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

[12th Monkey]

Jackie Brown

I get the impression this is viewed as a poor relation to Tarantino's first two, but definitely don't hold that view myself.

 

[nopiano]

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…

Yes, I realise you’re very much a film buff in my eyes! JFK I needed to watch a couple of times, to get the relationship between years clear. Oppenheimer I probably need to do the same. Sound of Music I must have seen the most!

 

[davidf]

I get the impression this is viewed as a poor relation to Tarantino's first two, but definitely don't hold that view myself.

Jackie Brown is one of his best films. IMO.

 

[Jasonovich]

I get the impression this is viewed as a poor relation to Tarantino's first two, but definitely don't hold that view myself.

Jackie Brown was I think, Tarantinos finest movie.

 

[davidf]

Yes, I realise you’re very much a film buff in my eyes! JFK I needed to watch a couple of times, to get the relationship between years clear. Oppenheimer I probably need to do the same. Sound of Music I must have seen the most!

Some films that dash back and forth through time do take a few viewings to get things clear, I feel. I rewatched Predestination recently, and got a whole load of info from it I never even realised before!

JFK is coming in 4K - who said physical media was dead…

 

[davidf]

Jackie Brown was I think, Tarantinos finest movie.

Along with Once Upon A Time In Hollywood. IMO

 

[podknocker]

I'm not sure if indigo/violet frequency lasers are available, or reliable enough for optical media to get any further.

I think Blu Ray, technically, is the final version of this type of spinning disc.

Getting more data on a disc, or more layers of data on a disc has just about reached the limit.

It's a great format, with broadcast quality video and sound, but I can't see streaming going away now.

When bandwidth increases, more people will be looking to get their TV on the end of an internet connection.

I think the market will change quickly now and I can see all physical media gone in 10 years.

Also, the prices are still too high and I don't think many want to pay more than £10 for a film these days.

This might appear soon, but it could be too late already for next gen optical discs to compete.

Is Blu-ray at death's door? Innovative 1TB optical disc could be the future of physical media

A US startup has big plans to revolutionize low-cost storage

www.whathifi.com

 

[davidf]

I honestly don’t see streaming changing very much for at least 5 years, maybe 10. If physical media stopped overnight, and there was a rush over to streaming, it wouldn’t change a thing. The hosts of these streamed films have to cover the lowest quality possible - they have to make sure that Mr. Smith who lives in John O’Groats is able to watch a film without buffering. Even if some parts of the country got a good enough improvement to stream films at 100Mbps, these hosts wouldn’t be able to cater for that because they’ve still got to take into account the majority of people like Mr. Smith. It will only change when there’s a national increase in available bandwidth. I can’t see us being able to stream 100Mbps films (or even half that) this decade.

 

[daveh75]

I honestly don’t see streaming changing very much for at least 5 years, maybe 10. If physical media stopped overnight, and there was a rush over to streaming, it wouldn’t change a thing. The hosts of these streamed films have to cover the lowest quality possible - they have to make sure that Mr. Smith who lives in John O’Groats is able to watch a film without buffering. Even if some parts of the country got a good enough improvement to stream films at 100Mbps, these hosts wouldn’t be able to cater for that because they’ve still got to take into account the majority of people like Mr. Smith.

Nonsense!

This is precisely why streaming services use Adaptive Bitrate Streaming...

It will only change when there’s a national increase in available bandwidth. I can’t see us being able to stream 100Mbps films (or even half that) this decade.

78% of UK premises now have Gigabit speeds available to them, and 98% have 30Mbps+

 

[davidf]

Nonsense!

This is precisely why streaming services use Adaptive Bitrate Streaming...



78% of UK premises now have Gigabit speeds available to them, and 98% have 30Mbps+

And still look pants.

 

[Jasonovich]

Wondered where all the other mods had gone...

Watching the Rugby World Cup? 😊

 

[JDL]

I'm not sure if indigo/violet frequency lasers are available, or reliable enough for optical media to get any further.

I think Blu Ray, technically, is the final version of this type of spinning disc.

Getting more data on a disc, or more layers of data on a disc has just about reached the limit.

It's a great format, with broadcast quality video and sound, but I can't see streaming going away now.

When bandwidth increases, more people will be looking to get their TV on the end of an internet connection.

I think the market will change quickly now and I can see all physical media gone in 10 years.

Also, the prices are still too high and I don't think many want to pay more than £10 for a film these days.

This might appear soon, but it could be too late already for next gen optical discs to compete.

Is Blu-ray at death's door? Innovative 1TB optical disc could be the future of physical media

A US startup has big plans to revolutionize low-cost storage

www.whathifi.com

All physical media gone in ten years?
Hardly. Try living right out in the country . The broadband ain't getting better it's getting worse. And, I don't wanna stram nothing and I don't want no subscriptions.

 

[daveh75]

And still look pants.

If you're a pixel peeper, maybe.

 

[JDL]

What's a pixel peeper.
And still look pants?
Sorry guys I don't understand.

 

[davidf]

What's a pixel peeper.
And still look pants?
Sorry guys I don't understand.

The compression on streamed services is high. It might not be as noticeable on more modern stuff which looks extremely clean (as it’s captured digitally), but films from pre-2000ish suffer noticeably from this compression. I once had to turn a film off I was streaming as it just didn’t look right - not only did it look rough, but the colours just weren’t right either. I only watched it as it was a HD version of the film. So I got my DVD out and played that instead, which looked better. That won’t always be the case, but it was in this instance.

The bandwidth for video and audio off a disc isnt as high as the originally shot film, but can be about half of it. A 4K disc can provide about 120Mbps for video, whereas a Bluray can give you up to 50Mbps. 4K streaming will give you about 10-15Mbps, but I’ve witnessed films that are a flat 7Mbps throughout, which is lower than the majority of Blurays. Even a DVD can give you around 5Mbps.
and that’s before we even get into the different compression systems that physical and streaming use. Discs are only limited by their storage space - streaming is limited by having to cater low Internet speeds, as well as the lossy carrier it uses. We can’t currently stream a film to the same quality as the best 4K discs. Or any 4K discs for that matter. We struggle to hit the quality a Blu-ray Disc can provide. But streaming never will, because it uses a very compressive carrier.

No idea what a pixel peeper is, but my issues with streaming aren’t to do with the number of pixels - a streamed 4K film will have the same amount of pixels as a 4K disc, but it’s all to do with compression. The compression needed to insure everyone gets a hassle free stream is high.

 

[JDL]

Nonsense!

This is precisely why streaming services use Adaptive Bitrate Streaming...



78% of UK premises now have Gigabit speeds available to them, and 98% have 30Mbps+

The compression on streamed services is high. It might not be as noticeable on more modern stuff which looks extremely clean (as it’s captured digitally), but films from pre-2000ish suffer noticeably from this compression. I once had to turn a film off I was streaming as it just didn’t look right - not only did it look rough, but the colours just weren’t right either. I only watched it as it was a HD version of the film. So I got my DVD out and played that instead, which looked better. That won’t always be the case, but it was in this instance.

The bandwidth for video and audio off a disc isnt as high as the originally shot film, but can be about half of it. A 4K disc can provide about 120Mbps for video, whereas a Bluray can give you up to 50Mbps. 4K streaming will give you about 10-15Mbps, but I’ve witnessed films that are a flat 7Mbps throughout, which is lower than the majority of Blurays. Even a DVD can give you around 5Mbps.
and that’s before we even get into the different compression systems that physical and streaming use. Discs are only limited by their storage space - streaming is limited by having to cater low Internet speeds, as well as the lossy carrier it uses. We can’t currently stream a film to the same quality as the best 4K discs. Or any 4K discs for that matter. We struggle to hit the quality a Blu-ray Disc can provide. But streaming never will, because it uses a very compressive carrier.

No idea what a pixel peeper is, but my issues with streaming aren’t to do with the number of pixels - a streamed 4K film will have the same amount of pixels as a 4K disc, but it’s all to do with compression. The compression needed to insure everyone gets a hassle free stream is high.

Thanks very much for a very informative response. 👍🏻

 

[JDL]

Nonsense!

This is precisely why streaming services use Adaptive Bitrate Streaming...



78% of UK premises now have Gigabit speeds available to them, and 98% have 30Mbps+

I must fall within the insignificant little 2% I think.

 

[twinkletoes]

I think physical media's next stepping stone would logically be to step away from spinning discs and move to some sort of flash based media similar to Nintendo style carts.

 

[stonesfan285]

I think it will be the last physical format. Big money in the film industry seems like they want to move to streaming over a disc. They can have smaller production budgets vs big blockbuster films and it helps them cut down on piracy. Plus you really can't get much cheaper than DVD and Blu-ray discs as far as production costs go.

 

[12th Monkey]

In answer to the OP, it will be if the basic price goes up to £25, and ones with a few additional pieces of cardboard come in a £30 - see Thelma and Louise and Carrie.

 

[davidf]

I think it will be the last physical format. Big money in the film industry seems like they want to move to streaming over a disc. They can have smaller production budgets vs big blockbuster films and it helps them cut down on piracy. Plus you really can't get much cheaper than DVD and Blu-ray discs as far as production costs go.

It doesn’t cut down on piracy though, as there are people who somehow rip the stream and upload it online. Films tend to be added to illegal sites within a day of them appearing on physical media and streaming/download.

 

[12th Monkey]

I'm heartened by the fact that the number of 4k offerings being released seems to be on the up, and that they aren't necessarily films that were massively successful back in the day. Have Aliens on pre-order (which is not a surprise to see coming out) but also have Lone Star and Primal Fear (both of which do surprise me a bit). Maybe the market is driven by what non-new films people actually care about?

 

[davidf]

I'm heartened by the fact that the number of 4k offerings being released seems to be on the up, and that they aren't necessarily films that were massively successful back in the day. Have Aliens on pre-order (which is not a surprise to see coming out) but also have Lone Star and Primal Fear (both of which do surprise me a bit). Maybe the market is driven by what non-new films people actually care about?

There are a lot of independent companies out there restoring and releasing new content, on Bluray and 4K. One of the biggest is Kino Lorber, who seem to release stuff on a daily basis, unfortunately American and region locked for Blurays, but with 4K Blurays predominantly region free, it just means paying a little more than if it was released in the U.K. I usually order their stuff from WowHD as the U.K. can't order direct from their site, which is a shame, as they have some crazy sales on a regular basis! I'm buying more stuff directly from these company's websites - Arrow, Vinegar Syndrome, Second Sight, Eureka, Criterion, Indicator etc (off the top of my head).

Gives hope for the future...

 

[podknocker]

Optical media give studio broadcast quality pictures and sound, but sadly, many people will sacrifice a bit of quality to have their content streamed, or via Sky etc. It's more convenient and cheaper. I think this is the reason the optical format will die out fairly soon, even if there are many more titles out there every day. It's the same with SACD and DVD Audio. Many people settle for CD quality and don't want to invest in the hardware and still very expensive discs. I stream music and would do the same if I had a TV. My broadband is quick enough to watch stuff over WIFI and even though it's great quality, streaming always involves some sort of compression and can't compete with a 'fixed' perfect quality film on a 4k disc. The sound quality in particular, on Blu ray discs is incredible, but most people don't want the cost and clutter of a surround system, so much of this quality is never realised. I think 95% of people into TV, videos, film, music etc. don't really care about the quality available with Blu Ray and especially 4k, even though all TVs are now this resolution.

 

[12th Monkey]

There are a lot of independent companies out there restoring and releasing new content, on Bluray and 4K. One of the biggest is Kino Lorber, who seem to release stuff on a daily basis, unfortunately American and region locked for Blurays, but with 4K Blurays predominantly region free, it just means paying a little more than if it was released in the U.K. I usually order their stuff from WowHD as the U.K. can't order direct from their site, which is a shame, as they have some crazy sales on a regular basis! I'm buying more stuff directly from these company's websites - Arrow, Vinegar Syndrome, Second Sight, Eureka, Criterion, Indicator etc (off the top of my head).

Gives hope for the future...

Thanks for the heads up. I've tended to buy a few US releases and just retain the old blu ray that's being superseded, discarding the region-locked one.