Press Release PHE Press Release: Indiana Jones 4-Movie Movie Collection (4k UHD) (Blu-ray) (1 Viewer)

[Robert Crawford]

It sounds silly, but I guess I can't wrap my head around non-physical releases.

Fair enough as I just just curious about it.

 

[Robert Crawford]

I can't speak for @Sam Favate. But I will choose physical media over digital copies any day. I'll redeem a digital code if it is included, but I would prefer an actual disc.

There have been a couple movies recently where the physical media release was a DVD and the digital release was in HD and I still chose to buy the DVD.

Having it permanently on a disc that I physically possess is important to me.

Generally I would agree with you except when it comes to an upgrade digitally like a 4K digital vs. BD of the same title or more likely a HD digital vs. DVD of the same title. In both cases there isn't an upgrade disc-wise because there isn't a 4K disc for the first example nor a BD for the second one.

 

[Sam Favate]

Fair enough as I just just curious about it.

Another reason is that my home theater currently is not equipped for digital-only releases. I know that could be easily remedied by hooking up an Apple TV or such, but I'm really waiting to upgrade my projector to a 4k (which would solve the problem, since most of them seem to have wireless digital connections). Right now, all digital and 4k disc viewing has to be on my 4k TV.

Can anyone recommend a good, fairly inexpensive 4k projector?

 

[Jake Lipson]

The chances of having digital copies messed with are really small, but they do exist.

The example I usually use for this is Toy Story 2. In the wake of the Me Too movement, Disney removed an outtake from a reissue of the Blu-ray because it referenced casting couch culture. They also removed the outtake from the digital copies that were included from previous releases of the disc. They went into the digital file and said, "You can't have this anymore" even though it was included there when I redeemed the code years earlier.

But I still own Toy Story 2 on both DVD and Blu-ray from previous releases. I still have that outtake. When I go to watch the film on my Blu-ray, it's still there. Disney took the scene away from the digital version, but they're not going to be able to legally come in here and take the disc away from me.

So if I have something on DVD that isn't available on Blu-ray, I've still got a physical copy that I own in perpetuity.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

Can anyone recommend a good, fairly inexpensive 4k projector?

BenQ has some very highly regarded models at price points under $1000. Ive not used them personally but they consistently get high marks in the market they cater to.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

So if I have something on DVD that isn't available on Blu-ray, I've still got a physical copy that I own in perpetuity.

Unless the disc goes bad.

There are lots of reasons to like discs and lots of reasons to like digital. I’m not sure “lasts forever” is one I’d cite for either.

 

[Jake Lipson]

Unless the disc goes bad.

Excellent point. I've never had a disc go bad personally, but I'm sure you're right that it is possible.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

I get why Paramount isn’t putting a lot of trouble into this, if it was even their call. Lucasfilm controls the films, and has the vault with the material. Lucasfilm may not have been interested in creating new bonus material and if that’s the case, there’s nothing Paramount can do about that. Market research has also shown over the past 15+ years that bonus features do not drive purchases for mass market releases. Why spend money to create content that’ll just raise the costs of the release, thus making it harder to turn a profit?

I understand the disappointment and frustration among enthusiasts and it’s not that I don’t share in it - I do - but I don’t think it’s as simple as “Paramount sucks”.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

Excellent point. I've never had a disc go bad personally, but I'm sure you're right that it is possible.

Not to sidetrack this too much but we have numerous threads on the topic - the glue between layers often fails and depending on how bad it is, your player may be able to work through it, might get stuck, or might not play the disc at all. It’s less a function of how discs are packaged or how individuals store them and just the result of the materials within them breaking down. They’re not really meant to be archival items. It’s great when they do last, but it’s a bad “investment” purchase for the lack of guaranteed longevity.

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

Why? I have plenty of 4K digitals that haven't been released on 4K disc.

Speaking personally, 4K UHD discs on my Panasonic UB-820 look noticeably better than 4K streams on my Roku Ultra.

 

[dpippel]

I get why Paramount isn’t putting a lot of trouble into this, if it was even their call. Lucasfilm controls the films, and has the vault with the material. Lucasfilm may not have been interested in creating new bonus material and if that’s the case, there’s nothing Paramount can do about that. Market research has also shown over the past 15+ years that bonus features do not drive purchases for mass market releases. Why spend money to create content that’ll just raise the costs of the release, thus making it harder to turn a profit?

I understand the disappointment and frustration among enthusiasts and it’s not that I don’t share in it - I do - but I don’t think it’s as simple as “Paramount sucks”.

I don't even really care about new bonus content. I'm thinking about the bare minimum here - they could have, at the very least, either included Blu-rays of the remastered 4K UHD data or released remastered Blu-rays separately. I doubt that decision would have anything to do with Lucasfilm.

The main audience for releases like this are the very people that know they're getting hoodwinked. And they wonder why disc sales are down? In many ways it's a self-fulfilling prophecy of their own doing.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Speaking personally, 4K UHD discs on my Panasonic UB-820 look noticeably better than 4K streams on my Roku Ultra.

That’s a different argument than what I was talking about in that particular post. I was talking about 4K digitals that haven’t been released on 4K disc.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

I don't even really care about new bonus content. I'm thinking about the bare minimum here - they could have, at the very least, either included Blu-rays of the remastered 4K UHD data or released remastered Blu-rays separately. I doubt that decision would have anything to do with Lucasfilm.

The main audience for releases like this are the very people that know they're getting hoodwinked. And they wonder why disc sales are down? In many ways it's a self-fulfilling prophecy of their own doing.

They’ve left money on the table by not doing that, I agree. I like the extant BDs but I’d double dip on a combo set to futureproof myself and now I won’t.

 

[PMF]

Well, look at the bright side. If a replacement disc program because warranted, we’ll only have to hunt down one BD or one 4K/UHD, instead of two.

 

[Tommy R]

Why didn’t they ever do a DVD/VHS combo pack?

 

[Noel Aguirre]

Unless the disc goes bad.

There are lots of reasons to like discs and lots of reasons to like digital. I’m not sure “lasts forever” is one I’d cite for either.

Excellent point. I've never had a disc go bad personally, but I'm sure you're right that it is possible.

Not to sidetrack this too much but we have numerous threads on the topic - the glue between layers often fails and depending on how bad it is, your player may be able to work through it, might get stuck, or might not play the disc at all. It’s less a function of how discs are packaged or how individuals store them and just the result of the materials within them breaking down. They’re not really meant to be archival items. It’s great when they do last, but it’s a bad “investment” purchase for the lack of guaranteed longevity.

At least with physical discs you can give or even sell them to a friend, relative, whomever or god forbid bequeath them all either to someone, a school, library, or charity.
Those digital files stop once you stop- kaput- unless you've somehow backed them up personally & physically or someone has your password but even then that's a severely compromised to transfer ownership.
And I've yet to experience any DVD or Blu-ray rot due to glue issues like laserdiscs could sometimes get.
Usually it's from a smudge (easily fixable) or scratch (not as fixable) caused by the user not utilizing proper care which causes hiccups for the most part.

 

[Jake Lipson]

Universal did a great job with their Back to the Future trilogy last year.

They included almost everything from the previously-released editions, plus a handful of new items. Most importantly did new remastered Blu-ray transfers which look noticeably better than the original Blu-ray discs from 2010. That felt like an upgrade to me and I was happy to get it even though I don't own a 4K TV or player because I was getting something new that I could use which is better than what I already had.

Paramount does not appear interested in doing the same thing here. Oh well.

 

[titch]

Another reason is that my home theater currently is not equipped for digital-only releases. I know that could be easily remedied by hooking up an Apple TV or such, but I'm really waiting to upgrade my projector to a 4k (which would solve the problem, since most of them seem to have wireless digital connections). Right now, all digital and 4k disc viewing has to be on my 4k TV.

Can anyone recommend a good, fairly inexpensive 4k projector?

I've been more than happy with my Optoma UHD 60. It renders 4K UHD discs beautifully, if they are not drenched in HDR.

 

[DaveF]

Interested in this set. But I’m not buying just blu-ray because I’m upgrading to 4K this Fall. But I’m not buying just 4K becuase I’m not getting 4K projector until at least this Fall.

So, I wait.

Which is fine. I’m trying to stop buying movies that will sit unmatched for months or years. Maybe this Christmas I can do an Indy-thon in 4K.

 

[Dave H]

I see no reason to include or create "remastered" Blu-rays since the existing discs from 2012 (which actually stem from 4K) look outstanding even for today's standards. I viewed all of them on my pro-calibrated calibrated JVC ( and Panasonic 820) paired with 9 foot wide scope screen (Stewart ST100). I'm sitting back about 9.5 feet from what would be a 124" inch image if watching on a 16:9 display. They still hold up very well. Any further improvement at rec 709 & 1080p would would be negligible at best on a big screen. For the average person watching these on a 55" to 65" display at 8-10 feet, it would be pointless.

In addition, MANY of these so-called remastered Blu-rays being included in UHD BD sets appear to have crushed blacks, poor compression, odd highlights and color at times. I cannot help but think that studios are using some sort of automated HDR to SDR conversion process. The remastered Blu-ray of The Matrix is one example with lots of issues, but there are others I could name. I seem to recall similar issues with DVDs when BD/HD DVD was starting to come out. This set is for people who can benefit from UHD BD, rightly or wrongly.