The End of Blu-ray Players.... is it time to panic?

[@ElliotCoen]

Thanks for watching - do you think this is a big deal or a non-issue?

[@3dwag]

I agree with your comments, and furthermore (as others have stated below) the worst issue I see going forward is that the consumer market for 4K &c players will become more niche, which means fewer manufacturers and models plus more expensive. Professional optical drives will still continue to be a thing for much longer moving forward, so this type of technology I don't see just completely dying out, just with a few bumps and additional expenses down the road.

[@hectoraguilar397]

Yes. When you lose at chess, it's not always a one hit KO. You lose piece by piece. Some think no big deal right now. But where are the wins? And I mean wins for the buyers. Boutique and mainstream prices are almost the same, and going up! Forget second hand market for new releases online, you might as pay for a new one. At least you get a digital copy. Point is, if you are complacent with taking L's you'll get 'em.

[@DVDfeverGames]

When KZbin recommended this video to me, it had "4K views" 😲

[@AndrewBuckleBookReviews]

Yes, a non issue. If it had been Panasonic or Sony, would be a different story

[@fellowcitizen]

Just thought I'd point out that Samsung also got out of Digital Cameras early, and that Panasonic stuck through and innovated/expanded, even as they fell from first-place in mirrourless to far down the chain.

[@Joe-ey7cu]

Only a fool would give up their library to a cloud. No advertising on Blu Ray or DVD, no extra charges for removing ads. A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.

[@war13death]

I still use VHS as well as dvd & blu-ray.

[@IThinkYouLookLarvely]

Most people I know sold all of their discs saying "I can watch them anytime on streaming services!" It's alike to moving to rented accommodation after owning your own home.

[@LRon-ef7ni]

Plus you get the best consistent quality in terms of audio and visuals. No buffering.

[@folksurvival]

Some DVDs do have advertising.

[@Joe-ey7cu]

@folksurvival previews are not sales ads. Name DVDs that have ads like the ones on streaming? I think you're being objective just to be heard.

[@q8ymhd]

I still purchase hard copies of Blu-rays, music CDs, and vinyl records.

[@gabithemagyar]

me too :-)

[@dungareesareforfools]

Only fools rent everything.

[@adammoss5284]

I like a media collection too. I like to watch my classic movies and performances more than once.

[@SpaceCattttt]

LG is probably the last brand I would've chosen, anyway. Now, if Sony and Panasonic pull out, THEN I'll be scared.

[@gloomyvale3671]

But a lot of Sony and Panasonic products have many LG and Samsung parts in them as do 🍏.

[@StevieZala]

Have to agree with you 😊

[@Videomaster89]

@@bananasayswhat LG means life's good, their washing machines are very good, they were also known for good TV's a few years ago, not sure about now, had no issues with a LG Blu-Ray player I bought a few years ago. Many don't see Blu-Ray- DVD difference DVD sales have bottomed out it's been said with sales now stable.

[@snowymatrix]

Exactly! The amount of grifters on KZbin that have made videos like this the past week or two since the news broke is getting boring! 🎅

[@davidewhite69]

at least most models of the LG players were able to be region unlocked, unlike any Sony. Yes region locking is still a thing with Sony

[@simonatterbury]

Physical media is more important than ever. Recently watched The Spy Who Loved Me on Amazon Prime and the Lawrence Of Arabia theme that plays at one point was replaced by a stock track ruining the gag. So want to keep Blu-Rays / DVD's that still have the original versions of movies and obviously need something to play them on.

[@Kalvinjj]

Also the fact you were able at all to watch what you want is already "good", when they just decide to pull the plug and you can't have what you want because they don't want you to, what you gonna do? There's only 2 options and one of them is having it on your hands in a BD, the other one the company will try so dang hard to make you feel like a criminal about doing it, as if they actually gave an option against it.

[@Matt-jc2ml]

​@@Kalvinjj pirate everything. And don't feel bad about it

[@dungareesareforfools]

Exactly this - and ask any Star Wars fan why!

[@arunphillips6977]

Blu Ray's are NOT dead, and physical media will never go away. Streaming, downloads etc on the other hand can be taken away at any time...! And LG (Lucky Goldstar) is the last company I would ever buy a Blu Ray player from.

[@archieroylance7673]

LG and Samsung, both Korean companies, have no customer reach for physical home media in their home country. Sony and Panasonic, both Japanese companies absolutely do.

[@user-kc1tf7zm3b]

Sony and Panasonic cannot keep producing obsolete BD players exclusively for the domestic Japanese market. This is not sustainable. Global market forces and trends will always prevail. Even in Japan.

[@Kalvinjj]

@@user-kc1tf7zm3b Never heard of products released exclusively in one country have you? The Japanese have been doing this with their own phones for some 20 years before smartphones became ubiquitous, let alone car market. There's nothing special about producing like one million a year of a device tailored to one country and perhaps sell it elsewhere if others want to buy it too. They don't need to develop new technology for it, just keep manufacturing. Besides the heck you're talking about obsolete? Don't compare with streaming cause no that's nowhere near the same thing and bitrates are abysmal in comparison too. There's no physical media competitor and streaming isn't the "take this and you'll be happy" solution.

[@user-kc1tf7zm3b]

@@Kalvinjj And yet, in the face of modern smartphones, Japan eventually certainly did do away with their domestic feature phones due to rank obsolescence! Same with the Sony MiniDisc, which was only truly popular in Japan. Dude, for most consumers, Blu-ray physical media discs are most certainly obsolete. This explains why most consumers do not bother buying discs, be it BD, DVD or CD, as this is no longer relevant in modern society. Samsung discontinued BD player production way back in 2019. Now that LG has left the BD space in 2024, it appears that only Sony and Panasonic are the remaining vendors. You need to realise that _your_ BD media hobby and enthusiasm is just not shared by wider society. For most consumers, streaming is certainly good enough, is far cheaper and more convenient than discs. Even the channel host concedes that BD media is just not forever. It will come to an end eventually. Business is business.

[@Kalvinjj]

@@user-kc1tf7zm3b It's got nothing to do with my hobby or whatever it is. If there's enough of that hobby to keep producing something, they will. Simple as that. Your argument about them moving on to smartphones proves nothing. They didn't even stop manufacturing their own style of phones afterwards, and did keep producing them for the wider (in Japan only) mass market for those ~20 years. If Japan is enough of a market, they'll keep pleasing that market. Simple as that, they CAN keep producing a product for Japan only, as they've done for several decades. If the Japanese stop buying enough to justify, they'll stop making. _Most_ consumers changing habits doesn't make it obsolete either. For the ones that don't want to, it still stays as the best option. If those are enough, again, they'll keep making the players. Just as you said, business is business, if it takes low enough effort and investment, to bring enough returns, they'll keep being made. Just think of how little people have certain specific tools, and they keep making them. Same with cars.

[@seedinho]

New CDs are still sold in Japan…

[@stevedowns1001]

I think the boutique labels will get together and produce a player if all major companies decide to stop production.

[@ElliotCoen]

I'd put my name on it like a George Foreman grill.

[@nicholasthill7151]

If so, you'll have to take out a second mortgage to buy it.

[@gloomyvale3671]

@@nicholasthill7151 no your forgetting the first rule of business sell a player cheap and the disks will sell, it’s not the equipment that makes the money it’s the product for the said equipment that’s the money maker. As Bill Gates said to himself as he outplayed IBM.

[@Seripmac]

Like the Avengers lmao

[@scooterboi8761]

Perhaps FiiO or KLIM?

[@msd5808]

That's it, I'm starting my own Blu-ray player factory

[@SmallSpoonBrigade]

TBH, I'd be more concerned about the discs being discontinued because bluray optical drives for computers are likely with us for the long haul as there aren't viable alternatives in that price range that can hold so much data. Some of the drives can put over 100gb on a single disc.

[@msd5808]

@@SmallSpoonBrigade Can the PC drives be converted to play UHD BD movies on TVs? (i mean in like a stand-alone enclosure, small box, not just hooking the PC up to the TV)

[@mrnmrn1]

​@@msd5808 It is definitely possible. A lot of stanalone DVD recorders have PC drives in them. It might be doable with a Raspberry or Orange Pi which has SATA, although 4K might be too much for them to handle, so you might need a custom board with some beefier CPU, or a micro ITX mobo. But be aware that Intel CPUs no longer support BD playback, and AMDs never did, so you need an older Intel CPU. It was about 3 years ago when Intel removed the support, although there might be a software/GPU workaround for it, I don't know.

[@iloveblue7920]

Good lick with that, where are you gonna get all the parts from ? Would the factory be in America or Europe ?

[@msd5808]

@@iloveblue7920 oh, the Ukraine!

[@Tomhyde098]

4:04 I started collecting physical media in 2020 and I think of it as the golden age. Everyone was donating movies, but more importantly, their Blu-ray players. At my local thrift store they had dozens of players and they were practically giving them away. I wanted to experiment with different players to see which one I liked the best and at $2 a player I couldn’t resist. So for about two years I’d get a different player every paycheck and see what the quality and features were like. I’d put them in a box under my bed whenever I switched them out. I finally have a great setup of an LG and Sony for TV show Blu-rays and I saved up money and got a UB820. Underneath my bed, I just counted the other day, I have 21 Blu-ray players from almost every brand that made a player. I was just about to donate them when all of this news and paranoia set in and…I’m going to hold onto them all. Maybe one day 20 years from now I might be sitting on a goldmine and I’ll have plenty of backups in case one breaks.

[@VampireJack10]

2 dollars for a bluray player? Wow.

[@Tomhyde098]

@ yeah, they bumped up the price to $5 in 2023 and I stopped getting them. They’re all gone now too, a lot of people must have realized it’s a good idea to get one. I remember at one point in 2020 there was an entire bookshelf filled with Sony Blu-ray players. I live in the middle of Kansas too so it was pretty weird

[@horrorfreaklondon3037]

Exactly I get regular hits of blu rays at my local thrift for a pound each!

[@axelfiedel3793]

Ironically enough when I turned 14 back in 2018 I bought a Blu-ray player and a Blu-ray movie and have collected movies since then. I can safely say that from 2018 or somewhere around until 2022 were truly dark times for the Blu-ray. Lately I've been seeing some videos on the importance of physical media I feel like I was there at the worst time of the format and honestly I'm gonna be there for the best time.

[@stevebc957]

Might want to pull the players from under your bed once a year and play a movie in them (don't need to hook them up to a TV, just hit play) just so the moving parts can warm up the lubrication and redistribute it slightly.

[@IainDavies-z2l]

That's why I've bought a stock of Blu ray recorders and players so I'll always be able to watch my vast collection of DVDs and Blu rays.

[@Joe-ey7cu]

I'm with you friend. Freedom of choice on what to watch, not what they give you.

[@gphilipc2031]

AKA: dust collecting clutter.

[@dungareesareforfools]

Plus, you know that whatever outrageous political biases become the norm in future, no one is going to censor your collection.

[@adammoss5284]

@@dungareesareforfools With parts of films already blurred out or cut slightly differently when viewed online that is definitely a thing.

[@dungareesareforfools]

@adammoss5284 100%. Another example - 70s TV shows and movies where certain humour is now deemed (by censors at least) offensive. Who would have thought back then, that people would be _more_ sensitive in 50 years' time?

[@redpillnibbler4423]

I’ll continue buying blue ray and DVDs.

[@RedPyramid-lf4sb]

Same here. At least we can own actual, real, physical media.

[@ApolloT-vp5dn]

I don't think we have to worry, LG were such a minor player in the market. Sony and Panasonic have dominated this section of the market. Honestly, I'm sick of the people dooming and glooming.

[@ElliotCoen]

Yep LG were never as big - I think they probably caught a lot of people buying an LG TV that wanted a matching LG brand disc player.

[@AchtungEnglander]

Click bait is the game, just ignore it.

[@ApolloT-vp5dn]

@@AchtungEnglander It's whether it affects people who would otherwise support physical formats. That's my main concern.

[@LaurenGlenn]

But LG made PC drives. Maybe they do still and sell them under different names or something. I had a few LG drives and its ability to read really scratched up discs was pretty impressive.

[@ApolloT-vp5dn]

@LaurenGlenn Pioneer and Asus still big in that area for 4K drives on PC.

[@CaesarDarias]

In addition to watching in higher quality on Blu-ray/4k and uncut (hopefully, in the original aspect) I love the extras/bonus content including commentaries.

[@ssi-ruuk9396]

Considering stores like HMV have had increased Blu-Ray and DVD sales In the last few years I wouldn't be surprised if Blu-ray players just became something Smaller Manufacturers made. Truth be told it would probably be better in the long run if Blu-ray Players became a more niche thing made by smaller companies because hopefully things like modding them and customer support would be easier and better.

[@ElliotCoen]

I'd definitely welcome that! Let's get rid of region locking players while we're at it!

[@CraigSteelyard]

So many amazing blu rays and dvds locked to regions A and 1. We need region free players now

[@soshiderek]

Definitely need more HMV and Barnes & Noble stores!

[@doublejumpvideogames....]

HMV is trash

[@AndrewBuckleBookReviews]

@@ElliotCoen that would be a big thing for me as well

[@RayEvans-j1q]

During the pandemic, my wife and I purchased a lot of vintage tv series to watch during lockdown! It became a sizeable investment so, we also purchased an extra Sony blu-ray! Streaming services are too restrictive! You are at the mercy of what they carry! Vintage tv seems to be anything from 90’s forward!

[@Support_Ad_Blocker]

Plus with streaming you own nothing. "Vintage?" *Perry Mason* rocks!

[@jrobertdeans]

LG has been pulling themselves out of small electronics manufacture over the past 6 years, so this was no surprise. As long as people either collect or convert physical media into their own home streaming, some company will be savvy enough to make players.

[@Windstorm7x7-wl8ko]

Well if you table the argument that content after 2020 is by far crap, you bump up into the whole digital rights issue and copy protection. We know how that game goes, we've seen it before.

[@ChuckLovelace]

LG still makes their popular computer optical drives this announcement does not include them.

[@SmallSpoonBrigade]

It's also worth nothing that blurary drives will remain in computers for quite a while as it's used for software and other things. So, whatever goobins are required to make a player will be there at least that long. The bigger issue is how much longer the discs are going to be made for as the media companies really want people to pay a subscription for access to the movies rather than being allowed to make a one time purchase.

[@ChuckLovelace]

@@SmallSpoonBrigade​​⁠If the media companies only want you to subscribe then why are the studios licensing out their films and tv shows to boutique labels to then sell us a physical copy of said content? Lionsgate announced last week it is opening an online physical media store. Additionally, Disney signed an agreement recently to have Sony release their catalog on physical media. The studios actions go against what you are suggesting. Studios will monetize in any format that they can. Also consumer choice is good.

[@Embargoman]

Just to say you can't count out on Funai yet and they are making BluRay players, as Funai made the last VCR I am sure Funai will be the ones making the last BluRay player.

[@CA999]

Good summary. My first time watching a video of yours thanks to a KZbin suggestion. I have been collecting DVD and Blu rays for over 25 years. I love the picture quality, special features and director's commentary. Streaming media won't offer that. My kids will probably inherit a considerable collection in the distant future.... 😊

[@ericgeneric135]

I teach a film course and the "updated" classroom technology now doesn't allow me to play a disc. Therefore, I had to stop showing a couple of films because they have no streaming availability (at least here in the US). I used to always show Bigger Than Life, for example, but I had to replace it.

[@AceSimGaming]

Could you not just rip your disc copy to a USB?

[@ericgeneric135]

​@@AceSimGaming I'll look into that! I've never done that before but that might be an option. Thanks for the suggestion!

[@jublywubly]

How can it be a "film" course, if there's no film, tapes or discs?

[@systemmonitor5295]

There aren't any HDMI ports for the projectors? Seriously?

[@thebasketballhistorian3291]

​@@jublywubly I think a "film" course only studies the movies that were shot on film or digital film whereas a "filming" course is about the actual use of physical film and media. I think there is no advantage to learning about a film watching it on physical media. If anything, a high-quality video file would be best for students to analyze due to VLC and other player's robust time controls.

[@TheHuntleyHaverstock]

Everytime I go to Goodwill and see a blu ray player with the remote, I always pick it up. I've never paid more than $12 for a player...

[@AndrewBuckleBookReviews]

I have a few, I think I will be doing much the same with any bluray player. Yet to see a 4K player in a secondhand store though but 99% of my physical media is bluray

[@888bangthory]

I’m already pissed that the major brands have seemingly stopped making portable dvd players, my old Panasonic one still works but it’s held together with gaffa tape

[@dlarge6502]

Well buy a Blu-ray player. There is little reason for dvd players to be made by the main names when they use drives that have a CD laser and a dvd laser alongside the Blu-ray laser.

[@mikelreborn3254]

I use my Blu-ray player to play my DVD collection. Right now I have about seven hundred DVDs. They're so cheap I'm trying to make more room.

[@mikelreborn3254]

I've been a PC gamer for thirty-five years, and PC went discless about ten years ago... and consoles are just now catching up.

[@moomin7461]

Sony still make a DVD player.

[@RPKGameVids]

I use my DVD player to play DVD's so it'll save wear and tear on my Blu Ray player.

[@NoirFan84]

You can still get VHS players easily & cheaply if you want one, that should tell you everything that BluRay/4k players will always be a thing if you want to personally kept it a thing.

[@ElliotCoen]

That's true, but no company is producing new VHS players unless I'm just unaware?

[@Windstorm7x7-wl8ko]

You're not unaware Funai was the last manufacturer and stopped in 2016. Are their player any good? It seems logical that if you wanted to keep one going that parts will still be available the longest from the last manufacturer but that may not hold either.

[@baronhausenpheffer]

Have you actually tried? It seems bonkers for an item that was once in every household, but VHS players are actually not that easy to get ahold of now in working condition.

[@EliteSpectre]

@@ElliotCoen some smaller companies might still make VHS but i can't fully confirm. VHS' are not as much in the same Niche Renissance that DVDs and BLU-RAY Discs are experiencing.

[@jamesfoster6244]

The last time I have seen a VHS player for sale, it didn't have stereo.

[@michaelwebster8666]

Good advice, i've been thinking for a while now to get a back up b-ray player, my main one is an LG, had it for 8 years and still going! Merry Christmas! 🎅📀

[@CustardCream22]

I’ve had my LG player for years too. I don’t understand the hate.

[@GR8FLMD3AD]

It’s not inflation if there are record profits; it’s corporate price-gouging.

[@994pt4]

💯... this guy gets it

[@mikeg2491]

If my costs go up 10% and I price my items up 10% & sale the same amount of goods technically it will be a record year. This is why every U.S. tax year is also a “new record” in tax receipts because they keep printing more money!

[@994pt4]

@@mikeg2491 yeah, it's like the 'record debt levels' every year. There are more people and more dollars printed every year so that makes sense. This is why I always like to see absolute numbers 'normalized' somehow when reported.

[@BarbaraPape-y4g]

History repeats it'self and Bluy-Ray is just another victim of what some call progress. But sometimes it is a step backwards. If you want to watch a film when you want to and in the best possible quality then only 4K Blu-Ray will give you that, but sadly most consumers don't appreciate the best so they buy on price and end up been conned by the streaming companies. Blu-ray discs and players are still available as are DVD's, you can still buy new sealed Laserdiscs of which i have a large collection. Don't allow the press to comvince you that physical media is been phased out.

[@horrorfreaklondon3037]

Mmmmmm laserdiscs!!! So cool

[@jonathancunningham8739]

UH most do uk saw a steady sales of Bluray, Oppenheimer and Barbie sold out and France has a Bluray 4k start up ill informed much. Also many are starting to see streaming is not a progress it is just cable 2.0.

[@BarbaraPape-y4g]

@@jonathancunningham8739 I didn't buy either of those releases, most 4K ones are just more expensive with little difference in video quality.

[@RobertK1993]

Consumers are never satisfied 😂

[@BarbaraPape-y4g]

@@RobertK1993 Very true, i have done my share of trying keep them happy and it has been a rough ride.

[@owensmith7530]

The trouble is there is nothing available brand new that will play 4K, Blu Ray, SACD, DVD-Audio, DVD-Video and CDs. That's the player I need. I even have a couple of Video CDs.

[@dlarge6502]

So have multiple devices to cover everything. SACD is pretty niche in itself and VCD is still handled by 4K players. The only manufacturer that still has SACD support is Sony and that is a premium feature these days as they know they can get extra money out of you. I'm in the same boat with 3D Blu-ray. All the players support it but I'll have to have a projector or a really expensive and specific model of TV to view it.

[@dravenlee4473]

LG’s player was 5th place in sales…behind Samsung who is just selling leftover players. That’s pretty bad and why they pulled out. They were never a real player in the market. If Panasonic pulls out when they are #1, that’s when you panic.

[@jasonleetaiwan]

Who is 2, 3, and 4?

[@dravenlee4473]

@@jasonleetaiwan 1. Panasonic. 2. Sony 3. Phillips 4. Samsung

[@jasonleetaiwan]

​@dravenlee4473 I think LG and Samsung just weren't competitive enough in this product, so they just moved on.

[@gilbertolopez9004]

I do not support online/Streaming, I will continue to buy physical media as long as it is manufactured. I don't believe in paying for something that DOES NOT EXIST, PERIOD!

[@geraldmartin7703]

I pay for medical insurance.

[@mickael486]

Sony will be the last company to stop making Blu-ray players. They make money on every disc sold.

[@___David__]

There are a couple of things, though: - The consoles that sell the most are the NON-digital versions. The Xbox is irrelevant, but Sony saw this as an opportunity to cash-in on the demand for the player. Hence why they are now selling the player *conveniently* as a separate purchase. - Film Studios are going BACK to releasing physical media as the streaming market is imploding. Disney, for example, has signed a deal with Sony so that Sony produces all their Blu-Rays and DVDs going forward. At the same time, they've started publishing their Star Wars and Marvel streaming series on 4K Blu-Rays too. - LG has a company hasn't been in the best of financial shapes and they've been in a long process of restructuring the company and getting rid of any division that isn't bringing in millions in profitability. I think what we'll be seeing is a readjustment of the market precisely as demand for physical media is growing again. Streaming services are imploding, people are getting fed up with having to pay a bazillion euros to be able to access them all. So many are going back to purchasing physical media. At the same time, artists are realising that the streaming platforms aren't bringing them any residuals, and studios are realising getting rid of a massive source of revenue post-launch of their films and series was a bad idea. I believe, in the future, what we'll see is a return of physical media AND private streaming solutions. People will increasingly get their films on physical format and then putting them on personal streaming services like Jellyfin, Plex, etc.

[@markchristopher8515]

LG and Samsungs Blu-Ray Disc Players were Rubbish anyway!

[@markpugh6808]

Had my Samsung for 7 Years now still functions

[@patrickrnorthforest2184]

⁠@@markpugh6808Same here, the same Samsung UHD player since 2018 and it works perfectly fine 😊

[@jsizemo]

3:33 A side note: Before DVD’s, or even LaserDisc, there was an analog video disc format, or “video vinyl”, that never really caught on. I remember seeing those players in Sears at the mall

[@Kalvinjj]

That would be RCA's CED, a tad _newer_ than LaserDisc actually, basically because it stayed in development hell for decades. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capacitance_Electronic_Disc JVC also tried their hand at that with VHD, both failed quite badly.

[@andrewvenor8035]

@@Kalvinjj I was working in a local appliance store back when the RCA CED disk players were first introduced. In the time I was there I don't remember if the store ever sold one.

[@teeznyarlathotep8700]

Don't give money to any company that doesn't provide what you want and, more importantly, let them know about it.

[@knownpleasures]

Blu-rays are getting squeezed by the enduring popularity of standard DVDs 📀 and the emerging 4K format.

[@michaelproctor8100]

Oppo made some of the best players in the business. Some years back they decided to stop production on players since it was a small part of their business.

[@theMaster...]

LG bluray players were trash anyways. No loss there.

[@daveinchina]

I agree, Sony are king.

[@natecraig8917]

Yes thank you they were trash.

[@graugaarddk]

LG mentioned that they could start up production of players again if the demand would come back. so my guess is that their warehouse stock is filled now, and they just dont want to overproduce, as us with physical media doesnt buy so many players, and streamers dont at all.

[@Mr_Quimper]

I'm going to get a spare UB9000 and just leave it in the cupboard. 😬Digital preppers 😄

[@kenwidman7697]

Yep the PS5 disk drive totally sold out because these big companies are glued the mindset that keep saying physical media is dying and then finding out it's not over and over again

[@RandomCoyote]

greedy scalpers too buying up all the stock and reselling to make a profit is ruining it for others.

[@LaurenGlenn]

Game systems are different because the disc then becomes an inconvenience. You need the disc to authenticate (because apparently no one bothered to let you install to your PS 5 and fingerprint it to authenticate with Sony's servers)... and even if you get the disc, you likely have to download a 100GB + update or something.... Same reason I don't buy Nintendo Switch physical carts because they don't have a flash card in the cart to store updates you get from Nintendo to make the cart useful after they remove it from servers... it's the same basic thing... digital then makes more sense.

[@daveinchina]

I have 6 spare Bluray players from Sony.

[@ElliotCoen]

Now that is preparation!

[@FORBIDCharlie1986]

Don't put them all in one place tho. Flooding, fires, etc. happens.

[@daveinchina]

@@ElliotCoen You are right in what you say...someone will see a gap in the market and make new players in the future, just like record players....no worries at all. The technology will improve too, so that non major companies can produce quality players.

[@MrCREWCRUSHIN95]

You should've used the money and just bought a Reavon or a Magnetar!

[@dominus519]

Panasonic ub9004 is better and cheaper...

[@surrealbrain4227]

I pretty much made it a rule that I will continue to buy my movies and shows on physical media until it just straight up ceases to be an option.

[@classiccinemac9480]

Elliot!! It’s Mac!! Long time no chat man! I really miss commenting on the movie review posts and am so glad you are continuing to make physical media updates! As for the news of some Blu-Ray players being discontinued by a few companies, I would say to not panic. Movie companies and manufacturers have always “promised” that they will end physical media when they never get around with their ultimate plans. There are still some titles that are planned for a 4K Blu-Ray release for 2025 such as Gladiator II and Sonic 3 and do not forget that Criterion Collection is still promoting their titles for Spring! Physical Media for movies is still in a very interesting spot with today’s world of streaming and many audiences have definitely stated their concerns for the importance of having discs despite the conveniences of the digital era. Always important to take Physical Media updates with a grain of salt and hoping the best for the holidays man! 🎄📀🎬

[@ElliotCoen]

Hey Mac, I appreciate your great comment, well said! I hope you have a lovely Christmas/New Year!

[@pedrosttau]

Very similar to when Quartz watches showed up, supposedly would kill mechanical watches. What ended up happening was that the market switched, and Mechanical watches are for real enthusiasts, that actually don't care so much about time reading but about watches as art pieces. For us it will be the same, physical media is going no where, but it will be for a narrower market.

[@kenwidman7697]

The LG player was crap compared to the Panasonic or the Sony they just couldn't compete. A lot of huge companies investing big money in physical media people are also starting to realize streaming services aren't dependable and it costs too damn much to keep all these services. Nope the old fashioned Blu-ray he's still the best alternative

[@Terry.W]

Sony actually don't make a stand alone CD player even though they invented the CD ...and I have just found our the PS4 and 5 don't actually play CDs ..although the Xbox does play CDs...so something is happening ...any way I have 2 multi region 4K Blu Ray players and I am happy..

[@ElliotCoen]

I had no idea the PS4 and PS5 can't play a CD! Not that I've tried. I still have a big CD collection but they're just for ripping on my computer to put on my iPod classic

[@RedPyramid-lf4sb]

@ElliotCoen I'm afraid it's true. I tried playing my CDs on a PS4. Found out the hard way that it's a no-go, and I own a PS4.

[@huckleberry-23]

You can still find some at thrift stores and media stores. Keep the tradition alive yall

[@Yeastextract]

Sony just produced a whacking great Frank Capra box set of 20 movies, i don’t see them ceasing BD player production anytime soon.

[@bigrobotnewstoday1436]

LG also pulled out of the cellphone market. And Samsung pulled out of the camera market. Just something to think about.

[@barrusbarrusman9319]

This was somehow what I needed to hear. I am one of them who have got very scared by the fearmongering videos and articles. I have constantly asked me "Will I be able to keep watch my bluray and DVD discs in the future?" Personally I watch my movies on my computer with an internal bluray player. I don't know how the market and future is there. But another guy told me one thing though: As long as we will continue buy movies, they will continue making bluray players. So keep collecting and buy movies, dear collector friends

[@WarBrer247]

I just bought a Panasonic UB-820 earlier today to pair with a new C4. Until the LG announcement and reaction, I didn't realize LG was still manufacturing Blu-ray players. Sony and Panasonic are the kings of the market until you delve into the higher-end offerings. Given Panasonic's strong performance in Blu-ray players, it makes sense that they've decided to re-enter the U.S. TV market.

[@ChuckLovelace]

LG also still makes computer optical drives.

[@GamingRevenant]

The problem for me is that I'm waiting for AGES for an updated Blu-ray player, so that when I do buy one it's not one that's been on the shelf for 10 years. Unfortunately that also means I'm not buying one to support the industry and thus companies won't make new players. Full circle. I think it's time to panic cause it's a matter of time Sony and Panasonic will pull out.

[@tehSunBro]

Obviously players will never entirely go away, but they will become a luxury item that interest a selected few.

[@Reprogrammed_By_SEGA]

There is so much room for larger physical media storage, most of this is being forced rather than the tech reaching a dead end. There are discs that hold 1tb or more. We need some way to produce optical media outside of these companies, players included.

[@TheNotverysocial]

I work in a Goodwill. There is no shortage of players. Savers, Salvation Army, singular charities, you'll find no shortage of used and preowned ones in working condition. I have no less than two DVD players I got from secondhand sources, and one I ordered online, not to mention my two computers. I've a bookcase full of not only books, but CDs and DVDs I still play on them to this day. These things really last unlike film, especially when kept someplace cool and dark. No internet is needed for their contents to be enjoyed or utilised. It could go out while my CD is on, and I would not immediately know the connection went out, just like reading a book or paper. I don't knock the good of streaming, but I do not rely on it alone. Digital stuff, especially purely digital stuff gets lost easily.

[@Andersljungberg]

It is simply a matter of Some manufacturers think that the demand is not high enough or that the demand for blu-ray players is as high as before. companies want to make a profit, but obviously different decisions are made in different boardrooms

[@ChuckLovelace]

This wasnt mentioned but while LG isnt making set tops they are still making their popular optical drives for computers. So they are not completely exiting the market.

[@etoineschrdlu9382]

Having purchased an excellent phono turntable in 1976, I saw them slowly disappear as cassettes, CDs, Digital, and streaming overshadowed the phonograph. But people still collect vinyl and boutique manufacturers still make turntables and vinyl records. I am guessing that Blu-ray will become a similar niche market.

[@heartofcinema3454]

No, because there will always be some company making them. Like there was for high end turntables for vinyls, like from Rega and pro-ject.

[@ElliotCoen]

Exactly! I mentioned the turntables in the video but I do wonder if the same could be done for a blu-ray player. I don't know much about it but could there be some patent held stopping the tech being replicated?

[@Lanosrep]

We don't see reproduction VHS players, Laserdisk players, CRT TVs etc...

[@jackflash8567]

@@ElliotCoen Doesn't the tech get licensed out to other companies so they can make their own players?

[@heartofcinema3454]

@@Lanosrep dated technology, no demand

[@heartofcinema3454]

@@ElliotCoen I am sure they can license out the patent to make extra cash

[@streamoftimesavesnine99]

My Panasonic UHD player packed up three days ago. I bought it two months ago. Whilst I understand that there are only two companies manufacturing these players, it's shocking to think that the build quality isn't the way it should be. Though I am getting another player next year, it seems Panasonic isn't the electronic company it used to be. A friend of mine had a similar problem, where you couldn't get the discs out of the machine at all. Whether others have had this happen, I haven't looked on KZbin to find out! I often wonder how long it will be before Panasonic pulls the plug on Blu-Ray's production of players. I don't see it anytime soon, but you can never be sure. VHS was phased out slowly, so who knows what goes on in the boardrooms of corporations. All I know is that friends of mine all stream TV and films, so it's becoming more apparent that the door is slowly closing on physical media.

[@fourlights]

There's also devices like the zidoo z9x pro and similar media players that will play your ripped 4ks and blurays with the menus.

[@TroyUlysses]

There will never be "no more players in our lifetime". We can still buy Cassette players, there is even new 8-Track players. I'm not worried.

[@Windstorm7x7-wl8ko]

Unfortunately that stuff is dying. The major labels are working out of the modern issues with technology. No one makes VHS players anymore, and unless you find some nos machine you'll be resorting to repairing a used unit. Even though you can find limited availability of cassette technology it hasn't kept pace with the other mediums in delivering clean audio, even vinyl is better supported. Try to find new content on metal tape? I doubt its existence.

[@40somethingmanchild]

I already have a back up player in another room. But considering buying a new one and keeping it stored. I'd rather have a redundancy I don't use, than pay the insane prices people will ask for a new player, when players are finally discontinued and stock dwindles.

[@cartoonfan959]

can we expect the chinese do bluray players ?? without rgional locking

[@stephen-wahl]

LG also left the mobile phone market, did they stop making phones? Panasonic, Toshiba, Sharp and numerous others got out of the TV business in North America, have we stopped buying TVs? It’s a simple rationalization of the market, which happens in almost every sector as long as people are willing to buy them and there’s a demand there will always be players available. (Panasonic actually just re-induced new televisions to the US this year). Polaroid was apparently dead, but the last factory was bought and resuscitated, and it’s now enjoying a resurgence. If all the major brands left, then one of the former brands would probably come back.

[@kennethray-u9v]

Yes,LG decided to stop making phones,because they couldn't keep up with changes

[@richardbutton1179]

I had a Sharp once. 1 of the best TV's I ever owned. Im old enough to remember that if you didnt have a Sharp or an RCA color tv in your home, you were a nobody. Now some of those once famous name brand TV's are either considered lower tear Tv's or dont make them at all.

[@kagome122885]

This is why I asked mom for a 4K UltraHD blu-ray player for Christmas, and she got me a Sony UBP-X700/M. Physical media is going to make a comeback eventually!

[@baronhausenpheffer]

I don't think this is a panic-worthy issue, but it does underline something that has been true of physical media over the last 10 years: if you love something, you have to support it. (And on top of that, it helps to sing its praises to your friends.) I do think we're eventually heading for a future where movies on disc won't be commonly sold in big box stores. On the other hand, there are a lot of boutique labels out there making great sales on exactly that because there is so much money to be made from collectors. The question is how to convince manufacturers of the physical player to keep making their wares when an ever-shrinking percentage of the viewing public is buying and using them. Even if some crazy collector buys 1,000 blu rays a year, they are still watching them on a single player. The shrink in the big-picture install base of who is buying and using *players*, no matter how well the discs are selling, becomes a numbers problem at some point. One thing that would help enormously is that I suspect some parts of the BR technology is still owned and licensed out by Sony. DVD players can be bought for less than $30 brand-new from little no-name hardware manufacturers because the tech is older and they are apparently so cheap to make that $30 still counts as profit. Besides people supporting the blu ray format itself, lowering the entry cost for hardware manufacturers somehow would be an enormous plus in keeping the technology around and easily-purchasable.

[@DVDfeverGames]

When KZbin recommended this video to me, it had "4K views" 😲

[@ElliotCoen]

Spooky 😅

[@ginarae5739]

IMHO Panasonic will always produce disc players, AFAIK they were last major brand to retail 3D TVs 🎉 Not surprised LG followed Samsung, neither of their disc players were up to the same standard as the Panasonic UB820 ie. Supported both Dolby Vision and HDR10+, HDR Optimiser..?? ❤

[@ElliotCoen]

Yeah I don't want to be unfair to the others but I agree that Panasonic players have been better. I do miss that Oppo aren't making players any more. My main player is still an Oppo.

[@prplhze2000]

Many classic movies are not available on streaming. LG pulled out of the cellphone market and don't think it made a difference.

[@MrCREWCRUSHIN95]

These are just the titles releasing in January 2025. This is JUST January. This is the amount of NEW 4K/Blu-ray released EVERY MONTH. I've never had so hard a time keeping up as I do now. We are getting MORE releases than we did in the past years. I defy you to tell me physical media is dying when this is what we get EVERY MONTH in new releases: Fade In Incubus Inglourious Basterds Invasion of the Bee Girls Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling Mikey and Nicky The Mother and the Whore My Name Is Alfred Hitchcock Shaw Brothers Classics, Vol. 5 The Spiral Road That Funny Feeling Whore The Cell 
Edge of Eternity The Grifters 
 The Haunted House of Horror 
 Impact 
 The Last Voyage of the Demeter 
The Lives of a Bengal Lancer 
 Love And Crime 
 Love Unto Waste 
 The Mother and the Whore 
 Rouge 
 Rumours 
 Sahara 
 The Shepherd of the Hills 
 Stray Dog 
 Vampires Beneath the Valley of the Ultra-Vixens 
 Captain Kronos - Vampire Hunter 
 Cure 
 High and Low 
Il Posto + I Fidanzati 
 Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling 
 Opera 
 Running on Karma Shout at the Devil Story of a Cloistered Nun 
 Supervixens 
 Underworld Beauty 
 Vixen! 
 Weak Spot 
 Winchester '73

[@peterlambert1728]

3 Russ Meyer movies are in your list. Awesome! Thanks, I’m pre-ordering now.

[@John_Fugazzi]

The studios don't want to manufacture and distribute physical copies anymore, which is much more expensive than selling streaming rights. Disney has already proposed not allowing physical media versions of their films altogether and are trying to get other studios to do likewise. There has been a big pushback from directors, who want their work preserved in physical media. In the meantime stock up on discs and players and don't panic because this will take a long time to play out.

[@V3ntilator]

Mainstream people are still buying DVD for their 4K TV's which is crazy. Blu-Ray only got 30% market share even when the discs became a lot cheaper over 10 years ago. Also. 10 years ago, Samsung released a small Blu-Ray player for only 30$.

[@jasonleetaiwan]

This just means lese brands will be selling blu ray players. With so many titles being released, players will continue to be sold.

[@JoaoPedro-w5z2z]

In Portugal, there aren't DVDs/BluRays on sale since 2021/2022. The sale of this physical media ended in the middle of the COVID pandemic.

[@JoePesos]

Honestly surprised this didn't happen sooner. Given the sheer number of PS3, PS4, and PS5 consoles sold I can't imagine the demand for dedicated Blu-Ray players is high enough to justify making them.

[@dr.impossibleofcounterpunc1984]

I'm no fan of streaming. But when you number crunch how many people now have streaming in each country, including the UK, which stands at 68%, then you have to acknowledge the fact that streaming is progressing substantially, compared to how many people haven't got streaming. Everyone where I work has streaming. They don't own a 4K or blu ray player. The market is aimed at customers who really aren't interested in collecting physical media. The corporations target those people who don't 'think' twice about what new version of Aliens is better or whether Terminator is oversharpened on 4K. All these consumers want is simplicity and sitting down after a stressful day at work to watch whatever is on streaming. To them, physical media means jack shit. Unfortunately, physical media only caters for the niche market, and that market is steadily shrinking.....

[@letstalkcriterion]

LG have the lowest share of the market, I’m okay I have three spare players. Funnily enough none of them are LG. Tascam have just recently announced a new 4k player which can be rack mounted and I’ve just recently bought a new Reavon UBRx200

[@JohnAranita]

Two Blu-ray disc players that I bought, they don't play 4:3 discs properly; the video would be stretch horizontally. Luckily, I already have a player that works always.

[@Observer.b_e_l_l_i_s2]

Own *NOTHING* and be happy. Sheep think this just makes sense but those who see the game being played see it for what it is.

[@misterdutch2853]

What will happen to the price of (my) Blu-Ray discs once players and discs are no longer produced?

[@brunomachado7279]

I bought a spare player this year. I'm not very optimistic.

[@stevec5465]

I bought a spare Panasonic 4k player. Just in case.

[@ShadowTurnip-p1z]

Don’t panic.. it wasn’t that long ago the last vhs player was made..

[@Reconseal4050]

But they still have to produce Blu-ray players for movie theaters right?

[@monkeymanstones1]

I'm still buying and burning single, dual and quad layer Blue-Ray's. Just need to bring back large laser disk size and make it Blue-Ray format. Then 8K can fit, the storage would be extreme and maybe it would even save the format?

[@jamesdietz29]

No panic, just go out and buy a Blu-ray player, leave it boxed and put it on a shelf. Then you'll have one should your currant one dies OR you can resell it later down the line.

[@Galacticpurveyor]

I have two 4k players in my house and two extras in the garage I got for free from my friend who used to work in the home theater business for decades. If you’re worried about it pick up some players now.

[@RossMcCarthy1990]

The best thing about blu ray and DVDs were the extras. I do t understand why we can't just buy an official download that comes with those extras.

[@Ryglado]

My 15 year old Panasonic blu ray player stopped working making me upgrade to a 4k player so my concern is what happens when that one dies.

[@dlarge6502]

Do what I do. Have more than one. I have ine old one, spare, one playback only player in the livingroom, one playback only player in the bedroom and a Blu-ray recorder in the livingroom as well as a dvd recorder spare If one doesn't work and I can't fix it, I'll use another. In your case the answer would be to go out and find a working replacement.

[@jonathancunningham8739]

Then buy a new one wtf two new 4k player comapiens have opened one in Japan the other France.

[@rickdrais9737]

My opinion? People are dumb. And, the people posting the panic videos? Looking for attention and of course, likes and shares. If anyone is actually in panic mode over this, go out and buy a few new players and store them away for the future OR find a decent local tech repair shop. Geez, people are such idiots

[@horrorfreaklondon3037]

Exactly my thought me just store a player or two away…..

[@rickdrais9737]

@ Besides, they aren’t the only ones who make players anyway

[@politefan8141]

People have every right to panic. People hoarding discs and price gouging discontinued titles is why I gave up on collecting. Pretty sure the same thing would happen with tech if major companies discontinued making players. If a product becomes more expensive despite less demand, then that is always going to be a concern. Boutique labels succeed because customers like to support the format and continued production, however when people are getting scammed simply for wanting to buy a mainstream title, it's no longer fun. When PCs started stripping away dvd/blu ray capability, that was my first indication that we were in trouble, considering that versatility is one of the chief selling points of physical media. When unofficial versions and bootlegs started flooding the market, it became even more frustrating and time consuming. Studios didn't help matters when they started delaying physical releases months after digital or in many cases, not releasing a physical version at all. However, consumers accepted the market conditions without much pushback, even when physical rentals were cheaper than digital.

[@sausagefestcity5078]

I've already panic bought two 4k players and packed them away in my closet.

[@paulhorn24]

What Bluray Player would you recommend to buy for an average movie viewer with no high end display and no high end audio system + loudspeakers. (Because some people have bad eye sight and bad hearing and so average TV displays and loudspeakers are the limit of what they can see and hear, everything better would just be pearls before swines)

[@xHICKORYx]

Does this apply to LG PC drives as well?

[@ThisGuyFrritz]

Is it time to panic? No more physical media? Perhaps we could say what George and Fred said: "No, never!"

[@EthanWasHere]

i wont panic until all the major companies stop manipulating usb and sata mounted bluray drives. It might sound strange, but my preferred way to watch blurays is with VLC and nice headphones

[@RiasatSalminSami]

But streaming quality still sucks compared to blue ray. It's so bad that even pirated copies have better quality than streaming.

[@nigelstone3729]

It just LG and Samsung, but I think it's because people are sending lots of them back with faults, as I did a while back with there Blu-ray home cinema players. I then went to Panasonic Blu-ray 5.1 home cinema, then a few years ago I went for Panasonic 4k HDR10+ player, and Panasonics 3.1 Technics tuned soundbar dtsx/atmos, and those have been great.

[@EstebanGunn]

One easy solution to sell physical media is to stop making physical media cover art so ugly with focused grouped layouts with giant faces and critic quotes and make them actual pieces of art that you would want to display. I've seen fan art posters made for free look better than what studios spend millions on. We need to get past the idea that people will impulse buy a BD based on an actors face and what a critic says and that now we need to market to fandom.

[@BLASTIC0]

Ive been buying up blu ray players… whenever I can come across mid range to high end ones for less than $5. I have a GIANT stack of them. I was also buying up all decent vinyl in the late 90’s for $1 or less and high end CD players in the early 2000…. Hopefully I made another good call here.

[@BuckRolly1]

Even if all companies stop making players, I'm sure some smaller enterprising companies will make external 4k drives for laptops

[@yunoyuluvit]

Didn't LG's last 4K player come out years ago, anyway?