Hi-def Downloads vs Physical Media: What are your takes on the pros and cons?

[Drago-Blue]

As for me, this is my argument for physical media.

Maybe I'm a bit of a collector, but I like having a physical collection (of DVDs and Blu-ray discs) and I display them proudly. I understand the eventual convenience of digital downloads, but I like lending my movies out to my friends and family, whereas you can't with electrical distribution. How are the retailers (like best buy) and video rental companies going to accept this idea of downloads in the long run?

All the video download supporters also use the example of MP3s slowly eliminating CDs as a reason why downloads will eventually cause the extinction of physical media, like DVDs and Blu-rays. You can't compare music to videos! I love the convenience of just downloading individual tracks rather than buying a CD (where the majority of the tracks are garbage, say for a few of the artist's hits). For the simplicity of being portable, of course I'd rather have an MP3 player over a disc-man any day. But when it comes to videos, I'm not gonna watch a hidef movie on a tiny screen. I'm not just going to watch the best part of the movie and ignore the rest of the disc. I want to watch my blu-ray discs on my HDTV, and right away, without waiting. Forgive me for being ignorant on this one, but one can argue that digital downloads times can be as fast as purchasing pay-per-view movies. Does this mean the download times are the same as the length of the movies? Even when future technology speeds up the download times, I'm still weary if the huge storage on my hard-drive can hold my collection (I have over a thousand movies). What if viruses or electrical overloads fry my hard-drive? Will I have to pay for all my movies again? Although these are unlikely situations, I will feel more at ease with physical media. If my blu-ray player fries, I will still have my collection and will just buy another player.

[upgrayedd]

I have a feeling your going to get let down the real low down on downloads on this forum.

[Menaceuk]

I dont think there are any cons for physical media atleast not IMO.

Hi-def downloads will have its place in the entertainment world for sure and will most likely be the choice for rentals but as far as replaceing Physical media i dont think so but if it does it wont be for a long time yet

The Cons of downloads are pretty obvious at present.

Downloads speeds are too slow but they will no doubt get better quickly.

Storage is a problem too.

While 500GB harddrives are fairly cheap you would need a hell of alot to stor the vast amount of movies alot of people will own.

I currently have 782 DVDs now if my HD collection gets that big at 15-25GB a movie i will need a shit load of HDD's at present but as with download speeds storage space will obvously get better.

[renleg]

I agree with many (if not all) of your points. Music can be a portable pleasure that requires you to listen, a movie requires listening but also watching. Its hard to drive or walk down a street whilst watching movie.

Music can also be enjoyed over a few minutes, films require your attention for hours. Music also takes up less space as you dont need the whole album for enjoyment, just parts of it.

These points, (altho i am sure there are more) mean that music fits well into downloading and personal-portability.

Movies do not typically sit well in this environment. TV series I believe will fit very well, but no so much movies. The space and bandwidth requirements alone make this a challenege.

Most people in the UK have 1-2meg broadband (few can even get 8meg). Straight away thats a limited market. Of those who do have 1-2 meg (downloading would still take forever!) very few download movies or would be inclined to download movies instead of buying them.

Physical media still has a very long shelf-life. Music fits very well into the download medium as the technology and medium itself fits well into it.

The technology is not there for movies yet and it will be a long time before sufficient people have the technology to make it a viable threat to movies on a physical format.

[Dragovian]

Honestly I can't say what the pros of downloads are unless we know what software/hardware contents are delivered through, limitations of playback, and all that stuff.

HD DVD fanboys like to argue download is the future, but they haven't the slightest idea how that will work...

However I will say I prefer buying games off Steam instead of going to B&M store and get a physical copy, but this movie download thing HD DVD fanboys talk about does not have the pros Steam have.

So, for the moment, the advantage of download is:

It doesn't cost gas.

You can simply use the remote to change between different movies.

Your children are less likely to destroy your movie collection.

You don't have to pay for packaging (this doesn't necessarily translate to savings)

You save physical space in your home. (Japanese would like this)

.....probably more but I'm too lazy to think now.

[actinic]

A post of mine in another thread on this topic:

http://forums.highdefdigest.com/show...3&postcount=40

[Septimus Prime]

We're not ready for downloads yet, and even when we are, there will still be people who would prefer to have a physical copy of their media.

[pog]

Movies can be up to 50 gigs including features, lossy audio, etc. Most HDD on the market are under a Terabyte. Even at 2 Terabytes you are looking at 40 movies. Most movie enthusiasts own MUCH more than this. Not to mention most of the country is not wired (fiber optics) for high end internet speeds (20 megabyte download +). My area offers a 10mb download package that only maxes out at 10mb about twice a month. The rest of the month you get just over 6mb download due to user load.

Aside from the storage problem and download speed problem you have the fear of losing your data and having to re-download it again. HDD go out...especially when HUGE files are being written to it again and again. Consumer HDD's just aren't to the durability point that they can sustain 30 - 50 gig writes and deletions on a daily basis. The higher end HDD's surely can handle it.

I just don't see current technology up to the standard to support digital movie downloads.

-joseph

[upgrayedd]

Lets see we have heard the Red side and the Blue side and now a word from the Green side
ahem

downloading saves the planet, less garbage from the plasic wrap, less gas used to transport the discs from the factory. Hug a bunny and stick with downloads.

[Phillysports8982]

Originally Posted by Drago-Blue

As for me, this is my argument for physical media.

Maybe I'm a bit of a collector, but I like having a physical collection (of DVDs and Blu-ray discs) and I display them proudly. I understand the eventual convenience of digital downloads, but I like lending my movies out to my friends and family, whereas you can't with electrical distribution. How are the retailers (like best buy) and video rental companies going to accept this idea of downloads in the long run?

All the video download supporters also use the example of MP3s slowly eliminating CDs as a reason why downloads will eventually cause the extinction of physical media, like DVDs and Blu-rays. You can't compare music to videos! I love the convenience of just downloading individual tracks rather than buying a CD (where the majority of the tracks are garbage, say for a few of the artist's hits). For the simplicity of being portable, of course I'd rather have an MP3 player over a disc-man any day. But when it comes to videos, I'm not gonna watch a hidef movie on a tiny screen. I'm not just going to watch the best part of the movie and ignore the rest of the disc. I want to watch my blu-ray discs on my HDTV, and right away, without waiting. Forgive me for being ignorant on this one, but one can argue that digital downloads times can be as fast as purchasing pay-per-view movies. Does this mean the download times are the same as the length of the movies? Even when future technology speeds up the download times, I'm still weary if the huge storage on my hard-drive can hold my collection (I have over a thousand movies). What if viruses or electrical overloads fry my hard-drive? Will I have to pay for all my movies again? Although these are unlikely situations, I will feel more at ease with physical media. If my blu-ray player fries, I will still have my collection and will just buy another player.

honestly from working retail for 7 years, one thing i took away is that customer like having a physical copy of media, i worked in office supplies (electronics dept) and whenever I told people ..you can download this or download that , they always wanted a physical copy instead, even if it was more expensive. I really don't see that changing , not in the next 5+ years anyway, more than likely 10 years. If we are light years ahead 10 years from now with internet speed and install base of hdtvs, etc, then yes I could see downloads becoming a true competitor of physical medium. We are just not to that point yet, and we are not even close.

Personally for me I love the physical medium for HD, mainly becuase of the higher quality, but if that caught up to the point it was equal, then I would consider it at least, I could never say never, cuz I swore I'd never buy a hd dvd player and i did for 98 at wally world, and I swore the time warner dvr was just as good as tivo and man oh man was I wrong.

Even if people out their are fans of downloads, i believe its very important that a physical medium succeeds DVD now, because we are not at the point where downloads could take over, and right now if all physical mediums for hd were cancelled and they went download only, it would fail miserably, at this point the bridge between now and a download only era is still a physical medium.

[drewsg]

1) All in one central location, no getting to switch movies or discs with special features.

2) Technically doesn't the limitations of physical media.

[pog]

Originally Posted by upgrayedd

Lets see we have heard the Red side and the Blue side and now a word from the Green side
ahem

downloading saves the planet, less garbage from the plasic wrap, less gas used to transport the discs from the factory. Hug a bunny and stick with downloads.

Most discs and plastics for casing are used from RECYCLABLES. If there aren't tons of movies being produced we will have a build up of waste! :-P

[upgrayedd]

Upgrayedd is still in character of Green party

But what about those horrible manufacturing plants that make the discs and casings, they produce pollution and waste that pollute the water that Bambi's mother drinks out of.


WAIT THIS JUST IN BAMBI'S MOTHER HAS BEEN SHOT! FOOTAGE ON BLU RAY

[Kotatsu Neko]

Both Apple and Microsoft see the direction the wind is blowing, and iTunes is the only example anyone should need for proof of the concept.

I think though that there won't be one single ubiquitous platform for VOD (as there is with the iPod for music), but instead there will be many platforms. Game consoles will of course lead the way, and Apple TV/VUDU type devices will start to gain popularity over the next 5 years. Plus VOD through regular digital cable boxes will grow too. Ultimately we may well have the tech required built into our plasma/LCD TVs.

It will be some time before physical discs go away, and as others have said clearly the speed of the average internet connection needs to rise a good amount too. But the writing is on the wall, it *will* happen in time. And people shouldn't be sad about it, - think of the benefits to the environment, and to your own convenience. No more scratched discs or packages lost in the mail, no more shelves cluttered with hundreds of dusty disc boxes. I love using my PS3 or 360 as a music jukebox to stream music from my PC, and have long since relegated all my music CDs to the atic, and the same will happen with video through IPTV. Personally I can't wait.

[have@you]

Con: the 'Post pics of your collection' thread in the prospective HD Downloads folder of this forum would suck.