AVS Discussions
Video Source Devices => Streaming Devices => Topic started by: claw on December 03, 2020, 05:55:27 PM
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I started this thread so the streaming device hardware comparison thread does not go too far off topic.
Warner Bros. Pictures Group Announces Innovative, Hybrid Distribution Model For Its 2021 Theatrical Slate
https://pressroom.warnermedia.com/us/media-release/hbo-max/warner-bros-pictures-group-announces-innovative-hybrid-distribution-model-its-2021
There will be an exclusive one month access period on the HBO Max streaming platform in the U.S. concurrent with the film’s domestic release date. The films will be available in 4K HDR.
HBO Max is currently only available in the U.S.
Most popular streaming devices have an HBO Max App except the Roku. It is unclear whether all HBO Max supported devices will also have 4K HDR.
HBO Max (hbomax.com) has a promotion valid from December 3 to January 15 for a 20% discount for 6 months, a $69.99 total subscription price.
This announcement is in addition to the previously announced showing of Wonder Woman 1984 on HBO Max in 4K HDR on December 25.
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I started this thread so the streaming device hardware comparison thread does not go too far off topic.
Warner Bros. Pictures Group Announces Innovative, Hybrid Distribution Model For Its 2021 Theatrical Slate
https://pressroom.warnermedia.com/us/media-release/hbo-max/warner-bros-pictures-group-announces-innovative-hybrid-distribution-model-its-2021
There will be an exclusive one month access period on the HBO Max streaming platform in the U.S. concurrent with the film’s domestic release date. The films will be available in 4K HDR.
HBO Max is currently only available in the U.S.
Most popular streaming devices have an HBO Max App except the Roku. It is unclear whether all HBO Max supported devices will also have 4K HDR.
HBO Max (hbomax.com) has a promotion valid from December 3 to January 15 for a 20% discount for 6 months, a $69.99 total subscription price.
This announcement is in addition to the previously announced showing of Wonder Woman 1984 on HBO Max in 4K HDR on December 25.
Covid has sped up something that was going to happen eventually anyway. Frankly, $70 for six months is a bargain when you figure a family of four going to the movies will cost you that much on a Saturday night if you buy popcorn, soda, and candy.
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I would never subscribe on a long term basis if the movies were not in 4K HDR. Currently, I sign up to binge watch a series or two and then unsubscribe.
But this way I can view on release date and then purchase the subsequent 4K disc release when it goes on sale instead of full price.
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I would never subscribe on a long term basis if the movies were not in 4K HDR. Currently, I sign up to binge watch a series or two and then unsubscribe.
But this way I can view on release date and then purchase the subsequent 4K disc release when it goes on sale instead of full price.
Exactly. I doubt people will be going back to theaters in large numbers for a very long time. I hope I'm wrong though.
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Exactly. I doubt people will be going back to theaters in large numbers for a very long time. I hope I'm wrong though.
I'm guessing that by this time next year enough people will be vaccinated for Covid-19, that theaters will be open again for the 2021 holiday season. Maybe by July even.
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I definitely want theaters to come back for partially sentimental reasons. But also because even with a decent projection setup (I don't have an all out dedicated HT room like many here) the actual size of the image does make an impact.
However, I think the other impact is this could be another nail in the physical media coffin. Especially if HBO Max nails the video/audio quality.
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I definitely want theaters to come back for partially sentimental reasons. But also because even with a decent projection setup (I don't have an all out dedicated HT room like many here) the actual size of the image does make an impact.
However, I think the other impact is this could be another nail in the physical media coffin. Especially if HBO Max nails the video/audio quality.
The video quality of streaming has come a long way, but the audio quality is piss-poor when comparing it to lossless codecs that are found on discs. As a test, take a musical (it's much easier to tell with music versus other sounds) and play a song back to back...streaming first, then physical media, then back to the streaming. When you hear them back to back like that it really showcases how flat and hollow the audio is versus physical media. You'll probably notice the video doesn't quite have the depth as the disc either, but most viewers don't know what to look for (ignorance is bliss).
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I'm guessing that by this time next year enough people will be vaccinated for Covid-19, that theaters will be open again for the 2021 holiday season. Maybe by July even.
The New York Times today posted a vaccination position in line estimator. It calculated there are 2 million persons in my home state that would be ahead of me to get the vaccine.
July seems overly optimistic.
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The New York Times today posted a vaccination position in line estimator. It calculated there are 2 million persons in my home state that would be ahead of me to get the vaccine.
July seems overly optimistic.
At the current rate of sickness in the US right now, a vaccine may not be needed. We may be a herd immunity by spring.
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I definitely want theaters to come back for partially sentimental reasons. But also because even with a decent projection setup (I don't have an all out dedicated HT room like many here) the actual size of the image does make an impact.
However, I think the other impact is this could be another nail in the physical media coffin. Especially if HBO Max nails the video/audio quality.
I only watch disc. No physical media, no sale.
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At the current rate of sickness in the US right now, a vaccine may not be needed. We may be a herd immunity by spring.
That hasn't seemed to work in Sweden.
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I only watch disc. No physical media, no sale.
Same here
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I only watch disc. No physical media, no sale.
Yeah, I know. There are records now that apparently don't have a CD being made so the only option is digital. This is the future that's coming like it or not. I would like to rent 4K discs to watch movies I don't want to own but it's... not impossible, just very difficult. I'm checking Redbox which says they have 4K UHD available but so far not a single one is showing up available for me. Only other option is the mail rental services which don't seem great.
I think the better option is to advocate for improvements in audio on the streaming side.
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That hasn't seemed to work in Sweden.
Craig, I thought you'd find this statistic interesting. Look a the deaths per 100,000 people in Sweden compared to past years. I'm glad they shutdown the world in 2015 when the deaths were so high!
(https://i.imgur.com/gzoqHLc.jpg)
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Yeah, I know. There are records now that apparently don't have a CD being made so the only option is digital. This is the future that's coming like it or not. I would like to rent 4K discs to watch movies I don't want to own but it's... not impossible, just very difficult. I'm checking Redbox which says they have 4K UHD available but so far not a single one is showing up available for me. Only other option is the mail rental services which don't seem great.
I think the better option is to advocate for improvements in audio on the streaming side.
I don't have time to watch everything made anyway, but there are still plenty of great films coming on disc. I doubt that will change in my lifetime - I'll be dead in 20 - 25 years. If they stop releasing films on disc in 10 years, I'll still have a huge collection of personally curated films that would take 5 years to re-watch at 3 - 4 a week !
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Craig, I thought you'd find this statistic interesting. Look a the deaths per 100,000 people in Sweden compared to past years. I'm glad they shutdown the world in 2015 when the deaths were so high!
(https://i.imgur.com/gzoqHLc.jpg)
Not saying the US / CA / Newsom is doing it right by any means ( don't get me started ), but Sweden isn't doing great either -
Op-Ed: The Sweden Myth | MedPage Today (https://www.medpagetoday.com/infectiousdisease/covid19/89017)
Sweden Coronavirus: 278,912 Cases and 7,067 Deaths - Worldometer (worldometers.info)
(https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/sweden/)
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I don't have time to watch everything made anyway, but there are still plenty of great films coming on disc. I doubt that will change in my lifetime - I'll be dead in 20 - 25 years. If they stop releasing films on disc in 10 years, I'll still have a huge collection of personally curated films that would take 5 years to re-watch at 3 - 4 a week !
If I watched a movie every day it would take me 3 years to go through my collection. If I throw in TV shows, probably 4 years!
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Not saying the US / CA / Newsom is doing it right by any means ( don't get me started ), but Sweden isn't doing great either -
Op-Ed: The Sweden Myth | MedPage Today (https://www.medpagetoday.com/infectiousdisease/covid19/89017)
Sweden Coronavirus: 278,912 Cases and 7,067 Deaths - Worldometer (worldometers.info)
(https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/sweden/)
Craig,
Most of Sweden's deaths happened the first 45 days because they were about 10-14 days too late in locking down their old folks homes. Unlike other Scandinavian countries, they don't have small local assisted living facilities--they have very large regionalized ones that have very large populations. So when Covid got into those facilities early, it took care of the weak pretty fast in large numbers. Sweden's total deaths have been extremely low since early May.
Check out this article from September: https://www.ft.com/content/5cc92d45-fbdb-43b7-9c66-26501693a371?fbclid=IwAR1LVc2zEsfETlgf96XGO_2XbW2VLvvlg4HmWzy0X_pC-SGTjo9LkwEkudQ
You can't protect 100% of the population, but Sweden has done a much better job than other countries when you look at total deaths when taking into account they haven't trampled on people's freedom. Have they had a second wave? Yes, but when you compare it to other countries around the world there's has been very minor. In the end, it matters WHO gets sick, not HOW MANY. If 100,000 young healthy people catch it, you'll have very few deaths. If you have 100,000 sick and elderly people catch it, you'll have about 5,000 deaths (age 70+). Life is about risk in everything you do and frankly, I don't want the government making decisions for me. I have a brain for a reason. That doesn't mean I'm going to go hang out with hundreds of people this holiday season, but if I want to get together with family and close friends, it's my right to do so--I know the risks and am willing to take the chance of catching it because I know that if I do, my likelihood of dying from it is about .02% given my age and health status. For comparison, if I catch the flu I have a .01% chance of dying. So mathematically speaking, Covid-19 is twice as deadly as the flu, but in reality, the flu isn't very deadly to begin with so I'm not worried.
Check out the charts from Sweden and compare it to the US and other European countries: https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/sweden/