With the introduction of 4K Blu-ray, it might be time to reconsider streaming as the best option for music, TV, and movies.
The main benefits of streaming over physical media are convenience and cost. Why spend $10 on a CD when you can have a month of unlimited music for the same price? And why swap a Blu-ray disc when the next episode of your binge-watch starts automatically?
However, streaming services are becoming less convenient and more expensive. So, it might be time to consider owning your own media again.
Streaming Down the Drain
Video streaming services are declining. Amazon, Netflix, and others are raising prices, ending password sharing, and their apps are deteriorating.
Typically, when opening a video streaming app, you’re probably looking for the next episode in your series. Yet, finding it is often a struggle, with Apple TV, Prime Video, and others pushing new content to capture your attention.
Compare this to an app like Infuse, which offers your own video library, whether it’s streamed or local. The top row of Infuse’s home screen features a “next up” row, giving easy access to the next episodes of your series.
Then there’s the issue of finding content to watch or listen to. Have you ever had a song vanish from your Spotify or Apple Music playlist because of licensing issues? If you want to watch a classic movie or new TV show, where do you go? Are you prepared to subscribe to yet another streaming service just to see it?
The myth of convenience is starting to unravel. In theory, every movie, TV show, and song is accessible, but good luck finding it and keeping it once you do.
Ownership Gives You Control
The benefits of physical media are clear. Once purchased, no retailer will unexpectedly remove a movie, CD, or record from your collection. You own it indefinitely, and with music, making copies for your phone, computer, or home media server is simple.
Ripping 4K movies from Blu-ray is more complex, mainly due to storage needs, but why bother ripping movies you already own? It’s easy to grab one off the shelf and play it.
Blu-ray movies arranged on shelves.
sakchai vongsasiripat / Moment / Getty Images
Ownership extends beyond physical media. You can buy and download video and music, which is preferable to streaming since no internet is needed to watch or listen.
However, it’s not as future-proof as owning a disc. Music downloads are often DRM-free, but movies usually aren’t, and vendors could disable DRM servers anytime, leaving your collection unusable. It’s happened before.
Yet, giving up instant delivery for waiting on a Blu-ray or CD in the mail is challenging. It’s also possible the industry will consolidate, potentially reducing the need to subscribe to multiple platforms.
On the other hand, there was a time when physical media coexisted seamlessly with streaming. Radio and TV brought music and video into homes, and we purchased what we wanted to keep.
With TV streaming echoing cable and broadcast TV, filled with ads and incomplete catalogs, it seems we might be reverting to the old model, just via the internet. It might be time to consider buying some CD and DVD shelves.
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