Where are you renting Blu-rays from anymore? - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

Buzzard · 12-04-2011, 08:51 AM

Seeing how Blockbuster, Rogers, etc. video stores have pretty much dried up and blown away....where to rent HD movies from? I rented one from the Playstation Store last night, but it took a good hour to download first. I don't want to buy every movie, and I'm sure not everyone else is, so where are you getting blu-ray rentals from?

Table 5 · 12-04-2011, 09:00 AM

It's been Netflix for the last few years for me, and I've been doing more and more streaming to the point where I don't even get the physical disks any more.

RW99 · 12-04-2011, 09:56 AM

Zip.ca for me. Though it is hard to get a new release out of them though.

THE SCUD · 12-04-2011, 10:27 AM

Try the bestBuy Movie kiosks at 7.11, etc. There is one up near me in Springbourough they are awesome. $2.99 for a BR $1.99 for a DVD.

topfiverecords · 12-04-2011, 10:30 AM

http://bestbuy.mydvdkiosks.net/member/home
I wish there was one of these close to me. I like the ability to see online what the machine has before going to it and even reserving it. Used that feature a few times in the US.
For now I'll still have to stick to the no blue ray red box at Safeway.

photon · 12-04-2011, 10:36 AM

Yeah the kiosks, or there's still a video store close to me that has Blu-rays.

EDIT: Though I didn't know you could view the stock online, that's cool.

RT14 · 12-04-2011, 11:13 AM

WTF - kiosks in Grande Prairie but none in Red Deer? Weak sauce.

saskflames69 · 12-04-2011, 12:04 PM

The Mac's a few blocks away from me just installed a Best Buy rental kiosk last month. I can't remember how much it cost but not as much as Blockbuster. Netflix is the way to go though.

Jedi Ninja · 12-04-2011, 12:05 PM

streaming != bluRay

edn88 · 12-04-2011, 12:12 PM

I have been renting HD movies from my AppleTV

Or I buy the bluray (if I am going to watch it more than once or twice)

blankall · 12-04-2011, 03:07 PM

Still using the Rogers Videos. One close to me. I usually pick at the previously viewed section. Can get Blu-Rays for abou $7.00 each. Means I own a lot of bad movies though.

Engine09 · 12-04-2011, 03:58 PM

Casablanca.

JonDuke · 12-04-2011, 06:49 PM

Get a Supernews (or equivalent) account, get introduced to the wonderful world of "Usenet" and try NZBMatrix.com
Costs about $10/month but you can download blue ray quality flicks in about 8 minutes.

NSFL · 12-05-2011, 04:43 PM

Library has a pretty good selection of blu rays if you don't have to see the latest movie right away. Just use the hold feature to hold a bunch and then watch them whenever they trickle in. $12/year.

Igottago · 12-05-2011, 04:46 PM

So does this mean blu rays are a dying/dead format now? I got a new TV a few months back and i've been thinking of getting a blu ray player...but whats the point if its tough to go get movies for it?

NSFL · 12-05-2011, 04:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Igottago

So does this mean blu rays are a dying/dead format now? I got a new TV a few months back and i've been thinking of getting a blu ray player...but whats the point if its tough to go get movies for it?

I'm pretty sure that's not the issue. It's because there are less and less places renting out movies. Not that it's dying out. Blu rays are getting more and more popular with DVD slowly dying out.

cmyden · 12-05-2011, 04:52 PM

http://www.pcworld.com/article/24121...streaming.html

Blu-ray vs Streaming

Quote:

Even the best streaming services that claim to be in HD stream at only about 1 mbps, or 5 to 10 mbps at the most, says Mark Waldrep, president and chief engineer of AIX Media Group.

That's about the same as a standard DVD disc, which presents video at 4 to 8 mbps.

In comparison, a Blu-ray Disc pumps pixels at up to 36 mbps, says Waldrep. As a result, when you're watching 1977's Star Wars: A New Hope, for example, you can see the grime on C-3PO's golden shell and laugh at Princess Leia's bad makeup job.

Quote:

So, will streaming ever catch up to Blu-ray? Ross Rubin, an analyst with NPD, says that one format is worth watching: The Vudu HDX format, found on Blu-ray players from Samsung and other manufacturers, matches the quality of a 720p cable video-on-demand movie.

But HDX still streams at only about 20 mbps, well short of the 36-mbps bit rate for Blu-ray, says Rubin. And most streaming services, such as those of Blockbuster and Netflix, throttle the video quality to match your bandwidth.

Quote:

Nevertheless, the Blu-ray format will not last forever. As Enderle predicts, streaming will overtake Blu-ray within another couple of decades when 100-mbps Internet access becomes commonplace.

If you believe this guy, then Blu-ray has a good 15 years left.

photon · 12-05-2011, 04:55 PM

For me the point is quality... but a good portion of the market doesn't care as much about quality and is fine with streaming, so the market for big rental places like Blockbuster seems to be going away.

But sales still happen enough to support the format, at least it appears that way.

blankall · 12-05-2011, 04:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by photon

For me the point is quality... but a good portion of the market doesn't care as much about quality and is fine with streaming, so the market for big rental places like Blockbuster seems to be going away.

But sales still happen enough to support the format, at least it appears that way.

I find it strange that people are spending thousands on top of the line TVs, but then are willing to settle for streaming quality. Blu-Ray is by far the best quality available. I'm not a videophile, but the difference is night and day between blu-ray and streaming "HD".

Cluelessboy · 12-05-2011, 05:14 PM

Streaming netflix = crap

Cant decode true 5.1 when streaming and the video quality isnt that great. Its quite poor IMO, plus the selection on there is from a stone age. New releases that were put out last year? No thanks. Theres a reason why its $7/month, you get what you pay for.

Even renting from the PS store is better, movies can be watched in true 5.1 and are quite good HD quality.

But if youre so used to watching off bluray discs its a hard step to take back. It sucks that theres only 2 rogers videos in the north end of the city now and both stores look like value village stores when you walk in with absolute horrendous looking setups. Renting was nice cause it was convenient with a Blockbuster within walking distance. But its not worth driving 20mins each way to rent a movie, I think renting off PS store is the best bet. Their prices are the same as rogers and saves you 2 trips to the store.

Otherwise if youre patient and dont need every new release right away, hit up walmart and buy from their bargain bins.