Where to get movies now my local video store closed

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#1605301 6-Aug-2016 09:52

kendog: All the pros sound amazing.
But I still want the picture and sound quality you get on bluray.

Blu-Ray has sound quality going for it. Yes I agree. Picture advantage? Not so much anymore.

Do whatever you want to do man.

RunningMan

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#1605302 6-Aug-2016 09:53

happyfunball:[snip]

Its not complicated when it comes to renting movies. You choose your device, you choices are Microsoft, Amazon, Google or Apple. The device replaces your old disc player.

Except that your DVD player would play discs from any store, whereas most of the devices tie you into their ecosystem.

Then each ecosystem has it's pros and cons - different systems have agreements with different content providers, meaning each seems to have quite different catalogues and specialities. Particularly given that the NZ offerings seem to have far less in their catalogues than (say) USA, you really need to subscribe to more than one service and have more than one device to get a really good range of content.

Don't get me wrong, the DVD store of old is history and internet delivery methods have massive advantages, but I'm not yet convinced the content and ease of use for the average consumer in NZ (without resorting to whatever means to access other countries catalogues) is quite there yet.

networkn

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#1605303 6-Aug-2016 09:55

happyfunball:

The device comes with a remote control and you pick the movies you want. Any device will have more movies than the video store you used to use. No travel time to the video store, no late fees, no bad or missing discs, no waiting for the disc to come back because someone else has it out (remember that? :). Its simpler and faster, possibly cheaper too.

I'd dispute that the rental firms had less movies than for example MS has in their catalog available in NZ.

sen8or

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#1605392 6-Aug-2016 12:37

Even the mighty catalog of US Netflix has less titles than a moderate sized rental store. When we closed 2 years ago, we had approx 12-13000 different titles on DVD / Blu-ray and we were only a 140sqm shop, there are some that were more than double the size of ours and double the catalog too.

If "content is king" were true, DVD stores would be alive and kicking today, but, the "I want it now, my way and cheaply" generation has shown that sometimes, convenience and ease of use trumps content.

The key for digital platforms is the old adage "ETDBW" - are you Easy To Do Business With. If your app is available on the most platforms, is easy and fast to navigate around / search and you have "enough" content, you will most likely succeed. If the app is only available on a select few devices or requires additional steps (launch on device, cast to secondary device etc) then it will fall short of the mark for many.

sen8or

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#1605397 6-Aug-2016 12:47

I stopped in at an old competitors store yesterday and the manager was on. As one of the few surviving video stores around, you'd think that it would have been busy (Friday, 5pm, miserable / cold CHCH day). There were a few people in the store, but not crowds like there were 4-5 years ago under the same conditions (when the same area was serviced by 3 video stores).

He was asking "whats the appeal of netflix", which from a video store workers perspective, I can understand. The movies are "old" as 1/2 - 2/3s of DVD store rental income comes from the new release wall. But this is not Netflix's market, they supply the 2nd tier (or 3rd tier) titles that are mostly dated, good movies in their day but that day was 2012 - 2014 or older. Its the TV series where I think Netflix are strongest.

Although a DVD store makes a significant portion of income from the N/R wall, that covers the basics (rent, purchases, wages), the stores need the income from the catalog to cover additional costs (marketing, utilities,etc) and actually make a profit. If stores aren't renting from the middle of the shop on a regular basis, then the total income base erodes quickly, theres not as much money to invest in new release titles so they buy a few copies less or a few less titles, this reduces the new release income and so the spiral of death begins.

I had a quick look at fatso, I'm sure their catalog is comprehensive, but it just can't fulfill the "what do you feel like watching tonight" need, sure, you may have a few movies in your hands, but if its 2 action and a thriller and the Mrs wants to watch a comedy, your kind of buggered.

Rikkitic

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#1605448 6-Aug-2016 14:19

I think we still have functioning video stores in Hastings (haven't checked for awhile) and we definitely have the library. But I live on a farm 20 kms from town, I am retired, I don't go to town on a fixed schedule, and I often don't go at all for a week or more. All of this makes renting videos, with the fixed return date, untenable. Yes, there is always Fatso and I might consider that if I was desperate, but I am not.

The alternative is the many on-line sources, both unrestricted and geo-blocked. The trade-off is usually quality, especially sound quality, but this is only a real issue with special effect spectacles that have bullets zinging off all the walls. For many films it does not make that much of a difference. I am usually happy with 720p and stereo sound and I am grateful this option now exists for me.

Plesse igmore amd axxept applogies in adbance fir anu typos

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#1605488 6-Aug-2016 15:06

sen8or:

Even the mighty catalog of US Netflix has less titles than a moderate sized rental store. When we closed 2 years ago, we had approx 12-13000 different titles on DVD / Blu-ray and we were only a 140sqm shop, there are some that were more than double the size of ours and double the catalog too.

If you want movies then you shouldn't look at Netflix or Hulu. You have too look at iTunes, Amazon Instant Video - and the locally services Microsoft, Quickflix, Google Play, iTunes, etc.

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happyfunball

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#1605620 6-Aug-2016 19:26

Netflix is not for rentals, it's more competing with Tv.

For movie rentals you need to look at iTunes, Google, Amazon or Microsoft. iTunes is the oldest so it should have the best selection but I'm not sure about that.

The quality difference between iTunes and bluray is tiny. Here is a detailed comparison.

kendog

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#1605733 7-Aug-2016 08:49

happyfunball:The quality difference between iTunes and bluray is tiny. Here is a detailed comparison.

Tiny on a tiny screen and a sound bar maybe, and that will be fine for many people.
But on a big screen and surround sound system the difference is much more obvious.

happyfunball

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#1605753 7-Aug-2016 10:16

For 5.1 audio, I would argue the difference is placebo, like the difference between 20$ speaker cables and $200 cables, but we can agree to disagree! If you have a 7.1 setup then thats a different story.

For picture quality there is certainly a difference, but its pretty darn small on a 50" screen seen from the couch. :)

Dingbatt

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#1605774 7-Aug-2016 11:14

happyfunball:
For 5.1 audio, I would argue the difference is placebo, like the difference between 20$ speaker cables and $200 cables, but we can agree to disagree! If you have a 7.1 setup then thats a different story.

For picture quality there is certainly a difference, but its pretty darn small on a 50" screen seen from the couch. :)

On a 100" projector screen there is a small but noticeable difference in image quality. There is definitely a difference between DD5. 1 on iTunes and DTS-MA or DD-THD on bluray, even on my modest (imho) 5.1 HT setup.
However, the difference is small, and beggars can't be choosers, so for a movie I am only going to watch once, the ATV4 hooked up to my HT is good enough. If I want to watch multiple times, which is rare, then I have to buy the bluray.

“We’ve arranged a society based on science and technology, in which nobody understands anything about science technology. Carl Sagan 1996

ubernoob

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#1605965 7-Aug-2016 16:42

Karlosity: Are you close to one of the major Public Libraries?

I've found (in my local big central library at least) they have a great selection of Blu-ray & DVDs.

Plus one for the local library $2 per rental for 7 day hire (Manukau)

kendog

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#1606036 7-Aug-2016 19:27

happyfunball:
For 5.1 audio, I would argue the difference is placebo, like the difference between 20$ speaker cables and $200 cables, but we can agree to disagree! If you have a 7.1 setup then thats a different story.

For picture quality there is certainly a difference, but its pretty darn small on a 50" screen seen from the couch. :)

140 inch screen, 7.3.4 audio, dedicated blacked out room.
Some say I got a little carried away. I say I never need to go to a movie theatre again.
I am hopeful higher quality content will become available online, I want the convienence as well.

networkn

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#1606215 8-Aug-2016 09:53

Well I rented a movie from the MS App on my tablet, but was fairly annoyed the built in app doesn't support casting to my Android TV, nor my Google Chromecast (Yes I get that they are competing brands sort of). It seems short sighted for MS to not support this, given how widely it's deployed.

Blurtie

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#1606226 8-Aug-2016 10:03

networkn:

Well I rented a movie from the MS App on my tablet, but was fairly annoyed the built in app doesn't support casting to my Android TV, nor my Google Chromecast (Yes I get that they are competing brands sort of). It seems short sighted for MS to not support this, given how widely it's deployed.

I thought you were going to use your xbox one? Have you tried it on that? Or is it not usually hooked up?

You're still able to watch the movie again with 48 hours (or 14 days if you haven't watched it)...

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