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FWIW, I actually rarely update my players' firmware either (and much prefer to not "fix what ain't broke" in most such cases). Don't recall if I've bothered at all for my Panny 420, but I really also haven't used it that much either since I've been mostly just streaming ever since I started...

IF you're gonna do that, you might wanna actually open them up and test them out (every once in a good while) and probably keep their firmware updated. Since I already keep 2 players in use in my HT setup anyway (and also have 2 others lying around), I'll probably hold off until one or two die...

What I'd really like to see is someone take a really good shot at doing what Vudu tried w/ their Disc-to-Digital program, but give us bit-perfect copies (and maybe also optionally offer upgrades) that we can actually store on our own local NAS if we want. That'd save us the hassle of ripping or...

I wasn't talking "high end". I'm only talking good, mainstream level players like the lower end Panasonic lines for instance. Yeah, I sounded like I'm (very) down on Panny, but that's only relative to what I would expect if I'm paying the premium. But for a $150-200 player (that seems almost...

That's the thing. If I'm gonna bother paying the premium, I don't want it to fall that far short of what I actually want. And part of that is good SACD support... plus good longevity/reliability and general support, which Panasonic doesn't really meet in my experience... plus their UI is still...

I don't care what many others think of it, but I know the 820 is not really comparable (at least on aspects that matter to me in a premium priced player). It's just what's best and comes closest in the current marketplace, but not actually really comparable (again, on multiple scores) -- and it...

They aren't (on multiple scores) as far as I'm concerned (plus I have my beef w/ their designs and reliability in general even though I do use their 420 as my main movie disc player now), which is largely why I still haven't bought their otherwise seemingly pretty good 820 even when it dropped...

I didn't have pets either, but yeah, I also experienced somewhat similar issues as you, but not quite on all players I had, so it could certainly be some mix between mediocre design and/or QC *plus* your environment and how your players get used. Still, I do think they simply don't make players...

Can you provide specific examples of this? I'd like to know since I do buy some on digital (usually via iTunes). I haven't heard of any actual instances of this for purchased digitals so far. Yes, certainly, for something I feel important enough (and especially possibly at such risk), I...

I did somewhat similarly (but might be somewhat more selective usually sticking w/ movies that at least get 70% fresh rating at RottenTomatoes)... except I usually waited for sales in most cases, not usually buying during release week, and switched some of that to digitals on <=$5 iTunes sales...

Aaaah... so THAT's really why disc sales have slumped over the last decade and the market kept shrinking... Y'all are not pulling your weight anymore here! :lol: Can't say I blame yah (at all!)... as I've kinda been looking to do likewise for quite some time myself, but I just keep getting...

I thought that would be me too after spending a couple years diving into streaming, but the occasional big disc sales, particularly for titles not nearly as well represented in sales on iTunes or the various subscription streaming services, except Criterion Channel, which doesn't keep them...

I feel for you if your main interest is in catalog TV series. The studios, et al definitely seem to give the lowest of priority to those for disc releases. You may indeed need to consider going w/ "digital" for at least some of them, especially if you want decent-to-good HD quality. _Man_

Everyone will do what suits them best. Not actually gonna save physical media if there aren't actually enough (real) demand for it to at least keep its niche... not that physical media will necessarily die out from the current trend of course. It may well survive just fine enough in the niche...

Guys, You can always do both and simply reap the most benefits of both as they may (or may not) best serve you. Doesn't need to be exclusively one or the other. Also, streaming is not only limited to services like NetFlix, et al that rotate content in/out of access. There are those like...

Yeah, streaming access is definitely often more convenient... though I can't stand Amazon's UI and rarely ever do that thru them (and still almost never rent in general), if I even happen to reactivate my subscription (more often than not on some free/very-cheap trial basis as I don't find their...

Are you suggesting someone start a disc/HT vs theaters debate thread instead? :laugh: _Man_

Probably the only caveat (for some of us anyhow) is WAF, haha... _Man_

Same for me for the most part (and I'm sure many other HTFers). I do still go to the theaters once in a long-ish while, but usually, it's more for the social aspect of going w/ a buddy or three and/or some event-ish screening perhaps... although the (near-post-)pandemic environment has renewed...

I don't know about that. I have some iTunes digitals (mainly foreign films) that haven't been readily available on disc here in USA (w/out trying to import from elsewhere) -- and there are also a handful cases where iTunes has some title in 4K (or HD), but there are no 4K (and in some cases, no...

As is often the case w/ these rants, you seemed to completely ignore/overlook the streaming option to buy/own (or even rent) digital copies instead of subscription-only services. Agreed those are also (largely, currently) subjected to at least some of the issues you (and others) brought up, but...

Is 76x55ft considered very small for IMAX? No idea. The one I usually go to in NYC is ~100x80ft. That currently largest one in Germany isn't quite so big for 1.43:1 AR IMAX though since it's shaped more for 1.9:1 -- and it sounds like they're only showing IMAX movies (at least the new Bond...

I agree to an extent... and yes, for that reason, I'm going to see the new Bond flick (and also Dune after that) at the (only) true IMAX theater in NYC -- I also saw the 2001 revival/restoration screening there ~3(?) years ago. But generally, I'm plenty satisfied w/ my 120" faux-K FP setup...

Thing is (often very inexpensive) digital purchases from say iTunes, especially if they're Movies Anywhere-eligible, do offer much of that is part of Josh's point. No, it doesn't guarantee quite as much as physical media, but for many of us, it's close enough for many/most cases. The gap has...

I forget the details now, but that key only needed to be retrieve once in a (long?) while, no? Wonder if this is really commonly used for 4K discs... _Man_

Yeah, with very few exceptions, that's what I'm finding, especially w/ the advent of streaming... _Man_

And certainly, you should've gotten better. That's pretty lame of them to use satellite broadband for something like this. IF there were no better options, they should probably charge much less... maybe just make it essentially free and only charge for concessions or something. But yes, if I...

Nobody I knew particularly wanted that for gifts. And of course, I can't even give away old DVDs and even BDs in most cases anymore after I upgrade. I used to think I could lend out discs to family/friends/acquaintances who aren't collectors (which are 99% of them), but that didn't happen too...

You're talking only about subscription streaming services, not digital purchases (and redemptions) from the likes of iTunes and Vudu -- most of us favor iTunes well above Vudu in that category (and generally prefer for titles to be Movies Anywhere-eligible for cross-platform access and...

You know... a lot of the points made against streaming are simply no longer true or at least not likely enough a real, practical difference maker (for anyone w/ good enough broadband access anyway). Yes, the best of streaming generally remains slightly behind the best of physical media in terms...