Disc Players: Endangered Species?

In his April/may 2021 Q&A column, Al Griffin advises grabbing “an Ultra HD Blu-ray player while they are still being manufactured.” But if these players might no longer be made, what will take their place? Most movies on streaming services don’t come with 7.1-channel surround sound or HDR.

Ronald V. Tancredi / Plainview, NY

Al Griffin responds: To put it simply— and harshly— streaming and digital downloads will likely replace disc playback. It’s a process that’s already well underway, although Ultra HD Blu-ray players continue to be offered by companies like Panasonic, Pioneer, and Sony. There is even a new company, Reavon (www.reavon.com), that had previously been a distributor of Oppo Ultra HD Blu-ray players in France, which is

developing a new line of players based on Oppo’s well-regarded UDP-203 design (look out for a future review in Sound & Vision).

But while there’s no stopping streaming and its merciless conquest of the home entertainment space, physical media— and the machines required to play them— will stick around for years to come. Just look at the vinyl Lp/turntable revival, which is now going stronger than ever! Even Compact Discs and cassettes are making a bit of a comeback, with some artists— indie ones, mainly— preferring to release physical media in those formats. If you do go all in on streaming, A/ V quality isn’t nearly the same issue as it was in the early days of online movie viewing, with many services now offering movies and TV shows in 4K/HDR with Dolby Atmos sound.