Are Blu-ray & DVD Formats Dead?

[gene]

With the recent departure from Blu-ray player manufacturers OPPO and Samsung, does this spell the end of the physical disc format?

Samsung, one of the world’s most prominent electronics manufacturers, and leader in the development of Blu-ray, has announced it will no longer produce and distribute Blu-ray players in the US. That announcement also included Samsung’s acknowledgement that it has completely abandoned plans to roll out a new, high-end 4K ultra high definition (UHD) Blu-ray player originally scheduled for release this year.

This makes us wonder if Apple nudged Samsung in the direction of abandoning Blu-ray. It was announced at CES 2019 that new Samsung smart TVs will come with iTunes built-in. Perhaps the sacrifice of the US Blu-ray player market was Samsung’s price of admission into the Apple ecosystem?

Read: Samsung Drops Blu-ray, Drives Nail into Disc-Media Coffin

 

[Phase 2]

That's what they want, they want the public continue to pay media streaming fees for Your entertainment. Once a disc is purchased no more fees or sale end. I refuse to pay fees for music are movies, Hollywood and the music industry gets enough of my money. We pay enough just for Internet connection.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

One more nail in the coffin of physical video media is next Xbox One S will ship without an optical drive

 

[snakeeyes]

I want both but I prefer physical media.

 

[Brettc]

Yep load up the plex and iPods


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[KEW]

I don't remember reading anyone touting their Samsung BD player as being something special or any great value, So I'm guessing they are simply pulling out of a business that was less profitable than their other endeavors.

Oppo is a much greater mystery. Physical media may be dying, but it is not dead and they did have a stellar reputation!

Do most people have connections that can support the bandwidth of a typical BD?
I honestly don't know, but pretty sure I can't get that quality/quantity of signal streaming through my internet provider!

 

[davidscott]

Dead is pretty final. Look at the resurgence of LPs which were pronounced dead 30 years ago. I still want to own some physical media ( blue ray, dvd, cd, and lp for me). I think it will take a few years yet to get to the death of blue ray. But once there are no more players being made the media will ultimately fade away. See Sony's Betamax, 8 track, and VHS players (I owned them all). Cassettes probably are soon to follow if already not there. Eventually destined for a place in a museum. But thankfully not today.

 

[hmurchison]

Physical media has been on life-support for some time now. I was once “that” guy that said “I’ll never buy music that’s not on a disc”. Then the convenience of digital downloads hit. Access is king. Moving my music to digital downloads increased my ability to listen to more music by an order of magnitude. Now I can stream playlists a mile long if I want or just random play my music. Now some of you may not see the corollary with movies but what you’re going to see here is the steady increase in the size of TV and with that increase video tiling is going to become big. We are going to literally have a TV cover the entire wall and when the sports game is one but your wife/hubby wants to watch something else you’ll just segment the display choose the sources and your in ear wireless buds will steam only your audio content or it will mix in ambient noise and perhaps other sources at reduced volume. Physicals discs are not going to allow this to happen which is one of the reasons why they’re going to die.

 

[Brettc]

It’s take a fiber optic network but mine will do it


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[GrimSurfer]

I wonder if Samsung's decision to ditch Blu-Ray in the US had anything to do with (1) reduction in projected sales volume because of streaming services, AND (2) licensing fees, which undercut its business model?

http://www.one-blue.com/press/2/panasonic-philips-and-sony-to-establish-one-stop-shop-product-license-for-blu-ray-disctm

Now a ~$10 licensing fee for a Blu-Ray player doesn't sound like much, but it was enough to keep Apple from fitting its laptops with the technology. Also, $10 may not sound like much against the retail price of a top of the line player but it is a significant sum for entry players (which is where the sales volume is).

Since Samsung was an investor in Blu-Ray, it is likely that some of the One-Blue's profits would be cycled back. How much depends on the terms of its business arrangement. Regardless, licensing would cost the company because they are not the sole owners or originatorsof the tech.

 

[WookieGR]

Damn, not you guys too. Samsung players are poorly built garbage and they have no business making them when the competition is so intense. Don't be like those other bottom dweller click bate "doomsday" to the physical media sites.

 

[Brettc]

They gonna start putting them on vinyl


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[AllanMarcus]

This is like month old news.

 

[Verdinut]

Oppo is a much greater mystery. Physical media may be dying, but it is not dead and they did have a stellar reputation!

Do most people have connections that can support the bandwidth of a typical BD?
I honestly don't know, but pretty sure I can't get that quality/quantity of signal streaming through my internet provider!

Kurt,

I agree with you on the quality of signal streaming which is limited by the equipment of the internet provider.

With regard to Oppo, their decision to close production of BD players in the US might have to do wit DT's political action related to Chinese made products more than any other reason.

 

[Hobbit]

Interesting Poll results, as of an early tally. Nearly 50% say they will always want physical media.

Not a shocker at all. Computers haven't come with a media player for some time.

I can't remember the last CD I bought? Most likely it was from a local band that was selling them at a show. Beyond that I only download music.

It's been even longer since I bought a Blu-Ray. But I've never been into collecting movies. In all honesty, I can't remember the last time I used my Blu-Ray player. It was probably to play a CD.

IMO, Blu-Ray, DVD, and CD's, are virtually niche products, like vinyl. I think they'll be around for a while. However, with a ever decreasing selection.

 

[davidscott]

Interesting Poll results, as of an early tally. Nearly 50% say they will always want physical media.

Not a shocker at all. Computers haven't come with a media player for some time.

I can't remember the last CD I bought? Most likely it was from a local band that was selling them at a show. Beyond that I only download music.

It's been even longer since I bought a Blu-Ray. But I've never been into collecting movies. In all honesty, I can't remember the last time I used my Blu-Ray player. It was probably to play a CD.

IMO, Blu-Ray, DVD, and CD's, are virtually niche products, like vinyl. I think they'll be around for a while. However, with a ever decreasing selection.

Pretty much agree but for right now they may be a little above niche status. LPs have been around a long time and still have some collector value. But eventually all things must pass...
Whatever happened to perfect sound forever?

 

[Phase 2]

Makes me wonder, most younger people I know thinks I'm crazy for spending the money I'm spending on audio video gear. Most of the ones I know do have a HD TV with nothing more than a soundbar. They could care less for surround. I see this as a dying hobby eventually.

 

[Sef_Makaro]

Makes me wonder, most younger people I know thinks I'm crazy for spending the money I'm spending on audio video gear. Most of the ones I know do have a HD TV with nothing more than a soundbar. They could care less for surround. I see this as a dying hobby eventually.

Never surrender!

 

[lovinthehd]

When I can stream at bluray quality both audio and video, then maybe I'd consider not having the disc, but I'd prefer to own it so am not at the mercy of the streaming service or ISP. Currently, and likely for a while, I do not have the bandwidth with my internet connection to stream such quality in any case. I'm getting pretty old though so figure I have a good chance at lasting as long as discs are available...heck I can still buy stupid vinyl, surely someone will keep discs going?

 

[Phase 2]

When I can stream at bluray quality both audio and video, then maybe I'd consider not having the disc, but I'd prefer to own it so am not at the mercy of the streaming service or ISP. Currently, and likely for a while, I do not have the bandwidth with my internet connection to stream such quality in any case. I'm getting pretty old though so figure I have a good chance at lasting as long as discs are available...heck I can still buy stupid vinyl, surely someone will keep discs going?

Well said!!