By Kayla DeKraker
While streaming services basically dominate the entertainment market, many people still love the tried-and-true reliability of physical media.
Sam Boyd, creator of the show LOVE LIFE, a 2020 series that seemingly disappeared for years but recently returned to streaming, said he personally likes the consistency of DVDs.
“I used to get DVD box sets of shows that I loved that had only been on [for] a season or two,” he said in a discussion with Rolling Stone. “That was a formative thing for me. There was just something that felt fun and special. It made you feel like you saw something that was missed.”
Eighty-eight percent percent of adults ages 18-29 and 92% ages 30-49 watch streaming services. But Consumer Reports found that DVDs still have their place as nearly half of people they surveyed said they used DVDs or Blu-rays at home in the past year.
Part of the reason? The quality of physical media is better than streaming.
“…they have better picture and audio quality — requiring less video compression than streaming services, and supporting lossless audio formats that can match the studio masters,” James Wilcox, a Home & Tech editor at Consumer Reports, explained. “They also let you watch movies without an internet connection.”
Many consumers also aren’t ready to quit physical media because streamers can be unreliable, adding or taking away shows and movies without notice.
“I have a feeling that in the future, certain titles (for whatever reason) won’t be available,” a Reddit user said. “Whether lost to rights, the material is deemed to present some sort of issue, or just low interest. Streaming can just drop whatever they want, if they feel the need.”
They continued, “If you have niche tastes. I’d start collecting now. I think in time companies and services will start to regulate or forget certain films and series. If you want to remember a time past, start collecting! Edit- I don’t mean this in a strange doomsday prep sense 😂. I’m just saying I think a lot of good films and shows could be lost in the shuffle.”
One person responded, “There’s a big difference between preserving a library of titles that you have a real connection with and hoarding a bunch of stuff you’ll likely never watch.”
Another user added, “I’m big on physical media. If something I like is on a streaming service, I’m subscribed to I’ll hold off on buying it on disc but more often than not it’s only available for digital rental or purchase, if that. At that point I absolutely go for a physical copy.”
What do you think? Do you prefer the reliability of physical media or the accessibility of streaming?
Read Next: Is Physical Media Better Than Streaming?
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