I recently purchased an older Blu-ray player for my spare guest room for about $20, and it made me realize how much joy physical media can bring.I began recalling the days when streaming wasn’t as common, and all our entertainment came in physical formats.There was something special about carefully cleaning smudges off dirty discs with a microfiber cloth and waiting patiently for the menu to load so I could finally watch a movie or Blu-ray player show.
I also remember roommates who, much like with CDs, would sometimes put the wrong disc in the wrong case, and it would drive me up the wall when someone accidentally scratched one of my favorite titles.
I enjoyed looking at the cool artwork on each disc, and I organized my collection using a series of case holders and bookshelves rather than a digital server.
Additional Unique Features
Digital streaming versions lack further unique features.
When I first began collecting Blu-rays, I always enjoyed the extra special features they offered.These included interviews with the actors, scenes that were cut from the final version, alternate endings, and behind-the-scenes looks at how special effects were created.These extras were a big reason I chose Blu-ray over DVD — not only because of the better picture quality, but also because of the additional content available.
Because Blu-ray discs can store more data, they often include more features than DVDs.
Even today, some older 1080p Blu-rays still have special features that aren’t available on digital purchases.Additionally, with streaming and digital media, the extra content can vary depending on the platform or store where you buy the digital version.For example, I have a digital copy of a movie I purchased from Apple, and it includes exciting extras that other versions don’t.
The media is mine.
A virtual locker can disappear.
I have always been satisfied knowing that I can rely on my physical Blu-ray discs when a movie is no longer available on streaming platforms.The same feeling applies when purchasing digital copies of movies, organizing them in a digital locker, and then facing the possibility of them disappearing without notice.I find it helpful that when I buy a Blu-ray, I also receive a code for the digital version through Movies Anywhere.But what if the situation were reversed?
Instead of receiving a physical copy I can hold and keep, buying a digital movie means I am essentially renting the right to watch it.
I prefer having media that I can physically possess and know I truly own.I can back up these media to a NAS or server and stream them as I please, without depending on a company’s servers or internet connection.While I do have to manage my own server, even if my drives fail, I still retain the original Blu-ray discs of the movies or shows I own.
Visual quality prevails.
Even on Blu-ray disks in 1080p
My old Blu-ray player lacks the laser and hardware needed to play UHD 4K discs, but that’s not a problem because it can upscale content to 4K.I still notice a difference between the 1080p resolution from the old player and a 1080p compressed stream.Like UHD 4K discs, a 1080p Blu-ray disc provides more bandwidth for video, up to 40Mbps.A 1080p stream, on the other hand, is usually compressed to about 10Mbps.
Additionally, a player with 4K upscaling takes the 1920×1080 image from a disc and scales it to 3840×2160.
This is especially useful for someone like me who connects it to an older 4K display TV.More data per pixel helps keep scene textures, shadows, motion, and bright colors more vivid on screen.The player is also backward compatible, so I can still enjoy my old movies and shows from my DVD collection.
A player without advertisements
Once you get beyond the advertisements to watch something, streaming is fantastic.
One of the nice things about streaming services is that I can usually find something to watch, as long as I skip through the many ads.With my Blu-ray player, I still have a lot of movies to choose from, and I don’t have to deal with the endless ad banners and animated ads that are common on typical streaming devices.I just insert the disc, and I go straight to the menu screen, except for a few rental copies that ended up in my collection, which have trailers for upcoming Blu-ray releases.
My Blu-ray collection isn’t as large as a streaming library, but it’s what I enjoy and want to watch.
Opening the shiny black box to reveal the disc tray gives me a sense of nostalgia and creates a cozy, stay-at-home movie-watching experience, rather than sitting at home and binge-watching Netflix.I haven’t timed it, but I’d say the time it takes to insert a disc and start watching a movie is about the same as searching for something on a slow, complicated streaming service.
A $20 Blu-ray player Buy makes actual disks seem more appealing.
I have gained a lot from my $20 investment and have rediscovered my appreciation for owning physical copies of my favorite movies and TV shows.I found the player for $20 at a pawn shop, and I was able to negotiate the price down from $50.It also comes with built-in apps for YouTube and Netflix, which can transform a regular TV into a smart TV.
You can often find these players at garage sales, where I purchased a budget-friendly AV receiver to replace a soundbar, as well as at thrift stores, library sales, or online platforms like Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist.
If you’re lucky, you might come across a UHD 4K player for around $20.
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