Target to drop all physical media from stores by 2025

[Andrew NDB]

Like when stuff like Kazaa and Limewire was a thing, sure we could get DVD quality digital movies and shows and catalogue them on our computers. We were conditioning ourselves and didn't even know it. Then the studios figured out how to monetize that. To such a degree that while you still CAN "pirate" a thing, doing so is now so space and time to download prohibitive... why NOT just pay $13 a month to be able to stream that thing, and hundreds of others at a 0 space loss and time loss of "click click"? Against the off chance that maybe, one or two things you love might either be slightly altered by the studio or removed somehow? But it'll MOSTLY be OK. While simultaneously still putting out modern 4K blu-rays that are still packed with ads and seem to still be "dialing home" over the internet and are costing more than ever, simultaneously souring the milk AND gouging the shrinking crowd who are always going to buy them no matter what.

I mean, I get it. Totally.

[ResidentEvil7]

If they do phase out physical media, you can still get it digitally through iTunes and watch it if you have an Apple TV box. You can get a 128GB 4K box at Best Buy for about $150 and you can load it up with all your movies you buy digitally. If it wasn't for me ripping my whole disc collection and putting them on my 2TB flash drive and plug it into the USB port on my 4K player, I would of used an Apple TV 4K instead. It's a good alternative.

[IndigoErth]

And when they phase out those devices, or someone wants to cut back on their bills, or a company dies or gets bought out or they simply decide to change policy and shrug at you losing things you once paid for because they don't want to support it anymore...?

At least you were able to put them on a drive and keep them. Never done digital movies, so can't say I'm fluent in any efforts to not lose what I might pay for if I did.


I hate that in the process of going digital they haven't really passed much (if any) of the savings onto the consumer despite the fact that they save themselves a lot by cutting out all the cost of producing, shipping, stocking and selling physical media (edit: and in some cases advertising). Costs them little after the initial production of a thing to just sit there and sell endless copies without the effort of selling physical hard copies. (Same reason I generally don't do in-game purchases. Costs them little and then they can endlessly overcharge for pixels at no extra expense to themselves.)

[CyberCubed]

As of right now, virtually any TV show, movie, and cartoon/anime are uploaded for free somewhere online. Unless all these sites get nuked somehow, the ability to rewatch anything is pretty much there.

[tmntpower1988]

Originally Posted by Andrew NDB

Just get a PS5. There's your 4K player and you can also play games.

I'll have a look at the PS5's in some of the stores up the town tomorrow. Dragon Ball Z Sparking Zero will be coming out for the PS5 so would be good to have a physical copy of that.

[Andrew NDB]

Originally Posted by CyberCubed

As of right now, virtually any TV show, movie, and cartoon/anime are uploaded for free somewhere online. Unless all these sites get nuked somehow, the ability to rewatch anything is pretty much there.

Except the quality. Sure you can download something in 10 minutes that's DVD quality or maybe 720p at best... but have you seen some of these 4k downloads? And maybe you have a sh**ty screen or are just watching on your phone or old computer and don't care. But if so we aren't talking about the same thing.

[joe-eyeball]

Originally Posted by Andrew NDB

Except the quality. Sure you can download something in 10 minutes that's DVD quality or maybe 720p at best... but have you seen some of these 4k downloads? And maybe you have a sh**ty screen or are just watching on your phone or old computer and don't care. But if so we aren't talking about the same thing.

This right here really sums it up. Digital versions just don’t offer the best picture and sound that can be offered. Shifting to all digital ruins it for people that appreciate all of that. It is a brilliant move by corporations to give the illusion of ownership when you really only hold a temporary license to it.

[IMJ]

The truth is that not only is quality going to be lost, but so is remaining revenue. There are movies I will order online in 4k and so on, but all this really does is make it easier to download something in piracy.

Virtue-signal against it or not, but it's a fact.

[tmntpower1988]

So I ended up ordering a Panasonic DP-UB820, it was going for £500 brand new on eBay but I managed to get it for £260 used, it does have some marks on the player but it is in very good working order though. Ordered myself The Mandalorian 4k's too, see how it goes.

[IMJ]

Originally Posted by tmntpower1988

So I ended up ordering a Panasonic DP-UB820, it was going for £500 brand new on eBay but I managed to get it for £260 used, it does have some marks on the player but it is in very good working order though. Ordered myself The Mandalorian 4k's too, see how it goes.

Awesome! The Panasonic players are great.....

[tmntpower1988]

Originally Posted by IMJ

Awesome! The Panasonic players are great.....

Nice one, I was originally going to go for a Sony UBP-X700 since it was the cheaper option but I seen some people online saying that they had problems trying to play some of their 4k discs that they were skipping and freezing. The Panasonics apparently have a better reputation. Someone on reddit said that the Panasonics are better at upscaling DVD's than the Sony and LG players as well. The Panasonic 4k player is expected to arrive tomorrow so looking forward to it. Is the Terminator 2 4k as bad as people says it is? I was thinking of buying the Star Wars Original Trilogy and Prequel Trilogy on 4k too. The Batman, Batman: Mask of the Phantasm and Joker were other ones I have plans on getting as well.

[IMJ]

Originally Posted by tmntpower1988

Nice one, I was originally going to go for a Sony UBP-X700 since it was the cheaper option but I seen some people online saying that they had problems trying to play some of their 4k discs that they were skipping and freezing. The Panasonics apparently have a better reputation. Someone on reddit said that the Panasonics are better at upscaling DVD's than the Sony and LG players as well. The Panasonic 4k player is expected to arrive tomorrow so looking forward to it. Is the Terminator 2 4k as bad as people says it is? I was thinking of buying the Star Wars Original Trilogy and Prequel Trilogy on 4k too. The Batman, Batman: Mask of the Phantasm and Joker were other ones I have plans on getting as well.

The Panasonic players have sort of quietly earned this reputation of quality that you wouldn't have guessed the brand had if all you knew of it was it's 90's output.

I regularly read about their Universal Disc Players in articles alongside premium players like the Oppo UDP-203. If my own player ever craps out on me and I can't find another Oppo I'd honestly probably buy a higher-end Panasonic to replace it.

As for T2 I don't think I picked it up on 4k.... -head scratcher- IIRC the last time I bought it was on a Blu-Ray re-release and I think that was because it had a built in THX Calibrator I wanted to use. Arnold flicks seem to be scrutinized a lot - I remember the blu-ray of Predator and it was almost unwatchable, but the newer 4k copy is terrific. Now I'm curious about T2 - haven't watched it in years.

I haven't rebought Star Wars since the Blu-Ray boxed set back in 2009 or so. I would like to get the same movies you listed on 4k as well. If you are looking for a truly stunning 4k transfer in animation then Ghost In The Shell is a must-buy. To be honest both the movie and the animated movie are must-buys in 4k. And Blade Runner 2049, omfg. Masterpiece.