5 reasons the streaming era has been a complete failure so far

Streaming services have become the norm for anyone who wants to watch something. Whether you’re relaxing at home or catching up on your phone or tablet, you can bring your streaming subscriptions with you—and even download content to watch on the go. The amount of entertainment available is impressive, with services that cater to both mass audiences and niche interests.

Still, there’s never going to be a time when I don’t feel the need to own physical media. As a teenager (and well into my 20s and now) I’ve always kept an eye out for Blu-rays and DVDs of movies and TV shows I care about. You might be asking, “Why?” (You’d sound a lot like my wife if you did).

It’s because there are real benefits to owning the discs. Some pieces of physical media hold personal meaning, while others are collector’s items I genuinely value. I’m never going to quit keeping a stash of DVDs and Blu-rays at home. Sure, the way I store them has changed — most are in a big CD binder now instead of lined up on shelves — but the point stands: streaming just doesn’t offer enough to make me turn my back on physical media.

1

Not every movie or TV show is streaming

What if the one you want isn’t?

It might feel like you can watch almost anything on a streaming service these days, but that’s not always true. Every now and then, you’ll want to watch a specific movie or TV series, only to find that none of the platforms you pay for have it. Maybe it’s a childhood favorite, or a classic film that’s just not widely available, making it frustratingly hard to track down.

These moments are exactly why I won’t give up physical media. What if I want to show my daughter a movie that isn’t on Disney+ and we can’t find it anywhere? I might already have the disc in my collection, ready to pop into the Blu-ray player for a cozy movie night on the couch. Sure, I can’t download it to an iPad for the plane or the car, but that’s part of what makes those moments at home feel extra special.

2

Those special features aren’t easy to find

Bringing up YouTube can maybe help

Over the years, I’ve bought plenty of DVDs that came with barely any special features. Maybe a trailer was tossed in, or a director’s commentary if I was lucky. I’m not naive enough to think every movie deserves a permanent spot in my collection. During one of my last moves, I sold off a bunch and donated the rest to a local library — stuff I knew I’d never revisit. Was I really going to watch The Red Violin again? Did I need Grey’s Anatomy Seasons one through three?

Probably not — and that’s why I let them go. But I’ve held onto a few special edition DVDs that offer features you won’t find on any streaming service. One of my favorites is the Director’s Cut of Amadeus. It includes 20 extra minutes of footage, commentary from both the writer and director, and a bonus disc with a full behind-the-scenes documentary. It’s all in one place, ready to pop in and enjoy — no searching, no subscriptions, no buffering.

3

The ease of knowing where the TV series or movie is

I don’t want to have to search multiple streaming platforms

Apple

How many times have you been completely frustrated trying to find something to watch? It happens to me all the time. I’ll scroll through Netflix or Hulu, and nothing looks good. And when I do want to watch something specific, it’s almost never on the platform I’m currently using. Jumping between apps just to track down one movie or show is exhausting.

With physical media, it’s simple. I can open up my CD case and grab exactly what I’m looking for. I’ve been meaning to alphabetize my discs to make it even easier, but for now, I generally know where everything is — though anyone else would probably be lost flipping through it. So maybe my DVDs aren’t a perfect system, but at least I know I can watch Major League whenever I want.

4

The viewing experience can be better

The picture quality improves

You have to pay extra in order to find the highest quality resolution for your content. Not everything that you’ll find on streaming services will be in 4K, especially if you have basic plans. Even when you pay for the higher-end packages, there is still plenty of content that isn’t in high resolution. However, that isn’t the case with 4K Blu-rays.

These are more common in physical media, and you can buy many movies in 4K. The same goes for the audio. You won’t have to deal with compressed audio if you watch something on physical media. This delivers a more complete audio experience. Streaming services compress audio to reduce the bandwidth needed to play files, limiting how good the audio can possibly sound.

I won’t get a changed version

Streaming gives you so much in terms of content. There are many shows and movies that are originals of the platforms, meaning you aren’t able to watch them elsewhere. But while those shows can be downloaded to your tablet or phone, they might be removed from the platform at any time. Even some originals are removed from services, so some can’t be watched anywhere.

But if you have the physical content, it can’t be taken away from you or removed. You’ll have access to it whenever you want. This also offers up peace of mind for those who worry certain shows or movies will be removed from services. Physical media can be consumed even when streaming media is unavailable. Plus, the physical version won’t be altered or changed later on. The formatting or content can be changed on streaming.