Has Blu-Ray failed?

[Sparky]

Cloud based services are the future as the convergence of the Internet and your Television become so intertwined that you can't tell the difference.

Get ready to buy a lot lot, if everyone is suppose to be streaming video than someone has to pay for the infrastructure and it's not going to the shareholders...

When I say intertwined I mean that they will be seamless and ad based. Ads are shown in front of theatrical movies now. How long before they are shown before or during any type of On Demand service? Ad targeting will become the mainstream. You already have ads and trailers on the DVD/Blu-Ray that you bought 5 years ago and the one that you buy tomorrow. The difference will be is that in the cloud those ads will be different every time you want to watch your movie. You pop in a DVD from 5 years ago and you see ads and trailers from 5 years ago. In the cloud the ads and trailers will be targeted specifically at you. TV/Movies will be internet based and the ads will be tailored to what the ad companies think they can sell you as an individual.

The days of the same Tide ad reaching 10 million people at once will be gone. Tide will focus their ads towards people who buy detergent. Coke will show an ad directed towards people who like soft drinks. Occasionally they will switch just in case they can capture a new demographic.

It might not be 10 years. It could be 20 or 30. The ultimate goal is to turn us into unmovable couch potatoes. Selecting from a menu will become the norm.

 

[Servo]

Also, I'd argue, if physical media dies it'll be harder and harder to get a hold of those old, random, jewels or things that cannot be put out there for various legal reasons.

I'd definitely disagree with that assertion. I have loads of films that I accquired digitally over the internet that are either out of print, or unavailable through physical media. The internet keeps old random gems alive a hell of a lot more than physical media does.

I've the entirety of MST3K on DVD, over half of these episodes will likely never see the light-of-day when it comes to an "official" release.

I have every episode too - including the KTMA episodes - but I have them stored digitally on a 500gb hard drive.

 

[The Borgified Corpse]

^There have been studies suggesting that the more you enjoy the film/tv show/whatever the less the video and sound quality matters to you. Yes, it is nice to have better sounds and video quality, but if you're enjoying it you don't care so much.

Why else do people keep watching old Doctor Who episodes?

For me, when it comes to books, I don't want an expensive Kindle or Nook. I want a cheap little paperback that I can lug around & abuse to my heart's content and not feel too bad about it because I only paid $2-$8 for it anyway.

Precisely. There's nothing better than the smell of musty, yellowed pages barely staying together as you turn the page.

That said, I do enjoy big, pretty shiny new books too.

I do love new books, particularly brand new paperbacks with a perfect spine. The problem is mine never stay that way very long (although I've gotten much better at maintaining them over the years). But even when they look used, they're cheap enough that it doesn't matter. Something electronic is more expensive than I'm comfortable with. (I used to own a PSP. I never took it anywhere because I felt it was too expensive to risk taking it outside.)

I'm a big-time collector and I like seeing my purchases sitting on a shelf in all there glory. It makes me feel better to have a physical copy that's not dependent on an off-site server or me maintaining a fee or activity to keep in existence.

Furthermore, I like examining other people's DVD collections when I visit their houses. You can tell a lot about someone by their DVD collection.

 

[emacs]

It was supposed to be the be-all and end-all, but I've seen a few signs suggesting the Blu-Ray format might be coming close to fail territory.

the format was introduced to market almost four (4) years ago and it persists today and will continue for quite some time.

 

[StarTrek1701]

Who the hell wants to buy physical media anymore?? With Netflix and ITunes I can easily buy my movies, or "acquire" them to rrent, put it on my iphone or Ipad and watch it anyway I like. I can also attach said IPhone and Ipad to the apple composite cable and watch it on my 65 inch screen. When there are simpler options, why care about physical media?

 

[Amaris]

Who the hell wants to buy physical media anymore?? With Netflix and ITunes I can easily buy my movies, or "acquire" them to rrent, put it on my iphone or Ipad and watch it anyway I like. I can also attach said IPhone and Ipad to the apple composite cable and watch it on my 65 inch screen. When there are simpler options, why care about physical media?

I do. I still like owning physical media. I have (some) DVDs and CDs left. I play CDs in the car because the car has no input jack for any MP3 players.

 

[RoJoHen]

I simply don't trust downloadable stuff to not accidentally get deleted or corrupted. At least with a physical DVD, I have a backup in case that happens.

Plus, shelves of DVDs are pretty.

 

[Amaris]

I simply don't trust downloadable stuff to not accidentally get deleted or corrupted. At least with a physical DVD, I have a backup in case that happens.

Plus, shelves of DVDs are pretty.

Yes, yes they are.

 

[Marten]

I wouldn't say failed, but it will not replace DVD.

 

[jefferiestubes8]

from the article in the first post:

Best Buy has begun preparation for the digital revolution, downsizing their physical media--that means CDs, DVDs, and Blu-ray--due to the increasing consumer interest in digitally distributed content. The space left over from compacting these mediums will be allotted to video games, namely motion control devices, and other electronics.

it doesn't say because the electronics they sell are more profitable anywhere in the article.


Last month a thread was started called
Purchasing series on DVD -- is it passe?
In it I wrote about the datarates of streaming HD content vs. Blu-ray's maximum datarate of 40Mbps is really a huge difference for quality. That thread indicates why in detail Trek fans would rather own a physical copy of the digital media rather than stream it digitally.

This thread reminds me of the one started about 14 months ago
Can't Stomach Blu-Ray
when Blu-ray really started taking off in 2009 and people having large DVD libraries.

Blu-ray discs and players will be around for 15 years. They are backwards-compatible with DVD discs.

I would like to buy a Blu-ray player with Ethernet port to hook up to the Internet and which also has access to Netflix through the player. Right now I'd rather spend money on a new widescreen 24" computer monitor though.

Blu-ray has not failed.
It won the HD-DVD/Blu-ray HD video physical media format war.
It has not yet reached mainstream acceptance of 33% or so nearly as fast as VHS or DVD when they were first released.
Market research firm NPD Group is reporting that Blu-ray Disc hardware penetration in the United States has hit 17%,
http://www.homemediamagazine.com/blu-ray-disc/blu-ray-household-penetration-tops-17-20731
September 30, 2010.

 

[Starbreaker]

Most places that let you download movies/tv/books/etc. will let you download them multiple times in case something happens. I don't particularly want to spend $25 on digital media, but lots of people do.

And just because someone doesn't buy Blu-Ray doesn't mean it's failed. I don't watch Desperate Housewives or Grey's Anatomy... but I don't argue their successfulness.

And yes you CAN tell a difference between HD and SD. I can look at a movie instantly and tell you whether it's Blu-Ray or not. I don't have perfect vision, but colors are richer, faces are sharper, etc.

 

[cultcross]

Who the hell wants to buy physical media anymore?? With Netflix and ITunes I can easily buy my movies, or "acquire" them to rrent, put it on my iphone or Ipad and watch it anyway I like. I can also attach said IPhone and Ipad to the apple composite cable and watch it on my 65 inch screen. When there are simpler options, why care about physical media?

Because not everyone has that option, or the desire for it? The majority of consumers can be assumed to not have whatever the latest thing is.

 

[Teelie]

I wouldn't say it's failed yet but it's not been the success others (especially anyone who's bought into it) think it is. The market for it is there but it's a very slow one and as much as it would be nice to see a physical media retain a presence in the market, I'm not convinced Blu-Ray will be it yet.

I'd like to buy a player myself eventually but given the alternatives and the price (still touchy for many people in cash-strapped situations like say, a recession) it'll be a while.

 

[Trekker4747]

Who the hell wants to buy physical media anymore?? With Netflix and ITunes I can easily buy my movies, or "acquire" them to rrent, put it on my iphone or Ipad and watch it anyway I like. I can also attach said IPhone and Ipad to the apple composite cable and watch it on my 65 inch screen. When there are simpler options, why care about physical media?

Something I can look at to "know" I own it?

Something I can point to and show off? I mean how would I show of a collection of downloads? Scroll through a list?

Not having to rely on equipment, off-site servers or fees to "keep" my collection? How man people have lost entire music collections on their iPods because the damn things had to be shipped off, rebooted and sent back empty because the batteries needed changed?!

It's pretty much the same reasons any collector wants something, they want a physical object to symbolize they "have it." Much like how people resist e-readers. They want a book!

Well, I want a disc and a box. I want to always have it and always be able to get to it.

 

[KB24]

Not only is there a lot of streaming and rental competition, but blu ray is simply so dang expensive that It isn't worth it to some. Honestly not all films need to be on blu ray, so to upgrade that 80s comedy for $30 isn't worth it. Stores simply need to maximize shelf space like it or not. Its such a catch 22. Lower the prices and return the physical selection to something more realistic and people will buy.

 

[OdoWanKenobi]

Yeah, I use Netflix instant streaming a lot, but I much prefer to watch a DVD. My internet connection is not the fastest, so the video quality suffers. When I was watching Lost for the first time recently, I was watching it via Netflix. I got so fed up with my low stream speed that I just went and bought the Blu-rays. I'm happy that I did. I love the show, and now I can have my family watch it too. I like knowing that I own something, that I can watch it whenever I like, and that I'm not at the mercy of my internet connection, or my computer suddenly crashing.

 

[Trekker4747]

I don't think prices for BDs, or even the players, are all that greatly expensive over their DVD counterparts. Further, some BD releases I see also come with the DVD version.

I think the problem really is you're asking people to adopt a new technology 10 years or less after they already adopted one! That's just silly.

When DVD was first picked up and embraced by the public people made a rush to "upgrade" all of their VHS movies to DVD as well as to buy TV series when they first started coming out. VHS was a decades old technology and difference between it and DVD was great -and could be seen on a normal TV- and even made old movies look better. So it was a win all around.

Blu-Ray just isn't that great and upgrade in the grand scheme of things. First of all it's only noticeable if you have an HD-TV. You only get the difference in picture quality if the disc makers have bothered to go back to the original film-stock and re-digitize it. Even then are old movies worth the double-dip?

I love movies like Back to the Future and Ghostbusters but, honestly, I couldn't see myself getting either of those on DVD because I don't think they're movies that'll benefit from the upgrade in quality. The SFX scenes in BttF2 look crappy enough on DVD as it is! So what movies are worth buying on BD for the increase in quality? New ones, any one released in the last few years. Is it worth buying a brand new player, maybe also a brand-new TV for more resolution on 20-30 year old movies, 10 year-old or less movies recently bought on DVD and the handful of new releases/movies that came out the last couple years since BD became affordable.

It's something that's too new too soon. If you're just now adopting DVD you're not likely going to rebuy your entire collection over again except for those movies that'll really benefit from the upgrade. I've only bought three or four movies on BD, movies I thought were worth seeing in the upgrade, and have no intention of "double dipping" on previous purchases unless something in me tells me the double-dip is worth the re-investment. And all TV series I'm currently collecting, for the sake of consistency, will continue to be bought on DVD.

Blu-Ray's "failure" isn't because downloading is more popular, it's not selling because it's too soon for a new technology so people aren't in a rush to upgrade. If BD is to take off? They need to stop releasing movies on DVD.

 

[JTK1]

The idea of not having physical media in front of me is appalling. I don't want to have some on-line queue of movies and TV shows that I have to access through a device to watch and pay a monthly fee for the privilege of having them stored somewhere, of if they're stored in an at-home device (something that'd need a couple terrabytes of space to contain my collection) I don't want it to all be at risk of vanishing in an errant lightning strike or if the hardware goes out of date.

No. I want a physical copy. I want to sit back, look at my bookshelf full of boxes and admire my collection. I want to go up to it, open a box, and slide in a disc. I don't want to scroll through a menu to watch something. In terms of movies and TV series? Long-live physical media!

I think Blu-Ray is slowly going to get a bigger and bigger chunk of the market, it's just too soon for a new format to come in and replace an old one and I doubt very many people realize the difference between DVD and BD and I doubt many people right now are willing to toss out a DVD player that's five years old to buy a new $200 (or whatever) Blu-Ray player esp, again, if they don't realize the difference or think the difference is worth it.

But as a huge fan of collecting DVDs/BDs I always want to have physical media. I do not feel that movies and TV series are anything like music where stuffing 300 songs in an iPod is better than carrying with you an entire folder full of discs. Big movie collectors want physical media, boxes, cases, bookcases, etc. Downloading a video and storing it somewhere isn't the same. And don't get me started on the constantly shifting quality of a video when you stream it. Oy!

I so agree with you

 

[doubleohfive]

Something I can point to and show off? I mean how would I show of a collection of downloads? Scroll through a list?

This is where we differ, my friend. I'd almost rather NOT have my collection on display, to show off. Why? Because every time I throw a party now, some douche who thinks he knows everything goes apeshit over my "good" stuff and then acts faux-disappointed because of the "bad," and won't shut up about it. No thanks. I'm glad you appreciate that I recognize how brilliant the British Coupling is, but fucking let go of the drama because I actually own a copy of Mission Impossible 2.

Not having to rely on equipment, off-site servers or fees to "keep" my collection? How man people have lost entire music collections on their iPods because the damn things had to be shipped off, rebooted and sent back empty because the batteries needed changed?!

Treker, I think your resistance to joining the iPod revolution has clouded your ability to bitch about it. iPods aren't designed to have their batteries replaced; at least not while under warranty or while under AppleCare protection. So, if one were to ship their iPod off to some second-hand service to have the battery replaced --thereby violating their warranty or at the very least trying their luck with a unit that is past it's warranty, one would hope that said one would have at least backed up their music library on their hard drive first. Either way, I highly doubt anyone has lost their entire music library this way. They might have had to re-enter all their albums in to iTunes, but that's just an irritating happenstance, far from "losing" the entire collection.

It's pretty much the same reasons any collector wants something, they want a physical object to symbolize they "have it." Much like how people resist e-readers. They want a book!

Books are different. Books have been around for ages. There's something comfortable about an old book, with worn pages, yellowed edges and the musty smell of a library. I don't feel very much nostalgia for any of my DVDs, beyond one or two that were special gifts.

Well, I want a disc and a box. I want to always have it and always be able to get to it.

More power to you.

 

[RoJoHen]

Something I can point to and show off? I mean how would I show of a collection of downloads? Scroll through a list?

This is where we differ, my friend. I'd almost rather NOT have my collection on display, to show off. Why? Because every time I throw a party now, some douche who thinks he knows everything goes apeshit over my "good" stuff and then acts faux-disappointed because of the "bad," and won't shut up about it. No thanks. I'm glad you appreciate that I recognize how brilliant the British Coupling is, but fucking let go of the drama because I actually own a copy of Mission Impossible 2.

Why would you invite such a person to your party in the first place?