Do you think4k blu-ray be the last physical media films and TV shows come on?

Page 2 - Seeking answers? Join the What HiFi community: the world's leading independent guide to buying and owning hi-fi and home entertainment products.

scene

Well-known member
Whilst I have no idea about players, I think the number of discs selling is probably still on he increase. Still small though!

EDIT: Can't quickly find anything with disc numbers, but the proportion of discs sold in UHD is increasing - but the market is in decline overall:

UHD Blu-ray takes a growing share of a shrinking disc market - FlatpanelsHD

Hi - yes that's what I remember, and was alluding to with my throwaway UHD comment - UHD share is increasing, but overall disc sales are shrinking - as more and more people turn to streaming services
 
The chart is really rather useless without actual numbers, but if anything it suggests that it's DVD that's in decline - the 4k share has doubled over that period - I doubt that the market overall has halved (though that's a complete guess), so it would suggest that 4k is actually still on the up - albeit from a lowly starting point.
 
  • Like
Reactions: scene

scene

Well-known member
The chart is really rather useless without actual numbers, but if anything it suggests that it's DVD that's in decline - the 4k share has doubled over that period - I doubt that the market overall has halved (though that's a complete guess), so it would suggest that 4k is actually still on the up - albeit from a lowly starting point.

Yes - reading some of the links (and a few other articles) - blu-ray sales are up, DVD down, and overall the total of both is declining. 4K is taking over, but as part of a shrinking market...

Which does lend to the view that 4K will be the last physical format...
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ethics Gradient
I look at bluray.com and Film Stories every now and then to see what's on the release schedules in 4k, and it's hard to fathom what's going on. I'd have thought the studios would be after acceptance of the format by shifting units - which surely means giving people what they most want.

So why release Unbreakable before The Sixth Sense?

Why release stuff like Gregory's Girl and Vanilla Sky in 4k anyway? I know it seems that anything with Cruise in it gets a 4k release, but I find it hard to believe that these will be big sellers.
 
I prefer Unbreakable :)

I do wonder why some films get a 4K release ahead of long awaited classics, but most of the time it comes down to what’s available, and what’s popular. Older films have to be rescanned and remastered in 4K, which is more work than releasing a more modern digitally shot film that’s more or less ready to go. When I see some of the crap that gets released on UHD, and we’re still waiting for True Lies to get an official HD release, let alone a UHD one.
 

Jasonovich

Well-known member
Silly I'm asking this as I only have a HD TV (yes I need to upgrade) but will the film and TV studios ever release films and TV shows on another physical format or is 4k blu-ray going to be the last? If it is the last, will you miss physical media? I think we are coming to the end of physical media for new films and TV show releases. I will miss all the extras they put on the physical disk which you don't get to see when you stream a film or TV program. I wonder how film lovers who buy all their films on on physical media feel about the end of films on physical media if that is indeed coming.
I have about a dozen or so 4K Blu-ray discs, I cherish them because they offer better video and sound quality than 4K streaming (i.e. Netflix). I think like vinyl's it will be niche but it will always be around because they can charge ridiculous prices and people will buy on the basis we tend to cherish things that are in physical format.

With the advent 1+GB broadband and even BT is offering true fibre 1GB broadband (not the rubbish ADSL), it is gradually becoming ubiquitous, so I feel, streaming will be the default media.
Have you noticed Full HD is pretty much standard and 4K is premium, maybe in the next two years or sooner 4K will become the new standard and 8K will be the new premium slot - yep, better get my 8K TV before the Joneses :)
 
I look at bluray.com and Film Stories every now and then to see what's on the release schedules in 4k, and it's hard to fathom what's going on.
Two follow-on observations:

- The number of releases does seem to be increasing, which I find encouraging.

- The choices are odd - why Hannibal rather the The Silence of the Lambs, for example? I have the latter on import, but it still raises an eyebrow.
 

DCarmi

Well-known member
I don't know anyone in their twenties who gives a stuff about physical media
I have to say I agree. None of my sprogs play CDs or have much interest physical film media.

Personally I've bought a load of CDs and some Vinyl this year but not one DVD/Bluray. I already have a fairly large collection of films, many of which have not seen the light of day for some time.
 
Hard not to conclude that the industry and retailers have chosen a bad time to increase prices of new discs. Scrooged and Ferris Bueller's Day Off are both £23 on Amazon. Going over £20 makes me think that the only films I'll buy from the get-go are going to be ones I truly love. I enjoy both of these, but will be waiting a good few months...
 
Hard not to conclude that the industry and retailers have chosen a bad time to increase prices of new discs. Scrooged and Ferris Bueller's Day Off are both £23 on Amazon. Going over £20 makes me think that the only films I'll buy from the get-go are going to be ones I truly love. I enjoy both of these, but will be waiting a good few months...
Yes, I often wonder how often one wants to see any film. Most for me, once is fine. A bit like fiction books. But I realise I’m not everyone!
 
Yes, I often wonder how often one wants to see any film. Most for me, once is fine. A bit like fiction books. But I realise I’m not everyone!
I’ve watched John Carpenter’s The Thing 28 times in the past 11 years. So I’ve certainly seen it more than 50 times. I find many films get better when you watch them at least more than once - it’s quite easy to miss some dialogue or not quite understand what’s going on - another viewing or two usually helps get the full picture. Having said that, there’s films I’ve been watching for the 5th or 10th time where something I’ve been unaware of suddenly hits me…
 
You're 'worse' than me! I also re-read fiction - I find the experience like that of journey rather than destination, so a film I'll only ever watch once has to be a stinker.
As you can tell, I don’t really get time for a lot of reading…despite still buying books, and buying books for my favourite movies. The last book of feature film book I read was with The Thing or Jaws…

Recently picked up a few Elmore Leonard titles (Get Shorty, Out Of Sight, Jackie Brown), and looking to get a few on which some Hitchcock films are based. I’ll get round to reading them one day!
 

Jasonovich

Well-known member
Coen brothers' Burn after reading 2008 is a Black Comedy and one of those films, I think is really underrated but one I really enjoyed watching.
Spoiler: the inference that a women obsessed with her looks, triggers a catastrophic chain of events.
There isn't too many movies currently which makes me want to part my cash. My last purcahase was special silver tin collection 4K Bluray Bladerunner 2049. Great sequel but unlike the original, it didn't leave too many unanswered questions.
 
Last edited:

TRENDING THREADS

Latest posts