DVDs have been around since 1999, when they were launched, and we believe they will never actually go away. Even with the popularity of streaming services, DVDs still play a very important role in modern society, and we can’t see that changing anytime soon.
There are several reasons why DVDs are likely to remain an important physical media type, which we will highlight in this article.
DVDs are Still Useful
While streaming is now a popular way to watch content, DVDs are still incredibly useful. They don’t require the use of the internet, which is a massive advantage – if the internet is down or you don’t have Wi-Fi for some reason, you can’t watch your films and shows.
With a DVD, however, you can simply pop it in and enjoy your favourite content. DVDs can also provide you with a higher resolution; live streaming, because it depends on the quality of the signal and the speed of the broadband, can lead to visual issues. For instance, the movie may start to buffer or freeze a lot, or the overall quality of the image can be pixelated.
In addition to this, if you have children, DVDs allow them to watch age-appropriate content without having to go on the internet, so you don’t have to worry about parental controls.
Aesthetic Appreciation
Many people appreciate DVDs in regard to their physical appearance as well, especially the cover artwork and the sleek disc. Being able to physically hold the content you’re about to watch is a small pleasure that makes the experience even better.
We also tend to be fascinated with vintage technologies, as is the case with vinyl records, for instance. While the DVD is not that old and still serves a huge purpose in our lives, that ‘retro’ aesthetic appreciation is still relevant when considering the DVD.
Growing a Collection
Movie buffs love to build a collection and will never just accept digital content. This means that they tend to buy DVDs because they can physically see the collection growing. DVDs are affordable and it’s impossible not to feel pride when looking at a carefully picked selection of DVDs.
For many, building a movie collection is truly a hobby, and being able to see it and organise it whenever they want is what attracts them to DVDs.
It’s also important to mention that companies often release collectors’ editions as well, which includes special boxes and extra merchandise – building a DVD collection is even more appealing because of this!
You can also find a lot of bonus content when you purchase a DVD so, if going behind the scenes and watching a movie with the director’s comments is something that interests you, for example, DVDs are the solution.
Owning a DVD collection, therefore, is a big part as to why the format will exist for a long time.
Owning a Physical Copy
When you watch content via a streaming service, you don’t actually own the movies or shows. You’re merely ‘renting’ them. Having physical copies of your content, on the other hand, means that you own it, and no one can take it from you.
You may find that a film that was streaming on Netflix not that long ago is no longer there – for example, due to the launch of Disney+, many Marvel movies were removed from Netflix. This means that, even though you are paying for a service, you have no control over the content provided. If the movie or show are not popular or the company is not interested in renewing the rights to stream them, you won’t be able to watch them anymore.
Physical copies are dependable, so you don’t have this risk and can simply watch your content at any time. DVDs also have many advantages over on-demand services because they allow you to watch a movie over and over again without having to pay each time.
Many Titles Available on DVD
Another thing to consider is that there are a lot of movies and shows available in disc format, such as those in Blu-Ray. You won’t ever run out of things to watch, especially as new content continues to be released on a regular basis as well. This clearly shows that DVDs are far from being a thing of the past.
There is so much variety at the store that it’s impossible for streaming services to compete with DVDs in that regard. While services like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video do have a lot of content, you’ve probably already experienced wanting to watch a specific movie but being unable to find it online.
But you’re pretty much guaranteed to find even the most obscure movie on DVD.
It’s highly unlikely that DVDs will ever become obsolete for all the reasons mentioned here. This format is still hugely sought-after and provides a secure way to store memories as well. This means DVDs are ideal for your home movies – if you still have old video tapes lying around, just talk to us and we’ll convert your video to DVD in no time. We convert a variety of video tape formats including Video8, Hi8 and Digital8 so don’t hesitate in contacting us today!