Questions for people who haven't gone Blu yet... (1 Viewer)

[ManW_TheUncool]

I only read the first page and last of this thread, so maybe some of what I'll say has already been said somewhere in between here...

Originally Posted by Bob Cashill /forum/thread/307615/questions-for-people-who-haven-t-gone-blu-yet#post_3768891

I am a BD adopter and if a new title I want is available in both BD or DVD, I buy the BD. Having said that I am shocked at how quickly the music market died. Its been years since I bought a CD or LP. I buy songs and albums on Amazon.

The music industry did everything possible to drive consumers away … for instance:


. . .


10. Around the time CD sales started a slight decline, DVD sales were increasing. Maybe people were shifting money from building CD collections to building DVD ones.


This part was definitely true for me. My habit switched big time from CD to DVD in part because I felt like I've gotten to a good plateau w/ my CD collection (of mainly classical music w/ some modest mix of other types) although I do still buy an occasional CD (or SACD) these days -- but pretty much all the music I buy are of older stuff, not really anything from the last couple decades, except maybe for an occasional new performance/recording of some classical music.


I'm definitely *not* part of the music download demographic. I'll rip my own CDs for portable playback and such, but I'm not interested in buying downloads (much like I'm not interested in video streaming).


_Man_

 

[Gary OS]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mdnitoil

Yes, I perfectly understand the limitations of program availability via streaming. I would hardly expect my comments to get any traction on a website called Home Theater Forum, however there's an entire generation of 20-somethings who seem to think they can do any and everything with their phone. Heck, it's not a future I'm particularly excited about either, but only a fool would look at the market as it currently stands and not recognize that home entertainment is becoming fragmented with regards to media format. The days of buying the only standard available, taking it home and plugging it into your shelf-bound machine are over. That kind of format fragmentation will not bode well for the least flexible format with regards to title diversity. It's not rocket science, it's just basic business. Perhaps the ultaviolet concept will be able to mitigate some of this.

I'm in full agreement with you on this point. It's fairly obvious that whether we like it or not, the generation coming up is becoming more mobile and prefer watching things on smaller, portable devices. I don't see any way around streaming and/or downloading being the next "wave", and I think it will be here sooner rather than later.


Gary "I'll be ecstatic if we get another 5 years of standard dvd releases" O.

 

[Joe Karlosi]

Originally Posted by mdnitoil

Heck, it's not a future I'm particularly excited about either, but only a fool would look at the market as it currently stands and not recognize that home entertainment is becoming fragmented with regards to media format. The days of buying the only standard available, taking it home and plugging it into your shelf-bound machine are over.

It'll never be over for me. I will always cling to physical media and form a physical collection of movies. Even if they stop making DVDs and players, I will still be able to view my collection. I mean, these days you can still even collect 8mm or 16mm film if you still choose, and can get projectors, spare parts, bulbs, etc.

 

[Sumnernor]

This not really Blu Vs SD but rather CD vs DVDs. I am a classical music buff and I currently buy more DVDs than CDs because there is less being released on CDs now. I do on occasion buy CDs

 

[Towergrove]

Originally Posted by Gary OS 

     Quote:


I'm in full agreement with you on this point.  It's fairly obvious that whether we like it or not, the generation coming up is becoming more mobile and prefer watching things on smaller, portable devices.  I don't see any way around streaming and/or downloading being the next "wave", and I think it will be here sooner rather than later.

 

Gary "I'll be ecstatic if we get another 5 years of standard dvd releases" O.

 

You could say younger generations (even in the past) are more mobile than the older crowd who are secure and settled down with a family or otherwise? As an example...When I was younger we used mobile gaming systems like gameboy but my generation has grown up. Also as I posted in entry #100 Netflix the largest streaming company says according to them long form video on mobile devices is not popular. I see many of my students using their mobile devices but rarely are they watching video and if they are it's usually short you tubes not long form. That said I do look forward to Ultraviolet and don't care what format my films are on as long as I have the option to purchase which the studios do plan to give us with these new technologies that are coming. As for optical disc in general I see that sticking around in one form or another as it is still a very popular option for data backup in the computer sector.

 

[ManW_TheUncool]

Only way I'd become interested in download, if ever at all, is if the quality matches or exceeds what I can already get on physical media *and* I can store it in my own private collection to do w/ however I want, whenever I want (w/in fair use rights), including lending out to family and friends, etc.


And that does *not* seem to be the direction that the industry is currently headed. Certainly, the quality is not nearly up to par -- and streaming quality may take forever to get there too for many cities, including NYC, given the infrastructure problems involved. That's besides the fact that the industry will want to limit our fair use rights (in practical terms) as they head in that direction, not expand them.


_Man_

 

[Professor Echo]

I have watched films on my iPod Touch while traveling, but concentrate on public domain titles from the 20's-40's or public domain television from the 50's, which don't always have very good transfers and none of which would necessarily benefit from screening on my 62 inch DLP. You can still argue the point on principle, but it's a compromise I am willing to make in order to make my traveling time more bearable.


I am hardly of the upcoming generation, lol, but I was surprised how easily I got used to watching things on the tiny screen. As someone who embraces new technology, though doesn't always endorse or support it, I can clearly see that anyone coming of age now and being weaned on handheld devices, will adopt it as second nature and not even think twice about using it for as many tasks and pastimes as they can.

 

[PaulDA]

A lot of interesting points in this thread. I migrated to hi-def (and blu) in steps. I went hi-def for sports, so cable was the first hi-def source for me. My display was (and remains) my Sony AW-15 projector onto a 64 inch homemade screen. Though only 720p, the PQ is very good and it even accepts a 1080p/24 signal (when reviewed by some reviews whose opinions I trust--and who present technical spec tests along with their views--it did very well in all video aspects in its price range, including scaling SD signals). Because it did so well with scaling my SD DVDs, I held off from hi-def disc sources for a while. Then, near the end of the format war, HD DVD became quite cheap. So cheap that I decided it was worth testing whether hi-def discs could outperform SDs significantly on my setup. The advantage was clear. Sadly, HD DVD lost the war (sadly only in terms of impact on my wallet--I'm not trying to revive that hoary old debate), but I was able to amass about 150 titles, at an average of 3$ a disc and I still enjoy them today (I've yet to replace an HD DVD with a Blu-ray). About 10 months later, I took the plunge into blu with a PS3 (SACD capable--I wanted a spare SACD player and that type of PS3 was becoming rare--otherwise I might have held off a bit longer). So, for my HT setup, hi-def discs have been worth it, to me. I have not repurchased many of my SD titles (and what few I have became gifts to friends and family). So the need to replace my whole collection is not a concern.


I am interested in recent releases, so blu makes sense for me. But for those who primarily collect things that are not now, nor seem likely to ever be, on blu, I am sympathetic to their views and would not want to twist anyone's arms or tell them they are wrong. I would make the following observation, however, just as a measure of practicality:


I have both a blu and an HD DVD player hooked up to my standard CRT in my living room (a very good Sony Wega from back in the day that, with its 16x9 "cheat" setting, looks very good with discs--SD, HD or blu). I needed a player for that TV when it was moved to the living room (out of my HT) and decided to buy a back-up HD DVD player (really cheap by that point) that would work fine with SD discs. This past Christmas, I added an inexpensive blu player for two reasons--to get Netflix streaming from it (I thought of getting an Apple TV box, but they don't work with SD TVs) and to be able to play all my disc formats in the living room (my blu collection is growing). Each format looks very good AND I am not shut out of either extras or titles because of format. So, as a practical matter, I would argue that even if one has an SD TV, replacing a broken SD player with a blu one makes sense for many people--the blu players can be had inexpensively, they work just as well with an SD TV and grant access to any and all exclusive extras that might interest a collector. Some add streaming capabilities that may be of interest and are not, IIRC, available on any standard DVD player. And, not insignificantly, if the SD TV dies at some point (when, really), instant hi-def disc readiness is available.


Just my 2 cents.

 

[Bob_S.]

Thanks Paul for your comments! I think I'll get a BR player for my birthday (April) and maybe get a Hi-Def tv in a year or two. I really want that Ten Commandments dvd set. I read some where on the forums that 3D tvs without glasses is in developement. Does anyone know when that might be hitting the market and when it does will we have to buy ANOTHER 3D tv that supports that technology?

 

[Mark_TS]

Not enough classics and catalog on BR, I hardly buy DVD anymore thanks to the studios; Im pretty sure that DVD still outsells BR 2-1; I will sit out BR until the next thing comes along or the whole thing collapses and DDL is the norm-BR is one last gasp to squeeze money from us-the studios are aiming for a lease/rent model. You 'buy' a disc only once-in their eyes, you will have to rent it again and again to watch it and there will be no copying


With a newer monitor and DVD player and a well mastered DVD, i am more than happy-while 1/4 of my country goes hungry or is unemployed, financial meltdown looming, pissing ones pants over sharpness and perfect black levels and $300 HDMI cords are inane priorities.

 

[TravisR]

Originally Posted by Mark_TS

With a newer monitor and DVD player and a well mastered DVD, i am more than happy-while 1/4 of my country goes hungry or is unemployed, financial meltdown looming, pissing ones pants over sharpness and perfect black levels and $300 HDMI cords are inane priorities.

If you're looking at it that way, then it's as equally inane to watch DVDs or TV or read for pleasure or to spend money on anything other than trying to make the world a better place.