That's pretty much equivalent to having the publisher waiting at the airport to confiscate your books. Who would think THAT made any sense?
Physical or Digital: How do you buy your pre-recorded media?
- Thread starter tomswift2002
- Start date
That's pretty much equivalent to having the publisher waiting at the airport to confiscate your books. Who would think THAT made any sense?
You know, I was looking through some old news bulletins over at tvshowsondvd.com about a few shows, and your comment reminded me of how digital downloads are essentially the "VHS" for a lot of people nowadays, where the quality is just watchable, especially when it comes to HD material.
I remember when the complete series for Smallville was announced as being DVD only and Warner stated that the earlier seasons had their effects done in Standard-Definition, but they are able to present those seasons in 720p HD for digital download, whereas Blu-Ray's 720p and 1080i/p specifications require a lot better material. (http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Smallville-The-Complete-Series/15400)
We've even seen reality shows (i.e. Hell's Kitchen) that were shot in HD get yanked from a Blu-Ray release do to issues with AV quality (and fears from manufacturers as to whether there was a lot of interest in a High-Def release). So we get a DVD-only release, and when the disc is played in an upconverting DVD player, the video looks just as good as the 720p FOX broadcast version. (http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Hells-Kitchen-Season-6/15897)
So these days, DVD's and Blu-Ray's seem to be the "Super Betamax/Laserdisc" of the 80's, while downloads tend to be the "VHS".
I purchase a mix, but mostly physical. Most television shows and movies, I buy physical media (aside from currently airing seasons - if I miss something due to, for example, a power outage and my DVR not recording), I will buy the digital version.
As for music, I mostly purchase physical CDs and the odd vinyl album. For individual songs, I use my Zune Pass (and iTunes to pad things out when it's not available via Microsoft) - mostly when I only one a particular song or two from an album.
As for music, I mostly purchase physical CDs and the odd vinyl album. For individual songs, I use my Zune Pass (and iTunes to pad things out when it's not available via Microsoft) - mostly when I only one a particular song or two from an album.
Eh? If you down a film in HD from somewhere like the itunes store it is in 720 or 1080p so superior to DVD at least. Most of the streaming services have at least a 1080p service as well with some having 4k (limited content) - which you yourself note.
Not all HD stuff on iTunes is 720. Plenty of it is 1080.
Music - digital. I listen to most music in the car or at the gym, so it's just a lot easier to have it all on my iPhone.
TV/movies - If I actually decide I want to own something, which is rare these days, I buy it on Blu-Ray. Otherwise I basically just stream things on Netflix.
Video games - Physical, though I have downloaded a few before. The main reason for this, honestly, is that when I buy a game, I usually have the intention of playing it right away. Downloading games takes way too much time.
TV/movies - If I actually decide I want to own something, which is rare these days, I buy it on Blu-Ray. Otherwise I basically just stream things on Netflix.
Video games - Physical, though I have downloaded a few before. The main reason for this, honestly, is that when I buy a game, I usually have the intention of playing it right away. Downloading games takes way too much time.
I know that, I use it, I was agreeing that even the lower option HD on there is better than a standard DVD.
Most online stores or streams these days are going to give better than DVD quality. So there's not much reason to overlook digital for those who are holding out in the thread.
If it's in 1080p, maybe, but due to the amount of compression on the file a 720p version is comparable to a upscaled DVD. I've bought a few Blu-ray's Combo packs that had a download code for iTunes, and I've downloaded the movies and when I compare the download's (my iPhone plays the movies in 720p, while my iPad plays it in 1080p) to the Blu-Ray and the DVD, the 720 and upscaled DVD look virtually identical, while there is a clear difference in quality between the Blu-ray and 1080p iTunes, with the Blu-Ray having a much better quality picture than the iTunes.
All my books and music is digital. I still prefer to have movies and TV shows on physical disks so I can easily loan them out, carry them to places without the internet, etc.
For the most part at this point for me it comes down to having reached the age where I don't want to have to store a lot of stuff and I'm trying to downsize. I can store the entire CD collection on the computer and not take up an entire wall of my house. Same with movies.
Last edited:
I'll admit I've downloaded things but I'm moving back to 100% physical. Digital distribution is just one big scam. It almost always costs MORE than the physical, has lower quality, less content and it may not even work when you want it to. It may be the future, but I'm not coming along for the ride. I'll be hunting down VHS tapes and laserdiscs before I "buy" another digital movie. Steam is only ok if it's on sale and essentially rental price anyway.
Couple of examples why:
1) I've had a couple games just go missing from my Xbox. One day I own them, the next I don't. I shouldn't have to hunt down digital receipts and make calls just to play games I own.
2) Rent a digital movie. Download to my phone to watch on a plane, but surprise even though it's in there it can't be viewed without an internet connection. Oh, and of course no returns
3)Bought a whole TV show digitally to watch with the s.o. but of course it doesn't have subtitles. I've never seen a DVD from a show made in the last 20 years that didn't have subtitles. My bad for not researching maybe, but I could sell a DVD/Blu ray set that I can't use.
Couple of examples why:
1) I've had a couple games just go missing from my Xbox. One day I own them, the next I don't. I shouldn't have to hunt down digital receipts and make calls just to play games I own.
2) Rent a digital movie. Download to my phone to watch on a plane, but surprise even though it's in there it can't be viewed without an internet connection. Oh, and of course no returns
3)Bought a whole TV show digitally to watch with the s.o. but of course it doesn't have subtitles. I've never seen a DVD from a show made in the last 20 years that didn't have subtitles. My bad for not researching maybe, but I could sell a DVD/Blu ray set that I can't use.
99.99% physical media. 1 or 2 albums were digital downloads, but only because that was the only way they were available.
Once I have the CD in my hands, it gets ripped to .mp3's and the CD gets put away. No proprietary crap, no limits on how many places I can store/copy to.
DVD's & blu-rays get ripped too, just not as often. Similar deal, what with "digital copies" having expiration dates. I watched S1 & S2 of Orphan Black recently, at work, during lunch, an episode a day. Before that, a complete re-watch of Farscape.
Once I have the CD in my hands, it gets ripped to .mp3's and the CD gets put away. No proprietary crap, no limits on how many places I can store/copy to.
DVD's & blu-rays get ripped too, just not as often. Similar deal, what with "digital copies" having expiration dates. I watched S1 & S2 of Orphan Black recently, at work, during lunch, an episode a day. Before that, a complete re-watch of Farscape.
Yeah, the expiration date on digital copies blows me away.
When does the Sony enforcer squad show up at my door to confiscate my Spider-Man DVDs?
The current trend with software to "subscribe" rather than purchase, and software companies' attitude that they still own our copies and we're only being "allowed" to use it, is also pretty fucked up.
When does the Sony enforcer squad show up at my door to confiscate my Spider-Man DVDs?
The current trend with software to "subscribe" rather than purchase, and software companies' attitude that they still own our copies and we're only being "allowed" to use it, is also pretty fucked up.
^ Isn't that the way Microsoft wants to go (or already has) with apps like Office?
Fortunately, iTunes doesn't have expiration dates.
Don't they have a limited copying deal?
^ Music doesn't have any copy protection at all. If you buy movies or TV shows, they are tied to your Apple ID, but they don't expire - you can play and keep them as long as you like.
I just keep hearing the term "proprietary" connected to itunes and thought it might be about how many times you can copy a song.
But I don't use itunes, so really don't know for sure. The small amount of single songs I download come from Amazon. They have some ID info in the meta-data, but I have never run into any copy limitations.
I keep my music library on 5 different HDD's, 2 of which are back-ups only.
But I don't use itunes, so really don't know for sure. The small amount of single songs I download come from Amazon. They have some ID info in the meta-data, but I have never run into any copy limitations.
I keep my music library on 5 different HDD's, 2 of which are back-ups only.
