I have kept a few DVDs, especially the collectors box set ones.
I have kept all my CDs and vinyl, along with a few cassettes, and continue to get CDs where available, as so many in my collection are autographed personally.
I still have lots of books, because I'm just like that.
Gee, not for a while now. Spotify for music, streaming for films/“box” sets. Haven't bought blank media for ages either.
Yes, sometimes. For day to day movie viewing, streaming is great but there is a lot of stuff not available to stream and in any case, if it's something I want to keep I will buy physical media, rip it for convenience and store the disc. We still have a disc drive in the PC for ripping and a Blu Ray player connected to the TV.
Movies/Music yes (for the most part). Games, PC no (been no point for many a year now), Consoles yes I buy mainly physical.
I sold all my vinyl when I switched to CDs in the late 80s. I still buy all my music on CD, I like having a hard copy and rip them to PC to play through my DAC/headphone amp. As for streaming, rarely stream music, sometimes watch old TV programmes on Britbox. Do have some, very old, DVDs but, not sure why we haven't got rid of them, as we have no means to watch them on the TV and never watch them on the PCs.
Yes, DVD's and Blu-rays. At least I own them… even though I have streaming services, can't rely on them to have what I like there permanently. Plus quality vs streaming is often better, especially if the internet lags as it seems to be doing more and more often for me these days (even though I pay a premium for it!).
Games on the other hand, I'm pretty much digital now, but only play on the PC these days. But if I did get a console again, I'd probably prefer the disc copy… I still have my 360 disc for Too Human, one that was pretty much banned from being sold due to the lawsuit.
Also not a fan of digital subscriptions for games, like EA Access etc…. I prefer to own my digital game, so that I can play it whenever I want. Plus I usually want to play the game close to when the subscription runs out… and it's a 60hour+ game!
Books, I have got digital books and graphic novels, but I still prefer to read the physical product. Not a fan of e-books, something about having a book in my hand just feels right. I stare on screens enough during the day, don't want to stare at a screen to read a book as well.
For PS4 games, yes, always physical.
Music - no, Spotify (pending me reading about the new privacy changes they are making)
Films/Tv - All streaming services now unless I REEEEALY like the film in which case Blu-Ray.
For me it's to do with how replayable/watchable things are, I've a large DVD collection just gathering dust :/
Yes and it warranted my but of a corsair r110 case (honestly guys do not buy that case….it's put me off corsair cases for ever now )
But the convenience to throw in a dvd disc and watch a movie or burn a back up etc, I know people mainly use thumb drives now but after god knows how many years of saving stuff …I need a dvd drive weather this is a 5 1/4 one internal or a portable one, simply because i have about 5000 dvds with god knows what on half of them :D
I buy music on CD, and will always prefer physical media because you can't take a download to a gig and get it signed by the band :-D
Also, streaming royalties for all but the biggest bands are so low as to be almost meaningless, so I buy CDs direct from bands whereever possible.
I prefer to buy movies & TV shows on physical media as well, even though I rip them to my NASbox for actual playback most of the time.
If I could, I'd buy games on physical media too. Since that's impractical for PC games, I try to buy from GoG so that I can download and keep my own copy of the installer files.
Basically, I want to *own* my media, not license or stream it. I don't want to have to be subscribed to a dozen different platforms to make sure I've got access to everything I want, I don't want to have to worry about my favourite media being dropped by a streaming service, and most of all I don't want to be dependant on an internet connection for access to my media.
Euphonium
Basically, I want to *own* my media, not license or stream it. I don't want to have to be subscribed to a dozen different platforms to make sure I've got access to everything I want, I don't want to have to worry about my favourite media being dropped by a streaming service, and most of all I don't want to be dependant on an internet connection for access to my media.
Exactly that.
Nope not really. Bandcamp music which I buy is often not mainstream so no physical media exists. Can't remember the last time I bought a CD/DVD. Streaming is perfect for us here as we have no way to watch video past 1080p as our system is only capable with that and won't be upgraded to 4k for at least 5 years (it's driven by a surround sound system and the output is a projector so 4k is really not cost effective)
Games - Yes.
Although most are digital as a result of being on PC, given how digital distribution is these days. Physical are more likely to be console games, particularly for consoles from earlier generations.
Books - No.
I prefer digital for that. Especially with the frequent DRM-Free book bundles offered by Humble Bundle (but I do also purchase Kindle versions of - unrelated to the any of those included in Humble Bundles - various books from Amazon).
TV/Films - Yes.
In fact I prefer it, as I'm much more likely to re-watch my favourite shows and films, and I don't want to end up being stuck trying to find it on a particular streaming service or finding it has been removed from a VOD provider despite the digital purchase, due to the rights expiring for that provider.
Music - Yes.
For the same reason as TV/Films. I do still make digital purchases however, as sometimes they simply aren't available in physical format, are cheap enough that I'm hopeful enough that the purchased download (which have been DRM-Free for years now) won't get corrupted and need re-doing, or happen to be included in Humble Bundles/Steam purchases (usually those are game soundtracks of course), but I still prefer physical. CD only though, I've got no interest in messing about with Vinyl (or even Cassette).
Software - No.
These days most of it tends to be digital download only anyway, which combined with the fact that you (in theory at least) always want to be on the latest version of the software, means the token option of a CD/DVD version that a small few offer, makes the additional fee seem pointless or inflated. Plus software providers rarely restrict the number of downloads, as they know an installation file may be needed to be grabbed again, especially when you consider the cloud route a number of them have gone, such as Adobe. For the most part however, I try to choose Open Source (or Freeware at the very least) applications as much as possible.
Also a downside about streaming service is when they decide to remove a show I was watching “due to licencing agreement”. This has on several occasions had me binging the show in order to watch the whole thing before it leaves the service. Ruins the enjoyment, but I needed to see what was happening on the show!
Many years ago i sold all my 45rpm vinyl singles and all my vinyl albums for next to nothing, switching to cd’s. Who knew that vinyl would make a comeback and some of that vinyl i sold is now tens of pounds to buy and some even more so i am loathe to offload any cd’s, dvd,s and blu-rays as who knows what may happen in the future.
Of course Betamax , VHS, laserdisc, minidisc, cassettes, 8 track have not made a massive comeback.
I still cannot quite get my head round not having a physical copy of something so cannot see me moving to complete streaming.
It just seems wrong to be paying to listen to your music with a monthly fee though with the amount of advertising on the radio its tempting to have the like of Spotify.
Just wish the BBC would go to a streaming service.
Of course as I also do a lot of work on livestreams and livestreaming services (technical and artistic) it would be kinda silly of me to be talking about physical copies of stuff….
Games - when I can. I think all my PS4 games are physical copies. PC games mainly Steam unless it's something I particularly want to own.
Films/series - If I want to rewatch and own i'll by the blurays. Things like BSG and the Marvel movies I bought. Other films/series that i'll not want to rewatch i'll just stream.
Books - buy. Never download them, I just don't enjoy them as much and I like time to actively not be looking at a screen of any sort whatsoever.
Music - a mixture
Software - online but then I usually use free versions of software such as libre office and so on
Of course. i wouldn't have it any other way.
So not on disk, me not buying it.
I have a modest library of DVDs, BDs, and CDs. I have a not-so-modest library of books.
All the time as I prefer to own the things I buy rather than pay for the right to listen/watch/read them. I buy Blu-rays, CD's, Vinyl and books although in the case of books it is mainly reference books as most of my story books are on Kindle these days. I can pick up CD's for as little as 50p and most of the time they are as new. Similar with books although most have been around 99p. Games are mostly on Steam and I can't remember when I purchased my last physical game, probably at least 10 years ago.
CDs - cases in the loft, disc in a soft case. Still buy some, got a couple of old ones used recently so cheap as chips. Really enjoy putting on an album now and again.
Vinyl - got/aquired. Tend to be what we get if it's something new just for added fun.
DVDs / blueray - buy and have sold. Anything we want to keep (Studio Ghibli for example) we hang onto. Cleared out a load we had kicking around and try not to buy anything we won't hand onto. Except boxed sets we couldn't watch online - bought and sold back to CEX when didn't have to do postage (Shield, Endevour)
Games - Half and half PS4, pick up cheap digital games in the sale but tend to go physical as it's nice to be able to share with friends (when you can see them! One still has half a dozen games we lent before the first lockdown :telephone:) PC is all digital. I do have a DVD drive in the computer now - mostly because the old case had a drop down flap and wanted to put one behind it so spent a fiver on one from eBay!
Games - Not for at least 15 years.
Books - Always, I despise reading books on a screen and losing the tactile feel of turning a page or placing a bookmark when pausing.
CDs - Very occasionally, mostly stream now.
Vinyl - Never.
DVDs or Blu-ray - Only when impatient to watch something on a streaming service, I avoid the cinema and dislike renting. So occasionally, I still have my old VHS player and cassettes.
I've actually kept the receipt for the last music CD I've bought in 2005. Since FLAC and other lossless formats are present, I don't see much sense in getting more plastic.
I only weep for things like hilarious Taika Waititi's commentary to Thor Ragnarok (otherwise an okay film), which is impossible to get anywhere but on physical media (and forsaken iTunes).
Music - Physical media is preferable (then ripped), though there has been times when I only care for certain tracks on an album (and it costs less than the album) that a digital purchase is made.
Films/TV - Physical, like others have said, prefer to own and streaming is unreliable when it comes to access (Killjoys on Amazon Prime being a major annoyance, just about to watch the last series, poof! cough up please).
Games - Digital, these days even if you cough up for a physical copy it invariably leads to a download anyway.
Software - Digital, mainly down to the fact most of them don't offer a physical copy anyway, I avoid subscription based affairs when possible as well.
Books - Always, always physical, there's just something superior about print… more tangible, the feel of wood pulp and the smell (occasionally, more so the ones that I've inherited)… plus I've a few signed/sketched art books that you simply can't get digitally (pride of place are the two signed Chris Foss books with one off illustrations on the inside covers by the artist himself). Novels? There's an increasing collection that predate the digital era by quite a margin and again, like adidan, I prefer to get away from a screen of any sort.
I mostly went digital/stream for all.
But I do buy my favorite movies/music on discs just to be on the safe side. Also, quality of the media is better than on stream. My trick is to go and buy second hand. They are so cheap these days (as everyone is getting rid of them).
Yes for music on CD and decent 4k movies. Most of my new music purchases have been directly from the artists at their live shows (remember those?).
Although I do put them onto my portable music player I still like to have the physical media which I do try and get signed too :-)
Really only Vinyl maybe the very occasional CD. All games are software downloads.
Yup. Most recently, bought a DVD and a Blu-Ray player a couple weeks before Christmas.
Yes - books.
I find it easier to focus with dead tree versions. I spend enough time online that if I want to read a whole book, why not do it offline? Exception: For technical books it is nice to have the digital version, for search reasons.
Yes - magazines.
Similar to books. Yeah, I browse Hexus online, but it's great having a paper copy of Wired that I can read over lunch.
Often - Movies and TV shows.
I don't watch a ton, so it often works out to be cheaper to buy than always having a streaming subscription. And it's great to always have the whole series of Parks and Rec and The Office available to watch after work. I will occasionally do a digital rental of a film I haven't seen, or have a streaming subscription for a month to sample a new series, however.
Sometimes - Music.
I'm not a huge music person either, but it really comes down to do I like the album enough to buy it, or do I just want a few tracks? I buy an album every year or two, as well as a dozen to two dozen mp3s. Again, I don't listen to music enough to feel like a streaming service is generally worth it.
No - newspapers.
I used to, for reasons similar to magazines, but live in an apartment and the delivery reliability here sucks. Magazines use the post and are thus much more reliably delivered.
No - software.
I'm pretty much exclusively PC, and the digital options are really good on PC, without any of the physical format tradeoffs of magazines/books, and the sales are good enough that buying physical doesn't save money (even when it is an option). The only software I've bought online in recent years are older games I wanted to play again which weren't available on GOG or Steam.
Yes, I still buy Blu Rays and CD based media. Don't like ot put all my trust in digital platforms
Music? Both. For personal reasons I do use streaming, but I also have most of what I like on CD, and a fair bit of it on vinyl, as well.
Films/TV? Again, large collection on disc.
Books? Well, I have a pretty big physical library. There's something about books. Some of mine are even quite valuable. But recently, I actually read far more on Kindle. And if you had my vision issues, so would you.
Games? All on disc. I'm not using streaming services, period. Never will. That said, I don't do much gaming these days anyway …. largely because …. Steam, etc.
Absolutely - it's impossible to get a high quality UHD movie on any streaming service - and the difference between a good UHD blu ray and even the best stream is absolutely huge.
That is unlikely to change for many years - and until it does…I will keep buying movies on physical media :)
As I now live in the US, I planned ahead and switched to digital purchases for games when I got an Xbox One S. Moving a 2.5" HDD is far easier than the disc horde I could have acquired. My One X in the US certainly appreciates that.
I still occasionally buy PC games physically, especially as they're regularly cheaper than buying the same game directly on Steam despite the boxed copy pretty much being the Steam redemption code and discs to jumpstart the installation (which came in useful on the 8 MBPs fibre Internet connection I left behind). Moving the 500 DVDs will be a challenge though going forward.
That said, I got a Switch 2 weeks back and so far all purchases have been physical - the cartridges are small and will travel pretty well, plus physical copies are cheaper and sales on the Nintendo store seem to be rare to never vs regular big and long sales on the Xbox.
I don't by many books but those I do get are physical.
Music has been download only or Spotify for a decade +
Books yes, vinyls and CDs occasionally. Movies and software very very rarely (unless you count the cinema). Most music though honestly I stream and books are a mix of audiobooks and ebooks as well as the physical ones I collect
i've been buying physical media since the record and tape days and still have stuff i bought in my teens and still buy new and second hand stuff today, so have vinly, tapes, cd, dvd, hddvd, laserdisc, bluray, UHD bluray, vhs, betamax, minidisc, ps1, xbox, 360, xbone, ps2, ps3, ps4, wii, dreamcast, you name it. but i usually rip stuff to HDD and play via nvidea sheild or firestick or winamp or whatever from pc to amp
whilst i have a few turntables, including relatively new dj decks to replace my older ones, i only normally play vinyl that's already been opened/played unless i need to rip the track. usually i find someone else has done it if it's something not officially on digitil. i keep my new vinyl sealed, including £200+ boxsets. some stuff like RSD releases and rare limited stuff i buy 2 or 3 copies on the basis i may open one to play or look at but will still have the mint sealed one. got a few tapes like that too, multiple sealed copies. i've got that much stuff to play and watch and busy so never been bored or lacked something to do enough to open the sealed stuff. got piles of new clothes and trainers still boxed/bagged and unword too
it's like a crazy hoarder alternative, but instead of keeping old crap i've got piles of minty box fresh new stuff
i use streaming service too, i'm not too fussed about keeping most tv shows. movies i like i can have umpteen copies on different formats, the first release, the special edition, deluxe, super deluxe, etc etc, and a new version comes out before i even watch the extras so never bother with them mostly now
iMATION DVDs …………I have to make important life story backups (pictures & documents) for JUST-IN-CASE. Solarstorms that create EMP can wipe out flash memory. Check the DW Documentary bellow.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8C20q-eDm8
I mostly stream/download now, but certain things I like to buy on 4K Blu-Ray, especially David Attenborough's stuff (Blue Planet II, Planet Earth II, etc). When I watch those I want to know that I'm getting the absolute best picture quality I can with as little compression as possible.
I still buy some films on blu ray, and the occasional CD. For fiction books, I've moved mostly to ebooks,
since (a) They're cheaper, and (b) I don't have space for that many paperbacks. But although ereaders are fine for fiction, a lot of non-fiction books just work a lot better in print - easier to flip through, and a lot better for diagrams or maps.
yes, for music, yes for films, yes for backup; but none of them as much as usual. Perfectly happy to wait for them to come onto streaming services. I don't pay for a specific music streaming service as it's included (in part) with another and that works for me. So I get most of my films & music for less than the price of a tv licence…
I don't buy physical media unless it is considerably cheaper. The ease of just getting a code for games or just streaming a movie is just easier + It does not take up physical space.
All digital.
Games mostly via. Steam.
No DVD drive slot in my new PC case. Which caught me out when an old Epson A3 printer required the driver CD! This seems to be a rarely under Windows 10, which in itself is a great advance.
I still buy physical games for my Xbox One (and some old 360 games). The prices for digital copies are massively inflated compared to a used physical copy. Paid £10 for GTA5 the other day, it's £25 for a digital copy.
Don't buy any physical PC games though (no DVD drive) and don't buy physical movies/tv/music either, the value and flexibility of streaming is miles ahead of physical in that industry.
I buy the odd CD but prefer to buy Flac from Bandcamp or elsewhere, That's about it for me.
CP2077 was the first boxed game I'd bought in circa 5 years, and even that was because I thought it might get delivered early.
4K Blu-Rays I am tempted to get involved in if the price is right, although I did recently buy Tenet UHD at full-price. Not purchased anything music related in *years* (thanks SPotify, Soundcloud and Mixcloud) - which even then was probably the limited R U mine? 7" LP.
Ultimately there isn't a huge amount in it for me as far as costs are concerned and I'd rather than not have media taking up space. It used to be boxed games were significantly cheaper, but even that isn't the case now, and there are weekly sales on all the major platforms teeing up games for silly prices.
From a quality perspective, music is a bit stagnant and video is in a weird spot where you may get the Dolby Vision of a UHD film on digital but be ‘stuck’ with the HDR10 version if you buy on disc (whilst not being victim to possible sways in bandwidth impacting IQ). It's be great to have a LoveFilm service still kicking around for UHD.
I've switched to buying physical copies. With all this stuff being digital, it's hard to tell what I own when developers can one day decide to cancel my license.
Physical on console… Cheaper and you can resell them!
Games, for my PC, are all bought via Steam now, been doing that for nearly ten years now.
Music I still buy on CD and then rip for playing while working, or on a USB stick in the car.
Films are a mix, been using blu-ray for years, and still do 90%+, but have recently bought a few via Prime/Netflix. I can see myself switching for these all to digital altogether.
Yeah I still buy CD's, DVD's, Blurays & Vinyl
Just last week I pre ordered the new Adrian Smith CD which comes out in March and recently had pre ordered AC/DC, Corey Taylor & Bruce Springsteens new albums on CD and they have all been listened to a fair bit in my CD player which is hooked up to an old school 90's Phillips Stereo system. I may ditch that in the next year or two though and just go with my Majority Digital Radio / CD Player and a separate record player both running into an amp and a set of decent speakers
I buy most of the new C64 Psytronic releases on cassette which includes digital copies which I use on The C64 which is hooked up to my PC screen and sits on my PC desk.
Granted with the CD's I rip them to my PC and listen that way or streaming them to my TV using PLEX usually as we haven't quite got round to wireless speakers yet. However if I am in the loft with all my retro gear I listen to my physical CD's often as well as using the tapes on my 8 Bits etc
Past few days I have been recording some C64 Mix Tapes for a friend so still keeping Maxell in business buying tapes from our local Wilko or Amazon.
There's just something therapeutic and tactile about using physical media even though we do use streaming services often (Netflix, Amazon and so on)
Definitely
I enjoy collecting movie & music gems on disc. I was born on CDs so never got the vinyl bug but love the fact there is a revival. If I ever get to own my own place I'd definitely consider having a vinyl collection.
I used to get games on physical media but there's little point these days as they don't allow you to play the game without DRM and the initial releases are sadly bugged to hell. I can understand it for people on poor internet connections, but even these days after launch you're having to download huge updates that is basically the size of the whole game.
I find it a benefit with Movies & TV to own the physical media, as with streaming services continually modifying great shows so they don't offend the latest generation, the content is generally left within, so far touch wood, cross fingers.
Probably the most common answer from me
Console games I much prefer physical media, throwback to the Pre-PS3 era - often cheaper and have some resale value, but I do like the convenience of not having to have them in the drive to play - that's the biggest attraction for digital copes for me. But I generally stay strong and buy the discs.
PC games, Steam, Epic or GOG - there can't be much market for physical copes any more?
TV/Movies are almost exclusively streamed from Netflix/Prime, though I do have a massive collection of physical bluray/DVD discs that I keep on a plex server and store the boxed stuff in the attic/cellar/shed/bedrooms/lounge.
Music, not a huge thing for me but do have a cheap Deezer sub and the basic Prime music package.
I went through a phase of archiving to bluray discs, but with the plummeting cost of hard drives now I archive to an external drive and cold store it. They hold more, are cheaper per GB and take up less space, just feels a little bit riskier. Not sure they count as “physical media” in the same way.
Yes on consoles, no on PC and I use Spotify for music.
However I do buy Blu Ray/DVD/CD's of the stuff that I will like forever, such as my favourite film (Jaws).
Only console games. never music, pc games, movies or anything else.
I'm still buying DVDs and Blu Rays. Recently got the HBO Chernobyl series on Blu Ray (highly recommended) and “The IT Crowd Ultimate Boxset” on DVD.
Yes. If Amazon are charging a stupid amount to watch a film, or buy a 10 year old film, then I'll but the film second hand for a few pounds. We will be ripped off if we abandon physical media! Heck, all audio should be HD and you shouldn't have to buy a HD subscription from the likes of Amazon?!
You want quality (movies), buy physical. All games are from Steam.
I try not to now. Console games is about the last one but even then if I can get it for a similar price digital I will. Its just a pain managing disks. Game pass has changed my feelings here massively just like Netflix did for dvds. I look at my old dvds and realise they on the whole just aren't of much interest 5 years later…
I still have unopened PS3 games I bought on launch day still in plastic wrap. Digital media is better for me because I don't need to ‘buy’ until I'm nearly about to play. Yes, you could argue the same for physical media. I don't know what I was all about. Wasted so much money. ;_;
Personally I go for whatever is cheapest for my media. that mainly means waiting for a game on digital to drop on offer, then I'd pick it up.
I still like having physical media, especially for things I really like, yet… I didn't get any physical media for the past 5 years or so. It's just too convenient to buy digital and then, I just can't make myself spend on the same thing again just to be able to hold it so… Even though I 2oukd really like to have some the new Linkin Park merch, I just can't justify it.
PC games, I don't, although I'm not sure that you can get games on disk anymore?
Xbox, I try and get all the games on disk because they can be sold with the console, although it is a bit of a pain swapping the disk over.
Yep. Bitrates for video especially are still not up to physical media. Plus they don't stop working when Netflix has a problem or Spotify has an issue or my broadband provider has “issues in my area”.
I like physical media, if nothing it stops me losing like can happen with digital files, it also gives me a physical product for my money that I can sell later when I no longer want it. Companies love the idea where you rent things from them with continuous never-ending payments each month to them and hate the idea that you own a product that you might sell or give away to someone.
Finding stores that still sale physical media is getting harder. I love collecting game media. Online store fronts is a bit easier and quicker. Though I miss cd/dvd installing experience.
Steam has ended the appeal for Physical Media for me personally. May pick up some games physically if I get a PS5
Movies i keep on physical media, and intend to keep doing that. I thinned out the VHS collection though, as some have been rebought on newer media.
Games are 99% digital, as GoG.com and Humble Bundle have been great. I still get some collectors editions though, though only when its not just a gave-key in a box.
And music is free as far as i can tell (or rather bundled with mobile and internet subscriptions)
Despite being able to stream music I normally buy second-hand CDs. Normally they are cheaper than a download, better quality than MP3 and can always be ripped to FLAC for the car.
My preferred medium is still physical, I buy Blu-Ray's, CD's, physical Games where possible. I convert the Music, TV & Film to digital and archive the physical copy. I am still pretty peeved by the lie that digital would mean cheaper games when in reality you just send more money to EA/Blizzard etc.
It's been a while but yes, I would still buy for games, movies, or software.
Garndell
My preferred medium is still physical, I buy Blu-Ray's, CD's, physical Games where possible. I convert the Music, TV & Film to digital and archive the physical copy. I am still pretty peeved by the lie that digital would mean cheaper games when in reality you just send more money to EA/Blizzard etc.
and no 2nd hand avenue either.
^^ To be fair, I now only buy games on sale… other than the rare occasion when I really want a game (twice in the last 5 years). And digital sales have some deep decent discounts, if you're willing to wait. I only play on PC these days.
I was drummer in a jazz trio until very recently; our bassist and my best died last week. We recorded everything to CD. I thought it was a bit much, but now I'm glad we did.
I haven't bought physical media in a long time, in fact, the only use case I have nowadays is hooking up an external drive to extend XBOX storage. That's about it. My 500GB T5 is sitting empty.
I collect steelbooks but not buy physical content
Only Mega Drive games that shaped my childhood (and some PC games like FFVII).