DVDs dead? Alternative? - General Discussion Discussion

[–] Popcorn Kernel (2368) 7 years ago

I never bought many DVDs but I still rent them from Netflix. their selection of movies on disc is so much bigger than what they have streaming. Almost every movie or show you think Netflix doesn't have- yes they do have it, but only on disc.
Until the streaming service gets all the movies, I will continue to rent dvds.

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[–] GameOfSlaves (613) 7 years ago

Is renting expensive? Why not stream from pirate sites?

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[–] Popcorn Kernel (2368) 7 years ago

No it is really cheap. I have the 3 discs at a time plan and the Netflix distribution point is close to me, so if I return a DVD on Monday I will usually get a new one on Tuesday or Wednesday. So I rarely run out of discs and if I do, then I watch stuff from the streaming side. I watch over 25 discs a month plus unlimited streaming for only $16 a month. That's cheap, imo.

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[–] GameOfSlaves (613) 7 years ago

Not bad. So you have to go to a Depot? It's not by mail?

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[–] Popcorn Kernel (2368) 7 years ago

No it is by mail. What I mean is it is a quick turnaround for the mail to take the disc back to Netflix and them to ship me a new one. Usually only one day round trip.
YMMV- if you live far away from a distribution point then it might take 3 days each way.

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[–] GlenEllyn (21122) 7 years ago

DVDs will live on for me. Mostly I borrow from the library, but I own some favorites, both movies and TV series. I'm just not interested in streaming - nothing against it, just in the habit of watching DVDs, I guess. It works fine for me so I don't feel the need to change anything. Though I have a MP3 player, the music on it comes from my CDs. If my player dies or gets lost, I still have my music.

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[–] GameOfSlaves (613) 7 years ago

I can't throw out my DVDs because I'm a horder maybe. I can't see myself throwing out my extended trilogy lord of the rings b-ray box set or all my harry potter dvds etc.

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[–] batman89 (263) 7 years ago

The future is digital streaming formats, like Netflix, Amazon Prime, etc. IMO, these are better than DVDs/BluRays because you they're accessible from anywhere - all you need is your phone/laptop (which most people carry with them everywhere they go) - you don't need to carry around a dvd player hooked up to a TV, and you don't need to carry around a huge box of discs.

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[–] croft_alice (12180) 7 years ago

Indeed,simply...have a flash-drive

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[–] actionkamen (23176) 7 years ago

Nope, the future is cloud.

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[–] croft_alice (12180) 7 years ago

For the phones and laptops,yes😉

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[–] GlenEllyn (21122) 7 years ago

Obviously I don't understand viewing habits these days. I know more people than ever are getting their entertainment via streaming, but why do people need to take their video entertainment everywhere they go? I can't imagine trying to watch a TV show on a smartphone. And where are you that you want to whip out your laptop and stream a movie? No snark intended; this is a genuine question.

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[–] DarkKnight (262) 7 years ago

I personally don't enjoy watching movies on a smartphone or laptop. I think watching on a big HDTV is the best possible viewing experience. Watching on a phone or laptop just doesn't compare IMO.

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[–] GameOfSlaves (613) 7 years ago

Not everyone owns or can afford streaming.

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[–] Frogarama (12942) 7 years ago

I buy 3D blurays mostly. Can't really stream them and even so, the support would probably be temporary. I want to keep them, want a guarantee. I do also pick up some regular blurays, but I have to want to support the movie. I also love collecting steelbook editions.

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[–] GameOfSlaves (613) 7 years ago

Yes, 3D really isn't streaming friendly. I wonder if people who think streaming is the only option are forgetting people with lower incomes. The average citizen is more worried about rent and food.

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[–] AS117 (246) 7 years ago

Anything you want to be able to watch any time (1 year from now or 10 years from now) buy the physical medium. Especially for 3d. This will not be available for streaming 2 years from now. So unless you own it you are screwed.

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[–] GameOfSlaves (613) 7 years ago

Good point

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[–] DarkKnight (262) 7 years ago

I still buy Blu Rays, but not DVD. I simply prefer Blu Ray over Digital and Streaming.

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[–] AS117 (246) 7 years ago

For people who like the highest possible quality, physical disc is the only way to go. I buy blu-rays all the time and now trying to add to my UHD blu-ray collection.

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[–] DarkKnight (262) 7 years ago

Agreed. The picture quality of streaming doesn't even come close to that of Blu Ray and 4K Ultra HD. The audio quality is inferior as well. Not to mention the lack of bonus features, audio commentaries, and director's cuts ect......

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[–] R_Kane (15828) 7 years ago

Convenience has always triumphed over performance in the consumer entertainment electronics market, largely because most people are lazy (their problem) and ignorant (the electronics industry's fault). Betamax tapes had a better VCR sound and picture, but VHS could record and play for longer. CDs didn't sound as good as analog recordings on vinyl, but you could just slap them into a CD player and get music--no more dicking around with the mechanics of a turntable. So analog audio is dead, right?

Last year we bought more turntables than we did CD players, and more vinyl LPs than CDs. Is analog a niche market? Yes; so is the market for BMWs. Will the self-driving car be as much the norm as digital streaming? Yes. Will BMW or Ferrari EVER make a self-driving car? No, because these companies make cars for clients who truly want to be INVOLVED in the experience. Hard media will never die for the same reason. The cognoscenti will always want the very best.

Do yourself a favor: visit a truly high-end audio/video store, and I don't mean Best Buy, and ask to watch a scene from a movie you know very well played on something like an Oppo 4K player hooked up to, say, an LG 4K OLED TV, in a system with Bowers & Wilkins loudspeakers, then watch the same scene streamed from Netflix on your phone. Some experiences are worth the effort.

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[–] godewey (16472) 7 years ago

Kodi Box

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[–] napsdufroid (2077) 7 years ago

IMO, not dead at all. Still buy them and watch them

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[–] ALurker (485) 7 years ago

DVDs and Blu rays are still very much around. It seems that streaming services are growing to become the next biggest things. Rental services like Redbox too.

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