, phone, tablet bluray player, etc) as long as it had something that could play video, then that would still give the sense of 'ownership. Even blurays are DRM protected, but they can be played with just about any blu ray player in your region.

No thanks.

[V40LLY]

iTunes are the ruler of home video!