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Answerman - Is It Safe To Replace My Discs With Streaming?


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Shiflan



Joined: 29 Jul 2015
Posts: 418
PostPosted: Mon Dec 03, 2018 2:44 pm Reply with quote
Animegomaniac wrote:
There's a lot of my collection that not only isn't streaming, it's not even licensed anymore... sadly, it happens in my movie collection as well. Streaming rights are not straight forward unless it's something being made "now" and if you're only interested in "what's now" then you wouldn't be buying physical media in the first place. So another "no" from me.


Same here. And that's another frustration I have with the current "system" of streaming sites. It's nice if you want to watch a current show since chances are that somebody will have it streaming if not simulcast. But what if you want to watch a classic? It seems that most of the streaming services focus on what's currently hot and there is not very much older material present.

The same thing applies to movies too. Sure, I can get on Netflix and see the latest trending show, but again the classics just aren't there.
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Dumas1



Joined: 20 Dec 2012
Posts: 75
PostPosted: Mon Dec 03, 2018 2:45 pm Reply with quote
I have a Rule of Three for movies: If I'm thinking about a third viewing, it's time to start looking for a disc. This doesn't work quite as well for series since even one couer adds up to a pretty big time commitment. For them, I mostly buy things I love and would really miss if they left the streaming services.
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katscradle



Joined: 05 Jan 2013
Posts: 469
PostPosted: Mon Dec 03, 2018 2:59 pm Reply with quote
ALWAYS buy what you like (and as reasonably soon as is possible).

I still have a large physical collection even if it has some disadvantages. I was very slow to take up streaming because I’ve lived in places where it was difficult. Even when streaming is an option, I have to argue it does add up to subscribe to the many streaming services that would cover content. I already spend hundreds a year for just a few services. Trying to sort through my physical collection lately I realized just how much isn’t available streaming too. Nor do physical releases of everything remain simple to acquire. I’ve ended up buying more discs this year because of the streaming shake-ups that have been occurring since I had put off some purchases.
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Kruszer



Joined: 19 Nov 2004
Posts: 7981
Location: Minnesota, USA
PostPosted: Mon Dec 03, 2018 3:02 pm Reply with quote
Physical collections are best, because they will always be available to you as long as you take care of them and the equipment to play them.

Relying on websites to keep streaming shows you like forever, legally, is a bad idea, as they can and will be removed at any time by the website whenever the rights expire. Not very safe.

If I were to do as the inquirer proposes it just wouldn't be possible to "replace" everything with streams in the first place since I've been collecting since like1998 and some of my discs are out of print titles that nobody has the license for anymore.
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Dessa



Joined: 14 Jul 2004
Posts: 4438
PostPosted: Mon Dec 03, 2018 3:04 pm Reply with quote
Thank you so much for this article. I don't see the debate as much in anime circles (most people I know are in a "if I like it, I'll buy it" mode), but in gaming circles, digital vs. physical.

Too many times I've seen or heard about digital licenses expiring, or companies simply pulling a title (PT, and there's been some recent ones on PSN and Steam because of new versions coming out, they don't want people playing the older ones), and even if you've already purchased it, there's no way to re-download, so if something happens to your system, you're screwed.

If I buy something, I want to own it, and the only limitations on me playing/watching it are my physical ability to do so. Not the whims of one or multiple companies who don't want to give up their ability to make more money off of something.
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Violynne



Joined: 09 May 2014
Posts: 128
PostPosted: Mon Dec 03, 2018 3:08 pm Reply with quote
I didn't read the answer to the question. I was more perplexed at how the question was asked, and pretty much knew how people would respond.

Never change, anime fans. Wink

Now, it's time for a more direct and honest answer to two questions, then I'll tell you why I answered them as I did:
Quote:
Is it worth buying everything I like?

No

10 years from now, what you like today will not be what you enjoy later. This is a promise you can take to the bank.

If you start buying everything today, you'll regret it later. Collecting adds up financially and limitations of space. Then there's the "breakaway" time where your collection grows so large, you can't rewatch most of it. No matter what you believe about "watching it later", you won't.

I once had over 6k titles. When I had to move, I realized I was going to pay a great sum of money to have those discs moved. Instead, I ran a Craigslist ad and had every copy I no longer watched, wanted to watch, or will ever watch removed by fans. Many titles were still shrinkwrapped (which is a consumerism warning - save your damn money, kids).

Quote:
Will these shows disappear from streaming?

Yes

Licenses don't last forever, but you want to know something? Who cares. Today's cash grab clone of successful anime title will be long forgotten and by the time nostalgia for "that show" kicks in, you're going to hate it. By removing shows from streaming, the less likely anyone cares to remember it.

***

This isn't to say owning shows is bad. Hell, I still own Aria and Cowboy Bebop. But I own these because there's a criteria I use when I watch a series: If it really hits me, I mean, really hits me, and I buy the series.

If, after 3 years I watch it again and I don't feel the same way, I get rid of it (donate it, usually).

But do save your money, really.

Anime is like video games. Try going back and play your PS2 collection.

Yep, it's just like that.
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Heishi



Joined: 06 Mar 2016
Posts: 1314
PostPosted: Mon Dec 03, 2018 3:40 pm Reply with quote
Some of my favorite anime (Karas, Kannazuki no Miko, Casshern Sins) either

A. Don't have Blu Ray releases.

B. Don't even have subbed versions(KnM comes to mind).

C. Aren't being streamed at all. (Karas comes to mind).

So that's why I don't like to pirate but frankly, I have no other choice in the matter.
I wanna watch the anime I love but its hard to do it, given the limited options.
Either its the DVDs or streaming. But I want more options and I want some of these shows to get BD releases but they haven't and it really pisses me off.
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Chester McCool



Joined: 06 Jan 2016
Posts: 322
PostPosted: Mon Dec 03, 2018 3:52 pm Reply with quote
I prefer not to be indentured to streaming services who may randomly drop a series without notice due to legal issues or popularity issues. Plus, correct me if I'm wrong, but places like Crunchyroll don't have the movies, OVAs, and TV specials for their series, or BD extras that always come on the Japanese release. And then there's issues like certain episodes being banned or removed due to legal issues like Osomatsusan.
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Zin5ki



Joined: 06 Jan 2008
Posts: 6680
Location: London, UK
PostPosted: Mon Dec 03, 2018 3:52 pm Reply with quote
Justin wrote:
In fact, it's a common refrain that, should a movie or TV show I want to watch be streaming on one of the major streaming sites, it's usually easier to watch it off of one of those than dig through my (huge) disc archives to try and find what I'm looking for. Especially if I'm upstairs.

You get your own stairs? I thought that single-storey fandom was the norm these days.
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Shiflan



Joined: 29 Jul 2015
Posts: 418
PostPosted: Mon Dec 03, 2018 3:55 pm Reply with quote
Violynne wrote:
10 years from now, what you like today will not be what you enjoy later. This is a promise you can take to the bank.


I think that sort of thing is different for everyone. I own a large collection which I started in the late 90's. I still watch, on a fairly frequent basis, many of the shows that I bought during those days. Sure, I find that I like some shows more than others from that time period, but I don't think I've ever once thought to myself "oh, that old show? I don't want that anymore."

I only regret a single purchase I ever made in my anime hobby, and that was when I bought Angel Links before I had watched it. Anyone want Angel Links LDs? Message me and we'll talk. Otherwise I watch all my old shows.

Quote:
Licenses don't last forever, but you want to know something? Who cares. Today's cash grab clone of successful anime title will be long forgotten and by the time nostalgia for "that show" kicks in, you're going to hate it. By removing shows from streaming, the less likely anyone cares to remember it.


I think a lot of people care. Sure, a lot of the anime that we fans watch we might watch once and never again. I don't buy those shows. Like many people have mentioned here, we buy shows that we want to watch again and again. I can't speak for everyone, but I think that while a lot of the stuff I watch is forgettable, none of the ones that I choose to buy are.

Quote:
Anime is like video games. Try going back and play your PS2 collection.

I only own 3 PS2 games, and I play all of them. If I didn't want to play them in the future I'd never have bought them in the first place.


Last edited by Shiflan on Mon Dec 03, 2018 4:39 pm; edited 1 time in total
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catandmouse



Joined: 02 Mar 2011
Posts: 212
PostPosted: Mon Dec 03, 2018 4:04 pm Reply with quote
Even before streaming became mainstream. I was never a big buyer of videos and even now I’m not much of a streamer, but I do buy series I want to keep for a long time though. I never trusted digital-only media.
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Stampeed Valkyrie



Joined: 10 Aug 2014
Posts: 825
Location: PA
PostPosted: Mon Dec 03, 2018 4:23 pm Reply with quote
I just had a very similar discussion about this topic with my brother.. (who is 18 years younger then me btw) and it's largely an age thing. Younger fans prefer the ease of streaming and are shying away from physical copies. Older fans (like me/myself and I) prefer to have a physical copy of the content I am watching. This crosses over into other genres like gaming.. where I want a physical copy of just about everything..

The allure of streaming makes consumption very easy.. and I find myself using it for ease of use, however if I like a particular title.. then yes I purchase it. But for those that think the title will always be around in either format.. don't bet on it.

Do what you like, and if you want the title permanently then buy the discs.. if not you'll regret it when you get older.. and find it no longer available on any platform.. and Discs selling for an arm and a leg.. (evangelion anyone? at least until 2019)

And yes, I have spent a wad of $$ on the holiday sales this year.. and plan on continuing to do so.. space be damned! lol
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BodaciousSpacePirate
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Joined: 17 Apr 2015
Posts: 3017
PostPosted: Mon Dec 03, 2018 4:37 pm Reply with quote
Violynne wrote:
Anime is like video games. Try going back and play your PS2 collection.

Yep, it's just like that.


That's a pretty bad example, every time I'm done playing a game on a newer console, I unplug it and plug back in my Dreamcast, because there's a 90% chance that any console game I'd just randomly decide to play is on that system. There are a lot of us who don't think that newer is automatically better.
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EricJ2



Joined: 01 Feb 2014
Posts: 4016
PostPosted: Mon Dec 03, 2018 4:43 pm Reply with quote
Stampeed Valkyrie wrote:
I just had a very similar discussion about this topic with my brother.. (who is 18 years younger then me btw) and it's largely an age thing. Younger fans prefer the ease of streaming and are shying away from physical copies. Older fans (like me/myself and I) prefer to have a physical copy of the content I am watching. This crosses over into other genres like gaming.. where I want a physical copy of just about everything..


The whole problem that caused the entire mass studio delusion that audiences wanted digital movies rather than disk was basically trying to sweep every industry with one brush:
Every single time the question came up, "But why would people WANT to not-own their movies?", the answer was always "But it's going to happen!...Look what happened to music CD's! And magazines!"

Books, magazines, CD's, movie rentals, and even games (IMO) work better in digital format because they're things we don't keep on a permanent basis, and discard or return/resell if we're finished--If we worry, "What happens if they disappear?", well, not having them around was sort of the idea to begin with.
Movies and series are keepers, if we want to own them, and that's on a completely different playing field. Even when studios tried to sell us digital movies, they could barely come up with a better reason why than "You want your movies on the go!"
No, I don't...I listen to my music on the go, and I sometimes read e-zines on the go, but I generally stay home and watch movies in the living room. But studios were so determined "not to be fooled" about the next CD or print-media, they were going to convince us that movies were, or die trying. (And for all purposes, they did.)

The other problem is, nobody who said digital was going to "take over" actually used it--You mostly heard it from people who were blaming somebody else, like Millennials, or the Young People, or the mythical Joe Sixpack. There were always "other" people who wanted digital movies/TV, but you could never nail down and find some actual flesh-and-blood person who DID.
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I_Drive_DSM



Joined: 11 Feb 2008
Posts: 217
PostPosted: Mon Dec 03, 2018 5:09 pm Reply with quote
I love when these topics come up because as someone 25 years ago who was paying $25-$35 per VHS tape for 30 to 60 minutes of anime I was a BIG hoarder of my collection back then. Looking back I don't want to even know what I spent on anime in the pre-DVD era but I know it was an un-godly amount of money that probably could have went to a more useful hobby. Now not only do I have every one of those titles digitally but I'm certain I could probably find every one of them online easily.

How many people watch anime on VHS now though? Probably none. Or if you are watching it you maybe came across a circa fan-sub or something similar. The quality is just utterly abysmal. Early DVDs are similar. If you pop in an anime DVD from 2003/04 it likely does not look good at all, and especially if there are a lot of dark colors. No standards in compression or file types, the media itself largely formatted for standard aspect. At best it's a relic just like an old VHS tape.

I feel despite how great looking BD and modern DVDs are they will go down this similar route. 15 years from now you'll look back on these physical media devices as products of the time. Plus how many old DVDs and BDs do you truly watch on a frequent occasion? I have a good handful of titles still in shrink wrap.

I think at best don't worry about trying to own absolutely everything. If you like something then sure go ahead and buy it. Even then you don't have to own EVERYTHING of it. I learned a long time ago fandom at it's best is self-assuring and at it's worst is dismissed quite quickly. Plus in regards to physical media by the time your fandom has run it's course whatever you've purchase is probably well passed it's prime or - another topic that isn't discussed enough - physically beginning to degrade.
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