The slow end of DVDs?

[Denise B]

I've done some YT workouts, but I much prefer my DVDs. I have a large collection, and in looking at my spreadsheet I will probably only use each workout 1-3x per year. To me this is the best of both worlds -- plenty of variety, but retaining some familiarity with each routine.

It does seem like instructors and producers are gearing up for streaming though. Lots of sales on DVDs!

[Vee]

If it is any consolation:

1. Technology evolution has typically never led to something good becoming replaced by something worse. Something good only gets better. When DVDs die, the technology that replaces it *will* be better.

2. Technology evolution has usually made things more affordable. The wonderful thing about techmology is that when it progresses you tend to get something better (in terms of convenience, flexibility) at lower cost.

These are still the relatively early days of streaming and downloads for video. Hi-Speed internet will become available at affordable costs and more widely. DVDs are not likely to disappear before that happens.

When streaming / downloads make it cheaper for instructors to produce workouts, and expand the market (much fewer people outside the US are familiar with home workouts and a big deterrant is international shopping/shipping), the benefit of scale and lower production cost will trickle down to the consumer.

[kitty12]

I like having a library of DVDs I can use over and over again ,as opposed to the something new every day world of streaming. Downloads are OK, but a lot of work. Seems we have regular threads like this where people debate on whether DVDs are doomed in the near future, but I think for now there is enough of a market. The other thing - DVD workouts seem to be better quality, more thought out workouts than some of the streaming ones I have seen. I don't need the "hey, look what I threw together today" feeling of streaming. I want good quality well thought out workouts.

[kittybug]

Originally Posted by Vee

If it is any consolation:

1. Technology evolution has typically never led to something good becoming replaced by something worse. Something good only gets better. When DVDs die, the technology that replaces it *will* be better.

2. Technology evolution has usually made things more affordable. The wonderful thing about techmology is that when it progresses you tend to get something better (in terms of convenience, flexibility) at lower cost.

These are still the relatively early days of streaming and downloads for video. Hi-Speed internet will become available at affordable costs and more widely. DVDs are not likely to disappear before that happens.

When streaming / downloads make it cheaper for instructors to produce workouts, and expand the market (much fewer people outside the US are familiar with home workouts and a big deterrant is international shopping/shipping), the benefit of scale and lower production cost will trickle down to the consumer.

Well, I agree but then again I don't.

Taking, for example, the music or book biz....sure, things are more accessible, so this means anyone who wants to can self-produce an album or novel or whatever. Does that mean there's a flood of great new works out 'there' for us, the consumer? Um, yyeaaaahhh, not really. There are some gems, sure, but there's a whole lot more that's not so great that we have to weed through now to find the gems.

My thought is while overall something good comes of these technological advances, something good is also always lost. It can't be avoided. Certain sounds you could achieve with an old-school recording studio can no longer be achieved with today's digital equipment, for example. I can't take a workout and mix DVD chapters around to make my own version if it's only available streaming online in its original form, can I?

And the more established artists who were around before technology hugely affected their industries have been affected, some quite negatively. When it's easier than ever to get content freely available, whether legally or not, the artist's bottom line is directly impacted, and that trickles down....you can follow the line of logic without me spelling it out, I'm sure.

Hopefully that aspect won't be the same with the fitness industry, but we can't predict if it will or won't.

Just thinking 'out loud' here....

[horsemom2]

Actually, youtube with channels like jessicasmithtv already offers plenty of free content to stream or download so why pay for videos you can only stream unless you absolutely love the content and have a great internet provider.

Barb S

[cherimac]

Originally Posted by horsemom2

Actually, youtube with channels like jessicasmithtv already offers plenty of free content to stream or download so why pay for videos you can only stream unless you absolutely love the content and have a great internet provider.

Barb S

Exactly. I only subscribe to one streaming site and it's VERY affordable, as streaming goes, and I love and do the workouts almost daily. Along with Jessica Smith, it's great for me and my fitness expenses have actually decreased.

[Betty Boop]

Originally Posted by kitty12

I like having a library of DVDs I can use over and over again ,as opposed to the something new every day world of streaming.

Not only that--how do you learn steps & stuff with streaming workouts?

[edensmom]

Originally Posted by Betty Boop

Not only that--how do you learn steps & stuff with streaming workouts?

I can ff and rewind when streaming on my blu ray. It's true there aren't convenient chapter points, tjough, and it is kind of a pain!