Press Release Wired Press Release: Blu-rays are back; Streaming Isn’t Everything (1 Viewer)

[Kyrsten Brad]

Well folks, looks like we’re not the only ones who feel Blu-ray is alive & well. Brian Rafferty penned this interesting article on wired.com.

Excerpt:
STREAMING ISN’T EVERYTHING, AND BLU-RAYS ARE BACK TO PROVE IT

Some are drawn to Blu-ray because of the unsatisfying video quality of streaming films; for others, it’s the sheer joy of tactile pop-culture paraphernalia, as some small-label discs come with elaborate packaging and hours of extras. But one of the main driving forces behind the format’s renaissance is the simple fact that the mainstreamers all have sizable gaps in their movie libraries.
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[JQuintana]

Seems he's more focused on the fringe collectors. Most of the movies he references are very niche and I can see why the niche collectors get excited to find those discs. But for most folks, streaming is becoming much more mainstream and most folks aren't collectors and, like me, aren't bothered if a movie isn't available to stream one particular month, usually it will show up eventually on some other streaming service. I can live with waiting, I just don't have the time to sit for hours a week watching movies.

He mentions the demise of the Criterion streaming service but fails to mention that a new service opened to help bring back those movies.

We are once again evolving, just like we did from the days of film only, to video tape, to discs, it's now streaming's turn at it and it's much handier and easier to adopt than spending $25 on a disc I may watch once and it goes to the dead disc bin.

I am all in with streaming now as is my family. We haven't purchased or rented a disc in at least a year if not more.

 

[Robert Crawford]

We've seen this same movie beforehand. I utilize streaming and disc collecting to enjoy my favorite films. I'm a very happy camper in doing so.

 

[Worth]

Yeah, I don't understand why it has to be an either/or proposition.

 

[JQuintana]

I don't think of it as an either/or proposition, I just feel that the days of owning discs to watch a movie are fading away and we will at some point sooner rather than later will be watching movies and older TV shows online only.

 

[David Weicker]

we will ... be watching movies and older TV shows online only.

Isn’t this the statement the definition of ‘either/or’?

 

[JQuintana]

I guess technically you could say that. But it's mainly based on survival of the fittest and media on disc is not looking very fit these days.

 

[TJPC]

Streaming is just too fiddly for me. It’s not bad for disposable crap that you treat like Kleenex, but for my permanent collection of treasured film what could be easier than inserting a disc? They are always available and at your fingertips.

 

[JQuintana]

While true, they can rot out and become unwatchable at any time and you'd never know until that day you're dying to watch the movie and you can't anymore. They could be destroyed in a fire or other disaster and you'd be out $1000's of dollars and no movies to watch.

Streaming has been made too easy now, no getting up, no storing piles of plastic around the house, not fiddling around with "where is that darn disc?!". I just press the Netflix button on Roku remote and search through a huge library of movies all at my fingertips.

Now let's note that I'm FAR from being a hardcore film buff so my needs are few when it comes to selections of movies so for me streaming is perfect, and I would say that 98% of home movie watchers are just like me. And the number of us will be growing when Santa delivers even more smart TV's this Christmas all over America,

Yes it's all sounding very Wall-E like and sadly it is to an extent, but for me I much prefer streaming vs. when I was hooked on blowing my hard earned cash on $20+ discs thinking I just HAD to own it only to discover I watched it once in 5 years and even had some discs I HAD to have still shrink wrapped unwatched.

 

[Worth]

For what it's worth, I know a number of people in their thirties and younger who have no disc players of any kind - not blu-ray, not DVD, not even CD. And that includes people who work in the film and television industry.

 

[JQuintana]

For what it's worth, I know a number of people in their thirties and younger who have no disc players of any kind - not blu-ray, not DVD, not even CD. And that includes people who work in the film and television industry.

I believe it. The younger generation has pretty much ditched discs hence the reason stores are slowly depleting their selections. Must be the diehards and old timers keeping it on life support this long.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Aren’t we just rehashing the same argument we’ve had in prior threads? It seems like we’re just repeating our past comments on this subject matter.

 

[JQuintana]

Yes but now someone on the interwebs said officially that Blu Rays are back!

 

[Josh Steinberg]

The article is interesting, but it seems more anecdotal than data driven.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Yes but now someone on the interwebs said officially that Blu Rays are back!

So, who cares as their opinion is just that, their opinion.

 

[Robert Crawford]

The article is interesting, but it seems more anecdotal than data driven.

Correct! It’s an opinion without any hard data to back it up.

 

[Worth]

It's odd that the writer picks True Lies as an example, as that's only available on disc as a non-anamorphic DVD, but pops up sometimes on movie channels in an HD version.

 

[Gary Seven]

The article is interesting, but it seems more anecdotal than data driven.

Much like this entire thread.

 

[Dick]

Aren’t we just rehashing the same argument we’ve had in prior threads? It seems like we’re just repeating our past comments on this subject matter.

As has been going on here ever since I joined (1999). New members come aboard, old members lose track of what has been covered. At least we're here and posting and showing an interest in film.

 

[skylark68]

I'm okay with streaming for modern throwaway films and the one out of a hundred "good" Netflix or Amazon original. The classics though are sorely lacking particularly on Netflix. Streaming is not the future until there are under two or three services that can provide you access to just about everything. Otherwise you are spending a lot of money per month on multiple services for just a handful of films.