Digital or Blu-Ray for movies.

[Destructus86]

To start…I don’t really see a “battle” between digital content and blu-ray. Not like it was with HD-DVD and Blu-Ray.
But I was trying to get opinions on what people think of digital film libraries? I am considering making the switch FROM Blu-Ray to a digital library through VUDU HDX. It makes sense, it’s what I do with music already. It’s nice having everything available right at my fingertips and getting movies long before they are released on disc.

How anyone else moved mainly to digital format over blu-ray? Why? Why not?

 

[Teelie]

Having experienced nearly a week of intermittent internet access ranging from sporadic broadband speeds to laughably slow dial up speeds and then almost an entire day without any internet access, I'm sticking with a physical format.

Until the ISP's can reliably and predictably have broadband access, and no data caps(!) I'm not going to put a lot of faith in digital as the future.

 

[jacobed]

I do blu ray but definitely use the ultraviolet digital with my kindle fire. They both have their pros and cons

 

[DaRkVeNgeanCe]

I prefer blu-ray, I like to have the physical content in my collection.

 

[def28]

They both have their pros and cons

Agreed. I use both for their own reasons. Now that UV codes come with every Blu Ray disc it works perfectly as a combo purchase. Rarely do I purchase only the digital version, so I still prefer Blu Ray, but Im in no way opposed to the digital format. They go hand in hand for me now.

The quality of Blu Ray is still the best, but the HDX quality of vudu is still very solid and its been really cool to bring my library of flicks on every device I own. Doesnt matter where I am, I pretty much have my whole collection with me without bringing a single disc.

 

[Octoberist]

You see, with digital, there' still problems with connections. Sometimes, my internet doesn't work and it's not my fault.

Also, I find that when I'm on netflix or any other service, I don't have the concentration to focus on the movie. So I'll almost 'channel surf' through my selections. Where as with a blu-ray/DVD, I have to put my attention onto the movie because I already placed the disk into the player. More effort!

 

[Tequilla]

I like the psychical content. I have a big problem buying digital content.

 

[Octoberist]

I know digital is the future, but wow, what are you going to have in your house? Nothing but blank walls and a couch? I think buying physical things make you feel more human. Also, yeah, it's a way to kinda showoff your collection of movies or music.

 

[def28]

I like being able to organize all my flicks in every room of my house, ipad, gamesystem, phone and tablet with just a button. It also makes it alot easier for other people to find a flick by searching on a screen when I have company over. Im usually the only one who can find anything.

Organizing Id say is a big plus on digital.

 

[Octoberist]

Like what some have said, there pros and cons to both. Especially if you have to move and you this huge Blu collection.

With me, I only buy Blu IF i really love the movie. But if the movie is already on Netflix, then why bother? This is great too, for TV shows.

 

[def28]

Definitely, Ive saved at least hundreds (probably thousands) by watching tv shows on netflix and not buying on Blu Ray.

Most Digital still cant match uncompressed vid and audio plus the special features of Blu Ray. But its getting there.
Second screen can also prove to be a cool feature using both the two down the line.

 

[redhawk23]

Movie watching is a very social activity for my friends and I one of my friends often brings something to watch but he seems incapable of remembering that he's the only one with a bluray player. DVD players on the other hand are everywhere and also they don't require an internet connection which where I live is often quite spotty. I've also never really had a TV where bluray would provide much of a benefit so I've never upgraded. Bluray simply doesn't offer that much of an improvement over the pre-existing disc media, not at all the way that DVD did over VHS. Digital streaming is great for TV shows though as DVD or Blu, entire series on disc are hugely expensive.

 

[redhawk23]

Definitely, Ive saved at least hundreds (probably thousands) by watching tv shows on netflix and not buying on Blu Ray.

Most Digital still cant match uncompressed vid and audio plus the special features of Blu Ray. But its getting there.
Second screen can also prove to be a cool feature using both the two down the line.

There's actually no particular reason why they can't provide those to other formats, they simply choose not to.

 

[Octoberist]

I do like special features if they're worth it. Like JJ's first Star Trek had amazing features. So does most of Pixar films. You can't forget Lord of the Rings.

 

[jmc]

Physical media hands down wins. It's not just the movies, it's the extras, commentary tracks, deleted scenes, and yes even the presentation of the box itself. Digital is convenient, that's about it, I use it to watch TV shows and movies I have no intention of buying (unless it turns out to be awesome). But its limitation are pretty evident especially if you lose net connection.

 

[def28]

There's actually no particular reason why they can't provide those to other formats, they simply choose not to.

Yeah, still a ways to go before we have equivalent extras like multiple commentaries, pip, deleted scenes and other interactive features. It will get there though. Right now the digital extras seem to be competing the same way store exclusives do. Which makes it a bit frustrating. Im sure that competition for sales will always be there to some degree, but in a few years it should get better for digital features.

 

[TheNextNolan22]

Blu-Ray all the way.

 

[Teelie]

And more reason for my distrust of digital.

It’s a Christmas miracle! That is, if by miracle, we mean yet another example of the limits of "ownership" in the digital world.

Last Saturday evening, Bill Jackson, a Wisconsin father, sat down to watch a nice Disney film with his two kids, aged two and eight. As they were settling in for a cozy night of “Prep & Landing 2: Naughty vs. Nice,” the elder son discovered that the film that the family had paid $3 for was no longer available.

“My son actually came to me and said: ‘The special isn’t showing,’” Jackson told Ars. “He’s eight years old and I thought he didn’t know what he was doing. But he was right, it was no longer present. I called Amazon and thought it was a glitch. We use a Roku and it wasn’t there either.”

According to Jackson, the customer service representative was nice and apologetic, but the employee explained that Disney had “pulled” the film temporarily as it wanted to make it “exclusive to their own channels.” As compensation, the rep gave Jackson $25 in Amazon credit.

Ars Technica has the rest of the story in full, including how Amazon quickly back-tracked on what constitutes "ownership" in this case.