Downloading HD material the way to go.....Nope.

I seem to hear an awful lot lately about how streaming HD material is the way of the future, and how supposedly this will be the demise of Blu Ray. So anyway I decided to download Michael Clayton this weekend over xbox live. The video was 720p quality, and roughly a 4.5 Gb file. The download over a Shaw high-speed cable modem took forever.

I started the film late Saturday night, but something came up and I had to turn it off. Because I had already started the movie, I had to watch it within 24 hrs or re-pay for the film (thanks DRM). So, last night even though I didn't feel like watching a movie, I did so anyway just so i wouldn't lose my money. The audio was decent quality, but just your basic 5.1 DD. The video was good, but not as good as HD DVD or Blu Ray quality.

I have to say, I don't like the way of the future if it is downloading movies. The way I see it a lot needs to change before the public will accept it as the norm.

Right now I see the following problems:

1) too expensive - especially over xbox live in Canada
2) too slow - internet technology has to come a LONG way before download speeds are tolerable
3) Basic audio quality, sub-par video when compared to HD DVD / Blu Ray
4) No freedom to watch the movies whenever you want, nothing to collect (ie: discs)

Just my two cents, but I will be sticking with disc media for a LONG TIME to come, as will most other people IMHO.

[Post edited by Bosshog7 on Mar 3, 2008]

First issue with XBOX live is that 4.7G is standard DVD quality or worse.

Second Issue, try Telus/Bell ADSL service. Cable providers in Canada are not that reliable yet. A DSl circuit will give you continued speed, and faster downloads especially for bit torrents. 3.0 or 6.0 is the way to go. Telus/Bell are using ADSL 2+ technology now. You can even stream HDTV through phone now... A 2+ circuit is capable of handling 18Mbs.

Third HD NET has to make its way into Canada. Not going to happen for a while.

You can bet that if in anyway it is more cost effective to only have downloads for the home entertainment market, it will most likly be the way of the future -- in about 20 years. For now, no, downloading will only be an option. Hollywood is all about the dollars, so if it's cheaper, production wise, to only have downloading available then that is the direction they will shoot for in the long run. Just imagine how much they'll save by not having the expenses of plastic cases and shiny discs, not to mention all the marketing BS that goes with them.

I see a future of downstreaming rather than dreary old downloading. Imagine a cable channel with as big a library as Netflix. You pay a monthly fee, pick the movies you want (unlimited amount) and simply click play and begin to watch -- all downstreamed so you don't have to wait. Netflix kind of does this right now with a limited selection of films, however, don't think for a second that they're not opening a bigger door to a brighter future filled with rainbows and saltwater taffy.

poster above. your thinking the way of the future, to be.. what is available now. lol thats now exactly what they mean.

they mean a more mature way of downloading.

Quote:
they mean a more mature way of downloading.

So, then the way we download now is childish?

Tim is 100% right. The sad thing is that hollywood won't see the savings of providing downloads over hard discs and pass on some of the saving to the consumer. No, they'll want to charge exactly what they've been charging and keep the rest.

I download a lot of audio books from places like audible.com. When I purchase a title, it is in my online library forever. There are books there I bought 6 years ago still there waiting to be downloaded if I want.

No one will consider building a library of digital only titles until a) the quality and features are equal to that of a physical disk. b) always getable. c) and priced in a way that reflects the fact that there is no physical manufacturing.

Hey, if they do that, I think anybody would be in, why not? Less space taken up in your house.

I realy wasnt aware the way we download reflects our level of maturity. wow, i guess i just didnt see it coming.

i download the standard versions on xbox live take like 15 min. I cant a difference from hd vs standard using the xbox service, to me they look the same. Every movie ive downloaded from the live service has been good, in PQ and audio i have no complaints.

Maybe we are moving quickly towards media download.

The speed in which Toshiba dropped HD-DVD surprised everyone. They said they didn't believe there was sufficient life in High Def discs to proceed. Now this may be sour grapes but there is no denying everyone was surprised with the ease they turned away from the next gen market.

Since music download really took off I've noticed the cost of music CDs has fallen. Is the same around the corner for Film?

Maxell have now announced they will no longer produce CD, DVD, Blu-ray and HD DVD discs.

http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/maxell-to-no-longer-manufacture-discs-blow-customers-away/

I prefer to own a disc - however for it to be financially worth it with HD, compared to renting I'd need to watch the film five times to break even. Those films are few and far between.

[Post edited by Scotsman on Mar 4, 2008]

Quote:
Hey, if they do that, I think anybody would be in, why not? Less space taken up in your house.

Call me old fashion, but i would prefer to have the physical media over the digital library, i mean things can go wrong, if your hard drive crashes would you have a back up?...then having high quality movies would take a lot of space, let alone without all the special features, that would even mean more space...i think its still a long way before downloads catch on...