Optical Disc Prices May Rise 50% in 2013

[taltamir]

If you don't have the bandwidth for HD streaming then your POSSIBLE actions are:
1. SD streaming
2. driving to a local rental store (those are going bankrupt)
3. waiting for a bluray disk in the mail.
4. Upgrading your internet connection so it can handle HD streaming
5. Download HD then watch when it finishes downloading

No, actually the other option is something called bluray. As in, a disc.

Please read what you quote

 

[RampantAndroid]

Please read what you quote

I did. I'm emphasizing that you agree with me, basically. The simple point I was making was that neither streaming nor downloadable are mature enough (and neither is the infrastructure required for it) to fully replace hard media - which is what Corporate Thug seemed to be suggesting.

Sorry if I wasn't clear enough.

 

[taltamir]

I did. I'm emphasizing that you agree with me, basically.

Well, you said "no, actually..." after quoting me so it seems like a statement of contradiction; not of agreeing with me.

The simple point I was making was that neither streaming nor downloadable are mature enough (and neither is the infrastructure required for it) to fully replace hard media - which is what Corporate Thug seemed to be suggesting.

While I agree that optical media makes up 2 of the 5 viable possibilities you can choose from at the moment (if you can't stream HD) I do believe that download then watch when finished is faster and more practical then mailing disks (if such a service was actually offered by anyone other than pirates).

Further I will contend that the download then watch when finished model is superior to all alternatives for those who cannot stream HD. And its convenience and quality combination is a major driving force for piracy (as only pirates offer this distribution model). I further argue that the only reason mailing disks has survived as long as it has is the industry's unwillingness to adopt distribution models people actually want until they are forced into it kicking and screaming by pirates (in this case, the download than watch model).

So the only remaining reasonable bastion of disks is via local rental, which means either a store like blockbuster (going bankrupt thus proving itself non viable) or more reasonably a redbox (much more cost effective than a store).

Oh, and there are collectors who just want a physical library... so to sum it up
Bluray uses:
1. Mail - non viable, only survives due to many people being unwilling to pirate and superior distribution methods not being allowed by content owners.
2. Store - going bankrupt.
3. Redbox - actually viable (and will remain as such until people have enough bandwidth for streaming HD)
4. Collectors - Viability depends on collector amount and willingness to spend.

 

[Cerb]

1-4

5. Extras. Some physical rentals also lack extras, especially when there were 2-disc versions, but 1-disc titles, and Criterion or Kino titles, generally have them. Streaming? Not today, that I've seen. Same thing applies to buying.

 

[taltamir]

5. Extras. Some physical rentals also lack extras, especially when there were 2-disc versions, but 1-disc titles, and Criterion or Kino titles, generally have them. Streaming? Not today, that I've seen. Same thing applies to buying.

you raise a good point. You don't get extras if you stream it. But you could, there is no technical limitation just a lack of service offered (which is not to say that such a lack is insignificant... its a serious issue. But if optical media went away tomorrow extra COULD be delivered via streaming/download).

 

[bononos]

If BDXL 125Gb format can take off with minimal increase in price, then BD will probably be around for a while unless something impressive happens in the solid state arena.

I think there are more problems with BD from anecdotal reports with scratches or fine cracks due to the fact that BDs recording layer is right at the top with only a fine layer of special hardcoat protecting it where it is vulnerable to flexing causing tiny cracks, compared with DVD where the metal layer is sandwiched right in the middle. Maybe the new BDXL format will have new disks with similar construction to the old DVD.