Looks like Physical Movie Rental are almost gone

Painting with a pretty broad brush there. We are part of 'everyone' and it won't be our primary form. ;)
How else do you expect to watch stuff?

Physical Media is dying, as is cable/satellite, because it is so fragmented and people leaving, then there is OTA, which the stations are trying to either end or at least, figure out how to monetize, mostly because advertising revenue are in the dumpster.

There is no law that Broadcast Networks/Affiliates have to provide certain programming via OTA, like scripted content.
 
How else do you expect to watch stuff?

This way! And that was two years ago. There is more here since then. Not everyone needs an umbilical cord connected to the internet 24 hours a day. We don't need to kiss Amazon's or Disney's or anybody else's a$$ to be happy or entertained. And you see that NAS on one of the shelves? I have four more just like it that everything can be loaded to RIGHT HERE AT HOME. And if traditional television and satellite and movie theaters went away we are still good. So knock off the 'everybody' needs streaming crap because, obviously, some of us don't! ;)

Media01.jpg


Media02.jpg


Media03.jpg


Media04.jpg


Media05.jpg


Media06.jpg


Media07.jpg


Media08.jpg
 
This way! And that was two years ago. There is more here since then. Not everyone needs an umbilical cord connected to the internet 24 hours a day. We don't need to kiss Amazon's or Disney's or anybody else's a$$ to be happy or entertained. And you see that NAS on one of the shelves? I have four more just like it that everything can be loaded to RIGHT HERE AT HOME. And if traditional television and satellite and movie theaters went away we are still good. So knock off the 'everybody' needs streaming crap because, obviously, some of us don't! ;)

View attachment 172382

View attachment 172383

View attachment 172384

View attachment 172385

View attachment 172386

View attachment 172387

View attachment 172388

View attachment 172389
And I own (more like licensed) 2799 movies on Vudu, 263 TV Shows, all in 1080P or 4K.

The biggest plus is I do not have to get up, grab a disc, pop it in, all I have to do is hit ok on the remote.

And I love being connected to the internet 24 hours a day, as someone born the the latter 60’s, grew up in the 70/early 80s, I was staved regarding entertainment, what we can do today, compared to then, do not wish to go back.

And I do not kiss Amazon, Netflix, Disney, Paramount ***, I give them money, they provide entertainment.

Same for those that still have Paid Live TV, except they get a lot less content and pay a lot more money.
 
Sales are up, but still an extremely small part of music sales.

Factoring in streaming and downloads of single tracks, however, that number drops to less than 5 percent of album equivalent music consumption, which puts things in perspective. According to RIAA, vinyl records accounted for 8 percent of record music revenues in the U.S. last year, as streaming continues to be the industry's biggest moneymaker by far.

No surprise there.
 
And I own (more like licensed) 2799 movies on Vudu, 263 TV Shows, all in 1080P or 4K.

The biggest plus is I do not have to get up, grab a disc, pop it in, all I have to do is hit ok on the remote.

And I love being connected to the internet 24 hours a day, as someone born the the latter 60’s, grew up in the 70/early 80s, I was staved regarding entertainment, what we can do today, compared to then, do not wish to go back.

And I do not kiss Amazon, Netflix, Disney, Paramount ***, I give them money, they provide entertainment.

Same for those that still have Paid Live TV, except they get a lot less content and pay a lot more money.
You have the licensed to watch them until what ever company you bought them threw decides they will no longer offer some episodes because in their opinion you shouldn't see them.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Foxbat and ncted
And I own (more like licensed) 2799 movies on Vudu, 263 TV Shows, all in 1080P or 4K.

The biggest plus is I do not have to get up, grab a disc, pop it in, all I have to do is hit ok on the remote.

And I love being connected to the internet 24 hours a day, as someone born the the latter 60’s, grew up in the 70/early 80s, I was staved regarding entertainment, what we can do today, compared to then, do not wish to go back.

And I do not kiss Amazon, Netflix, Disney, Paramount ***, I give them money, they provide entertainment.

Same for those that still have Paid Live TV, except they get a lot less content and pay a lot more money.

If they are on streaming then you don't own anything. You have the 'right' to watch them 'as long as the service exists'. If they are down or go out of business then you are out of luck. Feel free to believe that you actually own something but I know I do because I can hold it in my hand and play it any time I please - whether there is internet or not.

I too was born in the latter 60's but obviously we grew up differently and do not see things the same way at all. I prefer to 'have' my entertainment while you prefer to 'have access to it' via another's will.

But, whatever. To each their own as they say! No point in butting heads about it because you will never see it my way and I will definitely never see it yours. So, I hope you have a good day sir. Enjoy media your way and I will do the same! ;)
 
Last edited:
Confused how Sony is shutting down physical media when they JUST inked this deal with Disney.
They just signed a deal with Lionsgate also to do the same, but unfortunately, nothing last forever and the writing is on the wall.

I used to collect LaserDiscs, at the time, a better format then VHS, then DVD came around, a few years later, gone.

First sign was the rental market drying up, because of streaming, now with new movies on sale via digital a month or two before the disc is released is another sign, then the movies appear on the streaming service the same time as when the disc is released is another.

Last sign is more electronic companies are no longer making players, Sony and Panasonic are, but older designs, the last new one came out 3 years ago.

Now, I still buy 4K Discs, it is the best format, but streaming is close, for example, Movies Anywhere uses a much higher bit rate then Vudu and itunes, so I use that the most.

But streaming is so much more convenient then doing the disc thing.

As of this writing, in 2024, it has been years since any new, mainstream 4K Blu-ray players have been introduced. Some name brands (like Samsung and Oppo) have stopped making new 4K Blu-ray players altogether, and others (LG, Sony, and Panasonic) have not introduced new models in several years.

 
Found this on Reddit, shows how much Physical Media is being destroyed by Digital-

IMG_1353.png

 
I like digital, but only when it comes with the physical. There is no guarantee that your license will survive. There is a good likelihood it will, but Movies Anywhere could close up shop tomorrow and all you'd see is a $0.15 per movie lost in the $429 million class action settlement.
They just signed a deal with Lionsgate also to do the same, but unfortunately, nothing last forever and the writing is on the wall.

I used to collect LaserDiscs, at the time, a better format then VHS, then DVD came around, a few years later, gone.
You haven't experienced a movie until you've experienced it on CED. :D

If one is willing to spending well over an hour watching the multiple segments, Technology Connections on YouTube has I think a three-part series on the development of the CED, which could have been huge, had RCA not fumbled it so badly.
But streaming is so much more convenient then doing the disc thing.

As of this writing, in 2024, it has been years since any new, mainstream 4K Blu-ray players have been introduced. Some name brands (like Samsung and Oppo) have stopped making new 4K Blu-ray players altogether, and others (LG, Sony, and Panasonic) have not introduced new models in several years.
Panasonic just finally released a player which finally provides HDR10+ and Dolby Vision on a device that is $200 (or less).
 
Found this on Reddit, shows how much Physical Media is being destroyed by Digital-

View attachment 172476

My take from that is it isn't "digital" but it is streaming services that pay for the rights to the material. EST looks like competition to movie theaters, not physical media.

VOD is about 2 to 1 to physical sales, which of course are limited because stores aren't selling it now. So winning out, but partly a self-fulfilling prophecy.
 
Movies Anywhere could close up shop tomorrow and all you'd see is a $0.15 per movie lost in the $429 million class action settlement.

You can't actually purchase a title from Movies Anywhere, right? You buy them through Vudu/Fandango, iTunes, or some other vendor, and then add those collections to Movies Anywhere.
 
My take from that is it isn't "digital" but it is streaming services that pay for the rights to the material. EST looks like competition to movie theaters, not physical media.

VOD is about 2 to 1 to physical sales, which of course are limited because stores aren't selling it now. So winning out, but partly a self-fulfilling prophecy.
But the streaming services are affecting both Physical and Digital Sales, people have learned if they wait the 3 months (average)to be on MAX, Paramount, etc, why buy.

Disney is experimenting with longer release times with Inside Out 2, they guaranteed theaters a 100 Days exclusivity, which means about 3-4 months before digital sale, maybe 5-6 months before premiering on D+.
 
IMG_1359.jpeg


For all of 2023, VOD/EST was $4.3 Billion, Physical was $1.5 Billion.

Disc sales dropped 25% from 2022 to 2023, while VOD/EST grew over 5%.

Streaming Services grew 21% 2022-2023, which is another bad sign for Cable/Satellite.
 
For all of 2023, VOD/EST was $4.3 Billion, Physical was $1.5 Billion.
I'll be curious to see if this turns around. I know a lot of people who have started buying discs again due to the issues of content "ownership," but that could just be my peer group. Of course, I know a number of people who have started pirating content as SVOD prices have risen as well.
 
I'll be curious to see if this turns around. I know a lot of people who have started buying discs again due to the issues of content "ownership," but that could just be my peer group. Of course, I know a number of people who have started pirating content as SVOD prices have risen as well.
Physical is still shrinking, I will post this again from Q1, 2024-

IMG_1353.png

It shows even more loss, but VOD/EST was up even more, both in $$$ and percentages.

Again, I still buy some discs, just bought a Panasonic DP-UB820-K Player for the better video quality.

But even buying a disc does not mean you own the movie, it is still licensed ( limited rights) in a different form, a little harder to shut down then streaming.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ncted
It shows even more loss, but VOD/EST was up even more, both in $$$ and percentages.

But even buying a disc does not mean you own the movie, it is still licensed ( limited rights) in a different form, a little harder to shut down then streaming.
I was actually wondering if it will turn around, not if it is turning around, so no need for a duplicated post. I suspect piracy will grow way before physical media sales start to recover, but I'll be curious to see what happens, so please continue to post future numbers.

As for the licensing of physical media, I have a lot more control when I physically possess the disc than just have a "purchased" VOD version that can be revoked at any time with little effort on the part of the studio. I get that a lot of people won't care, but I do, at least for the movies and shows I possess on disc.
 
Top