It’s been a few weeks now since the news that Sony was discontinuing physical discs got under my skin enough to add a TV and Blu-ray player to my bedroom setup.
After the various battles with HDMI handshakes and universal remotes, has it really changed my viewing? Would I recommend it?
Those are complicated questions.
Firstly, what has changed for the better?
There’s no scrolling.
This can’t just be me. When you load up Sky Stream or a Fire Stick, whatever your platform of choice is, there are literally thousands of choices. If you’re anything like me, you end up scrolling and scrolling, eventually settling on something you’ve likely seen before. Or you try something new and lose interest quickly.
Lately, it’s been finishing my shift and spending an hour catching up with Frodo and his friends (or whichever film I’m partway through). As such, I’ve watched more films.
More actual watching
Not sure what it is, but when you put a disc on yourself, you tend to watch. Properly watch the film. How many times have you lost interest and ended up scrolling on your phone? It’s a lot for me too.
This happens less, I think, because the programme doesn’t break for adverts.
No danger of deletion
When you’re into a series or a collection of films, there’s no danger of the dreaded:
“This programme expires in 30 days and moves to service X, Y or Z.”
Not so good
Storage
My collection is pretty small, with my favourites on a shelf. But as I head to more charity shops and boot sales, that collection will likely grow. I like reading the case and having something tangible to put on the shelf, but it all takes space.
Old favourites but no discovery
I am definitely leaning into rewatching. These are films and series I have seen before and liked. So just as that endless scroll was an issue for streaming, discovery is less likely with Blu-ray and DVD.
I’ve picked up more titles thinking, “I haven’t seen that in ages” than “I wonder if that film is any good?” This is probably where streaming works out better.
Water-cooler TV
I remember Game of Thrones being massive. In the office the next day, we’d talk about last night’s episode, theorise about who was getting the Iron Throne, and discuss who was actually a baddie like her daddy (I called it).
I digress.
My point is that waiting for the physical release would have excluded me from all of this. A few years later, it was Stranger Things.
There’s also now the issue that a lot of great TV isn’t getting a physical release. So it’s a subscription or nothing.
You’re not going to get the latest and greatest TV on disc, so streaming and over-the-air TV have to play a part.
That goes double for any kind of live sport.
The price? That’s more complicated.
You see plenty of YouTubers with shelves full of discs proclaiming that they cancelled all their streaming services and it worked out much cheaper.
The truth of the matter is that it probably does. Streaming services are only going to increase in price. But there’s a half-truth here.
I found that when I was searching for popular Blu-rays, there were some absolute bargains. Upgrading Lord of the Rings to HD, for example. Look for something more obscure, though, and the price argument soon falls apart if you want the Blu-ray version.
DVDs, at the time of writing, seem the better option for these titles. Most Blu-ray players upscale automatically, but there is a trade-off and a sacrifice in image quality to be made there.
As fewer people hold onto discs, those prices are likely going to rise.
My take, though? Is it worth getting into physical media in 2026?
Absolutely. But then I would say that, wouldn’t I?
I don’t think there’s a right way or a wrong way to watch films and TV you enjoy. For me, physical media has helped me ignore the distractions and simply enjoy the programme again.