• After 15+ years, we've made a big change: Android Forums is now Early Bird Club. Learn more here.

Digital or Physical?

Kahroo

Android Expert
Which do you get any why? Also if you get digital copies where do you get them from Amazon, Google, or somewhere else?
 
Almost always physical if possible. I want control and I am leaning towards ultra-high quality audio because the storage space is cheap these days.

Some things I can't easily convert. For example, wire recordings, old one-inch/1/2 inch tape and odd balls like large transcriptiion records and studio acetates. Some old RCA capacitive video disks recently came my way and I fear I'll never convert them.

I need more technology before I can think of digital versions.
 
Well, if you can find physical copies that aren't using digital media (e.g. VHS, LaserDisc), I suppose that would be a major issue. But it's been years since I've found anything but used videos using analog formats. Even longer since I've seen new players for sale.

When it comes to getting a disc vs. an online or DRM download, I like the idea of having someone else keeping my movies for me. I have so many optical disks of all kinds that it's a real pain to track down a movie when I need it.

I've had an Amazon Prime membership for ages, and like their system. I can stream any of my video content at will from anywhere, and I can also save a copy or two locally, for places where Internet streaming isn't practical. I've checked out the Ultraviolet thing, but can't say I have much faith in it. The last few purchases I've made have been disc-free, and so far it's working out fine.
 
Well, if you can find physical copies that aren't using digital media (e.g. VHS, LaserDisc), I suppose that would be a major issue. But it's been years since I've found anything but used videos using analog formats. Even longer since I've seen new players for sale.

When it comes to getting a disc vs. an online or DRM download, I like the idea of having someone else keeping my movies for me. I have so many optical disks of all kinds that it's a real pain to track down a movie when I need it.

I've had an Amazon Prime membership for ages, and like their system. I can stream any of my video content at will from anywhere, and I can also save a copy or two locally, for places where Internet streaming isn't practical. I've checked out the Ultraviolet thing, but can't say I have much faith in it. The last few purchases I've made have been disc-free, and so far it's working out fine.

When you are old and refuse to toss things away, you manage to collect stuff.

I have some things I will never be able to recover and convert. Like the tapes from a few old SCM recorders; the Dictophone stuff and other such crap. I still have my old paper tapes used to teach morse code. No need to digitize that stuff, but there they sit, awaiting my discovery of a proper machine.
 
Definitely have a physical copy over any DRM'd digital one.

And here's an example of why, I encountered this evening with DRM'd UltraViolet.

Physical DVD from the UK, it plays no problem here in China.
IMG_20140809_215633.jpg

But try and obtain the DRM'd UltraViolet version, and the voucher came with the DVD.
DRM sucks.jpg

Yes...Digital Restrictions Management sucks.
 
For movies, I still 100% prefer physical copies. I'm a bit of a pack rat, and like collecting things. Streaming video isn't always as convenient as it should be; and you're picture quality is dependent on connection speed. Watching it on the screen you want is getting easier, but is still kinda messy. The price is about the same for both, too. So, until there's more of a price incentive and it's more streamlined, I'll keep buying disks. Data caps could become a problem for people streaming lots of HD video, too.

I almost never buy TV series, which is ironic, because I watch TV episodes much more often than I do movies. I watch a lot of it on Netflix.

Other media differs a bit:

For Music I actually still prefer to buy physical, but have been buy digital because it's cheaper.

PC games are all digital now. I've bought a few digital games on sale on console, but still mostly physical there, too.

I like physical copies because they allow me more control, I have ownership over that copy, and there is more of a sense of permanence. There's a big difference between owning a copy, and owning a license.
 
I always get physical, if for no other reason than I'm nerdy enough to want to sit back and admire my collection.
 
Back
Top Bottom