Do you still buy physical media?

[northernmunky]

I rent unlimited Blurays by post for £10 a month.

After buying my ATV I streamed 4k movies a few times but find the loss in sound quality too much of a compromise.

Do I miss the improved image quality? Not so much as some Blurays look amazing upscaled on the PS4 Pro.

When prices have fallen I will pick up a used UHD player or Xbox One X and change my subscription from Blurays to UHD discs.

Where are you renting from? I was using LoveFilm but bloody Amazon bought them out and then scrapped the service.

That said, I currently only buy Blurays/UHD DVDs if its a movie I exceptionally like and want to play over my 4k screen and in Dolby Atmos with no compromises. Anything else and I might just use Netflix (and I dont have a Netflix account by choice - its because I live with other people who use it).

 

[Macalicious2011]

Where are you renting from? I was using LoveFilm but bloody Amazon bought them out and then scrapped the service.

That said, I currently only buy Blurays/UHD DVDs if its a movie I exceptionally like and want to play over my 4k screen and in Dolby Atmos with no compromises. Anything else and I might just use Netflix (and I dont have a Netflix account by choice - its because I live with other people who use it).

I used to subscribe to lovefilm and bought an Apple TV to give streaming a go when the service was scrapped.

Since s few months ago I use cinemaparadiso. Their numerous list of movie ideas whether it’s heist, foreign, top 100, action with female leads makes it a better service. Discovery of both good and old movies is very good.

They also have UHD discs which Lovefilm didn’t. So if you have an UHD player is an absolute no brainer at £10/month for unlimited rentals with two at a time. I get more value out of it than Netflix.

You can even pay extra to have three films at once.

 

[northernmunky]

I used to subscribe to lovefilm and bought an Apple TV to give streaming a go when the service was scrapped.

Since s few months ago I use cinemaparadiso. Their numerous list of movie ideas whether it’s heist, foreign, top 100, action with female leads makes it a better service. Discovery of both good and old movies is very good.

They also have UHD discs which Lovefilm didn’t. So if you have an UHD player is an absolute no brainer at £10/month for unlimited rentals with two at a time. I get more value out of it than Netflix.

You can even pay extra to have three films at once.

Thanks for the tip, I didnt think to look for a replacement service as I figured everyone streams now and thats the end of it. Yep, I have a UHD player so I'm now subscribed.

 

[ssgbryan]

I started collecting CDs back when the format 1st came out (1984 or so) - I couldn't dump vinyl fast enough. Sorry kids, but the sound quality on vinyl is crap.

Digital downloads simply aren't an option for me. 1st - I prefer quality sound, which one doesn't get from digital or streaming services at the moment. 2nd - If the streaming services don't have what I listen to, then the streaming system is worthless. And most importantly:

You only have to have one purchased product from iTunes go poof! and disappear to remind you why you don't buy from iTunes (or any other downloading service).

I will be very interested to see the reaction when Disney pulls everything from iTunes to populate it's upcoming streaming service, Disney+.

 

[richman555]

I started collecting CDs back when the format 1st came out (1984 or so) - I couldn't dump vinyl fast enough. Sorry kids, but the sound quality on vinyl is crap.

Vinyl is superior to most digital media and most definitely CDs. At least well kept vinyl without scratches.

 

[Coffee50]

I started collecting CDs back when the format 1st came out (1984 or so) - I couldn't dump vinyl fast enough. Sorry kids, but the sound quality on vinyl is crap.

Digital downloads simply aren't an option for me. 1st - I prefer quality sound, which one doesn't get from digital or streaming services at the moment. 2nd - If the streaming services don't have what I listen to, then the streaming system is worthless. And most importantly:

You only have to have one purchased product from iTunes go poof! and disappear to remind you why you don't buy from iTunes (or any other downloading service).

I will be very interested to see the reaction when Disney pulls everything from iTunes to populate it's upcoming streaming service, Disney+.

While you make some good points, ultimately.....streaming & digital isn't going anywhere, in fact it's growing (as we see with the multiple sites showing up.....and many retailers scaling back on physical media).

I have yet to have anything I've purchased from iTunes disappear and I have purchases from years ago, circa iPod years. but there was someone on the board here who apparently did. He contacted Apple customer service & was refunded....(Which is almost the equivalent of buying a piece of physical media....getting it home & finding out that it's broken....) So worst case, there does seem to be a way to get credit for content should, again worst case.....it's pulled.

So yes, while the chance of digital media "disappearing or being pulled" is a reality.....these digital stores (& studios) aren't pulling multiple titles randomly on a daily basis....they are aware of the public PR nightmare that would occur if this were happening on a large scale. So while possible, the chances of that happening are slim. And if it does, depending on how the person handles it, can mostly speak to customer service & get a gift card, refund, etc...

I also don't think Disney will be pulling ANYTHING from iTunes....They'll pull from Netflix or other streaming sites, but iTunes, Googly Play, etc. are digital retailers....Disney will continue to SELL their content via these digital retailers. There are series & movies that might be exclusive to a site for streaming purposes (such as Star Trek Discovery) but these movies / shows can still be purchase on digital sites.

 

[BODYBUILDERPAUL]

I started collecting CDs back when the format 1st came out (1984 or so) - I couldn't dump vinyl fast enough. Sorry kids, but the sound quality on vinyl is crap.

Digital downloads simply aren't an option for me. 1st - I prefer quality sound, which one doesn't get from digital or streaming services at the moment. 2nd - If the streaming services don't have what I listen to, then the streaming system is worthless. And most importantly:

You only have to have one purchased product from iTunes go poof! and disappear to remind you why you don't buy from iTunes (or any other downloading service).

I will be very interested to see the reaction when Disney pulls everything from iTunes to populate it's upcoming streaming service, Disney+.

Not really, with iTunes music, you download the track. You can download it as many times as you want to over a lifetime. Seriously, that's no different to either scratching a CD which i've done hundreds of times over the years, lost, left in an old house or merely lent out and never got returned again, it happened to me many times. Put it another way, i've still got my iTunes downloads from 15 years ago and they are as wonderful as they were on day one. I've moved house and cities 10+ times since then, i havn't got a clue where my old CDs are now. I remember giving away 2000 of them in 2007 when I sold a house.

I love having everything in one place and making playlists, i'd never in a million years go back to jumpy CDs

I agree vinyl can sound crap but oh my, when I was a DJ, those Technics SL1210s sound very very very beautiful. So clear, bright and warm. They certainly changed my opinion on vinyl and in a club or bar, they really do look great - especially when using DJ Serato and feeding them files from your MacBook Pro!!!

Legally, Disney can't pull its content to Apple for previously sold items. 1. That's illegal 2. It would tarnish Apple's reputation and there's no way on this earth that Tim Cook or Eddy Cue would allow for that. 3. IF Disney pulled its content which in reality would not be good for any side, there would be an agreement where existing files are left on the servers for existing customers to watch their films etc.

In business, you do your absolute best not to fall out with rivals or distributors etc it's just unhealthy and not a democratic way to life. I'm sure that Disney and Apple will still be the best of friends when Disney launch their service.

Coming from a radio background, i've grown up in a music household and have live with every format that has come and gone and I gotta say, that the sound quality from an iTunes music purchase is darn good.

 

[sliceoftoast]

Nope, i either stream from Netflix or buy from iTunes store

 

[Daffyx]

Very curious to see who still buys dvds and blu-rays and why? Or why did you stop?

Some reasons I still use a DVD player 1) It's handy when there's a power blackout and I have no Internet or access to iTunes I can play movies from my old DVD collection 2) Older games like the Mac version of Chessmaster 9000 need the DVD in the drive all the time to play otherwise they won't work 3) When I don't have a USB flash drive hanging around I can save files to a DVD convenient.

 

[HDFan]

Since s few months ago I use cinemaparadiso. Their numerous list of movie ideas whether it’s heist, foreign, top 100, action with female leads makes it a better service. Discovery of both good and old movies is very good.

They also have UHD discs which Lovefilm didn’t. So if you have an UHD player is an absolute no brainer at £10/month for unlimited rentals with two at a time. I get more value out of it than Netflix.

Unfortunately looks as if it is a U.K. service, not available in the U.S.

 

[Macalicious2011]

Unfortunately looks as if it is a U.K. service, not available in the U.S.

Unfortunately it’s not avail either in the US but there might be a similar service.

I like it because once I have rented movies I really want to watch, I add some that I am unsure about and in that way I have discovered numerous really good ones that I would not have watched if if bought film or rented through iTunes.

 

[BODYBUILDERPAUL]

Vinyl is superior to most digital media and most definitely CDs. At least well kept vinyl without scratches.

OK! Having had 10 years of working in radio and studios and post production can I PLEASE confirm this.
1. Vinyl sounds NOTHING like a master / original file. How can a metal needle reproduce an accurate sound? It can't - what you are hearing is a warm, atmospheric, analogue, totally raped/processed version. It's nothing like what it should be. Because of that, vinyl people love it. And it's a warm fuzzy feeling BUT it's NOTHING like what it actually does sound like in the studio.
2. Same with FM radio.
3. CD is actually accurate to the human ear to the original studio master. Apple's AAC compression is very very decent! We used it!
4. If you listen to radio. Have a listen to BBC iPlayer on the iPhone. It's a pretty decent studio master sound in comparison to FM radio that has gone through processors, compressors and limiters. In a way, the iPhone app makes the DJ sound more 'pirate radio style' and that's because it's natural, unprocessed and being honest, that's how we hear it when in the studio! And that shocks people who are used to FM and because of it, they think that FM sounds better. It couldn't be further from the truth!
Try it on your iPhone. The circuitry in the iPhone is damn good - professional even. It's what radio journalists use this day when interviewing out in the open!
Incredible what this iPhone can do hey! It can even be used in radio studios to feed music files to Pioneer CDJ players for broadcast and it's 100% reliable!

 

[FriendlyMackle]

Pretty rare, I admit, but if I can find a movie or TV show on disc for significantly less than iTunes offers, I'll buy it and rip it to my library.

Ditto. The only time I'll buy physical media is if the streaming offering is significantly overpriced for something older. In which case I'll buy the bluray (or if it's something really old, the DVD) and rip the files so that I can watch on all my devices.
[doublepost=1541915541][/doublepost]

OK! Having had 10 years of working in radio and studios and post production can I PLEASE confirm this.
1. Vinyl sounds NOTHING like a master / original file. How can a metal needle reproduce an accurate sound? It can't wait you are hearing is a warm, atmospheric, analogue, totally raped/processed version. It's nothing like what it should be. Because of that, vinyl people love it. And it's a warm fuzzy feeling BUT it's NOTHING like what it actually does sound like in the studio.
2. Same with FM radio.
3. CD is actually accurate to the human ear to the original studio master. Apple's AAC compression is very very decent! We used it!
4. If you listen to radio. Have a listen to BBC iPlayer on the iPhone. It's a pretty decent studio master sound in comparison to FM radio that has gone through processors, compressors and limiters. In a way, the iPhone app makes the DJ sound more 'pirate radio style' and that's because it's natural, unprocessed and being honest, that's how we hear it when in the studio!

THANK YOU!!!

These youngsters have not even thought about the vinyl process...it is physically impossible for vinyl to accurately represent the recorded music. IMPOSSIBLE.

People mistake that warm—and, yes, sensuous—sound for accurate, when it is anything but. CD and new lossless encoding algorithms produce much better fidelity audio.

Our output devices tend to be the limiters and are reductive of the sound experience. As to whether most human ears can tell the difference...well, lots of people argue one way or another...but medicine tells us, probably not. And hearing capability significantly diminishes with age—for all of us! Past the age of 20 or so, we lose the ability to even perceive the highest frequencies which humans hear (general maximum is around 20kHz). By 40 many people can't hear much above 15kHz.

 

[Macalicious2011]

OK! Having had 10 years of working in radio and studios and post production can I PLEASE confirm this.
1. Vinyl sounds NOTHING like a master / original file. How can a metal needle reproduce an accurate sound? It can't wait you are hearing is a warm, atmospheric, analogue, totally raped/processed version. It's nothing like what it should be. Because of that, vinyl people love it. And it's a warm fuzzy feeling BUT it's NOTHING like what it actually does sound like in the studio.
2. Same with FM radio.
3. CD is actually accurate to the human ear to the original studio master. Apple's AAC compression is very very decent! We used it!
4. If you listen to radio. Have a listen to BBC iPlayer on the iPhone. It's a pretty decent studio master sound in comparison to FM radio that has gone through processors, compressors and limiters. In a way, the iPhone app makes the DJ sound more 'pirate radio style' and that's because it's natural, unprocessed and being honest, that's how we hear it when in the studio!

Interesting. I haven't listened to vinyl in 20 years. Although I have a set of fantastic DynAudio monitors and an Avi Laboratories amp, I just don't want them in the lounge at this moment in life and thus can't accommodate a vinyl player.

However I wouldn't mind buying the odd vinyl every year to start collecting so that onces the kids have moved out of the house in 20 odd years i can listen to vinyl as a hobby.

 

[George Dawes]

Only if it’s not available on iTunes

Otherwise it’s all in the cloud for me

 

[BODYBUILDERPAUL]

Interesting. I haven't listened to vinyl in 20 years. Although I have a set of fantastic DynAudio monitors and an Avi Laboratories amp, I just don't want them in the lounge at this moment in life and thus can't accommodate a vinyl player.

However I wouldn't mind buying the odd vinyl every year to start collecting so that onces the kids have moved out of the house in 20 odd years i can listen to vinyl as a hobby.

OWWWWWWWWW once the kids have moved out

 

[Macalicious2011]

OWWWWWWWWW once the kids have moved out

I'm a long away from what as the second child is due in 3 weeks. When he arrives my movie watching will be muted for 3 months until I have convinced my other half that it's a good idea to evict the baby to its own room which won't be directly above the lounge like our bedroom.

Last night we watched Thor 3 :Ragnarok and it's the type of movie to be enjoyed with the best possible sound. I sneakily and gradually cranked the volume up to 70! Normally when watching TV or YouTube it's at 25-30. However, when a movie has a great soundtrack on Bluray, everything sounds more beautiful the louder you go as there's no harshness or distortion.

Thankfully I live in a detached house or else the bass would anger my neighbours.

 

[BODYBUILDERPAUL]

I'm a long away from what as the second child is due in 3 weeks. When he arrives my movie watching will be muted for 3 months until I have convinced my other half that it's a good idea to evict the baby to its own room which won't be directly above the lounge like our bedroom.

Last night we watched Thor 3 :Ragnarok and it's the type of movie to be enjoyed with the best possible sound. I sneakily and gradually cranked the volume up to 70! Normally when watching TV or YouTube it's at 25-30. However, when a movie has a great soundtrack on Bluray, everything sounds more beautiful the louder you go as there's no harshness or distortion.

Thankfully I live in a detached house or else the bass would anger my neighbours.

Owww i'm sure that you'll have the best time with your family buddy!
That is so lucky having a detached house - it's really the only option for sound enthusiasts isn't it. Apartments that I've had, you can hear neighbours sneezing let alone playing music - same with our Victorian house which should have thick walls - you can hear everything. British houses are simply not designed for sound systems

 

[Macalicious2011]

Owww i'm sure that you'll have the best time with your family buddy!
That is so lucky having a detached house - it's really the only option for sound enthusiasts isn't it.

Unfortunately.

The thing about subwoofers is that their impact is sometimes even louder outside of the lounge than inside it. A bit like when someone is playing loud music in their car. From the outside you'd think they are trying to blow up their eardrums when in fact, the volume is fine inside. Therefore it doesn't take much volume or bass levels to annoy anything around you.

Luckily my new build isn't just detached but three of the bedrooms are not above the lounge which makes a huge difference in my ability to enjoy very IMMERSIVE and LOUD volumes disturbing my two year old or guests staying over. It helps that my exterior walls are brick and block.

Two weeks ago a colleague asked me what sound bar he should buy and the first thing is asked is whether his house is a semi and if his kids bedroom are above the lounge. If that's the case then there's no point in spending more than £150 as anything above that will go under-exploited.

It's my first property and has been a huge learning going forward. In an ideal world I would want a cinema/games room on a basement level and can hang multiple speakers without worrying about cables and disturbing anyone.

 

[ssgbryan]

Vinyl is superior to most digital media and most definitely CDs. At least well kept vinyl without scratches.

Yeah........ About that.

Vinyl has, at best, a 30 - 40dB ratio, last time I checked, that is about 1/2 of digital. RIAA equalization is specifically designed to get around the limitations of vinyl - not actually necessary on digital. How are you dealing with 60Hz rumble?

Let me know how long that vinyl goes without scratching or warping.

If you can't show it on an O-scope, it isn't real.

 

[BODYBUILDERPAUL]

Unfortunately.

The thing about subwoofers is that their impact is sometimes even louder outside of the lounge than inside it. A bit like when someone is playing loud music in their car. From the outside you'd think they are trying to blow up their eardrums when in fact, the volume is fine inside. Therefore it doesn't take much volume or bass levels to annoy anything around you.

Luckily my new build isn't just detached but three of the bedrooms are not above the lounge which makes a huge difference in my ability to enjoy very IMMERSIVE and LOUD volumes disturbing my two year old or guests staying over. It helps that my exterior walls are brick and block.

Two weeks ago a colleague asked me what sound bar he should buy and the first thing is asked is whether his house is a semi and if his kids bedroom are above the lounge. If that's the case then there's no point in spending more than £150 as anything above that will go under-exploited.

It's my first property and has been a huge learning going forward. In an ideal world I would want a cinema/games room on a basement level and can hang multiple speakers without worrying about cables and disturbing anyone.

Sounds absolutely incredible!!! WOW!
Hopefully your friend might be able to buy a Dolby Atmos sounder - the LG SK9 is very decent at low volume levels.
But yes, I truly agree with you. Subs are truly shocking in apartments and non-detached properties. I learnt to hate subs at university when a guy in the room opposite me would have his sub with a very weird low level sound presence late on a night when I was trying to get some sleep!

 

[priitv8]

Yeah........ About that.

Vinyl has, at best, a 30 - 40dB ratio, last time I checked, that is about 1/2 of digital. RIAA equalization is specifically designed to get around the limitations of vinyl - not actually necessary on digital. How are you dealing with 60Hz rumble?

Let me know how long that vinyl goes without scratching or warping.

If you can't show it on an O-scope, it isn't real.

Channel separation is even worse on vinyl. The importance of that is discussed here.
To really appreciate digital sound, one should listen to SACD and modern Hi-Res PCM. Compared to those remasters, vinyl records sound very narrow in horizontal sound staging, imho.

 

[Macalicious2011]

Sounds absolutely incredible!!! WOW!
Hopefully your friend might be able to buy a Dolby Atmos sounder - the LG SK9 is very decent at low volume levels.
But yes, I truly agree with you. Subs are truly shocking in apartments and non-detached properties. I learnt to hate subs at university when a guy in the room opposite me would have his sub with a very weird low level sound presence late on a night when I was trying to get some sleep!

What I have recently appreciated most about a great sound system is the ability to watch Plays and Musicals that I don't have time to attend on Bluray. Yes, watching live is fantastic but on Bluray with a bottle of your favourite wine and snacks is nearly as good. Voices are so crystal clear that is sounds like the actors are singing in my lounge.

I have Les Miserable, NutCracker, Miss Saigon and tend to collect more.

Today I just bid on a Bluray concert of Queen playing live in 1985 and I expect it to be utterly fantastic to watch over Christmas. It's a prime example of were Blurays can enable you to appreciate the live performance of someone who's no longer alive or touring.

Channel separation is even worse on vinyl. The importance of that is discussed here.
To really appreciate digital sound, one should listen to SACD and modern Hi-Res PCM. Compared to those remasters, vinyl records sound very narrow in horizontal sound staging, imho.

I have a couple SACD and the sound is utterly gorgeous. Unfortunately lots of music isn't published in the format and used ones are selling for crazy sums on eBay.

 

[priitv8]

Today I just bid on a Bluray concert of Queen playing live in 1985 and I expect it to be utterly fantastic to watch over Christmas.

This must be the Montreal concert. The only live performance of Queen released on Bluray.
I dont remember the audio quality (and can not check atm), but also the picture is gorgeous. Was filmed in 35mm and the FHD transfer shows how good a 35mm analog footage can be.

I have a couple SACD and the sound is utterly gorgeous. Unfortunately lots of music isn't published in the format and used ones are selling for crazy sums on eBay.

Yes, SACD is another example in the row of failed technologically superior products, because consumer chose price over quality.
96/24 PCM is equally good.

 

[HDFan]

This must be the Montreal concert. The only live performance of Queen released on Bluray.
I dont remember the audio quality (and can not check atm), but also the picture is gorgeous. Was filmed in 35mm and the FHD transfer shows how good a 35mm analog footage can be.

Here's the encoding: