Is the CD/DVD player now obsolete?

[Alration]

I wonder how many realise that there are very many people, slightly older people, granted, that would not know how to listen to an album or watch a film without buying a CD/DVD? I'm one of those.

Is all the music and are all these films that you lot are watching obtained free from the internet somehow? Surely you have to pay for them, so what is the advantage over buying discs? If they are free what are the sites that allow you to download them? What happens when your computer that you've got all this stuff on packs up, go out and buy a DVD?

[SoiBiker]

I don't think this is really the place to discuss methods of violating copyright laws.

We weren't born knowing how to do this stuff either. We just googled it.

[giddyup]

I wonder how many realise that there are very many people, slightly older people, granted, that would not know how to listen to an album or watch a film without buying a CD/DVD? I'm one of those.

Is all the music and are all these films that you lot are watching obtained free from the internet somehow? Surely you have to pay for them, so what is the advantage over buying discs? If they are free what are the sites that allow you to download them? What happens when your computer that you've got all this stuff on packs up, go out and buy a DVD?

I don't know about you, but I don't need a DVD library containing 100's of discs, I tend to watch a movie once then move on to the next. If I really love a movie that much and would like to see it again, I just download it again. I used to have a CD collection with hundreds of discs, now I just put what I want on a flash drive, or download hundreds of songs onto a blank DVD in MP3 format.

[Lampang2]

Obsolete.

But I still have my S-VHS as I have a few tapes yet not transfered.

Once transfers it will go as well.

[SoiBiker]

I'd forgotten S-VHS even existed.

You actually have recordings in that format?

[giddyup]

I'd forgotten S-VHS even existed.

You actually have recordings in that format?

I started to transfer vinyl on to CD's once, but it was so time consuming I gave up on it. Found that at least 90% of what I had on vinyl I could download as MP3's,

[Lampang2]

I'd forgotten S-VHS even existed.

You actually have recordings in that format?

I do.

From an old vhs based camera.

Mini cassettes.

Will transfer them now as I have the time to.

Mini DV cassettes also.

[GAZZPA]

Innevitably with so many people downloading the CD will die along with DVD. The only thing to consider is this, for a FHD (Full HD 1080P) TV it would take an age to download (if you can find the movie) blu ray disc is a media that can hold up to 50gb of data on a dual layer (25G on a single layer) and give you FHD quality movies, whereas DVD holds just 4.7gb.

Which is why nobody downloads full-size bluray files. A decent codec these days can reduce a 1080p movie to 2 or 3 GB.

Plus if you use newsgroups and have a decent connection 50mb down and I get that speed, big files don't scare me at all. Harddisk space might be an issue but I got aroud 15tb inside my computer.

Fair enough but I think you still have to admit that things are not as simple as they used to be, Yes you can download movies using lossless compression but its still loses some quality. Also a lot of people dont know or care how to store huge amounts of data and of course make back ups in case of computer failure.

going to the shops and buying the disc (or ordering online) is simple, there was (and still is for now) a universal format and all you had to do was buy the player. now its different and much more complicated. Also as i said the content to support hi res formats is just not there..

[SoiBiker]

Innevitably with so many people downloading the CD will die along with DVD. The only thing to consider is this, for a FHD (Full HD 1080P) TV it would take an age to download (if you can find the movie) blu ray disc is a media that can hold up to 50gb of data on a dual layer (25G on a single layer) and give you FHD quality movies, whereas DVD holds just 4.7gb.

Which is why nobody downloads full-size bluray files. A decent codec these days can reduce a 1080p movie to 2 or 3 GB.

Plus if you use newsgroups and have a decent connection 50mb down and I get that speed, big files don't scare me at all. Harddisk space might be an issue but I got aroud 15tb inside my computer.

Fair enough but I think you still have to admit that things are not as simple as they used to be, Yes you can download movies using lossless compression but its still loses some quality. Also a lot of people dont know or care how to store huge amounts of data and of course make back ups in case of computer failure.

going to the shops and buying the disc (or ordering online) is simple, there was (and still is for now) a universal format and all you had to do was buy the player. now its different and much more complicated. Also as i said the content to support hi res formats is just not there..

Lossless compression doesn't lose quality - that's why it's called lossless. But that's not what we're talking about here.

It really isn't that complicated, and all the information you need is out there. There's plenty of 1080 content around, too.

If you choose to let technology pass you by, then fair enough. But you're the one putting up barriers that need not be there. If you already have a computer and an internet connection, there's little to stop you - whereas in the old days you'd need to drop a bunch of money on a player just to access your 'universal format'.

Edited November 1, 2015 by SoiBiker

[TheCruncher]

Innevitably with so many people downloading the CD will die along with DVD. The only thing to consider is this, for a FHD (Full HD 1080P) TV it would take an age to download (if you can find the movie) blu ray disc is a media that can hold up to 50gb of data on a dual layer (25G on a single layer) and give you FHD quality movies, whereas DVD holds just 4.7gb.

Which is why nobody downloads full-size bluray files. A decent codec these days can reduce a 1080p movie to 2 or 3 GB.

Plus if you use newsgroups and have a decent connection 50mb down and I get that speed, big files don't scare me at all. Harddisk space might be an issue but I got aroud 15tb inside my computer.

Fair enough but I think you still have to admit that things are not as simple as they used to be, Yes you can download movies using lossless compression but its still loses some quality. Also a lot of people dont know or care how to store huge amounts of data and of course make back ups in case of computer failure.

going to the shops and buying the disc (or ordering online) is simple, there was (and still is for now) a universal format and all you had to do was buy the player. now its different and much more complicated. Also as i said the content to support hi res formats is just not there..

I have a media server with 17 Tb of data, full hd movies- over 200K of songs-video clips- concerts etc, which just has become redundant since everything on that server and more is now available at the click of a remote with Kodi.

[lostinisaan]

"One day they will invent the personal computer without a CD Rom, or DVD Rom drive. Aeeh, did they really walk on the moon?

[mydee]

Yes it does seem to be very quiet on that front these days.although they do seem to be still selling cds and dvds here

Im not sure how many people are buying though

It is especially for classical cds, even three years ago department stores had huge collections and many were rare releases. Today the only classical cds that are on sale are compilations of three or four major composers, Mozart, Beethoven etc and these are thrown together with little thought as to context. so that a concerto is stuck next a mass and the a excerpt from an opera appears. MP3 dowloads really don't have the same magic as a cd.

The problem for enthuisiasts is that you can't import cds without getting stung for huge excise duties. Talk about protecting a non existent industry.(provision of cds)

[Bigfarang1948]

I haven't played anything from a shiny disk for many years now.

Feel free to call me cave man because I am blissfully unaware of any forms of movies or music that are not on my cd or dvd. Are you talking about subscriptions to services like Net Flix? I am serious when I ask. thanks

[giddyup]

I haven't played anything from a shiny disk for many years now.

Feel free to call me cave man because I am blissfully unaware of any forms of movies or music that are not on my cd or dvd. Are you talking about subscriptions to services like Net Flix? I am serious when I ask. thanks

There are free torrents available to download movies, music etc. I can't say more here, but a Google search will give you that info.

[SoiBiker]

I haven't played anything from a shiny disk for many years now.

Feel free to call me cave man because I am blissfully unaware of any forms of movies or music that are not on my cd or dvd. Are you talking about subscriptions to services like Net Flix? I am serious when I ask. thanks

Oh come on now. You have to be pulling my leg.

You've never even heard of iTunes? Spotify? Napster?

That last one was so long ago some people would have to ask their parents about it.

[ParadiseLost]

"One day they will invent the personal computer without a CD Rom, or DVD Rom drive. Aeeh, did they really walk on the moon?

In 1984, the first PC I worked on had no CD/DVD player as they did not exist... In fact it did not even have a hard drive - just two 5.25" floppies! People at work would stand behind me to gaze in wonderment at this incredible machine - albeit with cga graphics which today even toys beat hands down.

The moon is old hat - in my lifetime it went from a crazy dream to reality to having ISS and trips to Mars being the next giant leap...

Todays PC has more processing power than the entire Apollo space program used!

Smartphones exceed the NASA shuttle's computing capabilities - which unfortunately is mostly wasted on mindless morons...

Connection speed has also improved no end - when I connected to Maxnet (now 3BB) my line was 512k; it took hours to download one song. Today it takes just minutes for an entire album.

Showing my age...

[wileycoyote]

Because of the variety of films & talking books ,I will hold on to my DVD & CD

[GinBoy2]

I wonder how many realise that there are very many people, slightly older people, granted, that would not know how to listen to an album or watch a film without buying a CD/DVD? I'm one of those.

Is all the music and are all these films that you lot are watching obtained free from the internet somehow? Surely you have to pay for them, so what is the advantage over buying discs? If they are free what are the sites that allow you to download them? What happens when your computer that you've got all this stuff on packs up, go out and buy a DVD?

Don't assume when you hear, "I got it from the internet" that is necessarily means its being obtained for free, ie 'stolen'.

I haven't bought hard media, discs etc for years, but I stream TV, music & movies through legitimate services that I pay for, and any music or video I want to own, I buy it from the likes of Amazon or itunes.

I'm not passing judgement on people who do download torrents etc, but having working in the Tech industry all my life I have a good deal of respect for IP and the people that create the IP. Those actors, especially the bit part actors only manage to scrape a living through the residuals they get paid when you buy or stream legitimately.

OK thats my moralizing done for the day, LOL

[ParadiseLost]

I wonder how many realise that there are very many people, slightly older people, granted, that would not know how to listen to an album or watch a film without buying a CD/DVD? I'm one of those.

Is all the music and are all these films that you lot are watching obtained free from the internet somehow? Surely you have to pay for them, so what is the advantage over buying discs? If they are free what are the sites that allow you to download them? What happens when your computer that you've got all this stuff on packs up, go out and buy a DVD?

Don't assume when you hear, "I got it from the internet" that is necessarily means its being obtained for free, ie 'stolen'.

I haven't bought hard media, discs etc for years, but I stream TV, music & movies through legitimate services that I pay for, and any music or video I want to own, I buy it from the likes of Amazon or itunes.

I'm not passing judgement on people who do download torrents etc, but having working in the Tech industry all my life I have a good deal of respect for IP and the people that create the IP. Those actors, especially the bit part actors only manage to scrape a living through the residuals they get paid when you buy or stream legitimately.

OK thats my moralizing done for the day, LOL

You are most likely a gentleman and scholar, as they say.

Having also been in the industry my entire life I have a slightly different point of view. As with the music industry, the major studios grew into huge, all consuming behemoths that employ 100s and 1000s of middle management leaches and take 90% to 95% of the proceeds of each sale, no matter what format.

If you consider a CD only costs around 25c but is sold for 15 to 20 dollars you understand why they are trying so desperately to hold onto old tech and have spurned the chances to move into online retailing, as nobody is going to pay anything like they used to for vinyl, tape or CD.

Look at the effort they (RIAA, MPAA) put into tracking down uploaders; they know full well how powerful the internet is but refuse to embrace it. If everyone takes to downloading, the industry will have no choice but to conform.

A movie should cost you around 1-2 dollars, to have and watch whenever you like, and 90% of that should go to the artists. There is the potential to reach 100s of millions of customers, far exceeding potential CD or DVD market sales, so their incessant bleating about lost business is disgusting greed, nothing else.

Until something like that is possible, many more people will take to downloading illegally.

They will also get better at it...

[cyberfarang]

I have a VCR player/recorder and a DVD player, both in good working condition.

The last time I used the VCR player was 9 years ago and the DVD player 2 years ago. I had stacks of films on CDs and DVDs, films that I downloaded online and burned onto disks. But over time, although I stored the disks in a dark cool area they still deteriorated and were unreliable. Ended up giving most of them away to the junk woman. Nowadays I am able to watch many films online, Utube and others on my large computer flat screen monitor. In my house the VCR and DVD players have been made redundant.

Don`t know if these players are still used in schools, as I may consider donating them.

[connda]

It has it's uses still.