Is Physical Media Dying?
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- Опубліковано 4 жов 2024
- In this video, we tackle a question that gets asked more than just about any other! Is physical media dying? Weighing the evidence, we think we have the answer. Be sure to check out some of our other physical media videos!
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Collecting physical media has a bit of a nostalgia factor for me. Back in the early 90's me and my dad would hunt down VHS copies of the James Bond movies, we were trying to collect them all. Internet wasn't a big thing back then so we couldn't just order them online, we had to hunt. So we would spend our Saturday getting up super early, hitting up yard sales, flea markets and even rental stores trying to find them...it was great. We collected together from the early 90's until he died in 2006. The first blu-ray players were released a few months after he died so he never got to experience the High Definition Revolution. I kind of stopped collecting myself shortly after that sadly, i would love to get back into it and i have dabbled every so often but then i tell myself "whats the point, its probably streaming somewhere anyways" This video was a nice reminder of why collecting psychical media is so much fun. So thank you for the trip down memory lane, it was nice.
This comment ended up being much longer then i thought it would. But for those out there that shared this hobby with your parents, cheers to you! If you have kids, share this hobby with them. It can shape how they view the world of cinema later in life.
Awww, sorry man. Collecting is really funny thing. I come at it from a preservation of history angle, as much as I loved the family time movie store craze we all had.
I hope you get back to collecting, that's if you love and enjoy it.
I'd suggest collecting just what you love though, as cleche as that may sound.
👍
@@JMoviesMedia That is a great story.
Sorry for your loss man. My love of movies comes from my dad too, while he’s not a collector at all, I gotta say, I wouldn’t be into collecting if it wasn’t for him. 🙏🏽🙏🏽
And thanks for sharing your story🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽
I use to buy unwanted VHS from video stores. Fun times back then.
Physical media isn't dying.
Physical stores are dying.
Many physical stores and shopping malls are dying in the United States where online shopping has taken most of their customer base.
In Canada, Mexico, Australia and New Zealand, online shopping has not taken off quite as much as it has in the United States.
It sure is a shame. I worked at a rental video store to MovieStop. Both failed, but here I am still talking, and reviewing movies. I think I will collect movies until I pass away!
Totally right. No problem finding old and new Blu-ray and DVD online, retail... that's a different story.
@@leecroft7311 thank you 2nd hand stores and yard/garage sales.
Long live physical media!! I want cover art, liner notes, bonus features etc. Streaming is a one trick pony.
streaming sucks - same as books - they are better if u actually have the book in your hand
Correct!
What happens when you yank out cable/satellite cancel vudu hulu Netflix amazon streaming or apple tv Google tv? Now you cant watch your shows or movies .a physical dvd/cd in your hand will always be great.
Totally! Real fans of cinema love bonus features and art. There is some charm in collecting your favorite movies and music.
If you don't own the book, CD, or DVD, you don't own it. You can't download New Book Smell!!
Well said, I think and feel the same way. We dont download or stream anything.
But I can download the book.. and keep it forever.
@@Vegasguy79 Nothing is forever. Not like you can take your blu-rays with you when you pass.
@@FletcherCat if you print it
In the end it's a matter of space, money and priority to which media you want to spend it on. I own all my films in physical media. But for books it's all on amazon kindle. For music it's all digital. For games it's 75% digital. Do you know how much money and space it would cost you to get all that on physical discs or in book form? You have to make choices not all of us loaded unfortunately.
The stores are what is dying.
The selection of what stores carry now is so much smaller.
You can find almost any product cheaper online.
Exactly
Bingo.
Very good point 👍
I agree! Also, it seems like for every one that's selling off their dvd/blu-ray collection someone new comes along buying it. lol
I hate that most stores only have new movies and no longer carry movies from 90s or 2000s or even 2012 but that's why I shop online instead.
Physical media is all I watch. Physical media forever!
Amen to that!
I have another recommendation for a channel about collecting physical media. Really great content!
m.ua-cam.com/channels/Ef9t-qSwGaaTX6qpjNzHeA.html
I'm moving towards that as well. I do far less streaming now and I'm happier for it.
I really appreciate this explanation. I have tried to explain this to other people before but couldn’t quite find the words. I absolutely love my physical collection and no one will ever talk me out of it! Great video!
I'm a big collector too! Here's another channel that is passionate about physical media!
m.ua-cam.com/channels/Ef9t-qSwGaaTX6qpjNzHeA.html
I agree! Heath offers a fantastic explanation. As he said, there's a huge difference between dying and shifting to a collector's market.
I’m 13.I got made fun of by my “friends” for buying an album on cd recently, i started watching lots of videos on physical media like cds and stuff to figure out that, i’m not the only one that still uses these things.
“Why did you buy that when you can just listen to it online”
And also, I don’t know if i can say “still” because i, being a 13 year old did not experience nostalgia with things like cds or other stuff in that nature. I also just started collecting cds anyways, so its gonna be a while before i start calling it “nostalgic”, but my dad used to collect them, i just never seen them i only heard that he did, considering i never really see him that much (r/nobodyasked). And i really enjoy owning physical pieces of media, it makes it feel like i ACTUALLY own it, considering i DO actually own it.
But i digress, y’all have a good day.
Rock on, and keep owning what you love!
One thing that always bugged the hell out of me, was going to a friends house for a weekend. Trying to find a good horror movie on one of his or her streaming services, none, none. Michael Myers, Jason NOT ON STREAMING SERVICES! If you want your favorite horror classic OWN IT, OWN IT NOW.
Fantastic video, Heath! This year, I've returned in a big way to buying movies & shows after giving my home theater a massive upgrade. My driving force for physical media is to have the best picture & sound available for the art that I love. (I didn't realize until then what a wide gap there is between 4K/Blu-Ray and streaming quality.)
But a very close second to A/V quality is everything you discussed: ownership, beautiful packaging, and choice.
Also, few things make a home more wonderful than shelves and shelves of physical media. There's enough of us who are passionate about movies, shows, music, and books to keep physical media alive for many decades to come. Your channel is amazing and great service to this community. Thank you for all that you do!
I love all of the bonus features you get with physical media -- audio commentaries, deleted scenes, gag reels, storyboards, interviews, "making of" featurettes, and so much more that let you dive deeper and explore different aspects of the film. Not gonna get all of that with a streaming file. Plus my wall of blu rays and DVDs is a great conversation piece.
It's not dying, it's slowing down a bit. I've said it before, it's a niche market, much like vinyl is
That means its dying then. It's gone from something the mass public uses to just a select few..
Dying means "gradually ceasing to be." Physical media will never cease to be. Decrease does not mean annihilation.
What exactly is the joy of vinyl? I assume the big art is a huge plus, but although my cousin had a record player, I have zero knowledge of exactly how it works or is kept. Like how does one keep it from getting scratched and how does it become scratched in the first place? And do they sell new music on vinyl?
More like CDs, vinyls are bought because they look cool (from the average consumer)
@J Movies & Media Vinyl sounds amazing. Whereas CDs offer a crystal clear digital presentation, vinyl has a much warmer, more "live" feeling that a lot of people, including me, believe sounds better. I have an extensive record collection (you guys know I just reported on a vinyl convention here in my town) and believe that nothing sounds as good as vinyl. A good record through a nice stereo setup (not a Crosley unit, but a huge stereo) sounds almost like being at a concert. You can hear the instrument separation, and it usually sounds like the band is in your house.
You would care for vinyl like you would a CD. Never touch the surface, and hold it by the edges or the center where the hole is. Vinyl can be scratched primarily by careless handling, dragging the playing needle across the surface, or by leaving the record out of the sleeve, which should never be done. And yes, just about every new release hits vinyl. CDs replaced vinyl in the eighties as the format of choice, but vinyl has reclaimed the throne and mostly replaced CDs. Anything you want, from Taylor Swift to Panic at the Disco to the Chainsmokers is all out on vinyl.
Too many people are ordering online now, the demand for physical media hasn't gone away yet but buying them from a store has
When you have slow, expensive, data restricted internet you hope it never dies!
Gary Harper This statement is exactly why I believe we will have another 10 or 15 years of hitting a local store and buying/renting a movie off the shelf.
Research Family Video.
They're a video rental chain in the Midwest (where internet coverage is almost nonexistent) that is opening NEW stores in 2018-2019.
www.google.com/amp/s/www.forbes.com/sites/noahkirsch/2017/02/21/the-last-video-chain-the-inside-story-of-family-video-and-its-400-million-owner/amp/
@@denverwalker5723 10 year is a good estimate. Once 5G is released and more rural places have access to high speed internet streaming will become the primary source for media, both movies and video games.
@@Chaoitcme video games maybe if there's no lag but film ownership is too spead out. Unless companies merge. If you like old movies steaming sucks. I can't find all the movies I like. Amazon prime is pretty good. I haven't used hulu. Spotify works because music files are smaller and music has always been something that's to advertise concerts. Plus music is something that people listen to on the go Movies get one release usually. Then to get that experience again you need to own it or stream it. I just don't see a benefit for companies to put all their movies on one site. Or even have all of them online at all. Unless it some government run historical digital archive. And that would probably only be movie they deem important.
Seriously, you speak to my collector brain. I love collecting physical media, and will always continue to do so.
Someone mentioned games, and we recently had a case where Capcom pulled the online version of Ducktales Remastered, and people who loved it were scrambling to find a copy, and some scrambling to find a copy and jack up the price on eBay. So u just never know when a title you love will be gone for whatever reason the rights owner has.
I saw that! I have the disc version of Ducktales remastered, but I wish I had a physical copy of the Disney Afternoon collection that actually gives us the original games.
Didn't Disney just re-release it?
@@JMoviesMedia Not that I'm aware of if so that would be great, but the example is to show that you never know when one's favorite media will be pulled.
Great compelling and insightful discussion on physical media. I am in total agreement with you. For a physical media collector like me, it is great to see that there is a vast catalog to choose from not only at Amazon but at boutique online companies (Indicator, Criterion, Arrow, etc) that are dedicated to preserving, restoring, and presenting amazing films and TV programs. To me, physical media is alive and well and I hope will be for many years to come. If anything, streaming services are a convenience and help me to explore and discover new films or TV shows that I eventually will want on physical media. I'm beginning to think that physical media collectors like us are the new librarians. We are buying, storing, and watching films and TV shows that represent our history in many ways, a history that can be (as I think you have pointed out on earlier videos) altered and then streamed for a period of time chosen by companies and licensing agreements that are out of our control. Long live physical media!
I come at the subject from a history and preservation point of view too, except I no longer care to use most of my media because I can most likely buy a copy on vudu. I don't care to own obscure or lackluster titles. I buy what I love. I though like the fact horror or niche people who collect independent films, straight to DVD/BluRay titles because then they have a collection that is supporting people as well as a collection people can awe at.
Absolutely buy what you love. But I would also encourage you to dig into the classics, which are almost always not on streaming.
Cinema Dave Media 👍
‘Convenience over choice” sums it up perfectly. The one thing I struggle with are bonus features. I’m a student of film and relish the real BTS and work that goes into making films I love. Companies like Arrow and Criterion give up the goods most of the time but many of the other guys like Kino and mill creek don’t give us much other than some archival stuff from previous releases once in a while. You know another thing about Discovery and streaming, I don’t often find them to be two great tastes that taste great together. Netflix and Hulu both have very shallow options for not only classics but just films from the last 20 years. My best options for discovery are gearing about cool stuff on shows like yours and just taking a chance and buying them.
Mill Creek Entertainment did piss-poor DVD releases when it came to the _He-Man and the Masters of the Universe_ and _She: Princess of Power_ animated T.V. shows, as they didn't came with bonus features. I say thank figurative God that I have the older DVD releases of the same 2 animated T.V. series from Entertainment Rights, as those releases actually *_do_* have bonus features in them!
I would go so far and say that Hulu doesn't even have a classics section....last I was on there, there was maybe 10 classic titles. I'll stick to physical media which includes music and books.
The coming problem won't be getting physical media, the problem will be buying physical media players!
I think this is very true.
Not if you buy 10 budget players right now and store them until one breaks, imagine if you get 5 years out of each one then you are sorted for 50 years haha. I have a PS3, Xbox 360, Xbox One and 3 Blu-ray players currently (if they all break I would be very surprised) . Also you will always have 2nd hand market too.
Your point is valid though for buying brand new machines, but I'm sure if new physical media was still a thing there would still be companies making something to play them on, maybe some Korean manufacture would make them for publishers, you could buy an Arrow player to play your Arrow Blu-ray on , ok maybe thats a stretch.
Thats true, i heard some companies are stopping production of Blu-Ray players, good thing i bought a Sony 4K player last year that plays everything!
I believe as long as there is demand, there will be supply. Who that supplier is will change, but I'm not worried about players going anywhere. DVD players are everywhere. The only reason they stopped making VCRs is because the technology became technically obsolete.
If popular technology corporations stop manufacturing blu ray players then surely another company will start producing them. There's plenty of tech companies that could easily get their foot in the blu ray player market.
Man, this video is extremely well done. You are one talented speaker - plenty to say about the state of physical media during this video's 16 minutes. I don't know how you do this without a script, if it was done with a script how well everything flows
I just love physical media. Like this Friday is the date when Nirvana: Live and Loud concert has it's first vinyl pressing. I just bought Hellraiser 1-3 Blu-Ray box set on Arrow and it's gorgeous.
Thanks for this and cheers from Finland, Petri
Even though I love to stream , I do realise that there will be a lot of movies and tv shows that will never be streamed... So I hope that physical media will never die...
Hey Heath, love all your videos! I am a latecomer to DVD/Blu-Ray/4K collecting, am in my 60s now and started this new hobby 4 years ago, racking up 500 movies and TV series! Shows that one can start at any age, I mostly collect movies/series that interests me and those recommended by you-tubers like you, for eg, THE TOUGH ONES, quite a stunning set! Anyway, physical media is gonna last indefinitely in my view so guys/gals no worries, just keep buying from these specialty labels from all over the world. I have 2 Blu-ray players for A and B regions and a Panasonic UB900 4K player bought in 2016. I'd suggest an all-region player, there's so much out there. No one I know is interested in my collection, so if I can convince someone in future then it's mission accomplished! I find it very satisfying, this hobby, being able to admire the packaging, the awesome covers/slip-covers/steelbooks/specials/extras, it's like having one's own movie studio, when I'm in the mood there's always something to watch! Only glitch now is wifey complains once in a while, but I soothe things by suggesting an award winning movie to watch on our 55in Sony 4K TV and all is well again!! Keep on COLLECTING!!
Well said! Hey, did you get the bullet pen with your copy of The Tough Ones?
Yes I did, one of the lucky ones!! Keep 'em coming!!
What a great discussion Heath, thanks for this :) I've collected since I was about 8 years old, starting with VHS, and I was around during the DVD explosion around the mid-2000's. The only problem was that I didn't have such a wider taste in movies at the time, mostly because of my age lol. I'm definitely in your school of thought that physical media will never die, and I think it is because of people like me who will go to yard sales and flea markets and actively search out out of print DVDs, Blu-Rays and VHS for rock-bottom prices. I think that aspect of the physical media "revival" is very underestimated, because there always will be, for many collectors, the thrill of hunting down a title that they just don't see on streaming services, and trying to add a physical copy to their collection, whether it be from a flea market, or from a boutique film company like Kino Lorber or Mill Creek. As always, great video! :)
I love collecting blu ray movies and 4k movies
God bless you. Today's tv totally suxks.
I’m glad people will be collecting physical media in the future. I like the ultimate versions and high quality packaging those specialty makers are putting out. I might keep buying some DVD’s (not a fan of Blu/black ray art/packaging) if they have cool covers. The DVD’s in the UK often seem to have the best artwork. It might be nice nostalgia for a family member to physically browse through or hold a DVD and then once selected, Ill play it on Apple TV.
I think when everybody except physical collectors go all digital, then there might be a business out there for someone to make multi page paper booklets the size of DVD filled with beautiful artwork and information. Then once one is selected, you just play it on Apple TV or one of the other major digital distributors or even on a Streaming Service, depending on which ones you are subscribed to (I’m up to 6, and will probably go to 10 as they are a great resource for family in different locations).
But I’ve chosen Apple TV (new version of iTunes movies) to build my collection in. I can’t see Apple disappearing in the next 30 yrs, and I think as most of the market moves to digital, there may be some kind of ongoing digital licence you end up buying, that may need a 1 or 2 dollar upgrade if it changes hands or does a major content upgrade.
But for now I want to curate a collection for family in different locations and Apple Family Sharing lets me do up to 6 profiles/people (so thats essentially up to 6 different households if only one film is being watched in a house). A family member in another part of the country borrowing a DVD from a distance is way less convenient than Family Sharing.
I also can’t see how I’d lose more than a maximum of 5% of my Apple TV collection from licensing disputes with studios and Apple.
I dreamt that Apple TV would become a video version of Spotify, but I can’t see a subscription service with almost all content ever happening with any digital video distributor any time soon.
Also my collection is more of a visual/design conversation with family. I build my collection based on beautiful cinematography, set design, art direction etc. It’s a curated conversation I’m having right now, tastes and minds of new generations in my family are being influenced right now with films like Blade Runner, Logan’s Run, Ghost in the Shell, Ran, Dune, Ex Machina, 2001, Samsara, Dead Man, Tron, Gattaca, Akira etc etc etc. I can’t have these visual masterpieces just sitting on a shelf in my house. I need them accessible anytime anyplace for a diverse family of artists in many different locations.
Keep rockin the old school,/new school, hipster, physical media specialist collecting community though. You’ll become the video version of vinyl collectors.
📼 ✌️
Another factor about streaming is the fact that you're paying monthly and yearly to watch these short collection of movies on these services. Miss a payment, it's gone.
This is a MUCH WATCH video for all collectors! Great explanation, Heath.
I really love my collection, because when the internet dies, and not enough save files, I have the hard copy to play. Unless the DVD suddenly goes blank, or the PS3 stops playing. I enjoy the convenience of owning and showing them off!
My sign off at the end of my videos is "physical media will never die"
Nerd Cave lol, its been dead for years
Pysical media won't die, period.
Emmanuel Robles it will every year its down %15.
@@thatminimalistguy1755 As long as amazon.com sells it I'll be buying
Blu-ray movies.
I would love to see a Cereal at midnight and cinemasickness cross over.
I would So
Whoa!
Me too
I still collect DVDs and blurays! Because I'm a student filmmaker the special features and commentaries really help me learn tha process of making films. Although recently I've noticed dvds and blurays hardly have special features anymore... but I still love to own my favorite and obscure films.
My parents on the other hand dont even own a dvd/bluray player anymore. They went full streaming
When physical media is no longer available, neither will bargain bins. Digital files have no shelf life. You will rarely get minimal discounts.
Netflix put JACKIE BROWN online in December. I added it to my list. They took it off in January, before I could watch it. Thankfully, my local Goodwill had it on VHS for $.49. Now I can watch it forever.
@@illegalalien6542 it's good for watching stand-up comedy tho
The thing that the general public don’t realize is streaming isn’t always reliable. Whats on Netflix and so on now might not be there in 6-12 months. New Release movies from the cinema won’t hit streaming 6-12 months later anyway. Not every single movie ever created is gonna be on there. Movies and shows are split up over a few streaming services so you have to sign up to more then one. Theres so many reasons why physical media wins in my opinion. There are just certain movies that will never hit streaming. Watching movies started with physical media and it’ll be here to stay!
People are catching on, slowly but surely. Now another question that we have to consider is this: "does the streaming audience care that they're only getting about 1 percent of what's out there?" Some do not.
Cereal At Midnight if they only knew what gems were out there, they might.
I work at a supermarket (in Australia) and we sell dvds, a teen wanted his Mom to buy him Deadpool 1 and the mother said no because we have Netflix. I told her it isn’t always reliable, so she let her son get it. I like to think Im helping out that way lol.
@@CerealAtMidnight🤔🤷♂️ Most people I suspect don't have an endless hankering for EVERY or even 70% of the media in existence. Just like books and ink media there's more media then one person can handle. So although we'd be angry not to have a wide selection, 2/3s or more of media is not for each individual.
Which leads me to the question: do you guys own a book and or other type media collection?
Absolutely. If you dig into our videos, you'll see us highlighting comics, pulp paperbacks, records, and CDs.
Wow bro! Bravo to you my man for this video! Couldn't have said it better myself. My collection is over 700 and going strong.
Great video man! I'm so happy that physical media is still going pretty strong for the most part. I do enjoy streaming but there are still some movies and TV shows that I feel like I personally want to own, so they are always with me. Also, now that I have a few Blu-ray players in my home I've been switching over most of my small collection to Blu-ray.
Awesome Video i love physical media and i am a passionate collector and you put my mind at ease the its not dying .
This is right on the mark.
Choice and ownership of a piece of media you own is priceless
You made some good points about movies being edited. The only way to see the original theatrical cut of Abel Ferrara’s Bad lieutenant is on VHS and laserdisc. Every version of dvd and blu-ray doesn’t contain the original music. Also the only way to see the theatrical cut of Altman’s California Split is to catch a screening in the theater, the DVD is edited due to music clearance issues.
Great video. I have been a collector since the 90's as well going to Caldor and ames to buy my vhs releases. I never stopped. I totally agree with you. There will always be physical media out there . Just not as prevalent as in the past. Also its makes in fun as well. Hunting and thrifting for media. For those lost titles that havent gotten rereleased. Great job.
*PHYSICAL MEDIA FOREVER!* Revival of vinyl albums shows that trends sometimes reverse. I think it will be the case with movies too.
I fully agree. I love my DVD/BD collection, and they will continue to be produced for collectors from now on... Enjoy your physical media and shun the nay-sayers. Let the herd run past and keep your stuff. ;)
I truly enjoyed what u said Heath as im so glad to hear physical media isn't dying as ive been collecting movies since the video days back in the 80's and its my passion and i tried and buy blu rays with the closest cover to the video i used to own as its funny when i hear that song Video Kill The Radio Star they should bring out part 2 of that song called Internet Killed the Video Stores and somewhere in that song say "but won't kill physical media " but thank you for putting my mind at ease as i never won't to stop buying what i love
Hey Heath
You're right, we are in the golden age of the home video market, were getting editions that would never have seen the light of day back in the 80s-90s, and film studios and boutique studios are spending big money on restoring those wonderful films to the best they can be, and packing them with amazing extras, all for us, because they know there is a market out there, if there wasn't then they wouldn't be doing it would they??
I've been a collector/consumer since VHS too, then Laserdisc, DVD, Blu-ray and now of course 4K. I watch streaming services, although as I've said about music, if i like it, then i'll buy it and show my appreciation with my wallet.
Keep up the good work my man, physical media will NEVER die!!
Cheers
Dean
Love this one, Heath. I actually love that the industry is sort of rewarding the real COLLECTORS at this point. The new market also makes thrifting and flea market hunts more exciting.
100 percent! This is the best time ever to be a movie fan because we have all of movie history at our fingertips and for less financial investment than in movie history.
Thank you so much for your reassuring video. I have over 2000 dvds and blurays and I don't ever want to give them up.
Even though I am collecting physical media, I feel I can live with a smaller collection than I would have needed in the past. For videos that I am partially interested in, streaming is great. For freedom of choice and a backup plan in case the internet is down, DVDs are better. I still have a smart TV for live broadcasting, and streaming TV as well. I don't have unlimited space in my bedroom for physical media.
In the future we'll all look at each other and go: "Remember when there were things?" (And yes, that is a Stewart Lee gag. He's right though!).
Excellent analysis. One thing I do miss, though, is walking into a Suncoast video and just coming across a random Western or Japanese film I forgot about or never knew about, but liked the look of. Now, I can get most any movie I can think of (if I'm willing to pay the price) online, but I have to know about it and where to look. But I guess that's where UA-camrs come in to help us. :)
I was thinking about Suncoast video when I finished this video. They will great in this time because they were more for the movies and tv series collectors.
New to your channel made me feel alot better after watching this pal top video
I love collecting physical media. Why would I want to pay to stream a movie or to download a digital copy? I want to own media and in my opinion you don't own them unless you've got a physical copy of it. Your points about streaming are absolutely spot-on. I don't want a publisher to edit movies because the license of some songs used in the movie have expired or because some idiots feel offended by a particular scene or whatever. I always try to hunt down the best edition of a movie and I know no one can change the copy of the movie I've got.
I really enjoy finding and buying very rare and unique editions of movies. I buy them from all over the world and in all kinds of formats. I've got DVDs, Blu-rays, 4k Blu-rays, Video-CDs and LaserDiscs from USA, Canada, UK, Germany, the Netherlands, France, Spain, Italy, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Iceland, Israel, Russia, South Africa, China, Japan, Thailand, South Korea, Indonesia and probably other countries that I forgot and at the moment I'm trying to win an auction for a Japanese VHD (not VHS, but the Video High Density format).
So grateful for Twilight Time, Kino Lorber, Shout/Scream Factory, and Criterion. Even though Criterion has a streaming service, I really like their Blu-rays.
Also...
Arrow video, Vinegar Syndrome, Plain Archive
Honestly, I think CDs are better than vinyl, but vinyl is trendy at the moment. And there are CD boutique labels, just like Criterion or Arrow or Kino for blu-ray. There's Cherry Red, Blixa Sounds, Omnivore, Numero Group, Light In The Attic, Friday Music, Yep Roc, Wounded Bird and Real Gone Music, among others. Even Rhino still puts out some interesting stuff.
Brilliant response. I am totally in your school of thought here. I always use Air Force One as my example, cant get (at least in the uk anyway) it on any streaming or download platform but its an amazing movie that i want to watch a lot. My fave blu ray label eureka reported that last year was their best year for sales yet and that their police story 1 and 2 box set has been their best selling item ever. this sort of thing would not be possible if it was dying. I am gonna just send this video to people who say it is from now on
Dances with wolves was not available in Australia on DVD or blu ray for a long time (looks like it's been released in the past few months here since I last checked). The blue pill isn't available either. As long as region coding exists, this issue will persist. Countries need to start making it illegal, and if the US won't do anything about it, then take full economic sanctions against the us until it wakes up...
just got air force one from the public library for one dollar.
Streaming is like renting a house, you can use it but its never yours.
I’m 19 right now & I can tell you that I’m still gonna be collecting physical media by the time I’m a grandma
Great video, I've been collecting for around 17 years and I'm still finding stuff that I want to get coming out on a weekly basis. For Collector's we're really in a great period getting lots of obscure and forgotten films on Blu-ray.
I'm a big physical media advocate. Most of my game library is physical and I've started taking all my music back to physical also. I've even just bought a HIFI system to listen to my music without the distraction of being on a computer. It may sound counter intuitive but for me physical media is freedom these days. There are no ad breaks on a CD.
Yeah, and if physical media ever did die, they can't take away our collection. We can still watch the ones we've bought. If Netflix or Hulu died, can you still stream on there? No
They probably wont ever die
I do not think Netflix will exist in five to seven years. They're rapidly losing access to their movie catalog, and will have to rely on original programming. Their growth is slowing, and it's only a matter of time before it begins to shrink. Hulu, on the other hand, is now controlled in the majority by Disney thanks to their Fox purchase, so they'll be around for a long time.
If Netflix dies then I’m pirating, point blank period. I refuse to give so much as a penny to Disney’s evil pedophile corporation.
Kylo Ren? . I'd be less concerned with Netflix or Hulu dying vs iTunes or google play, where people "buy" their media digitally.
For me it's the video and audio quality, while streaming is in HD, it's still not as good as a Blu-ray which is usually a 25-50gig file. Best way to archive your favourite films.
I think there'll always be a market for physical media. It might shrink considerably but it wont die off completely. Personally, when it comes to Blu Ray and 4K Blu Ray, I'll always prefer the discs for movies I want to keep and watch again.
I think I built up my collection of like 4 movies last summer to nearly 170. Yes, it costs more than Netflix subscription over 24 months, BUT I can visually see what I wanna watch and can pop in the DVD or BD and not have to worry about streaming issues or my Chromecast disconnecting randomly. Well worth the money so far.
And you get to keep them forever rather than losing them when you stop paying for Netflix.
The online physical media is massive I buy online a lot cause a lot of stuff I want I don’t even find in stores
Great video. Physical media will always be my love. VHS, DVDs, blu rays, cd, vinyl and even cassette tapes! If you don’t own a physical copy you don’t own it.
Yeah, even if you own a *_pirated_* physical copy of an album/song/music track, movie or T.V. show series/season/episode, you *_*still*_* own it (the copy that you've made there); whereas you don't own it if it is streamed or even saved to the Cloud!
If physical media died I would feel dead inside sometimes I love to buy a movie cause the package is awesome and pretty to look at I like streaming but still love buying physical media for how they restored older movies also watching special features is fun as hell something streaming doesn't always provide. Love the vid cereal I'm so happy that physical media is still loved by so many people like you and I
You described this current physical media era perfectly. Great video!
Here’s a great example of why I still can’t go fully digital. Warner Archive released their Popeye titles in HD recently on iTunes but there are shorts missing due to content that are available on the current Blu-ray’s. As long as digital continues to censor like that I can never give up my physical media.
Outstanding Commentary My Friend, from one collector to another......SUBBED.
My first VHS tape was ET The Extraterrestrial. It was a gift from my dad and I still have it.
My first DVD I ever bought was American Beauty.
My first Blu-ray was 300.
My first 4K movie was Planet Earth 2.
I still buy CDs even though my car doesn't even have an in-dash CD player in it. (I hate this about most new cars).
I have to use a Sony Discman hooked up to the aux input.
It's pretty dangerous fumbling with CDs while driving, but I notice a huge difference in audio quality compared to 320kbs mp3's on a thumbstick.
I'm in total agreement with you, companies wouldn't be making such amazing collector's editions of shows and movies if physical media was dying. I'm a huge anime fan, and we are getting physical releases of so many older shows and cult hits. And OMG the insane limited edition and collectors editions of anime sets that are coming out nowadays are so beautiful, and only getting more extravagant. Hearing you talk about the early days of DVD collecting really takes me back, I remember getting my very first DVD when I was a little kid. We didn't even have a DVD player yet, what happened was that a company made a deal with Kellogg's to start putting certain DVD movies in their Cereal boxes. This was a Canada only arrangement, and one day I found a copy of Air Bud 2 in my box of Corn Pops. I remember wondering how they got a full movie to fit on a CD, and I remember being shocked that we didn't have to rewind these. LOL My parents bought a DVD player after that, we went into Montreal and bought a Toshiba DVD player. It was one of the first machines, and was bigger than our VCR, and cost almost 800 dollars with taxes. To the credit of those first machines that DVD player lasted 12 years before breaking down. And although I agree that Stores selling all the movies coming out to DVD and Blu-ray nowadays is impossible due to limited storage space and shelf space, I really miss walking through all the movie aisles and just looking at everything they have.
Will always swear to psysical media. Better quality, picture, sound etc. Streaming will never be that good. Just bought Michael Mann's Manhunter in BD. Can't find it anywhere on streaming. Found it on Amazon store. Love my psysical movie collection 👍 wouldn't do without it.
I think you brought up a good point in that DVD market changed after the studio’s completed their catalogs.
I still remember Star Wars came out on DVD in 2004, and that was the last major title I had been waiting for. I still remember buying the Boxset that day thinking it will never be the same after that.
I upgraded to Blu-ray but nobody I know did as DVD was good enough for them. Streaming is no different cause they don’t watch movies and think about quality like I do. I bought a DVD and looked if it was Anamorphic or had DTS sound, most people bought them cause they had to rewind again.
DVD was a phenomen that everyone jumped on in the 00’s that we’ll never see again. Physical media never died, it just went back to the niche market it was when Laserdisc ruled the early 90’s.
I collect Blu Ray Steelbooks the experience and uniqueness can’t be matched.
Oh, I just want to add that I've been to Rome a few months ago and I checked the local version of Barnes & Noble/HMV which is called Feltrinelli and the place had rows and rows of Blu Rays and DVD's and CD's, hundreds upon hundreds. There were blockbuster and obscure films, the selection was stunning, most of it localized in Italian. I don't think Europe is enamored with streaming as North America is. Just seeing this selection in what is essentially a mainstream media store was very uplifting. I mean, I don't have the numbers of course or sales figures, but when we talk about physical media we seem to focus solely on the US. There are movie fans all over the world.
I bet they have tons of peplum and 60s Italian comedies and spaghetti western discs US fans would drool to own! The unfortunate thing about a lot of Italian DVDs is that they often don’t have subtitles, so importing them is useless unless one speaks Italian.
@@CerealAtMidnight Oh yeah, I was desperately looking for something to get. Your analysis is accurate. But just seeing this stiff was great.
I live in the UK, were somewhere between Italy and America. We still have stores selling DVDs CDs etc, but most people under 30 just stream. I hope hardcopies never disappear.
I think it's the same everywhere. I was interviewed by a UK university student who wanted my opinion on physical media trends, and she reflected a lot of what we see here in the U.S., namely that young people prefer streaming, but are starting to realize that they can't watch what they want to watch on their own terms, and that ownership allows them to have control over their favorite movies. In my interviewer's case, it was the Marvel movies. She was not pleased with Disney or Netflix for removing those from streaming, so she bought them all so that she could watch them whenever she wanted to. Her dad, of course, had a physical media collection.
Just because you can't buy physical media in stores, doesn't mean is drying. You can order any Blu-ray movie in online store Amazon walmart target any store. What i don't find i order online.
Agreed. Others in the comments have said it best: it's the stores that are dying, not media.
I don't think physical media will ever completely go away. It's just going to become more and more boutique, yeah.
You can go to pawn shops and get DVDs for a dollar. You can go to half Price books, and many used stores for your collecting purposes.
I just scored some discs last weekend for 50 cents each at a pawn shop. They're all trying to get rid of the stuff. It won't be there forever, but now's the time.
I'll be honest.
Over the years, I have downloaded all of my films through torrent sites (illegally) or streamed them. Then I learned more about disc quality Vs streaming quality and I've become obsessed with collecting Blu-rays over the last few weeks. I am aiming to get around 100 in the first year with some 4k ones sprinkled in. A Blu-ray being better quality than some heavy compressed 4k streaming is what made me convert. Plus it's nice actually having the media in your hand. I will be physical media from now on.
By purchasing, you're also supporting companies and encouraging them to release movies on physical formats. I understand the appeal of torrenting, especially for broke folks and college kids, but paying for physical media ensures that companies will continue to release it. Really, our purchasing power is the biggest asset we have in this ever-changing market.
The bad thing is its either major releases or super niche items getting released, there are lots of great items in the middle that have yet to even see a dvd release. In fact there is still so many items released on vhs that have not got a dvd or blu release that im afraid they may be lost into obscurity completely.
Do you have some examples of movies you're looking for that fall into this middle category you're talking about? Maybe I can help.
@@CerealAtMidnight Sure here are a few that are yet to see the light of a dvd release, while I do know two are on amazon streaming. but for how long. These may be partial to me, but I do think they deserve a release.
Flinch (1994) www.imdb.com/title/tt0109812/
Listen to Me (1989) currently on amazon www.imdb.com/title/tt0097756/
Watch It (1993) Chek out the cast www.imdb.com/title/tt0108521/
Chameleon (1995) Currently on amazon www.imdb.com/title/tt0112656/
Yeah, those are some deep cuts! You’re right, no discs whatsoever.
While I no longer purchase new tv shows on DVD if there is no Blu-Ray I’ll purchase the show on iTunes I will purchase old shows on DVD providing there is no chance that it will be out on Blu-Ray. I also purchase movies exclusively on 4K Blu-Ray/Blu-Ray
I watching this video again in this pandemia. I glad that we have and keep a physical media collection at home. I watching some tv series that I can't completely saw before for lack of time. We starting again Friday's movie night. Great time for those that still have their physical collection. 😁
Agreed! Blu-ray player sales are up something like 27 percent since the beginning of April. I actually think we have experienced the bottom for physical media and sales are on the rise. I doubt they'll hit the same heights as the glory days of DVD circa 2007, but companies that were pressing 3,000 discs a year or two ago are now pressing in batches of 6,000 or more. Add in things like the new Paramount Presents label and the distribution partnership between WB and Universal, and it's looking good. It all seems to be trending back upward. All the fear and all the panic about physical media dying were unfounded. As long as we keep buying, it won't go anywhere!
For me purchasing physical media is mainly nostalgic as I am not into collecting media. There is content which I will preferably own in its physical form. However, digital media deals just can’t be beaten. They can’t be beaten in quality, convenience, or price.
Great points. Streaming IS great for discovery because there is very little cost to watch a few minutes of something you would never rent or buy. But you are absolutely right about physical media editions for long term freedom of choice and lovingly restored versions and extras. Thanks for this video.
Sony is putting out more 4K UHD catalog titles than any of the studios. Fox's final release was 'Alien' and has stopped since Disney took over. Warner and Paramount are doing a few UHD releases, Universal is mostly just new release titles.
I still love my physical media and most of the titles I buy now are blu-rays from more independent distributors like Shout/Scream Factory, Blue Underground, Vinegar Syndrome, Mill Creek and other labels you mention here. I do lots of streaming too, but I will never stop buying physical media and there's so much out there and already in my collection that I can keep watching that stuff for the rest of my life. Haven't gone into 4K yet, but I probably will down the road, especially if these smaller labels offer upgrades of stuff I already have. As far as streaming right now, I just use Netflix and Shudder. Happy with both (and I liked Amazon Prime when I had it) but I'm a physical media guy first.
I am amazed as to what is being put on dvd and blu recently. A few months ago I picked up a newly released dvd of Oliver Twist. This was not the usual musical, but the first ever adaption by the BBC for TV. Made in 1962 it very closely follows the book, more so than other adaptions. Some of the episodes have suffered from aging of the source material but most are fine and were remastered to try and improve what there was. It felt incredible watching a tv series from 1962, nearly 20 years before I was born.
Then we have the release of whole original Dr Who series on blu-ray with all sorts of extras old and new. Plus the newly animated stories made possible because fans back in those days recorded the tv audio to tape.
the Doctor Who example is incredibly important, because back then, TV was seen as very much throwaway. If you missed it, that was it. never to be seen again. So of course the audio was recorded by fans who wanted a permanent record (which is now the *only* record of those episodes)
It feels like we're going back to that time, with streaming being the only option and once it's gone it's gone
I'm a huge collector myself I have all the streaming apps but having the tv show or movie in my physical collection means more too me. Because when we cant buy dvd or blue Ray's at stores anymore. Your gonna look at your collection and say wow I'm glad did this when I had the chance plus this give you opportunity to appreciate what you have when u have it
Great video. We who collect will always collect. Just got my Fast Times at Ridgemont High criterion today. Looking forward to Arrow True Romance 4k Indiana Jones Collection 4k Animal House 4k to name a few all coming home soon.
I have collected physical media for years and still fits barely in my closet:) But I still love collecting movies have done and still will:) And I am glad that this question was answered for me to say physical media is not dying:) So thank to you Heath:)
BIG thumbs up on this vid!
First! I love your channel-always a great watch.
I agree - its becoming more of collectors market. It's not what it was when I was manager at blockbuster. But it's still a strong market for physical media.
I still collect physical media. Me and my siblings first grew up watching movies on vhs and then we switched to dvd, by maybe 2005. My first movie was on vhs. I collect dvds nowadays, but I still have fond memories of vhs. I'm a collector and I love having a library of movies and tv shows to choose from. I don't care how big it will get. Streaming is nice on the convenience factor, but it will get more expensive as time goes on. The only streaming services I use are Animelab and Netflix. But I'm not going to overindulge in such convenience. I'm not going to pay for streaming services forever. I will continue to own physical media, because when you have it, you keep it forever.
Yeah I was in a HMV earlier yesterday and I saw the prices of the DVDs and blu rays compared to online. For instance, blu ray Predator collection was £25 in store. On Amazon £13. Stores just can't compete with the prices as well. Although I do love the whole physical seeing the products Im going to miss it because it's inevitable it will be gone soon.
Awesome video bro I agree 💯I love physical media 🙌🎬
Great video Heath, I collect a lot of physical media mostly DVDs and Blu Rays like yourself but also Books and CDs. I agree with you that the market has come back to the collector niche and I personally would rather pay the equivalent of $20 a month on say 30 movies or CDs or 10 books in a charity shop/thrift store. It makes me feel good to know I m getting enjoyment from the media and that I am helping a local charity. For newer releases I might go to Amazon or a local store it doesn't bother me although I could with getting some shelves put up lol.
We collect books and CDs (and vinyl, and comics) too! The video that went up after this one is exclusively about books.
@@CerealAtMidnight that's great, thanks for your reply.
great place if you don't mind used are libraries usually sell their old inventory cheap or for donation. start with your most obscure. you may want to get those first, cause they may become rare.
Very concise and accurate assessment. Just an excellent video for any collector or reseller
I still prefer CDs over vinyl
I remember why went for CD's back in the 80/90s, basically a cheap CD player would sound better than a mid-range record deck. If I like something I still buy the CD and rip it to mp3 (or even use something like Amazon's AutoRip). I feel vinyl is very much a nostalgia trip / hipster type of thing at the moment.
Cds are more durable and you can use them in more ways/places.
Me too,people think im crazy for still ordering cds i keep getting snatting comments from co-works .that i need to download. I got pandora on my phone, but i still. Love buy cds.
I was a big physical media collector. It's sort of dead for me. I've been moving around a lot and it's been such a hassle boxing everything and moving. I think it's great that a lot of us collect but I've thrown in the towel. I also realized I wouldn't even watch most of what I had. It was just a waste of money. I hope things get stable for me so I can collect again.