Is it too early to put all of your eggs into one digital video basket? Maybe it’s too early to ditch the physical media library, just yet. While digital media has revolutionized the way we consume our favorite tv and movies, in many ways, the plethora of options still poses more challenges of its own. From choosing the right app, to having the right device to play them on, it’s not just as simple as physical vs digital. The market is so new, and studios, developers, and advertisers are trying to capitalize on your attention, that simply choosing one doesn’t serve all of your needs.
Some of the major outlets include Google/YouTube, Apple’s iTunes Store, Microsoft’s Movies and TV, Amazon’s Prime Video, and Vudu, formerly FandangoNow (Nations, 2022). Even though there are a few major sources for buy-to-own digital movies, it can be tricky to access your content without the right device. For the most part, the websites that allow you the opportunity to purchase movies and tv shows each have an app that’s available on most smart tv’s, tablets, and gaming consoles. However, not all companies play nice with each other. Not all apps are supported by all operating systems and not all movies are available to all services. So, while you may have purchased a video on one of these apps, a studio disagreement entitles most of the major outlets the ability to refuse access to certain titles, even if you’ve already paid for it, at any time (Morrison, 2021).
Now, they can all be accessed from a computer but, if you want to watch them on your big screens, you might be out of luck. Most the media apps I use on my iPhone have “cast” capability but, I don’t always find the connection I’m looking for. If it’s not an Apple Play ready device, then Apple TV becomes useless. If you own a next generation gaming console, such as Xbox One X or PS5, you may or may not have access to the app you’ve chosen to be your library. In many ways, we are forced to use multiple sources keep up with all of our favorites. Not every service offers every movie available.
It’s understandable that we are all in some uncharted territory when it comes to media and the people who love it. Remember the “mp3” fiasco? Moving music to a digital platform from Compact Discs was a remarkable step forward but, it opened up a pandora’s box of legal questions that, to this day, we don't really have a firm grasp of. When you bought a CD, or cassette, or vinyl (8-track anyone?) you essentially owned your copy. You could play it on any device, whenever you wanted, as long as you wanted. While that is mostly true for streaming, you can download files for offline use and connect to nearly any device with speakers, good luck if you find yourself in an internet dead zone.
Now, I know, even this is becoming less of an issue, as satellite internet becomes more reliable, and even 5G coverage is extending its range. I used to travel between California and New Mexico, or Montana, and would spend a majority of the trip offline. Now, I’m covered most the way. The point I’m trying to make is that connectivity is not always reliable, and without it, all the streaming services in the world would be useless. Even if you downloaded content, as most services will require you to log in periodically.
That’s not to mention the even more uncontrollable events, such as “business” moves that could pull the rug out from under all of us at any given moment. What if that company you bought all the “licenses to watch,” not copies of the media mind you, gets bought out or goes bankrupt. There’s no guarantee that you will ever access those titles again. That’s worst case scenario. They could just decide that they need more money and charge you “access fees” or force you to watch ads, just because. I’m sure there is legislation that is meant to protect consumers but, as we’ve established, digital media, and the internet in general, is still largely unregulated.
Whenever I watch a scene about a bunker, or an off the grid cabin, or some situation where internet connectivity is just not feasible, I notice the value in a physical media collection. What about that potential EMP that wipes out the internet and electricity grids around the world? I’m sure, in that scenario, the last thing you’ll be concerned with is your movie collection but, what would that mean for you? Because I’m sure a generator hooked up to a dvd player and a boombox will be able handle cd’s, tapes, and dvd’s as long as there’s power. How will you log in, though?
I know, it’s getting little “doomsday preppy,” but, as long as so much of the legality and licensing legislation is up in the air. I just don’t think it’s worth the convenience of investing in an entirely digital library. I own a few digital titles (or the license to watch whenever I want) and I appreciate the fact that I can access most of them on most of my devices but, even before the “apocalypse scenarios” make this argument viable, it’s still not an ideal situation for media buffs, like you and I. For instance, while researching this piece, I stumbled across what I thought would be the answer…twice! I thought that perhaps, I wouldn’t even need to write this article. However, Movies Anywhere was not the holy grail, after all. While it is a great idea, to unite the major studios and outlets to let consumers aggregate all of their libraries into one place, for all of the same reasons we’ve been discussing, not all of the movies I’ve purchased are available in the app.
So, until there is an equilibrium among streaming and licensing regulations, and studios and platforms, even software developers and electronic manufacturers, the digital move is just not in the cards for me. I will keep my eyes up and my fingers crossed. I do enjoy adding a movie on my phone and then, turning on my smart tv to watch it appear in My Library. It’s convenient. I get it but, I bought the PS5 with the optional disc drive for a reason. I still have my old VHS/DVD combo unit, and I have a USB DVD-ROM unit for my computer. Even if the entire system crumbles rendering all licensing and streaming useless, I’m still confident that I can pop in a DVD, from an off grid cabin in the woods, and watch The Sandlot as many times as I want. Until you can beat that, I’m prioritizing my physical library.
Sources:
Morrison, Jeffrey. (2021). You Don’t Really Own the Digital Movies You Buy. NYTimes.com https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/blog/you-dont-own-your-digital-movies/
Nations, Daniel. (2022) The Best Places to Buy Your Digital Movies. Lifewire.com https://www.lifewire.com/where-to-buy-digital-movies-4137638
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Sincerely yours,
Joshua Lucero
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