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Blu-Ray boosts home entertainment. Are you buying Blu-Ray's or renting?

post #1 of 28
1/12/12 at 10:16pm
Thread Starter 

Digital Entertainment Group (DEG) put out a report regarding the adoption of Blu-Ray.  The DEG paints a picture of recovery for Hollywood home entertainment (probably because so many of you bought Blu-Ray discs over the Black Friday and Cyber Monday period this last year)!

 

The DEG stated that total consumer spending on home filmed entertainment for the second half of the year rose nearly 1%, fueled by a strong third quarter in which spending was up 5%, which marked the first quarterly increase since 2008. While overall spending for the category was slightly down 2% for the year, the industry’s performance clearly stabilized in 2011.  Blu-ray Disc continued to perform remarkably well with consumer spending on Blu-ray sell-through up 20% for the year. 

 

DEG also stated that studios launched their first Blu-ray Disc titles with UltraViolet in 2011, with the DEG estimating that more than 100 UltraViolet titles will be available in 2012.  Blu-ray penetration continues to grow rapidly, increasing 38% last year (including BD set-tops, PS3s and HTiBs) to a total household penetration of all Blu-ray compatible devices now at nearly 40 million US homes.

 

What's interesting here is a comparison to DVD both in adoption of households and money being spent.  Also, if you consider that there was 6.8 million iOS and Android devices activated on Christmas day alone, with 700K Android devices being sold a day, 40 million homes with Blu-Ray players doesn't seem that interesting, particularly with Blu-Ray players costing signficantly less than any iOS device. 

 

It would have also been interesting to compare the numbers of RedBox and Netflix.  As a data point, Redbox rented more than 1 billion discs as of 10/2010.  Of course how many optical discs Netflix is renting these days is probably in decline, particularly given the active threads here on HTF regarding Netflix.

 

For me, I still continue to purchase Blu-Rays with over 1600 HD optical discs, with a nice chunk purchased over Black Friday and Cyber Monday from those dang Blu-Ray Movie Price Drops Today threads!  I haven't rented a blu-ray disc in months...

 

Are you part of the 20% increase in Blu-Ray sell through are are you a renter of optical discs?

 

 

 

 

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post #2 of 28
1/13/12 at 6:00am
As usual, I'm a buyer.
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post #3 of 28
1/13/12 at 6:05am
Buyer. I figure if something is worth watching on Blu-ray it's worth owning.
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post #4 of 28
1/13/12 at 6:25am
I'm a buyer. I'm coming to the end of my working life and I'm aiming to be in a position that when I stop working I'll be able to see all my favorite movies any time I like without it costing me anything!
Edited by Robin9 - 1/15/12 at 6:57am
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post #5 of 28
1/13/12 at 6:48am

Buyer.  With only a few isolated instances as exceptions, I haven't been a renter since Beta and then VHS days, and I rarely think to (or want to) watch movies On Demand.

 

Several years ago I built a fairly simple but effective Excel spreadsheet that enables me to keep track of what's in my collection.  At present, there are some 2300 titles on LD, DVD, and BD.  Blu-ray is now the default for new acquisitions, but I'm very careful to check reviews here first.  I still buy lots of DVDs for all the various good reasons.

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post #6 of 28
1/13/12 at 7:41am
I buy movies on Blu-Ray if they require a high-definition viewing and worth watching more than once.

1) LOTR
2) Marvel and DC Movies
3) Wizard of Oz
4) Avatar

I buy movies on DVD if it's something I want to own, but don't need to view it on Blu-Ray.

1) Bruno
2) Jerry Maguire
3) Airheads
4) Any cool action or drama I see on the bargain bin for $3.

I rent movies if I know I want to see them, but confident only one viewing.

1) The Kids Are Alright
2) The Kings Speech
3) 'homework' movies I need to watch to study direction or acting, or just appreciation of film history
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post #7 of 28
1/13/12 at 7:51am
Buyer, although I've slowed down recently due to lack of movies/TV shows that I really want, or already own.
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post #8 of 28
1/13/12 at 8:49am
Both. If it's a film I like and am confident that I'll want to re-watch at some point, I'll buy it - otherwise rent. I don't see the point in buying something I've never seen and will most likely only want to watch once.
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post #9 of 28
1/13/12 at 9:09am
I buy everything. Outside of Netflix streaming, which I typically only use because it's there, I haven't rented a disc in years. I'm a little more cautious with blind buying these days, but I still do it occasionally.
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post #10 of 28
1/13/12 at 9:30am
There's an article here that suggests the outlook for home video isn't as rosy as the DEG suggests:
Quote:
Nomura analyst Michael Nathanson doesn’t buy the spin from DEG...The industry group said that spending only fell 2.1% last year — the smallest decline since 2008 — due in part to a 20% increase in spending on Blu-ray discs...But Nathanson says in a report this morning that the figures are misleading because they include subscription payments for digital streaming from companies such as Netflix and Hulu Plus. They “are not directly tied to the distinct purchase of one title,” Nathanson says. “Why didn’t prior DEG reports include HBO and Showtime revenues?" When you take the subscription numbers out, ”the industry’s health looks a little more sickly at -6.6% vs the -2.1% reported,” Nathanson says. “Using this approach, we maintain a view that consumer demand for physical and digital home entertainment titles is still, unfortunately, in secular decline.” The bottom line? Nathanson predicts that U.S. consumers will spend $16.3B on home entertainment this year, -4%, and $15.5B in 2013, -5%.
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post #11 of 28
1/13/12 at 10:49am
Both. Buy favorites when they become available & finances allow. Have no intention of stopping BD collecting.

Rent new BDs releases via Netflix.

Done w/ DVD (with rare cases of "may never get on BD" such as Three Stooges Collection, Shout's Leave it To Beaver box set, etc.) If its on both formats, it's BD or not at all.
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post #12 of 28
1/13/12 at 11:29am

Mostly buying.

 

My rental habits are mixed between BD, DVD and streaming, 95% of which is through Netflix.

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post #13 of 28
1/13/12 at 1:29pm

I mostly wait.

 

If the movie is either a classic I have to have (The African Queen) or something new I know I really, really want (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2, for example), I'll buy and usually near release date if the price is right.

 

For most other movies, particularly new ones, I'll wait to watch them first on HBO, Showtime, or Starz. If I like it sufficiently, then I'll buy the Blu-ray to add to the collection (that far after street date, the price is usually very attactrive). Often, once is enough. If I can't wait the 9 months to a year for it to come to pay cable, I'll rent the DVD at Redbox to see if it's something I want to buy.

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post #14 of 28
1/13/12 at 8:25pm
I'm still doing both pretty actively. I try to see as many new releases as possible, probably 2-3 per week on average, but I'm only buying the ones I really like after getting from Netflix, catalog titles, and new releases that I know I'll like but can't see in theaters (2 kids under the age of 3).
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post #15 of 28
1/14/12 at 12:51am
I am very surprised that several members who have equipment for watching Blu-Ray do still watch and buy DVDs of movies available on Blu-Ray. Wouldn't it be better to rent them as Blu-Rays and enjoy a much better presentation?

I understand that there might be a title or two that isn't available for renting but for example Bruno has been mentioned and I am sure it was possible to rent it somewhere on Blu-Ray?

Myself I am both renting and watching. I usually buy worthy older transfer to send the right signal to studios so many older movies done well get bought. Much less newer stuff that I figure is not worth watching more than once most of the time and that will sell anyway.

I try to avoid bad Blu-Rays and I avoid certain studios that usually are substandard with catalog completely, a good example would be Universal.
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post #16 of 28
1/14/12 at 4:47am

Buying only, thank you.

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post #17 of 28
1/14/12 at 9:20am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Worth View Post

There's an article here that suggests the outlook for home video isn't as rosy as the DEG suggests:
Quote:
Nomura analyst Michael Nathanson doesn’t buy the spin from DEG...The industry group said that spending only fell 2.1% last year — the smallest decline since 2008 — due in part to a 20% increase in spending on Blu-ray discs...But Nathanson says in a report this morning that the figures are misleading because they include subscription payments for digital streaming from companies such as Netflix and Hulu Plus. They “are not directly tied to the distinct purchase of one title,” Nathanson says. “Why didn’t prior DEG reports include HBO and Showtime revenues?" When you take the subscription numbers out, ”the industry’s health looks a little more sickly at -6.6% vs the -2.1% reported,” Nathanson says. “Using this approach, we maintain a view that consumer demand for physical and digital home entertainment titles is still, unfortunately, in secular decline.” The bottom line? Nathanson predicts that U.S. consumers will spend $16.3B on home entertainment this year, -4%, and $15.5B in 2013, -5%.


Yes...  I was hoping to provide additional commentary to the DEG release (i.e. comparing it to something else) that would provide a better reference point than just percentage gains.  20% increase from a number of 10 isn't that impressive! 

 

If Hollywood could figure out UV to provide a consistent value prop regarding pricing, UI, consumption and usage, then maybe they would have something that could compel people.  Until they can come up with a model that competes with rental and streaming, they are not going to increase for the primary consumer.  For HTF nuts like us, they will still have someone that is going to buy their optical discs, but we are not a large enough audience to sustain their business model. 

 

I just hope we don't get to a state where we are forced to consume product that is back to VHS days in terms of quality...

 

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post #18 of 28
1/14/12 at 3:53pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Chas in CT View Post

Buyer.  With only a few isolated instances as exceptions, I haven't been a renter since Beta and then VHS days, and I rarely think to (or want to) watch movies On Demand.

Several years ago I built a fairly simple but effective Excel spreadsheet that enables me to keep track of what's in my collection.  At present, there are some 2300 titles on LD, DVD, and BD.  Blu-ray is now the default for new acquisitions, but I'm very careful to check reviews here first.  I still buy lots of DVDs for all the various good reasons.

Same here. If the SD MODs would just come down in price, I'd be all over them...$20 is a little tuff to swallow!
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post #19 of 28
1/14/12 at 6:17pm
Only ever buy Bluray & even then usually catalog titles or something newer which I have already seen at the theatre & enjoyed. Rarely blind buy movies I have not already watched at least once.

Never ever going to be interested in renting or streaming I always want to own the physical media & still have the Laserdiscs/DVD's in storage to prove it !!!!
Edited by Paul_Warren - 1/15/12 at 7:37am
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post #20 of 28
1/14/12 at 6:39pm
buyer all the way...
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post #21 of 28
1/14/12 at 6:48pm
Pretty much just buying...
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post #22 of 28
1/14/12 at 7:03pm
I bought all of 3 movies on blu-ray last year. These days it has to be something I REALLY want to get me to spend money on it.

Doug
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post #23 of 28
1/14/12 at 8:18pm
I do both but I rarely will buy a new release because I can't afford to be buying everything I want to see. I have no "disposable income" for it, That's what redbox is for.
I cancelled NF and now use BBO. Unfortunately new releases take months to become available. Oh well.

My buys are usually sale pricing such as the current Best Buy trade in deal going that gives you $5 coupons towards any movie. Plenty of $10 Blus to choose from.
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post #24 of 28
1/15/12 at 4:41am
I typically buy but I do rent a few titles here and there from Netflix. Those have lessened over the last year or so since they adopted that silly 28 day delay for new release rentals. (now 56 days for WB!)
Now unless it's a release I have to have on release date, I usually wait unless the price drops, especially for WB titles.
A good recent example is the film Contagion. I want to see it and its a film I typically would have rented during the first week of release. Now I just sit and wait for it to price drop (Amazon loves to drop prices a few weeks after release) to something more reasonable since I'll probably watch it and then it will sit on my shelf for several months or years or I will trade it back in to Amazon.

Overall, I pretty much just weigh the "rewatchability" factor vs. price vs. availability when deciding to buy vs. rent.
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post #25 of 28
1/15/12 at 6:38am

Both - I can't imagine just doing one or the other exclusively

 

The vast majority of what I do buy are catalog titles.

 

The vast majority of "New" releases are rentals.  I'd say about 90% of the new releases I've seen the past year are titles I have no desire to see again, let alone own.  Some I wish I never watched in the first place.

 

 


Edited by Jim_K - 1/15/12 at 7:10am
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post #26 of 28
1/15/12 at 6:58am
I've never rented & tend to only buy catalogue titles. Now I'm over 60 (just!), I can borrow DVD's from my local libraries for free! So I tend to see all the new films on DVD, & if I really liked one I'd buy the Blu-ray, but it doesn't happen very often.
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post #27 of 28
1/15/12 at 10:46am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim_K View Post

Both - I can't imagine just doing one or the other exclusively

The vast majority of what I do buy are catalog titles.

The vast majority of "New" releases are rentals.  I'd say about 90% of the new releases I've seen the past year are titles I have no desire to see again, let alone own.  Some I wish I never watched in the first place.


Same.

I hardly ever go to the movies. So i rent new releases from NetFlix on Blu, if available.

If i like the movie, i buy it when the price is right.

I buy TV shows on Blu, and DVD. Mostly old shows, as i am not a fan of many newer shows. The wife and i did get hooked on Dexter recently!

I upgrade many of the catalog movies i own on DVD, to Blu, once the price is right.

Oh, and i kicked NetFlix streaming to the curb. I toss the digital download discs, and i have no use for UltraViolet at this time.
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post #28 of 28
1/16/12 at 7:44am
I am also in the "buy catalog and rent new releases" category. In the SD-DVD days, I made too many blind buy purchases of films I didn't care for, so I've been trying to avoid that with Blu-ray.

We do not rent often, though, so I've been patronizing our local Blockbuster store, which has $2 BD rentals. Unfortunately, they are finally closing, so I will need to find another place to rent. We can go months without renting, so a monthly subscription service such as Netflix doesn't work for us. I have streamed a few movies via Vudu, but their prices can be high (I had about $25 in credits, so haven't paid anything yet). I may try Amazon's service, and if I like the quality and content it may be enough to push me to a Prime membership, which is cheaper than a year of Netflix and there are other benefits.

We also rarely go to the movie theater. I think the last film I saw in the theater was Avatar.
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