Here’s a link to the Samsung story

[Link: anandtech.com]

You can get a Roku for $30, that's not the point. It isn't completely about the price, it is about the complexity of the system. Someone wanting a small basic setup, that needs to have a disc player, with just 1 remote to control everything (and not needing to spend a few hundred on that). Then a bluray player has been a 'good' traditional choice for this niche setup.

If someone does not need the disc player part, then of course a streaming box is going to be the correct way to go. Or if someone has a more complex setup and/or getting a universal remote, then adding a streaming box is a given also.

By the way, physical media is NOT dead!!! You guys really make me shake my head sometimes.
The best picture quality is still obtained by physical media. No if, and, or but about it. It is a niche product for those who seek the best. If you or someone else doesn't care about video or audio quality (and that is the majority of people), that is fine. Although I do find it odd for someone working in this industry. The rest of us have no trouble ordering a UHD disc of a movie we really like and setting back and enjoying.

Didn't say not to use a player if you want. I was trying to explain why a service might stop supporting a device.

Roku has direct commands to services. With a properly programmed remote, it doesn’t get any less complex than that. Also, the best sound quality still comes from physical media. But when’s the last time you sold a CD player? Customers don’t care about quality. They care about convenience. If a company the size of Samsung says no more disc players, that tells you something.

Being old, that's my job...LOL Sold one just a couple months ago.


Most never ared about quality, but conveniene was always demanded.


It tells me the Sammy doesn't want to make CD players. But I imagine others will continue as there is still a need.

Come on, you know if a major manufacturer has decided to stop selling BDP players in North America, others won’t be far to follow. If there was profit in it, they wouldn’t pull out. And note that they haven’t quit making disc players. They are still going to sell them in other regions. Just not sell them in America.

Anyone that thinks physical media isn’t dead, start asking your customers when was the last time they loaded a DVD or BD.

I would have to strongly disagree here. I enjoy good quality video, always have and always will . I refuse to watch any bootlegged movies ( as much as due to poor pic quality as ethical aspects ).
I have run side by side 4K HDR UHD discs with the
equivalent movies on Apple TV at 4K HDR , 24HZ 4:2:2 , Dolby Atmos sound track . Is there a minor difference on a large screen ? , sure there is. Is there that much of a difference that would make me wait for my favorite movies until they are available on a disc , hell no ! .
Last Saturday, my wife and I decided to watch something. To my surprise " Avengers endgame " was available to purchase immediately on Apple TV. That movie is not available for purchase on ANY physical media ( unitl August 13th ). We both enjoyed it, great movie with truly awesome pic and sound quality. Would it really make that much of a difference if we saw it in on a 4K UHD disc ? I doubt it .... ( I could not even imagine reaction of my wife if I told her that we have to wait two weeks ...... )
We live in a society of instant gratification, pic quality difference is not worth the wait, physical media IS dead .

Physical media is a burden, and no longer the choice of the general populace.

We (the industry) made it too hard for them: 4K, Blu-ray, HD DVD, 3D, Divx, VHS, Beta, HDR, HDR-10, Dolby Vision....., always having to make a choice and afraid of making the wrong one so they skip choosing all together.

Now the only choice is who to pay monthly, and like Coke and Pepsi, most have already picked, many because their family member brought it to the party.

(Crazy long list of video formats: [Link: obsoletemedia.org])

Doesn't matter that it's better, and there will be a few to keep it going, but the public has chosen streaming, there's no clutter, returns, lost discs, FBI warnings, unskippable commercials (HULUs the exception there).

And cable distribution, you're next. The populace has choices now, it's less about cost and more about ending your monopoly of poor support, gouging, no ability to pick what they pay for.

I still have clients with dedicated theaters that use Blu-Ray. These higher end Sony players(various models from the past 2 years) are excellent streamers as well. GUI is easy for the client to navigate(because they use it for discs) and sounds great.

I have had MORE service calls for Apple TV than ANY other source product combined. They just suck.
If the client is somewhat DIY or Apple savvy, then they are OK.
In a matrix setup, they are a pain in the a$$ by not even offering a digital audio out on the 4K model.

I would much rather sell them a high end Sony Blu-ray. They can play their old disc collection for the kids, and have an easy place to connect to NetFlix or Amazon Prime. No complaints, rare failures.

my nickle,

RR

How dare you say all that stuff. Now you'll be ostracized for sure....LOL

Bluray 4k is my go to. The only way I watch movies in my theater, period. But, some of us are not fortunate to have unlimited high speed internet! :)

AppleTV has its flaws, but I’ve found them to be mostly overcome with IP controllable power and the IR reboot code. While it’s not as much of a problem with Sony’s, I have found BDP seem to lock up and need rebooting just as often and ATV or Roku. But as for the user interface, I’ve never found the Sony interface to be easy or intuitive.

A lot of this depends on the age of the client.
Older clients tend to hold on to the technology they own.
I don't think I have sold a BR player for many years, but I have installed client owned players into systems.
I don't own one, have not used a disc (music or movie) in at least 10 years.
Ripped a dvd collection and set up Plex on a Roku a long, long time ago. And I don't think I have used Plex for at least 4 or 5 years.
I can rent or buy movies from Apple TV, I have Netflix, Amazon and Crave TV along with a few other TV apps. Local channels come through an antenna.
Sonos for music, and use Spotify, plus all the various Internet radio stations. Also have Sirius Radio.
A whole lot of entertainment comes into my house through that little cable.

We have a lot of ways to let clients get these services.
Personally I recommend Apple TV or Roku depending on the client.
Easy to use interface, and easy to control.

Client is far more likely to change TV's down the road, and will want what ever the best is available at the time. If they were using TV based apps, they might have to figure out a whole new GUI for streaming services (and the time to set them all up again)
Use Apple or Roku and the GUI continues to be the same regardless of what variety of brands of TV's might be in the house.

Upgrade the Apple or Roku and you will still operate with a GUI that is familiar, might be slight cosmetic changes but not dramatic (or at least not likely to change too much)

Are they going to upgrade the BR player?
Probably not, so eventually you have a device that will get used less for its main purpose (playing discs) because everything is moving towards streaming.
And if it does not fail, from what we are seeing, APP support goes away and your client is forced to replace it or add a streaming box of some sort anyway.

These boxes (Apple and Roku) are not expensive and are built to do what they do.
For me, it makes sense to offer them to my clients.