Vudu, iTunes, Google Play, Amazon........and so on

[tthurman]

What are you guys using for digital services?  Seeing how just about every Blu-Ray I'm getting these days has a digital copy of some type included, I figured it was time I started claiming them. 

After reading up some about them; as I was completely clueless before yesterday, it seems Vudu (Walmart) is geared a bit more toward HT enthusiasts.  iTunes is, of course, Apple, therefore totally dependent on their software, with all the others falling into somewhat of their own niche.  Google Play is a good match for my Android based TV's , and so to get started I went with Logan on Google Play, whilst throwing Roger Waters the wall over on Vudu.

Can't forget Disney, I've still yet to claim TFA or RO.

[Adultery]

I personally rip all my stuff and serve it through Plex using MakeMKV and Handbrake. But that's me... I like being able to control my content.

[tthurman]

I'm down with that too, but given this is something I can pretty much have access to anywhere (i.e. trips back home to see the family) I don't always have access to my personal media server.....so ya know, from that aspect.

 

[Adultery]

Ahh, I see... My Plex server is available anywhere though plex.tv (saving that the server itself is already accessible thanks to no-ip.com). If you don't leave your server running all the time I can see that being an issue.

[the_greeze]

Plex here too, love it.

As for content, I'm a member of a few private trackers so that's covered. I don't stream anything, ever. I'm old-school; I like to download it, watch it and (usually) delete it. 

[hansolo77]

Free digital version of movies you buy typically SUCK.  I bought a box set of Planet of the Apes (Charlton Heston) movies on BluRay.  Registered them on the site.  My resulting digital version was a DOWNLOAD, of less-than-DVD-quality versions.  Later that year I bought a box set of X-Men movies (first 3) and tried to register it for the digital versions too.  Turns out the availability had expired.  WTF.  These are stored on disks in their original packaging, but I can't unlock it because the limited time is over?  I've yet to buy something that has an accompanying digital version that works of equal quality to the BluRay.  What's really rotten, are those "5-Disk Ultimate Collector Edition" releases, where they include the digital version on a disk that you have to have in your computer in order to access.  That's not mobile at all.  I guess if you had it on a laptop that has a DVD drive.

Nope, I'm with Adultery here.  I rip my own BluRay discs so I too can control the quality.  You can't get 50gb of movie in a 500mb file and have it be even remotely comparable.  Then on the side, should I ever choose to do so, I also have an Amazon Prime account for streaming.  I've actually never set it up and watched anything on it, but it's there.  I subscribed for the free 2-day shipping.  And there is also Kodi, with it's myriad of offerings.  I use it with Emby (vs. Plex) and it works great.

But yea, I hate to say it, but those "free" digital offers aren't worth it.  Limited Time Only, poor quality, etc.  I just don't even bother anymore.