Blu-ray is Sony's way of keeping us buying disks forever ?

[Sonikku]

If you don't like it, stop encouraging it by plocking more money down when they continuously rape you in the ass. Pirates live free.

 

[JackBurton]

A while before the PS4 was released, Sony stated it would be the first "HDMI 2.0" device. I don't know if that happened.

After all, the PS3 was first shown with 2 HDMI, 3 wired Ethernet, 6 USB ports (2 in the back), and a stupid Bananarang controller.
https://www.google.com/search?tbm=isch&q=ps3+prototype

Earlier this year Sony made firmware available that updated their 4K televisions to full HDMI 2.0.

 

[FallenHero]

I wonder what the percentage of people who stream movies from Netflix, Hula, Amazon or wherever download the HD version or if they even know or even care about the difference from standard definition.

Once 4K tv's become the standard, will people be okay with streaming 1080p content? 4K movies will be about 100GB each (will there be new compression types to handle this size? the ISP's are gonna love that...

ISP's have 5-10 years before 4k even begins to creep into a significant amount of households. To put that in perspective, 10 years ago I thought having 10MB down was the cats ass. I am now sitting at 105 down with an upgrade soon to 305 down. Another ten years and 1gb down is easily attained (hell, it is now).

I'm not worried about internet speeds handling 4k streaming. I only worry about how much content will actually be streamed at 4k without massive loss in quality due to compression.

 

[zerocool84]

People that care about quality and have a system that can take advantage of that quality, buy Blu-rays. People that have some Walmart special system are normally content with streaming solutions. Streaming content has it's place, but not when it comes to audio/video quality. Sorry.

I think the people that enjoy streaming content are the same ones that buy Beats headphones.

You don't even need good equipment to notice the difference between streaming and Blu-ray. Netflix Super HD 1080p you can still tell it's streaming. I have a 42" Vizio and sit 6' from it and you can easily see the artifacts/compression on streaming but it's so damn convenient that most of the time it doesn't matter. Just because you prefer streaming doesn't mean you don't know any better, it's just easier and in some cases cheaper. Yes I still buy some and do Redbox but I watch a ton of movies on Netflix, nothing beats loading up a movie in a matter of seconds from out of the blue.

 

[ImpulsE69]

People that care about quality and have a system that can take advantage of that quality, buy Blu-rays. People that have some Walmart special system are normally content with streaming solutions. Streaming content has it's place, but not when it comes to audio/video quality. Sorry.

I think the people that enjoy streaming content are the same ones that buy Beats headphones.

And you are behind the times. Streaming (local) 1080p is just fine and so much better overall experience than Blu-Ray. How many times do you watch those extra features? Once? I can forgive a few minor artifacts for the comfort. Honestly, I'm great with 720 for most things. When you aren't sitting 3 feet in front of your set up, it isn't that big of a deal.

Besides..who actually sits and WATCHES their TV these days? :whiste:

 

[dr150]

You don't even need good equipment to notice the difference between streaming and Blu-ray. Netflix Super HD 1080p you can still tell it's streaming. I have a 42" Vizio and sit 6' from it and you can easily see the artifacts/compression on streaming but it's so damn convenient that most of the time it doesn't matter. Just because you prefer streaming doesn't mean you don't know any better, it's just easier and in some cases cheaper. Yes I still buy some and do Redbox but I watch a ton of movies on Netflix, nothing beats loading up a movie in a matter of seconds from out of the blue.

Netflix streaming has taken a dumpster shit since its squabble with ISPs.

Thankfully, they've resolved their tiff with my provider (Comcast) today, so I should hopefully see a substantial improvement in quality, otherwise I have to rethink my options.

On topic, Bluray is vastly superior to Netflix (i.e. artifacting/color levels, sound) even when at it's bestest....convenience only forgives so much.

 

[JackBurton]

You don't even need good equipment to notice the difference between streaming and Blu-ray. Netflix Super HD 1080p you can still tell it's streaming. I have a 42" Vizio and sit 6' from it and you can easily see the artifacts/compression on streaming but it's so damn convenient that most of the time it doesn't matter. Just because you prefer streaming doesn't mean you don't know any better, it's just easier and in some cases cheaper. Yes I still buy some and do Redbox but I watch a ton of movies on Netflix, nothing beats loading up a movie in a matter of seconds from out of the blue.

Didn't necessarily say people didn't know any better, it's most likely they just don't care. However, the people that invest quite a bit of money into their system, ARE the ones that care about quality and wouldn't settle for anything less than BD. I mean, what is the point of spending thousands of dollars on audio equipment and video equipment if you are feed it a junk source (typical streaming content)? Like I said, streaming does have it's place, but it isn't in the quality department. It's all about convenience and "good enough." Which isn't a bad thing, but let's not try and pretend it's something that it's not, a quality source. Like it or not, BD is the reference standard. Anything else is just a compromise in quality.

 

[JackBurton]

And you are behind the times. Streaming (local) 1080p is just fine and so much better overall experience than Blu-Ray. How many times do you watch those extra features? Once? I can forgive a few minor artifacts for the comfort. Honestly, I'm great with 720 for most things. When you aren't sitting 3 feet in front of your set up, it isn't that big of a deal.

Besides..who actually sits and WATCHES their TV these days? :whiste:

No, you just have low standards. Anything less than BD quality is a compromise. BD is not just about video quality, audio quality is the other half of the equation. And the streaming services out now just don't cut it in either category. Now if you have a full Kaleidescape system, you have the best of both worlds. Congrats.

 

[rockyct]

I still think it's strange that we're almost 8 years since the Blu-ray players first hit the market and there's no attempt in sight of a next gen media. DVD players hit the US around 1997 so it was 9 years after DVD that we got Blu-ray. I honestly wouldn't be surprised if I heard that DVDs still outsold Blu-ray. I have no idea if it's true though. It'd be interesting to look at the stats.

I do hope they can somehow get 4k onto Blu-ray disks because I know no one is going to fucking buy their collection again to get it on 4k.

 

[leper84]

Buy a ps3/4. Sucks, but there are at least some games I'd rather play on a console vs pc.

Think we have years to go before the format is obsolete. Between data caps and half assed networks I think parts of the internet would crash if everyone started streaming disc quality video. Redbox is cheap and everywhere.

 

[Genx87]

I question if we will see a next gen media. The market is clearly moving towards streaming. Did BluRay ever replace DVD on a revenue basis?

 

[mikeymikec]

So years ago, I got a Blu-ray player, and today I could not watch a new disk. Had to upgrade firmware first, and could only do it over the internet. So this is how the industry assures themselves to keep selling new disks ? Just fix it so you have to upgrade firmware or it won't play ? You have to have an internet connection forever ? And who says they don't fix it someday, that firmware won't fix it ?

I just stick to DVDs. I can't remember the last time I had a playback problem (except due to to a failing drive), and I've never had to do a firmware update.

I'm not sure that your point makes any sense though. Your starting question was "Blu-ray is Sony's way of keeping us buying discs forever", then you go on to say how it requires an Internet connection. Surely if it was part of the licensing agreement (between Sony and player makers) not to have an Internet connection, then you would have a point... maybe?

If your point had been "Sony is great at burying its own standards as quickly as possible", then I think your logic would have been pretty sound. Who wants to have to do firmware updates to do something as simple as playing a movie?

As for someone's point about "people who care about quality buy Blu-ray", that very much depends on the quality of the imported film. The movie companies most of the time don't bother to remaster old movies (if they're not deemed popular enough), then there were those in-between movies that were shot in digital but not in high enough quality to benefit from Blu-ray. All this seems to point towards would be for me to think a movie is REALLY worth it and I know that it was remastered brilliantly for Blu-ray, then it would be worth buying on Blu-ray.

I still think it's strange that we're almost 8 years since the Blu-ray players first hit the market and there's no attempt in sight of a next gen media.

DVD compared to VHS was revolutionary - much clearer, no age-related degradation, no more ruined tapes. It was easy to sell. BR compared to DVD was not so easy.

 

[Lean L]

I just stick to DVDs. I can't remember the last time I had a playback problem (except due to to a failing drive), and I've never had to do a firmware update.

I'm not sure that your point makes any sense though. Your starting question was "Blu-ray is Sony's way of keeping us buying discs forever", then you go on to say how it requires an Internet connection. Surely if it was part of the licensing agreement not to have an Internet connection, then you would have a point?

If your point had been "Sony is great at trying to bury its own standards as quickly as possible", then I think your logic would have been pretty sound. Who wants to have to do firmware updates to do something as simple as playing a movie?

As for someone's point about "people who care about quality buy Blu-ray", that very much depends on the quality of the imported film. The movie companies most of the time don't bother to remaster old movies (if they're not deemed popular enough), then there were those in-between movies that were shot in digital but not in high enough quality to benefit from Blu-ray. All this seems to point towards would be for me to think a movie is REALLY worth it and I know that it was remastered brilliantly for Blu-ray, then it would be worth buying on Blu-ray.

My exact thoughts.

 

[StrangerGuy]

If anything it's a dying format. Price and convenience matters much more to most consumers than image quality, see DVD vs VHS and BD vs internets.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

I still think it's strange that we're almost 8 years since the Blu-ray players first hit the market and there's no attempt in sight of a next gen media. DVD players hit the US around 1997 so it was 9 years after DVD that we got Blu-ray. I honestly wouldn't be surprised if I heard that DVDs still outsold Blu-ray. I have no idea if it's true though. It'd be interesting to look at the stats.

I do hope they can somehow get 4k onto Blu-ray disks because I know no one is going to fucking buy their collection again to get it on 4k.

I question if we will see a next gen media. The market is clearly moving towards streaming. Did BluRay ever replace DVD on a revenue basis?

I thought I read somewhere that the capacity on blu rays will be increased to hold 4K media, but I could be dreaming. Of course, that will necessitate another player purchase.

EDIT: I was right. Four layer blu ray discs will likely be available this year.

Back to the original question, I still buy blu ray and even the rare DVD (when blu ray versions aren't available) in some cases, particularly around the holidays when the deals are insane. Remember, there is no guarantee that your favorite content will be available forever on Netflix or Amazon and in some cases (MASH), it has never been available. So for things I really like, I tend to buy the media, rip it, and place it on my server for streaming via Plex.

 

[cubby1223]

If anything it's a dying format. Price and convenience matters much more to most consumers than image quality, see DVD vs VHS and BD vs internets.

It's funny how the format war was going on and Blu-ray was declared doa by many back then. To go from a dead format to a dying format in 8 years, is pretty remarkable!

Some people want the best video/audio quality available, some don't. It's why movie theaters are still around. My little town had our movie theater completely remodeled last year with several additional screens added.




As for the concerns about firmware updates - hate to say it but Sony is the only route to go with standalone players, being the company with the most on the line with such a frail product they make damn sure all their players get all the updates.

Friend of mine has a Toshiba and he hates it, disc compatibility problems with older Blu-rays, very slow and unresponsive system menus...

 

[waggy]

I wonder what the percentage of people who stream movies from Netflix, Hula, Amazon or wherever download the HD version or if they even know or even care about the difference from standard definition.

Once 4K tv's become the standard, will people be okay with streaming 1080p content? 4K movies will be about 100GB each (will there be new compression types to handle this size? the ISP's are gonna love that...

i tried streaming off netflix and hula. i gotta say it sucks. Netflix has gone to shit the last few months. also they rarely have anything i care to watch anymore. they rarely have newer movies.

Can your player stream video over your network?

no. its a cheap one i got years ago.

I can still play blu-ray on the PS3. i just prefer watching stuff in my office.

 

[Anubis]

No, you just have low standards. Anything less than BD quality is a compromise. BD is not just about video quality, audio quality is the other half of the equation. And the streaming services out now just don't cut it in either category. Now if you have a full Kaleidescape system, you have the best of both worlds. Congrats.

basically this, however even with a stupid expennsive Kaleidescape system, you still need to own the BR disk in order to stream it. IIRC

 

[velillen]

basically this, however even with a stupid expensive Kaleidescape system, you still need to own the BR disk in order to stream it. IIRC

Or just be cheap and go with a media server and then htpc type devices. Rip bluray with makemkv for a simple mkv file with untouched audio and video. Stream it from the server to htpc's. Its what i do. Granted you still have to own the bluray/dvd's.

 

[Anubis]

well yea, the kaleidescape is pretty pointless for anoyone who can build a HTPC, but either way BRs are still being purchased.

i think ive gotten 5 in the last month,

 

[sdifox]

Or just be cheap and go with a media server and then htpc type devices. Rip bluray with makemkv for a simple mkv file with untouched audio and video. Stream it from the server to htpc's. Its what i do. Granted you still have to own the bluray/dvd's.

I am toying with Plex + Raspberry Pi right now. I have to say I think I am a convert :biggrin:

 

[spacejamz]

It's funny how the format war was going on and Blu-ray was declared doa by many back then. To go from a dead format to a dying format in 8 years, is pretty remarkable!

I remember the heated 'discussion's during the format war and the day when Warner Brothers (they were the only company to make both blu rays and HD DVD's at the time, the other movie studios stuck to just one format) finally declared they were going blu ray only, pretty much killing HD DVD - I still have 2 toshiba HD DVD players and about 30 HD DVD movies)...

 

[purbeast0]

i pretty much only watch blurays for movies since the quality can't even come close yet on streaming. until we can get full uncompressed 1080p video with uncompressed hd audio streamed, i will continue to rent and buy blurays for my movie watching experiences.

 

[waggy]

I remember the heated 'discussion's during the format war and the day when Warner Brothers (they were the only company to make both blu rays and HD DVD's at the time, the other movie studios stuck to just one format) finally declared they were going blu ray only, pretty much killing HD DVD - I still have 2 toshiba HD DVD players and about 30 HD DVD movies)...

lol

I have a HD DVD player and roughly 20 movies.

 

[Jaskalas]

I cannot stand 480p content, too fuzzy, but I've no complaint about any "HD" streaming I've seen even if it is compressed.