criterionforum.org

mfunk9786 wrote: Sat Feb 23, 2019 4:42 pm Samsung to stop producing Blu-ray (and UHD Blu-ray) players, CNET ponders whether this is the beginning of the end of disc formats

In addition to box office revenues, the report found that the global home entertainment business increased by 16% to reach $55.7 billion last year. This was driven primarily by the rise of digital rentals, sales, and subscriptions to streaming services such as Netflix. Digital home entertainment spending in the U.S. increased 24% to $17.5 billion; internationally this sector climbed 34% to $25.1 billion. That helped plug the gap left by massive declines in the sale and rental of DVDs and Blu-rays. In the U.S., disc sales dropped 15% to $5.8 billion and fell 14% internationally to $7.3 billion. Four years ago, physical sales in the U.S. were $10.3 billion and were $14.9 billion internationally, a sign of just how precipitously the DVD market has fallen. Over that same period, digital spending has increased 170% globally. Much of that rise is attributable to the popularity of Netflix, Amazon Prime, and other subscription services. Globally, the number of digital subscriptions increased by 27% to 613.3 million. Online video subscriptions surpassed cable for the first time in 2018. Cable subscriptions fell 2% to 556 million.

It doesn’t hurt that Criterion remains a physical media production company. Its treasured box sets and ostentatious special features continue to be a central factor in its operations, and Becker said Blu Ray sales have been up for the past two years. “If we stopped making Blu Rays, there would be a huge uproar. It would be insane,” he said. “It’s still our flagship line. It’s still, by far, the most important part of our financial picture.”

Clarence wrote: Tue Apr 16, 2019 4:26 pm For what it's worth, the next PlayStation console will still support physical media. It had been speculated that the next console generation would ditch disc drives in favor of being download-only.

jindianajonz wrote: Wed Apr 17, 2019 9:45 pm Considering Sony developed the Blu-Ray format, I'm not too surprised.

Bigger Boat Needers 1

Jack Kubrick wrote:The Film Snob Dilemma

RitrovataBlue wrote: Tue Aug 06, 2019 5:30 pm The article doesn’t mention MUBI, of course, since no one ever seems to mention MUBI. Yet, it’s still the best streaming source for the sorts of obscurities the article laments losing. Hell, it might just be the best streaming service in general. Where else can you see Virgil Vernier and Lav Diaz films?

jedgeco wrote: Tue Aug 06, 2019 8:09 pm I came across this Verge article from a few days ago about small groups using Plex to create their own private streaming networks. While this is the first I've read about it in print, it's an idea that I've thought about for awhile now, ever since I started running an Emby server at home. I realize that these users are operating in a legal grey area, but I think that small private networks like this will undoubtedly have their place for future cineastes, especially as the mainstream pay services become increasingly uninterested in back-catalog and non-mainstream fare.

jedgeco wrote: Tue Aug 06, 2019 8:09 pm I came across this Verge article from a few days ago about small groups using Plex to create their own private streaming networks. While this is the first I've read about it in print, it's an idea that I've thought about for awhile now, ever since I started running an Emby server at home. I realize that these users are operating in a legal grey area, but I think that small private networks like this will undoubtedly have their place for future cineastes, especially as the mainstream pay services become increasingly uninterested in back-catalog and non-mainstream fare.

willoneill wrote: Wed Aug 07, 2019 4:36 pm Don't confuse legal and moral, folks. That happens way too much. For many people in many countries, what jedgeco is describing is very much a legal grey area, if not flat out completely legal.