The biggest argument missing here is that the disc you purchased is yours forever. A streaming service can loose access to a title and no longer be available. Best thing to keep in mind if you are a fan of movies, buy the disc of a movie you really love and want to watch more than once. At least it will be available to you whenever you feel like watching it!
@not tellin 20 years is a long time and worth the money if it lasts that long. I still have dvd's from 2000 that are upscaled by my 4k player so were worth every penny!!
@@darkvader7231 8k is useless to the eye unless tvs are massive and cheap. 4K has been out so long and they still havent picked up both on disk nor stream or even gaming. 20 yrs is a long time but always good to have ur original disks and players.
you forgot the most important point.. not all movies are available in all streaming services... and if something is available, it won't be for too long. Streaming can end up being more expensive.
Or in some cases the Movie is only available for Streaming in one Country and no where else. Meaning you either have to get a VPN and look for over 20mins for a website to tell yoi which country it's streaming in....or choose to wait until it come to your Streaming apps 3 years from now.
7:14 Buying a movie on Amazon, or any streaming service, is risky, because when their contract runs out for any specific movie, you'll no longer be able to stream it...!
Physical media is vastly superior. Visually, you get better colors, clarity, and most importantly depth. The audio is fuller, richer, and louder. Streaming gives more of a flattened PQ with audio quality that requires one to turn up the volume, but winds up akin to a man yelling vs a woman yelling at the same volume. The only streaming service I have truly been impressed by is Disney+
Greatest comment of all the time! I have a quality sound system in my van which I used to Dj. I know exactly what you mean...I still buy cd albums haha
There is also a question of ownership. Netflix can remove a movie or show today and you have no say in it. A Blu-ray disc is for yours to keep forever.
I wish movies came out on discs that size today. With current laser technology, you could probably fit an entire tv series on a single 12" disc uncompressed. Or include multiple transfers (35mm print, original negative scan) on the same title. I really think that for physical media to continue to sell, needs to be marketed once again like the laserdisc format was: as a collectors item. The current 4k disc packaging doesnt look special at all.
An excellent review. One point that you didn't mention, is that with the physical 4k disc, there are often multiple cuts of the same film, director and actor commentary tracks and extras (usually on a seperate BR disc). I always watch the extras to gain a deeper insight into the film makers process. To me, owning the physical media is a much richer experience - both visually and sonically - than streaming. I have the Panasonic UB 9000 (connected to an LG OLED 4K panel) and a full atmos Yamaha set up - with a well mastered 4k disc - the home experience is mind blowing. Streaming in 4k just is not in the same league. But, as always, your mileage will vary.
Aside of quality. most Blu-Rays have extra's like the making of or commentry from the director. You'll never see that on a streaming service. And you have 3d Blu-rays, wich is interesting for many home theater owners.
Even if streaming hypothetically surpasses physical disc quality someday, there’s one key unbeatable thing about owning blu-rays: the security of having that movie whenever you want it. Relying on streaming services to dictate what you can or cannot watch is not ideal. Even my digital copies are not guaranteed to be permanent, and even if they were….nothing beats the feeling of owning the film physically.
Yep, you can't guarantee a streaming service will always have the rights to a given title---or that they won't suddenly decide to alter/edit/censor/ban it.
Great breakdown on the two formats. I too have subscriptions to streaming services but I collect movies as well and physical media is my go to. I own a solid amount of movies that are not on services I'm signed up for plus these services rotate films in and out and also never carry a lot of films. Like you I enjoy the art, extra features included, and the experience of owning, physically selecting what movie to watch, opening the cases and putting the discs in my player. I don't think any way is stupid just a preference and I'm old school since I grew up when streaming was non existent.
@Jay bruno I don't buy 4K used in order to have the digital code, but even newer copies are like 15 bucks in most cases. Of course Star Wars and big blockbusters are still 20 bucks plus.
@@CameronKiesser Best Buy has good prices in-store. Even if it were marked higher, you can always have them price-match any major online seller, including their own site of course.
There's nothing wrong with having a physical library of discs that you can run your finger along a shelf, pick one out you've not seen in a while, (blow the dust off the top of the casing), and place into a decent piece of kit situated underneath your 4K screen, sit back in your comfortable chair and experience again and again. The beauty of it is you have it there with you and don't have to rely on the internet to receive it. Same goes for audio. Nothing beats a physical disc.
For sure. They will do their best to throttle back and tell us their "algorithms" ensure there will be no degradation in picture. And most people won't care or won't notice. The kind of people who leave their sets on store display mode and love the soap opera effect.
Great video. Also, a lot of times, these internet apps that stream cannot change the refresh rate of your screen to do a proper 24p for perfect motion with no judder. However, most blu-ray players can do this if your TV supports that feature.
I find ownership far more important than any service, blue ray movies on sale are nice, but I absolutely love having all my favourite tv shows on blue ray.
i agree its not economical but there are smart ways to go about it. I personally make a list of the movies i want to own then wait until this time of year (November) and buy them on sale. Just the other day i picked up Blade, Jojo Rabbit, Scott Pilgrim, 300, Space Jam, Tenet, & V for Vendetta in 4k all for $10 a piece. Most of these being 4k releases
Cox Cable in my area reduced their signal to me from 1080 9Mbps to 720 6Mbps. To think that as time progresses, streamign services will INCREASE their bitrate is ludicrous. Every time technology improves compression, providers just cut the bitrate and retain the same quality. Data rate goes down, quality remains stagnant.
I bought an Oppo UDP-203 & it cost me $2000. Because of supply & demand, and due to Oppo no longer making 4K players. Very expensive, was it worth it? Absolutely! The best player (in my opinion) & I love it. Only downside is it isn’t capable to stream any apps. However, I do have a smart TV, so streaming apps is covered. My point, get what makes you happy & gives you the greatest enjoyment when watching 4K Blu-rays.
Bluray is "technically six times the quality of streaming". I know you're not trying to be really accurate here but I want to mention that the higher up in quality you go, the file size difference required to notice the difference goes up logarithmically, iirc. So a well compressed video at 25Mbit/s won't look much worse than a 100Mbit/s video. If we continue this, the 1TB size version of the video won't look a LOT better than the 100Mbit/s version. The amount of MORE data you need for more and more details to be exact to the originally recorded/edited footage just gets insanely big without much gain quickly.
If you are a fan of 3D Cinematography , then 3D Blu-ray is the only format that still offers that form of presentation .. most streaming services today do not offer 3D films at all ,. If you connect with movie storytelling as an art form and not as just as a entertainment product you will relate, besides having a liberty of films that you can share with friends and the other way around is a big plus over a venue that no longer even offers a whole creative form of film presentation ..
@@chinafox1949 Well many consumer projectors still support the format but as far as I know no one is making a flat panel TV that does.. "That may change in the future"
I have the same player for several reasons. It plays 4k movies, 1080p and dvd, sacd & dvd 5.1 audio, and files from a usb thumb drive. Worth every penny. And, yes, I prefer discs over streaming but use both. The sound from disc is notably superior on my modest home theater. Not quite ready for atmos yet.
Don't understand people who want to be a slave to streaming and online services, which drop films and TV series at anytime So any film or series you really like can suddenly disappear Owning a Bluray/DVD and watching a movie without a "connection" makes perfect sense Plus you have the special edition covers and packaging of films you like, which are fantastic too
@@mossesandrade5969 That is simply assbackwards I've worked many sales jobs & trade jobs and the majority of people who expect cheap/free labor and handouts are old people and foreigners.
Your pricing argument isn’t really that fair. UHD Blu-rays go on sale for like $10 all the time. Not to mention you get to keep it forever, whereas Netflix you pay $16 and get access for 1 month and that’s it.
You're assuming that your situation applies elsewhere. 4K UHD discs may go on deep discount in the USA, but it's certainly not the case here in Canada and probably not in Europe, where he lives. Not that I think that it comes down to economics, really. 4K TV, 4K streams, 4K player, 4K discs, these are all luxuries. It's about the viewing experience you're willing/able to pay for.
For me it's a bit different. I almost don't stream, I get maybe a couple of months of Netflix a year to catch up on stuff, and then maybe a month of other services that I have available. The rest of the time, I'm perfectly happy with my physical collection, even though I haven't taken the jump to UHD Blu-ray. UHD BD still has one major disadvantage: the selection of movies is very limited, and limited to mostly mainstream movies. If you're into more niche stuff, like I am, you're mostly stuck with standard Blu-ray, DVD, and in some cases, even older formats. That said, a lot of the stuff I watch isn't available on streaming or digital download.
6:34 300 dollars expensive? Right and that extra internet plan to get 4k is not which also ads up over time. Also if these streaming services ever go bankrupt or decide to pull a movie or serie it's bye bye to your movies and series. And if net neutrality ever stops which these isp's keep lobbying for then well expect to pay more
I'm on the fence with 4k. I love it, but not all films on 4K dazzle me. I am still happy with a standard Blu-ray disc. Currently I am selective with my 4k choices as I don't want to rebuy all my collection (currently 2700+ discs) in 4K.
The technology is there to stream video at HD quality. Netflix and RU-vid have always been great, but using Amazon Prime, I always noticed it was far from being received in HD, let alone 4K. I recently upgraded my internet to fibre optic, and there was no change in the quality, so even if internet speeds were fast enough to stream 4K in a noticeably less compressed format, would it really be done? With streaming services, you are absolutely at the mercy of the service provider: what they choose to stream, how long their license lasts for, the quality they choose to provide, their bandwidth, etc. I have taken the decision to cancel Netflix and Prime, and only sub to them when there is something that I really want to watch now. For everything else, I'll get the Blu-Ray. Coupled with this decision I wish to upgrade my system in the new year. Get a decent player and sound system. Currently I'm still using an old PS3, and the stock speakers on my TV.
I like physical media because I can watch it anytime without having to pay for a streaming service and I don’t have to worry about losing a whole movie collection if I bought digital media on something like google movies and I get locked out of my account
Being more than a bit of a hoarder myself, I completely agree with your reasoning for buying a 4K player. Where we diverge a bit is the level of commitment. You called $300 for a player expensive and I would definitely disagree there. I spent $1000 for my Panasonic UB9000 Player, and I won't even mention how much I spent for my LG 77" OLED TV. I have to have the best, and like your topic heading, that is both Smart and perhaps a bit foolish or fiscally over-the-top. Having said that, the picture for 4K blu-rays AND streaming files, AND RU-vid videos, etc. is incomparable! It's all about what gives you joy, so for me there are no regrets, and a vast (2000+ DVDs, Blu-ray's and 4Ks) collection of disc's that I have total control of, and which display magnificently upon command. Keep collecting my friend!
Owning your own films is never wrong and I will never give up on physical media, 4k is the best format to watch films on full stop. Having grown up on vhs then moving to dvd and then Blu-ray and now 4k I can easily say it’s the best of the bunch
Fan of CDs from India - new CDs availability and manufacturing is stopped for 99% of films released from 2016-17. Now have to rely on pirated Blu Ray 🙄 to continue the hobby of collection ! That too finding a seller is tough and original CDs on online marts are expensive !
4k UHD player Sony UBP x-700m, U.S. $148, HDMI hi speed cable included, black Friday and November, now $178, but expect another sale at $148 any day now. Was previously over $250. Supports HDR, HDR 10, Dolby Vision, Atmos, plays back 4k and HD discs brilliantly. I've been streaming many movies past decade but never taking full advantage of my nice 4k big screen TVs....until now, very glad I did. Recently watched my first ever 4k blu ray, Interstellar, and now I'm hooked. I'm no audiophile but I instantly noticed hte better sound coming from sound bar.
The Panasonic DP-UP820 BluRay streams Netflix, RU-vid, and Prime. I use it for these services because I have a 4k projector and the Yamaha TSR-700 4k AVR for 7.2 sound. The results are amazing.
This is essentially the same conclusion I came to when researching decent mid-range bluray players to buy (which are nearly non-existent, mind you). What I always add when buying an optical disk player is: do you have a lot of old DVDs and blurays you never want to throw away? Do you have a 4k tv? If so, you might want to consider upgrading to 4k uhd bluray player. P.S.: It's completely bullshit that you cannot watch 4k blurays on a computer/PC that doesnt have an intel processor.
I agree 100%.We replaced our ageing 32" TV with a 4K 55". To make it all sing we splashed out on a cheap 4K Blu-ray player (by LG) and a cheap home cinema sound system (by Yamaha). Oh boy! The learning curve was steep, and there were some annoying quality control issues to get over, but watching a well made 4K Blu-ray is ENTIRELY different from watching a stream. BUT I won't be rushing out to buy (or even re-buy) everything on 4K. My HiSense TV and Yamaha receiver upscale everything brilliantly, so even old DVDs look amazing! But I've started a modest wee collection of favourites on 4K.
Guaranteed accessibility, better video quality, ATMOS audio and bonus materials are the key for me. To keep costs down, I buy used 4K Blu-ray discs on eBay. I was using a Samsung 4K Blu-ray player but now I'm using my new PS5. Of course I stream on the major providers, but if it's a movie I want to keep, I buy it.
If you don't have a physical copy when the rights owner caves into whatever SJW fad is ongoing your streaming movie will be edited to reflect that. And you'll never see the unedited movie again.
I am sending this to my son, he doesn’t understand why I have to 4K movies discs for the ones I watch over & over. I see & especially hear the different between streaming and 4K. A Star Movies is missing something when watched streaming. I tried it and had to turned it off & get out the 4K disc. Interestingly the original Star Wars I had on VHS, Laserdisc, DVD, Blu-Ray & now 4K. The same movie on each format looks better & better. Yes, they’re remastered but the detail and quality has increased greatly over the years.
My biggest reason for physical over digital is you never actually own digital. Ask any ultraviolet owner. I lost a third of my digital films and yes its doubtful netflix will go under but as long as my player is healthy and or I can buy another then my bought copy is mine. It's my main reason anyway.
Totally agree with you. Playing your own discs is an experience, and you can see whatever you want whenever you want, even if there's no Internet connection anymore. Don't forget also that with a physical disc, you can access to extra materials not always available on the Internet channels (deleted scenes...). I'm buying and watching discs since the laserdisc was born, and I'll never stop this, it's really a pleasure having it, touching it and watching it!
Right now, Best Buy is selling the Sony that he has for $199.99. Don't know for how long, though. And the XP700 has been selling for $149.99 for weeks now. I have two of those, thinking about getting a third. I like the way the 700's run, great everything.
I'd be interested in watching videos where you breakdown other interest/hobbies you have. I noticed on your shelf behind you comics and graphic novels. Between the Perspolis, Maus, Planetary Omnibus and Saga anthologies, I can see you're a man of taste. ;)
Wouldn't it be badass if they sold a like $200 copy of a movie in like Prores HQ or 4444 (or even uncompressed, but there's compression along the way) . Like you get an encrypted hard drive and download their app to play it or something. Amazing
I just have an Xbox One S and it does fine for me. 4K Blu-ray players are still really expensive and I think that is part of the reason this format never took off as much as they hoped. It's still big with collectors but that's about it.
I got an LG 4K Player UP875 for only $50 used, the caveat is it didn't have a remote, but I was able to find an LG remote from a regular blu ray player for $1 at a thrift store that works just fine. All in all, everything works great and I love it.
There is NOTHING stupid about owning a physical copy of your movies. There is nothing stupid about owning physical copies of any similar art. My vinyl records and my CDs all can still be experienced with hardware that is still available. Unlike my Ultra-Violet digital copies that just vanished from the internet a few years ago. I own a 4K TV but don't have a 4K BluRay player yet. However, I only buy BluRay combo sets that have at least the standard BluRay and the 4K BluRay. The first 4K BluRay I purchased was Alita Battle Angel. A friend of mine had just purchased an 85 inch 4K Sony TV. He also purchased a 4K Sonynce BluRay player that he paid about $450.00. That was an amazing experience to watch.
First off love your video. Physical media lifer myself. 300 dollars, expensive? Don't sound too expensive considering in 1999 I paid 500 for a Sony DVD player. Second to the top of the line model. I haven't made the jump to 4k officially yet. Right now I still love collecting 1080p HD. 😃
Great run through. I like you am a completist/hoarder. I love having product in my hand and on the shelves. But you can love 4K and still stream too. It is a bit like listening to vinyl and CDs/streaming - it is a personal choice. One of the great things about 4K is the effort that companies should put in on remastering films and the extras. Many film companies have not been great at conserving their films over the years - 4K discs provide best quality possible but will also save films for the future.
The problem with 4k movies is many are not mastered in actual 4k. With dvd and bluray, you could assume the vast majority of the time, the newer format was an improvement over the previous. Now you have to check reviews of each title to prevent wasting your money.
the thing i hate is when studios only release 4k to streaming services and dont make physical discs....like edge of tomorrow, they are not going to put in on 4k disc they are only creating it for 4k streaming sites, companies are starting to do this with lots of movies!
I agree with everything you said. There is a case for both streaming AND owning physical media. I myself have just bought my first 4k player (Panasonic dp-820) and I have to say I'm totally sold. Streaming is fine for casual viewing, but if you are going to watch a favourite movie then 4k blu ray all the way. Sound qualifying is stunning compared to streaming too!
@7:15 I just checked BestBuy and saw 4k UHD discs for less than $10, which may not be big blockbusters but at least decent movies, like Ex Machina, and Sicario. And if that's still pricey, there's Redbox. My point being: only reason why I'd opt for streaming over physhical discs (as far 4K is concerned) is if I really have to watch the movie ASAP.
What does the Xbox do poorly compared to the Sony? Do you expect the PS5 UHD experience to be closer to the Xbox or the dedicated player in terms of functionality and features?
XBox only supports HDR10 on disc playback, the most basic form of HDR. It does not support Dolby Vision for 4K discs. You'll have to read carefully to find this out because the way they phrase their promotional material is deceptive. XBox does support Dolby Vision for playback on streaming apps, such as Netflix, but not on disc play back. Presumably, Microsoft didn't want to pay the couple of dollars needed to license that. EDIT: To clarify, PS5 also does not support Dolby Vision for disc playback. So, if you really want the best movie experience, you need a dedicated player that does at least HDR10 and Dolby Vision. Preferably HDR10+ as well. And HLG if you can get it. But HDR10 and Dolby Vision are the most important.
4K Blu-ray is economical if you do your shopping on Black Friday at Walmart. As long as your tastes are limited to the most popular films, you can pick up 4K Blu-ray’s for under $10.
Great video! I went with the Hybrid Model and bought a 34tb NAS Server, ripped all 500+ of my 4K movies onto it using MakeMKV, and use Plex to watch them all! You get the convenience of Netflix, Hulu, etc, but do not lose out on quality. You get 100% of the video and audio quality. A Much more expensive and time consuming route, but for me, was totally worth it!
I don’t think that’s really “hybrid” in the way people refer to owning a physical disc. When they refer to that they’re referring to having access to the full quality available on the disc and the extras. Basically it doesn’t matter if you’re actually putting in a disc into a player or loading the file via Plex or Kodi or whatever; the idea is the same - you own it at the highest quality possible. In fact I’d say a hybrid solution would be more in perusing your physical library and using something like Home Assistant’s rfid support to scan the box and have it start playing on a Plex client.
For anyone wondering, you can reliably find the Sony 700 for under $200. And if you’re paying over $20 for single movie (even new) you’re likely doing it wrong (there’s exceptions though)! Find those deals online, they’re always popping up, and find out what’s available locally.
U missed out a very important thing ,if you own a physical disc it's yours for life unlike streaming or app accounts that can just delete it and you've then wasted money on nothing.
Enjoyed your video and nice to see you mention which player you use.Could you tell me if you have had any of the “freezing “ problems with your Sony player as I know many people have come across this problem in the past.Also another positive with physical disc is the extras can’t say I see many of these on streaming services.Thanks again all the best Kev.
The freezing problem can be solved by utilizing this player's dual HDMI outputs. Use one to send video only to your TV or projector. Use the other to send audio only to your receiver. If necessary, use an HDMI switcher to manage other sources going into the receiver. Freezing occurred on this Sony and Panasonic's comparable player for me until I did this. I'm pretty sure it's also dependent on which receiver you're using. I have an Onkyo, but another brand might work fine.
@@1165mac interesting. Just bought this same Sony. Only three movies watched so far. One split second freeze on Valarian and a two second blackout of video but sound kept up on Tenet. I ordered some mono price cables but maybe I’ll try your trick too. Marants AVR and LG tv
I bought a 75 inches TV last year and a Sony BDP-56700 4K Blu-Ray player. This Blu-Ray player has excellent upscaling capabilities: it makes my « Gillligan’s Island » DVDs look good. It supports Bluetooth, so I expected to hear surround sound on my headphones, but that wasn’t the case. To add surround sound, I bought the JVC XPEXT1 EXOFIELD headphones. I don’t buy 4K Blu-Ray, the standard Blu-Ray picture quality satisfies me. Anyway, weird and rare movies are more my cup of tea than Hollywood blockbusters, and those movies come out only in 1080p. My last acquisitions are the 3 boxsets on the films of Doris Wishman.
Saying that the big problem is money, and then framing it in terms of the cost of a $300 player, is somewhat missing the forest for the trees. The _big_ expense is going to be the 4K television or projector, either of which (unless you're using a small enough display that you probably wouldn't notice a difference over 1080p) is going to set you back between five and fifteen times the cost of that player, at a minimum.
Physical media FTW; you can see movies on streaming services but you can´t download them and you never know when your favorite show or movie would be retired from your streaming service, moreover internet connections are unstable. That´s why I would never stop to acquire and collect physical versions of my favorite movies and series.
The biggest difference between a movie on Blu-ray and Netflix can be the sound. Blu-ray gets uncompressed DTS master HD or Dolby true HD. and I heard people say that the base on Netflix is worse than on a blu-ray disc
Definitely don't have the money for the player and the discs right now, but I'll get a TV that is good at upscaling 1080p from my regular Sony Bluray player. The discs are $10, and they still come with all the behind the scenes and director's commentary extras that you don't get on streaming.
I don't think it is stupid. If you want to see a movie in the best quality. Also many include hours of special features. I got my player for $100. many regular Blu Rays are more. Many regular blu ray movies cost more than some of the 4Ks. As for steaming you are at the mercy of the internet and service to be able to supply it. Also you can rent them for about $3. I don't look on it as as an investment. No one is probably going to pay you to watch them.
Some 4k disc are not native 4k but upscaled 2k and even 1080p. That Sony hardware is nice. 4k disc are cheaper in Amazon and some good deals can be made.
You can't get prime on the Sony. I sent mine back and bought the Panasonic DP-UP820 BluRay The only thing I don't get is Disney+ but that may get fixed with a firmware update. Prime, Netflix and RU-vid all work great and have lots of real 4k content.
Those are the new movies. Any 35 mm print offered in 4k is near 4k. Jaws Lawrence of Arabia Star Wars (1-6) A 35 mm negative is usually anywhere between 3.2 and 3.8 k. Every 35 mm negative does not push out 4k of resolution. But damn close. I have heard stories about transfering engineers having to scan some negatives at 10 k just to get 2k out of them. This is RARE. But not every 35mm negative will give you near 4k quality. I grew up with crappy analog reception and 20 inch black and white television back in the 1970's. We had snow and ghost artifacts. We would have killed for a good digital cable SD 250 line picture, let alone 480 lines. In my day if you wanted high definition you went to the movies. And before 1990 the only way to see a movie with a 6 channel soundtrack was on a 70 mm print. This always meant twice the ticket price.
Will I see a difference since I connect the 4k blu-ray player to the yellow video port on TV ? Maybe I'll wait out the format wars till 16k is available.
