Best Buy to stop selling DVDS

[HI Bill]

For those with audiophile taste, currently, bandwidth limitations mean that not all movies are streamed in the highest possible (currently 4K) resolution, and most often, the audio quality isn't very good (not many Atmos tracks, and even those are most often compressed). Right now, users have two choices if they want the highest quality: Pay Kaleidascape ~$8K+ for a player and HDD, then $8 to rent a movie, or about $35 to download a movie. The only other real option is creating a PLEX server and NAS to store and host your own movie collection (the legality of this is somewhat of a gray area). So for me, I'll stick to 4K discs as long as they're available. There a few companies still renting BluRay and 4K discs.

Note that I spent a fortune to be able to have one of the best consumer-grade projectors, and watch on a 185-inch screen, and have a full Atmos sound system.

On a side note: The audio quality of most YouTube Music videos now drives me crazy, as they weren't miked/recorded or mixed properly to take advantage of top-tier audio systems.

 

[Car-Guy]

I like my CDs. And I borrow many from our library.

Fortunately I drive old cars. My 2006 and 2007 both load 5 cd's. Perfect!

I converted all of the songs from our CD's to a usb memory stick some years ago. 1000's of songs on a stick the size of my little finger. No more fumbling with CD's, loading CD's, scratching CD's, etc. Only way to go, IMO.

 

[Koolau]

There should also be a huge and growing secondary market for used discs.

I have never streamed. I buy used DVDs. I must have over 1000 (and some I'll never watch before I croak.) I buy from resale shops (from Goodwill to the independent shops set up by individual charities or churches.) The most I'll pay is $3 if it's something I've been looking for. Otherwise, I buy at stores that sell for $1 or perhaps as high as $2.



Perhaps one in fifty discs has "issues" (from skips or freezes to completely unplayable.) All are returnable, but not worth my effort. YMMV

 

[jimbee]

I converted all of the songs from our CD's to a usb memory stick some years ago. 1000's of songs on a stick the size of my little finger. No more fumbling with CD's, loading CD's, scratching CD's, etc. Only way to go, IMO.

Yup, that's what I do. Works great!

 

[Music Lover]

I converted all of the songs from our CD's to a usb memory stick some years ago. 1000's of songs on a stick the size of my little finger. No more fumbling with CD's, loading CD's, scratching CD's, etc. Only way to go, IMO.

Songs on USB are great for our vehicles and mp3s are great on my phone through a Bluetooth speaker.

But we still play CDs on our stereo system at home and at the cabin.

 

[Music Lover]

I have never streamed. I buy used DVDs. I must have over 1000 (and some I'll never watch before I croak.) I buy from resale shops (from Goodwill to the independent shops set up by individual charities or churches.) The most I'll pay is $3 if it's something I've been looking for. Otherwise, I buy at stores that sell for $1 or perhaps as high as $2.



Perhaps one in fifty discs has "issues" (from skips or freezes to completely unplayable.) All are returnable, but not worth my effort. YMMV

I've been buying used DVDs as well, similar prices. If it's a movie that we didn't like or will only watch once we just give it away when we're done with it.

 

[COcheesehead]

I am finding based on this thread that some folks like to watch things multiple times. So having a permanent collection makes sense. The number of movies I have watched more than once likely could be counted on one hand. I am the same way with books. I have a number of tubs in the storage room filled with books. I should probably donate those some day.
My go to media these days is YouTube. I love to watch videos with stories about lost towns, forgotten military sites, lost planes, things with a mystery to them, but true. We also love to dial up videos on a town or region we plan to visit and get tips on what to see and do. It’s like traveling while sitting on the couch. Then there are the travel vloggers. Our favorite is Nate and Kara. They visited 100 countries and now are vanning their way across the west.

 

[Time2]

I visited a church yard sale yesterday, there were 5 DVD players for sale.
Just saying, they might become as popular as VCRs.

 

[Kork13]

My current problem is that I don't even have the means to play a DVD -- disk drives are rapidly phasing out from laptops, and I don't think I've ever actually owned a DVD player (previously just played them from a desktop computer connected to the TV). I'm mostly just fine with streaming movies & such, but for some reason the first LOTR (Fellowship) isn't available on any of our streaming services, though #2 and #3 are. So when I was recently hit with the desire to watch them again, I realized that the library's DVD copy can't help me until I locate a DVD player....

 

[Mark1]

I rarely watch a DVD on the entertainment center (maybe Pink Floyd Pulse every few years). However, DW and I usually watch a DVD every day of the week as part of our exercise routine (every day of the week has a different DVD, with some being homemade DVDs for various VHS splices). In fact, we are so committed to our routine that we have back up DVDs and I recently purchased a backup DVD players from Walmart (in case your wondering-no I didn't respond to the request for a review).

 

[5Miler]

The only other real option is creating a PLEX server and NAS to store and host your own movie collection (the legality of this is somewhat of a gray area). So for me, I'll stick to 4K discs as long as they're available. There a few companies still renting BluRay and 4K discs.

I have been running a Plex Server for about 8 years and have quite an extensive library of movies, TV show series and music videos I have collected over the years. I digitized DGF's large DVD library she had which saves a lot of space in her TV room and makes them all as easy to access as tuning in to Netflix or any other streaming service. We have a 5.1 sound system in the family room and an Atmos system in my basement office where I waste most of my time.

We will buy an occasional DVD if it's something special but a large part of our library was captured via my Windows Media Center system up until I cancelled cable TV almost two years ago. Now I do the Media Center captures from over the air TV which is actually higher quality than from cable and still in 5.1 sound format. I hate it when a video is only in stereo these days. I have been known to use the Playon service as a media source but unfortunately, the desktop version is only 2.0 stereo and I'm too cheap to pay up for the cloud version.

 

[COcheesehead]

Best Buy sells DVD players for as little as $45.

 

[ERD50]

Have not read every post, but for those with DVDs and worried about not having a player available in the future- remember that you can get an external USB DVD reader for your computer, and use a program to 'rip' the content to a file. That file will play in a generic computer video player, and on many TVs.

I have not done this in a while, but "Handbrake" was the program that seemed to be used a lot.

-ERD50

 

[Music Lover]

Best Buy sells DVD players for as little as $45.

I bought a cheap DVD player for $35 probably 30 years ago (it still works) mainly because I read that the cheaper ones are less finicky and will play almost any DVD while the more expensive ones "struggle" with burned DVDs.

 

[COcheesehead]

How to copy a DVD
https://www.wikihow.com/Copy-a-DVD-...DVD movie, also,player or external disc drive.

 

[ERD50]

How to copy a DVD
https://www.wikihow.com/Copy-a-DVD-...DVD movie, also,player or external disc drive.

Two problems with that guide:

1) It just shows how to copy to a another DVD, so it doesn't get away from the need for a physical hardware DVD player. You are back to square one, with a backup copy.

2) It assumes you need Windows or Apple. Handbrake runs on Linux as well.

So here's similar link, Linux-centric, but similar process for Win/Mac. Skip the install and scroll down for how to create a file (typically mp4) that can be played on most video players on computers, and many 'smart TVs'.

https://www.maketecheasier.com/install-handbrake-linux-rip-dvd/

As noted, for all platforms, you need to load the third party add-ons to copy protected DVDs. While technically illegal, I'm just not going to let that bother me for making a backup copy or to copy to different media for my own use. You do as you see fit.

-ERD50

 

[Music Lover]

Here is another problem...


I am watching 'My Cousin Vinny" on cable (recorded) and they blank out all swear words... messes it up a bit...


I have seen some, again on cable, where they blur out the nude scenes for some reason... heck, it is on cable...

It's not just the editing of swear words and blurring nudity, they will often delete politically incorrect scenes as well as removing a portion of the movie so that it becomes a convenient length. For example, a 2:06 length movie could be shortened by 6 minutes so that it will fit into a 3 hour slot (20 minutes of commercials per hour).

 

[COcheesehead]

problems with that guide:

1) It just shows how to copy to a another DVD, so it doesn't get away from the need for a physical hardware DVD player. You are back to square one, with a backup copy.


-ERD50

Once the file is on your computer, you do not have to burn it to another disk. I thought most readers would figure that out. The important part is the transfer instructions.

 

[Music Lover]

Two problems with that guide:

1) It just shows how to copy to a another DVD, so it doesn't get away from the need for a physical hardware DVD player. You are back to square one, with a backup copy.

Many of today's TV's allow you to play content directly from a USB, no DVD player required.

 

[COcheesehead]

You can also mirror from some devices as well. So no need to transfer the file at all just play it on a TV directly from your computer, phone, etc.

 

[ERD50]

Once the file is on your computer, you do not have to burn it to another disk. I thought most readers would figure that out. The important part is the transfer instructions.

Sure, but I would say that most readers who didn't already know how to rip a DVD, also wouldn't have caught on to the fact that the intermediate file used in that example was playable as is - the instructions skip over any mention of that and go right to burning a DVD with it.

-ERD50

 

[COcheesehead]

Sure, but I would say that most readers who didn't already know how to rip a DVD, also wouldn't have caught on to the fact that the intermediate file used in that example was playable as is -

-ERD50

You already stated as such in post 63 that the file will play on most players or TV. So our very astute user base should get more credit from you for their comprehension.

 

[explanade]

Just curious what isn’t available digitally?

There are some, you look for something and find that it's not on any streaming service at the moment.

Because the media companies which own rights and cutting deals all the time, so shows go off one service and is only available on another or not on any service at certain times.

In the past year or two, some services like Max have removed some shows entirely, so that they can license it to another.

One example was an HBO show called The Nevers, where they aired like the first 6 episodes and was suppose to have another 4-6 some months later.

Well Warner Brothers Discovery decided to cut a lot of shows. So this show appeared on some other ad-supported streaming service but instead of on demand, they were only available at specific times.

I don't know if that's changed.

 

[COcheesehead]

There are some, you look for something and find that it's not on any streaming service at the moment.

Because the media companies which own rights and cutting deals all the time, so shows go off one service and is only available on another or not on any service at certain times.

In the past year or two, some services like Max have removed some shows entirely, so that they can license it to another.

One example was an HBO show called The Nevers, where they aired like the first 6 episodes and was suppose to have another 4-6 some months later.

Well Warner Brothers Discovery decided to cut a lot of shows. So this show appeared on some other ad-supported streaming service but instead of on demand, they were only available at specific times.

I don't know if that's changed.

I used to be a big fan of Northern Exposure. I have yet to find that streaming, but I would bet it would be a success if they did.

 

[Qs Laptop]

Isn't Northern Exposure another show that had music rights issues? I seem to remember it had contemporary songs as part of the soundtrack. Maybe that's why it's not available for streaming?